Spectral 2000/3000

ack

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Hi Ack,
thank you for your enlightening comments. Does all of this mean that, when given the choice, the SDR 4000 S Pro would be a far better choice than the 2000/3000?

Yes, unequivocally, if you can find a used one. But wouldn't you want to try other DACs down the road? Though the 4000 has a digital-out, it may be overkill to buy in order to just use it as transport down the road.
 

nirodha

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Aug 11, 2010
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Yes, unequivocally, if you can find a used one. But wouldn't you want to try other DACs down the road? Though the 4000 has a digital-out, it may be overkill to buy in order to just use it as transport down the road.

At this moment the problem is the transport. dCS told me it is too old to repair. My dac, also quite old but great (Elgar Plus) is still doing fine. Problem now is also that I don't have a pre. I can't afford to buy the big stuff anymore so an option would be: buy a used 4000 S Pro, use it as a transport for the time being. I know there is one for sale. After that start saving for a decent Spectral pre (I was thinking about a 30 SL gen. 2). And then ditch the Elgar Plus. That should make me quite happy for years to come: All Spectral front end + top of the line MIT + Kef Ref 207/2. Thanks again for your input!
Cheers Wim
 

ack

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You are welcome. Make sure you listen to the 30SL G2 before you buy - it is quite different than the 30 SS series.
 

nirodha

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You are welcome. Make sure you listen to the 30SL G2 before you buy - it is quite different than the 30 SS series.

Different in the sensce of the difference between the 2000/3000 and the 4000 S Pro?
 

ack

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Hard to draw parallels like that, so I'd say not really; the 30SS is much more literal, more resolving, a lot more realistic.
 

nirodha

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Thanks Ack!

So...in the end I decided to buy the Spectral SDR-3000 and made one of the best audio decisions of my life! What am I missing without my dCS Verdi: no clock-link, no SACD. What did I gain by buying the Spectral: a superior transport with more drive, less "digitis", more resolution (esp. in the bass). How this is possible? Beats me but can't think about it too long...have to play music again ;-) Cheers
 

ack

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Excellent! Superior it really is (BTW, had you bought the 4000Pro and used it as a transport later on, you'd be missing one very important interface: AES/EBU). Now may I suggest two things: the MIT MA-X digital cable (with the knob in the middle setting) or perhaps the new Shunyata Anaconda that others are raving about (AES/EBU in both cases); and some sort of additional vibration control under the transport (I use Sorbothane pucks); and see what you then have to say about your digital...
 

nirodha

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Excellent! Superior it really is (BTW, had you bought the 4000Pro and used it as a transport later on, you'd be missing one very important interface: AES/EBU). Now may I suggest two things: the MIT MA-X digital cable (with the knob in the middle setting) or perhaps the new Shunyata Anaconda that others are raving about (AES/EBU in both cases); and some sort of additional vibration control under the transport (I use Sorbothane pucks); and see what you then have to say about your digital...

Yeah: I am in love with this transport! I have been using the MIT MA-X digital for some years: also awesome stuff!. For vibration control I am using older Stillpoints (the component stands under all of my stuff). Next in line for purchase will be a Spectral pre with a set of MIT MA-X2. But for now I am definitely broke...broke but insanely happy haha. stereo1.jpg
 

ack

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Nice indeed. I have seen these speakers before, but the name escapes me? What are they
 

nirodha

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Nice indeed. I have seen these speakers before, but the name escapes me? What are they

Thanks Eric, Ack! The speakers are the Kef 207 / 2 Reference. Still love them :) Would never trade them in for the Blades! The only other Kefs I crave, are the Muons. Maybe not the best speakers in the world but the most beautiful ones. Yes I know, everything is subjective haha
Oh Ack, another question. Do you turn off the 3000 completely when you are not using it for a couple of days or do you put it on standby? Thanks again! Groetjes, Wim
 

ack

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I only turn it off when I go on vacation (3+ days); on standby, only the analog section is on (whatever that analog section is?!?!). You can easily tell that in standby the digital section is truly off by listening to FM.
 

nirodha

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Aug 11, 2010
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Did you buy the Spectral in the Netherlands Wim?

Hi Eric,
yes, I bought it in the Netherlands. The seller wanted to sell both the 2000 pro and the 3000. In the end he was willing to sell me the transport only. Both units were serviced by Spectral a year and a half ago.
I had a very interesting audio session at a friend's place last week. The digital set-ups:
set 1. An Esoteric integrated player
set 2. A 3000 feeding my dCS Elgar Plus, and
set 3. a 2000 and 3000 combination with the spectralink
This was very, very interesting. You could describe the journey from set 1 to set 3 as: from very digital to very analog. Digital not used in a bad way but in a modern way: very resolving, highly transparant. The 2000/3000 set sounded exactly like Ack said: it did not sound modern anymore. HOWEVER Ack, damn....if musicallity is a valid definition in the high-end world, this combi was it! Liquid as hell. I think I am going to buy the 2000 as well, even if I am not going to use in in my present set-up. Set 2 was a bit in the middle: maybe not as transparant as the Esoteric but very musical. Having listened to the 3000 feeding the Elgar Plus, driving the 360s directly for 3 days now, moved the sound a bit more to the Esoteric. I could live with this for a very long time. However, I have not had a serious Spectral Pre in my system so this is something to try in the (near) future. My friend has the latest version of the 30SS. Will keep you posted.
Cheers, Wim
 

nirodha

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Aug 11, 2010
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I only turn it off when I go on vacation (3+ days); on standby, only the analog section is on (whatever that analog section is?!?!). You can easily tell that in standby the digital section is truly off by listening to FM.

Thanks Ack.
 

leyenda

Well-Known Member
Mar 2, 2011
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Hi Eric,
yes, I bought it in the Netherlands. The seller wanted to sell both the 2000 pro and the 3000. In the end he was willing to sell me the transport only. Both units were serviced by Spectral a year and a half ago.
I had a very interesting audio session at a friend's place last week. The digital set-ups:
set 1. An Esoteric integrated player
set 2. A 3000 feeding my dCS Elgar Plus, and
set 3. a 2000 and 3000 combination with the spectralink
This was very, very interesting. You could describe the journey from set 1 to set 3 as: from very digital to very analog. Digital not used in a bad way but in a modern way: very resolving, highly transparant. The 2000/3000 set sounded exactly like Ack said: it did not sound modern anymore. HOWEVER Ack, damn....if musicallity is a valid definition in the high-end world, this combi was it! Liquid as hell. I think I am going to buy the 2000 as well, even if I am not going to use in in my present set-up. Set 2 was a bit in the middle: maybe not as transparant as the Esoteric but very musical. Having listened to the 3000 feeding the Elgar Plus, driving the 360s directly for 3 days now, moved the sound a bit more to the Esoteric. I could live with this for a very long time. However, I have not had a serious Spectral Pre in my system so this is something to try in the (near) future. My friend has the latest version of the 30SS. Will keep you posted.
Cheers, Wim

Very interesting observation. What was the model of the Esoteric that you tried?
 

ack

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
May 6, 2010
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HOWEVER Ack, damn....if musicallity is a valid definition in the high-end world, this combi was it! Liquid as hell.

Yeah, I know, VERY analog and liquid - and back in the '90s nothing could compare (heard some top Wadias back then as well); it's hard not to pay attention and not love that sound. If you get a chance, first support your lower jaw, then play the RR Rutter Requiem or Age of Swing through the 2000 and see what you think of that ridiculously large & cavernous soundstage I mentioned before. With certain material, the sound can be captivating; others, the euphonic nature is obvious. I suspect their anticipated (for the last 10 years) 5000 DAC will sound more like the 4000 player than the 2000 DAC. I can assure you though that, when I play Mahler's 2nd on Philips CD with the BSO lead by Ozawa, and Alpha DAC gives me much more of the sense of the sound of the hall and the truth of timbre of the instruments at Symphony Hall (a symphony I have listened to half a dozen times now, in there) than the 2000 ever did. In the end, that was a major decision-making point for me, and never looked back.
 

nirodha

Well-Known Member
Aug 11, 2010
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Yeah, I know, VERY analog and liquid - and back in the '90s nothing could compare (heard some top Wadias back then as well); it's hard not to pay attention and not love that sound. If you get a chance, first support your lower jaw, then play the RR Rutter Requiem or Age of Swing through the 2000 and see what you think of that ridiculously large & cavernous soundstage I mentioned before. With certain material, the sound can be captivating; others, the euphonic nature is obvious. I suspect their anticipated (for the last 10 years) 5000 DAC will sound more like the 4000 player than the 2000 DAC. I can assure you though that, when I play Mahler's 2nd on Philips CD with the BSO lead by Ozawa, and Alpha DAC gives me much more of the sense of the sound of the hall and the truth of timbre of the instruments at Symphony Hall (a symphony I have listened to half a dozen times now, in there) than the 2000 ever did. In the end, that was a major decision-making point for me, and never looked back.

I know exactly what you mean. But I am going to buy the 2000 anyway. Has to be worth the 2750 euros (it has been serviced a year ago) and I want to hear a full Spectral / Top MIT set before I die haha.
 

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