Spectral DMC-30 SV

ack

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Just got a call this new preamp will be available shortly. New SHHA modules. I am sure details will show up shortly on Spectral's web site. Priced just a little more than the 30SS.
 

edorr

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May 10, 2010
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Just got a call this new preamp will be available shortly. New SHHA modules. I am sure details will show up shortly on Spectral's web site. Priced just a little more than the 30SS.

Any word on upgradeability of the 30Ss Series II?
 

ack

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No idea and I am hoping it as well, considering that these modules are on detachable boards, but there may be motherboard dependencies.
 

ack

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So no upgrade path to this new "Super Veloce" preamp. Moreover, this preamp, like the RS amplifiers, claims no thermal tails, and that would be another breakthrough and a welcome improvement. Given Spectral's reasonable pricing, it's really not much of a pain to swap out preamps for a nominal, say, $5K expense. I am looking forward to listening to in the coming weeks... it is expected to set VERY high standards; just not sure how much better it may be over my late 30SS. It is also claimed to be even more quiet, and of course, Super Fast :D
 

nirodha

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Aug 11, 2010
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So no upgrade path to this new "Super Veloce" preamp. Moreover, this preamp, like the RS amplifiers, claims no thermal tails, and that would be another breakthrough and a welcome improvement. Given Spectral's reasonable pricing, it's really not much of a pain to swap out preamps for a nominal, say, $5K expense. I am looking forward to listening to in the coming weeks... it is expected to set VERY high standards; just not sure how much better it may be over my late 30SS. It is also claimed to be even more quiet, and of course, Super Fast :D

Keep us "posted" Ack!:)
 

ack

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On a related note, it looks like their new phono will finally see the light of day this year. If they manage to put the same technology in it, I would expect it to be superb. At the moment, it's still vaporware.
 

dan31

Well-Known Member
Jul 22, 2010
1,016
365
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SF Bay
We may need to start a support group for people wishing for a Spectral phonostage. Maybe people using the DMC-20 can tell us how nice the music sounds.
 

jfkbike

Member
Jan 13, 2011
31
1
8
Florida
I think Spectral has plenty of requests for the new phono stage as well as a DAC. I have a standing order in for years on both. Was told this summer to get the new pre amp and phono hopefully by year end.
 

jfkbike

Member
Jan 13, 2011
31
1
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Florida
New DMC-30SV preamp arrived yesterday. Have not even opened it yet but will do so this weekend. Kind of surprised it came this soon.
 

ack

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It is now on their web site http://www.spectralaudio.com/newprod.htm as a pre-announcement, so time for some comments; I suggest you open it immediately, you will be stunned. I'll post my thoughts soon.
 

ack

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Time will tell, but my educated guess is that this preamp is not the anticipated Reference Standard-level product I have been expecting. This is not to say its sound isn't extraordinary and utterly vivid; but I continue to hope for a Reference Standard-branded preamp, perhaps a two-chassis offering.

Listening to the 30SV driving the 400s is another eye opener:

  1. the improvements were fairly evident within 10 minutes of power-on; after 24 hours, they are quite obvious
  2. increased vividness all around, rendering timbres even more realistically; attack with timpani and drums is really spectacular, winds and strings have intoxicating micro-dynamics. Notes linger longer; lower noise renders even more micro detail. The piano's hammer strikes are rendered so well that I could say piano is finally very realistic. Compared to the 30SS S2, it's like looking at a sharper photograph, though both could be pleasing to the ear (eye). I think this vividness is what strikes you at first, and quite quickly
  3. it's interesting that the minor euphonic sound in sections of the midrange of the 360s/30SS S2 went mostly away with the 400s and the newer (my late serial #) SS S2, and even more so now with the SV driving the 400s
  4. dynamic headroom is also improved, especially evident with winds
  5. there is more mid-bass body, and very controlled and extended deep bass
  6. effortless rendition with the most complex of passages, portraying each instrument quite distinctly from all others
  7. clearly, the 30SS S2 is holding back the 400's potential, and I am quite certain we will not hear the 400/30SV combo's full potential until the phono arrives

The 30SS S2 set a very high standard for me, and it is in fact the very first Spectral preamp I ever bought new. Unlike the 30SL before it, which sounded very different, the 30SS S2 is an extremely transparent preamp, and the 30SV improves on that, as opposed to sounding different yet once more. It feels like the S2 set a solid path upon which the SV improves. Yet, I can see some people liking the slightly softer presentation of the 30SS...

Of course all of this is evidence of high quality sources as well, and by inference, said sources are ahead in speed. It feels like Spectral have been fighting all kinds of distortions with high-speed amplification for years and are now finally solving critical problems they set upon themselves, with custom amplification devices and other discoveries. I would call the 400s/30SV combo a TRIUMPH in transparent music reproduction, and it must feel good to be the engineers behind such beautiful-sounding products; hats off to the team. Finally, it looks like the faster/improved SHHA-3 modules will be retrofitable to older preamps, but this is not the only change in the 30SV.
 

nirodha

Well-Known Member
Aug 11, 2010
678
293
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Time will tell, but my educated guess is that this preamp is not the anticipated Reference Standard-level product I have been expecting. This is not to say its sound isn't extraordinary and utterly vivid; but I continue to hope for a Reference Standard-branded preamp, perhaps a two-chassis offering.

Listening to the 30SV driving the 400s is another eye opener:

  1. the improvements were fairly evident within 10 minutes of power-on; after 24 hours, they are quite obvious
  2. increased vividness all around, rendering timbres even more realistically; attack with timpani and drums is really spectacular, winds and strings have intoxicating micro-dynamics. Notes linger longer; lower noise renders even more micro detail. The piano's hammer strikes are rendered so well that I could say piano is finally very realistic. Compared to the 30SS S2, it's like looking at a sharper photograph, though both could be pleasing to the ear (eye). I think this vividness is what strikes you at first, and quite quickly
  3. it's interesting that the minor euphonic sound in sections of the midrange of the 360s/30SS S2 went mostly away with the 400s and the newer (my late serial #) SS S2, and even more so now with the SV driving the 400s
  4. dynamic headroom is also improved, especially evident with winds
  5. there is more mid-bass body, and very controlled and extended deep bass
  6. effortless rendition with the most complex of passages, portraying each instrument quite distinctly from all others
  7. clearly, the 30SS S2 is holding back the 400's potential, and I am quite certain we will not hear the 400/30SV combo's full potential until the phono arrives

The 30SS S2 set a very high standard for me, and it is in fact the very first Spectral preamp I ever bought new. Unlike the 30SL before it, which sounded very different, the 30SS S2 is an extremely transparent preamp, and the 30SV improves on that, as opposed to sounding different yet once more. It feels like the S2 set a solid path upon which the SV improves. Yet, I can see some people liking the slightly softer presentation of the 30SS...

Of course all of this is evidence of high quality sources as well, and by inference, said sources are ahead in speed. It feels like Spectral have been fighting all kinds of distortions with high-speed amplification for years and are now finally solving critical problems they set upon themselves, with custom amplification devices and other discoveries. I would call the 400s/30SV combo a TRIUMPH in transparent music reproduction, and it must feel good to be the engineers behind such beautiful-sounding products; hats off to the team. Finally, it looks like the faster/improved SHHA-3 modules will be retrofitable to older preamps, but this is not the only change in the 30SV.

One lucky guy! Enjoy!!!
 

ack

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
May 6, 2010
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I wish! it will take many months before I get mine.
 

Kingsrule

VIP/Donor
Feb 3, 2011
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Must have borrowed Goodwin's demo.
I wonder how many hours are on it?
 

ack

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
May 6, 2010
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Boston, MA

nirodha

Well-Known Member
Aug 11, 2010
678
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Obviously I've heard it - I wouldn't be making this stuff up :D

I guessed as much Ack ;-) I know you are not the kind of guy who criticizes or glorifies stuff without firsthand experience :p:)
 

Robertd

Well-Known Member
May 13, 2015
54
24
113
Time will tell, but my educated guess is that this preamp is not the anticipated Reference Standard-level product I have been expecting. This is not to say its sound isn't extraordinary and utterly vivid; but I continue to hope for a Reference Standard-branded preamp, perhaps a two-chassis offering.

Listening to the 30SV driving the 400s is another eye opener:


  1. the improvements were fairly evident within 10 minutes of power-on; after 24 hours, they are quite obvious
  2. increased vividness all around, rendering timbres even more realistically; attack with timpani and drums is really spectacular, winds and strings have intoxicating micro-dynamics. Notes linger longer; lower noise renders even more micro detail. The piano's hammer strikes are rendered so well that I could say piano is finally very realistic. Compared to the 30SS S2, it's like looking at a sharper photograph, though both could be pleasing to the ear (eye). I think this vividness is what strikes you at first, and quite quickly
  3. it's interesting that the minor euphonic sound in sections of the midrange of the 360s/30SS S2 went mostly away with the 400s and the newer (my late serial #) SS S2, and even more so now with the SV driving the 400s
  4. dynamic headroom is also improved, especially evident with winds
  5. there is more mid-bass body, and very controlled and extended deep bass
  6. effortless rendition with the most complex of passages, portraying each instrument quite distinctly from all others
  7. clearly, the 30SS S2 is holding back the 400's potential, and I am quite certain we will not hear the 400/30SV combo's full potential until the phono arrives

The 30SS S2 set a very high standard for me, and it is in fact the very first Spectral preamp I ever bought new. Unlike the 30SL before it, which sounded very different, the 30SS S2 is an extremely transparent preamp, and the 30SV improves on that, as opposed to sounding different yet once more. It feels like the S2 set a solid path upon which the SV improves. Yet, I can see some people liking the slightly softer presentation of the 30SS...

Of course all of this is evidence of high quality sources as well, and by inference, said sources are ahead in speed. It feels like Spectral have been fighting all kinds of distortions with high-speed amplification for years and are now finally solving critical problems they set upon themselves, with custom amplification devices and other discoveries. I would call the 400s/30SV combo a TRIUMPH in transparent music reproduction, and it must feel good to be the engineers behind such beautiful-sounding products; hats off to the team. Finally, it looks like the faster/improved SHHA-3 modules will be retrofitable to older preamps, but this is not the only change in the 30SV.

Interesting feedback Ack. Is there a pre amp out there that you do consider a reference standard, or at least consider closer to a reference standard than the newest Spectral?
 

ack

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
May 6, 2010
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Boston, MA
Interesting feedback Ack. Is there a pre amp out there that you do consider a reference standard, or at least consider closer to a reference standard than the newest Spectral?

By Reference Standard (RS), I am referring to what they brand the 400RS and 300RS amplifiers - basically the badge, and what it stands for, for Spectral. In particular, I don't think we will see claims like "parts per million accuracy" in the preamp, as the amps, but we have to wait and see. Regarding other preamps, the ones I might be interested in are not available to audition - e.g. CH Precision, Boulder and literally very few others; plus very few would be reasonably priced at the same time. For a component to pique my interest, I would first have to understand the design goals and execution, and the designer would have to have a track record. Pass and Spectral are "easy to read", others are mostly black boxes or just typical same-old designs. At the end of the day, I tend to choose based on designer->design->sound, and that's a limited set. Having said that, I love FM Acoustics from a sound-reproduction and philosophy of design perspective (e.g. they are probably the only others, that come to mind, insisting on using their custom cables), but don't really care about circuit execution and definitely not price. It looks like I have just described the five major SS-amplification players, in my mind, or at least the ones I care to follow.

To make a long story short, I don't have anything to offer regarding how this preamp compares to current others; at least, not yet.
 

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