Spectral DMA 280S

[Hiempie]

Hello,

Yes again a new announced poweramp Spectral DMA 280 S or should it be a SV


Three new poweramps in 2021???
I don't understand why this overkill amps amps and more poweramps.
It should be nice these old boys introduce a new DAC and Streamer would be great in these digital time.

Greetz Hiempie

 

[Addicted to hifi]

Excellent amps if I could only afford it.

 

[dan31]

I was a fan, but I lost interest long ago. I do appreciate Spectral as they do as they please. I respect that part. I’m just not a customer for them anymore.

 

[TooCool4]

Well since they tend to release when they can do better, I guess they can’t do better on the DAC front yet.

I have more or less given up on the Phonostage by now, that’s been more or less 7 years in the making and still nothing.

 

[dan31]

On the source side they appear happy to offer the 4000SV. It’s is a great CD source. Spectral are strict on PCM. I get why they won’t do a dac or phono. With the CD they have a complete chain of electronics.

 

[TooCool4]

They did do phonostage before. The current phonostage has been seen in prototype form, just the final version has not been seen because they have not finished it or maybe they gave up on the idea.

 

[Hiempie]

On the source side they appear happy to offer the 4000SV. It’s is a great CD source. Spectral are strict on PCM. I get why they won’t do a dac or phono. With the CD they have a complete chain of electronics.

Most music lovers don't invest in CD's anymore. My friends and I only stream music. The quality is better or the same like cd and it works from I phone. Maybee Keith Johnson doesn't use I phone either

 

[TooCool4]

Not everyone streams and some people want physical media, I for one like to own my own physical media.

 

[Hiempie]

They did do phonostage before. The current phonostage has been seen in prototype form, just the final version has not been seen because they have not finished it or maybe they gave up on the idea.

Unfortunatly our house burned several years ago. All my audio equipment was gone in a night. After building our home again I also bought new audio equipment. Maybee you can imagine I invested all my mony in CD not in LP. So for me Phono is a no go. My son only uses digital audio high Res ofcourse. He is young and doesn't invest in old fashioned equipment. Maybee the old boy's form Spectral are waiting for the next step digital audio or are introducing it when they are retired
Greetz Hiempie

 

[Hiempie]

Not everyone streams and some people want physical media, I for one like to own my own physical media.

who knows maybee when I am retired I but a phono stage again I loved to play LP's before the fire when I lost my Dennon DP 75 and all my LP's

 

[TooCool4]

Sorry to hear about your house burning down Hiempie, if my house was to burn down I think what would hurt me the most is if I was to lose all my physical media i.e. LP’s, Cassettes and CD’s. If that was to happen I don’t know if I would start again with LP’s or Cassettes, I guess I would gravitate to CD’s.

 

[Hiempie]

Sorry to hear about your house burning down Hiempie, if my house was to burn down I think what would hurt me the most is if I was to lose all my physical media i.e. LP’s, Cassettes and CD’s. If that was to happen I don’t know if I would start again with LP’s or Cassettes, I guess I would gravitate to CD’s.

Thanks TooCool4 it is almost forgotten years ago. But then you need to start again and I bought lots off new cd's and about 10 years ago I started streaming and playing CD's my first networkplayer was not that good like CD but my newer Linn Akurate DS was better and Linn is improving the quality in time, you can upgrad now it is much better then CD it is so easy to swich between songs I don't want to go back again. You can make favorite playlists it's funy and easy in use

 

[TooCool4]

I am sure streaming is easy and convenient. I see people that stream, most of the time they can’t listen to anything in full because it’s too easy to jump around. When we all still went to work every day (pre Covid) I see people on the train with their digital players, all I saw was constant skipping from track to track after playing seconds of a track. Me I am old school, I carry 2 cassettes which is long enough for my daily commute to and from work.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

I am old school all the way. Vinyl and sacds only.

 

[dan31]

I wish Spectral continued success. I think they must be doing well in Asia and some EU sales. My pre and amp are ten years old and seem to provide the same satisfaction as when they were purchased.

 

[jimbones]

can anyone tell me what the Spectral "house sound" was like? Im looking for an amp that is easy going relaxed, I dont need every last bit of detail. Kind of like tubes softer on the high end...

 

[docvale]

can anyone tell me what the Spectral "house sound" was like? Im looking for an amp that is easy going relaxed, I dont need every last bit of detail. Kind of like tubes softer on the high end...

Spectral ranks among my very favorite brands. I have listened to various generations of their power amplifiers and to several of their "30" series of preamp, from the SG till the SV.

When there's systems I love, it is usually difficult to me to identify the family sound, as finding a specific connotation is usually finding a defect in overall neutrality.
I would say, though, that if you like tube softness (despite I don't fully agree with the association of tube design with softness, in general) maybe Spectral might not be for you.

A Spectral system is full of detail, speed and sense of rhythm. But it is not fatiguing and it can be enjoyed even at volumes that are not so pushed. I listened to Spectral systems primarily via Wilson speakers (but also with Magico Mini-II, some 15 years ago) and with Spectral, Meridian or DCS sources. With the Magico, the source was a Basis 2800 turntable with Lyra cartridge and a FM Acoustics phono (the "entry level" one).

My practical criticism is that you might have to spend in cables as much as you'd spend in electronics.

 

[jimbones]

Spectral ranks among my very favorite brands. I have listened to various generations of their power amplifiers and to several of their "30" series of preamp, from the SG till the SV.

When there's systems I love, it is usually difficult to me to identify the family sound, as finding a specific connotation is usually finding a defect in overall neutrality.
I would say, though, that if you like tube softness (despite I don't fully agree with the association of tube design with softness, in general) maybe Spectral might not be for you.

A Spectral system is full of detail, speed and sense of rhythm. But it is not fatiguing and it can be enjoyed even at volumes that are not so pushed. I listened to Spectral systems primarily via Wilson speakers (but also with Magico Mini-II, some 15 years ago) and with Spectral, Meridian or DCS sources. With the Magico, the source was a Basis 2800 turntable with Lyra cartridge and a FM Acoustics phono (the "entry level" one).

My practical criticism is that you might have to spend in cables as much as you'd spend in electronics.

Maybe "relaxed" is the word Im looking for.....

 

[docvale]

You'd definitely find a Spectral system not fatiguing.
I doubt I'd ever be able to assemble one due to the overall costs (again, the investment in electronics is almost doubled with the MIT cables) but if I could, I could only expect a big smile on my face.