The DMA-400SV monoblock amplifier

ack

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As expected, this will be forthcoming, for those who cannot afford the incredible 500s... I would also expect a stereo version.
 

dan31

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Great! Another amplifier. Perhaps the phonostage is no longer on the list of products. Glad I did not wait for it. I wonder if a 400 can be upgraded, my guess is no.
 

ack

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Don't know what to tell you about the phono, only that it was coming out in January 10 years ago, and every year thereafter, according to the dealer's assessment every year, LOL. Frankly, I break out in laughs and tears every time I inquire about the phono. Ridiculous, isn't it. I am also glad I did not wait for it and bought the XP-25, which sounds incredibly accurate once modified, an assessment that is solidifying now that I have the 500s and 30SV. Frankly, this *modified* XP-25 was years ahead of the Spectral preamp and amp, if its speed - only now fully exposed - (as well as the A90's) is any indication, but it falters in noise and I hope the XP-27 improves in that area.
 

Mdp632

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May 29, 2016
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As expected, this will be forthcoming, for those who cannot afford the incredible 500s... I would also expect a stereo version.

I assume this replaces the 400s ? But , what are the differences between the 400sv and the 500s?

Which are also based on SV tech.

I guess we can expect the stereo version 300sv to replace the 300rs ? If it’s any indication of the 400sv replacing the 400rs.

Now with all the amps out of way ; the phono stage with Sv tech is a lock for 2019 :)
 

ack

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Mobiusman

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Ack,

Considering new electronics and wondering what your thoughts are about the DMA 500's relative to the 400's and 300 RS
 

ack

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Ack,

Considering new electronics and wondering what your thoughts are about the DMA 500's relative to the 400's and 300 RS

Hi Russ, I've been following your posts but have stayed silent. I have posted a couple of things on the 500s under my system thread, but not enough detail because I am still listening to distorting panels (even as I write this) - so mad at ML for the delays... but anyway, I will be straight up: given just one week's worth of listening in here before the panels went bad, I would say the 500s are of the finest-OTL quality. The purity will probably astound you, as will the presence and scale. Really serious high end contenders, IMHO. I understand the window to order a pair may be closing - or so I heard - so I would suggest you travel up here to the dealer and take a serious listen for yourself, IF you care to keep the 30SV.

They sound like a refined pair of 400RS up and down the entire spectrum, and with additional dynamic headroom, so much so that I dare say they are the reason I blew up my panels: one day I dared play a CD above normal, and a dynamic transient swept like a tsunami - not just louder, I am talking about my favorite "true dynamic expression". People talk about jump factor, I talk about the Fear Factor with these amps. Under my system thread I described them as Scary - and I still think that's what they are: scary good, scary pure, scary fast and dynamic, and scary transparent. Strong words, I know. But I am not alone.

I would love to see what you and Marty think if you make the trip up here. As I would love to compare them with the latest WBF favorite, the CH Precision M1s, at twice the price.
 

MadFloyd

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So what's the dif between the 400RS and the new 400SV?

Does SV stand for 'smaller version' ?
 

ack

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They refer to SV as "Super Veloce", and the 30SV preamp carries that moniker as well. This "super speed" is what we have been raving about the last couple of years, based on new custom and proprietary transistors.
 

MadFloyd

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So why wouldn't you want the SV instead of the RL?
 

ack

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MadFloyd

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No one said you would; am I missing something?

You said "As expected, this will be forthcoming, for those who cannot afford the incredible 500s".

This would seem to indicate that the 400SV is not as good as the 500s (in so much as it's less expensive). However you say the SV is the "Super Veloce" (super speed that you & others have been raving about) so it sounds like that's the 'one to get'; hence I'm confused.
 

Mdp632

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May 29, 2016
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You said "As expected, this will be forthcoming, for those who cannot afford the incredible 500s".

This would seem to indicate that the 400SV is not as good as the 500s (in so much as it's less expensive). However you say the SV is the "Super Veloce" (super speed that you & others have been raving about) so it sounds like that's the 'one to get'; hence I'm confused.

I'm also confused as I was told that the 400s would remain as is in the lineup. Now, if they are upgraded to 400SV; what makes them different than the DMA-500? ; I have a thought.

The DMA-500s are almost at the end of their limited production run (as ack stated); So, the 400SV will remain as the flagship mono going forward with some but not all of the 500 tech for a price between the current 400 and 500 offerings. (My guess )

Again without an updated and descriptive spectral website its tough for the consumer just looking at a model #. But, looks like the amp line up will be .

DMA-240
DMA-280
DMA-300SV (Replacing the RS)
DMA-400SV (Replacing the RS)
DMA-500 AR ( Limited Edition w/possible differences than the 400SV but, we don't know for sure yet

Pre amps
DMC-30SC ( A single ended only version of the SV technology based DMC-30SV (Balanced pre amp)

Source

SDR-4000SV CD Player based on the SV output stage.

And in the Spectral fans dreams... An SV based phono stage and the SDR-5000 DAC based on SV technology :)

Hey its good to dream right?
 

ack

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I think you have the list right, and I would also hope to see another version of the 500s at some point. And the 400s should be less powerful but not that much different, I hope. But they are also working on other projects...
 

ack

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You said "As expected, this will be forthcoming, for those who cannot afford the incredible 500s".

This would seem to indicate that the 400SV is not as good as the 500s (in so much as it's less expensive). However you say the SV is the "Super Veloce" (super speed that you & others have been raving about) so it sounds like that's the 'one to get'; hence I'm confused.

Forget about monikers - they both use this SV technology, it's that the limited-edition Anniversary Reference are labeled differently. If I ever get my panels I'll have you over to listen... and I am just going to quote and paraphrase my wife here when she said "you make life beautiful": when comes to music, Spectral SV "you make music beautiful". The downside is that I also anticipate a 30SV preamp update, to match the low distortion levels of the 500s.
 

CKKeung

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jsolo61654

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If you want a really good explanation of the differences between the 400's and the new 500's, call Alan Goodwin in Boston.
He's a Spectral "expert" with tons of technical information.
 

ack

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A good friend here sent me the following interview with Rick Fryer, from that same event; what it tells yet again is how sophisticated the people and the products of this company are, I agree with Fryer that no one else engineers things to the fanatical degree that they do.

 

marty

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That was an excellent interview with Fryer, who is not as well known to the public as many of his high end contemporaries. One cannot listen to this and fail to appreciate his accomplishments for which he deserves our respect. I will say this- he's certainly gotten more mellow and less arrogant with age! As much as I respect Keith Johnson, I do take exception to his classification of Johnson as one of the fathers of the bipolar transistor. That seems a bit misguided ot me as the the bipolar transistor was invented in December 1947 at the Bell Telephone Laboratories by John Bardeen and Walter Brattain under the direction of William Shockley. Keith was born in 1938. It would be hard to be one of the fathers of the bipolar transistor when you are only 9 years old.
 
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