Spectral dma 260 hum

[ack]

Take my words as verbatim. I bought the amplifier, indeed all my equipment, from a dealer in the Netherlands. We are in the EU. He is fully authorised. I am startled by how many comments here imply the problem is somehow of my making.

Thanks for your help.

I reviewed the entire thread, and to be fair, some information is conflicting if not inadequate, hence the "drilldown". For example, we just found out who the dealer is; last year you mentioned your excellent dealer replaced the 260 with a new unit; you also said "I have now received a new top piece for my 260 from SPECTRAL. This has no slits and has made a considerable improvement", but then two weeks ago "I realise that I never came back to the hum. The news is not good. After more than two years Spectral have done nothing constructive for me". So when someone reads "nothing constructive" and "considerable improvement" as well as "replaced with another 260" there are some questions being raised in my mind. Having said that, all in all, the entire thread is full of sympathizers except Overture. I still think simple suggestions like taking the amp to another home, measuring for DC offset in the line, et al are very worthy - meaning, there may be a power line issue you are not aware.

 

[gratefulgroveway]

As we say here - BLIMEY! My record has been a narrative of my experience not a forensic study.

The amp has been taken to another house. Same problem.

 

[nirodha]

As we say here - BLIMEY! My record has been a narrative of my experience not a forensic study.

The amp has been taken to another house. Same problem.

For some people it is VERY hard to say something negative about Spectral. I love Spectral. Have been playing with the 360s for years now. I put up with failing logo lights because I love the sound. But, on the other hand...if they build a product which is not suited for the country they export it to via a official dealer network...they failed! Think everybody said their thing 5 times now (including myself) so I am going to shut up. Bon chance mon ami!

 

[ack]

@gratefulgroveway

Last comments from me on this issue... The following is from the only authorized dealer in the Netherlands:

[FONT=&amp]Dear Peter,[/FONT]

[FONT=&amp]We are the distributor for Spectral for the Benelux countries.[/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]So, we’re not the authorized dealer for Spectral in the UK.[/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]Please contact Spectral for details in UK, find details below. [/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]If they tell you to go through us for 240 Volts UK products, we’re more than willing to help you through our dealer network.[/FONT]

A couple of things are clear to me:

1. Spectral has no product for the UK 240V voltage; they also did tell you, according to earlier posts, that you are the only 260 owner in the UK. It appears that at 240V nominal, the transformer is over-driven enough to buzz, but they still provided a plate with no slits, which according to earlier posts made a significant improvement, and apparently did also replace the entire amplifier as well
2. There is more to the claims discussed herein. For example, you may have bought it in person in Amsterdam, then moved back to the UK. I had inquired myself some years ago about transformer replacement should I move overseas, and I was told that the unit would have to have been under ownership for at least 6 months. It feels like they can't replace the transformer for you (for a fee), because apparently there is no UK-voltage product (yet?). If the dealer sold you the product knowingly that you would take it to "unsupported" territory, then I feel he should take it back. If the purchaser simply walked into the store and bought it, then the dealer has little obligation to do anything in that territory, and I believe quite a bit has been done, regardless. We still have no clear picture whether this is a truly legitimately-sold unit, and at this point I don't care.

In the end, since others have claimed that they have "friends" with transformer buzzing even in the Netherlands, it feels like there is some sort of issue, and Spectral replaced the top plate to address the problem; it would appear not everyone is eventually happy with it. The main question then is what is any manufacturer expected to do when an allegedly legitimately-sold unit is now operating in unsupported territory. I will leave that question wide open, but to me more than nothing constructive has been done.

So after all this, I am now with Overture.

Peter - out

[FONT=&amp]
[/FONT]

 

[TMenacker]

The customer is using a Spectral amplifier that is specifically made for 220V. The amp is labeled 220V. It will not work properly on higher voltages. I believe this customer bought the amp in Holland. If this is the customer I think it is, the dealer has offered to take the amp back. How would a formula 1 car run with the wrong spark plugs. This whole hum thing with this customer is absurd. Have the UK switch to 220V. You will be amazed at how quiet the amp is.

Terry Menacker, Overture Audio

 

[gratefulgroveway]

Dear Terry and Peter

I object to the problem as being described as absurd and the suggestion that the product was bought somehow illegitimately.
The DMA260 was bought from a dealer who knew where it was going to be used. Europe officially has the same voltage (220-240) so we did not anticipate an issue. The dealer has offered to trade the DMA260 in for another amplifier and I will do this.
So that's that, I guess.

The tone of your comments though, and the implication that I have been foolish or somehow deceitful does stick in the craw.

Sincerely

Paul

 

[TMenacker]

As I have stated before, Spectral custom designs their transformers for a specific voltage. This is how "instrumentation" quality components are designed. A 120V unit is designed to be used at 120V only. The 220V unit is designed for 220V only.

Terry Menacker, Overture Audio

 

[TMenacker]

Again, you are using a 220V unit at a higher voltage. That is why you are having a problem. DMA- 260 amplifiers are among the quietest we have heard. I am not going to go on making this comment over and over. Your post nearly cost my company 3 sales. I assured the clients there was no problem. When the units were installed, guess what? No problem.

Terry Menacker

 

[gratefulgroveway]

Terry

I am sorry if your patience is being tested.
The unit was sold in Europe for European use. Europe - and the UK is in Europe - share the same voltage by law. It is 220V-230V. You will know about voltage variance. Currently the 260 is being powered through an Accuphase power supply that controls the voltage at 220V.
The amp hums.
I tell it like it is.
Thanks for your comments but I too am now bowing out of this. As we say this side of the Atlantic. Enough is enough.

 

[Adimon]

Hello Terry /Ack,

I'm getting tired of this.
Even you don't understand it or won't understand it.
Spectral gear sounds great but has a huge problem related to humm/buzz.
In the country I live the voltage is specified to 230 Vac 50Hz with a tolerance of prox 10%.
Yes Terry the voltage isn’t always nominal and you should now that.
The European version of Spectral should work in this range!!!!!
But Spectral saves costs on a Amp of 16000 euro !!!!!!!!!
I think Spectral has dev. a transformer for 60 Hz that also can be used for the 50 Hz range.
Add some windings primary and there you go easy isn't it.
Wrong!!!!
They have to design a transformer for 230V 50Hz.

Paul can you increase the voltage to 207 Vac by using the Accuphase powergenerator?
It would not harm you're equipment!
And tell us if it affects the hum/buzz.

Has it something to do with the flux?

 

[A.wayne]

I met Rick Fryer of Spectral some months ago and spoke with him about the product. He was more veiled than Fu Manchu .

Lol ....