General Asylum: REVIEW: Spectral DMC12 w/o phono stage Preamplifier (SS) by jaybar

Although this is a pre-amp review section, I am considering the Spectral DMC 12 pre-amp in conjunction with the Spectral DMA 90 power amp, the Spectral Ultalinear cabling (IC's and speaker cable) and MIT power treatment. Had I the $$$ my digital source would also be Spectral. In short, I subscribe to the Spectral philosophy that their products are designed to work as a system, to the extent practically possible. While I have found good results with a variety of digital sources other than spectral, the amp's and pre-amps suffer when not used together in my opinion. I have tried other amps in junjunction with Spectral pre-amps (Bedini, Meitner, Krell etc) and other cable, performance of the pre-amp has suffered. When you purchase a Spectral pre-amp, you are "buying into" the beginning of a Spectral system so to speak. I find that the systems approach makes purchasing decitions easier.

Overall, Spectral producs for ne are characterized as transparent, refined, high speed, high bandwidth, suave and tonally neutral. Thier ability to stop and start very quickly, without smearing or over-shoot preserves the essential nature of both the leading and trailing edge of transients. Some equipment favors the transiet attck, while other brands favor decay. Both the DMC 12 pre-amp and DMA 90 Power amp seem excedingly well balanced in this regard and provide lots of information (detail) in a relaxed, neutral perspective and almost cerebral perspective. I find the cerebral nature of Spectral's perspective on the performance, along with its ability to get out of the way, to be the greatest asset of this pre-amp and amp and for me, what separates Spectral from non-spectral components. The equipment draws me in and helps me to better understand the peice and the performance. Assuming a good recording, the DMC 12 pre-amp and DMA 90 power amp used together, makes me want to return again and again to the performance. With each hearing, I learn more and want to return again and again to learn.

The DMC 12/DMA 90 replaced the DMC 10/DMA 50, respectively. With newer Spectral equipment, the noise floor dropped significantly. Dynamics were more enaging and realistic. Sound-stage became wall to wall, given a good recording and sound stage depth markedly increased and moved both further back from and further in front of the speakers. The PRAT factor, particularly the element of timing, significantly improved with the substitution of the DMC12/ DMA 90 combination

While I can expand upon the assortment of Audiophile nicities and nasties to describe the DMC 12/DMA 90 combination, I keep returning to the ability of this combination to help draw me into and better understand the music and learn and re-learn. For me, this is what high-end audio is about.

REVIEW: Spectral DMC12 w/o phono stage Preamplifier (SS) Review by jaybar at Audio Asylum