Spectral DMA-500SV Reference Mono Power Amp
Spectral's "Super Amp"
- Spectral Audio commemorates its forty-third year in the high-end audio industry with the introduction of Keith Johnson's new Reference Standard monaural amplifier, the DMA-500SV. The DMA-500SV builds on over forty years of advanced amplifier development at Spectral with our most ambitious design to date. The DMA-500SV reflects the milestone SV technology pioneered in the limited production DMA-500 Anniversay Reference monaural amplifier and is the culmination of years of basic research investment in state-of-the-art new generation amplifier design. The DMA-500SV brings the unmatched musical realism of the world renowned DMA-500 Anniversary to series production and a wider audience.
- In 2017 Spectral commemorated its fortieth year with the introduction of the limited series DMA-500 Anniversary Reference monaural amplifier. The 500AR was one of our Target 40 "anniversary" projects with the objective of proving Spectral's advanced SV technology and creating a new foundation for high performance amplifier design. The DMA-500AR has gone on to become one of Spectral's most successful and highly regarded products in the company's history and is found in the most ambitious high-performance systems in concert with the most sophisticated loudspeakers. Today, Keith Johnson's statement "Super Amp" is widely considered to be the most transparent and accurate amplifier in the industry.
- For the relative fortunate few that waited to secure one of the limted DMA-500AR pairs, their search for ultimate performance is probably concluded. With the completion of the production in 2019, Spectral RS dealers have been reluctant to retire the DMA-500AR from active duty without a production successor. The DMA-500 has become a focal point for the top events and demonstrations as well as an essential tool for presentation of their most advanced high-end loudspeakers. Work on the production successor of the DMA-500AR was completed by Keith Johnson and the design team for introduction in 2020. Dealer reaction to the musical presentation of the DMA-500SV Reference Standard amplifiers in the Spectral factory reference system was extremely positive. Based on enthusiastic dealer feedback and high customer interest the DMA-500SV was authorized for priority production starting in September 2020.
- We believe the DMA-500SV delivers the uncompromising listening experience Spectral customers expect and represents the high-end aspiration of Spectral Audio brilliantly. Thank you for your continued support and interest in our work. Richard Fryer Spectral Audio
Selected Design Highlights
- State-of-the-art instrumentation amplifier.
- Fourth generation high resolution design.
- Ultra fast settling circuit architecture.
- Precision RF type layout and topology.
- Focused Array high-speed aligned FET output section.
- Generation 2 SHHA high-speed hybrid driver module features SV technology and custom semiconductor topology.
- Power Vault magnetic field containment system.
- New generation vertical MOS-FET output transistors with innovative servo-bias tracking system.
- Multiple power supply array with independent power supplies and bias adjustment for each output device.
- Non-invasive optical and thermal protection circuits.
- Fully discrete design with balanced monaural operation.
- High current systemboard design with bulk copper technology.
- All modular construction with instrumentation connectors.
- Proprietary ultra-precision Teflon Array film capacitor technology.
- Ultra-low distortion achieves one-part-per-million signal accuracy.
Q&A: The DMA-500SV Reference Standard Monaural Amplifier
1) What is it?
The DMA-500SV Reference Standard is a state-of-the-art monaural amplier based on the breakthrough SV technology debuted in the acclaimed DMA-500 Anniversary Reference monaural amplifier. It features the most advanced engineering and component precsion yet achieved in an audio power amplifier.
2) Why was it created? The DMA-500 Anniversary Reference was a limited production specialty product built to commemorate the Spectral forty year anniversary and limited to a small number of pairs for exclusive dealers and established clients. But the high demand for the limited availabilty DMA-500AR was never fully satisfied during the official production period and dealer demand required a new production flagship.
3) What are the objectives for the DMA-500SV? The DMA-500 Anniversary Reference has proven the performance advantages of Spectral's SV high-speed technology. In the DMA-500AR proprietary FET devices in custom silicon were developed exclusively for our circuit application in collaboration with Spectral engineers. The original limited device run for the DMA-500AR proved entirely successful, leading to expanded custom production for Spectral today. The first application for these ultra-high performance devices is in the production DMA-500SV monaural amplifier.
4) What are the breakthroughs in the DMA-500SV? The fundamental advantages of the original DMA-500AR are further enhanced and focused in the production DMA-500SV. Spectral engineers developed the first high-speed, wideband audio amplifier circuits for music reproduction 40 years ago. These circuits addressed important time domain and transient distortions in amplifier design for the very first time. Today, the DMA-500SV represents the pinnacle of our high-speed, high-resolution technology with the fastest signal response and the lowest time-based distortion in the audio industry. The DMA-500SV builds on the legacy of the DMA-500 Anniversary with further refinements in passive signal components and improved power supply capacity and performance.
The Teflon revolution began with the DMA-500AR and continues with the DMA-500SV. Our Teflon Array Technology (TAT) introduced in the 500 driver, is further improved in the DMA-500SV. Proprietary Teflon trimmers also replace conductive plastic parts in critical output bias circuits, lowering transient settling distortion to the lowest levels yet achieved.
The DMA-500AR has proven the remarkable stability and robustness of the SV gain and output sections. With this confidence Spectral engineers have redesigned the DMA-500SV power supply and "opened it up" for increased performance. New transformer designs deliver improved regulation and higher peak current capability to fully realize the absolute potential of the DMA-500 topology.
5) Does the DMA-500SV share components with the DMA-500AR? Although the DMA-500AR and the DMA-500SV share common chassis designs and general layout, the DMA-500SV features various recently available new components as well as unique power supplies and support metalwork. Input, gain and ouput devices are individually matched by hand on advanced curve-tracing equipment before selected parts are soldered into the curcuit position on the amplifier boards of the DMA-500SV.
6) Who was the DMA-500SV created for? These amplifiers are for the audio connoisseur, primarily established Spectral customers for use in the most sophisticated all-Spectral systems. Due to their extreme high-speed signal operation and ultra-low impedance circuitry, these amplifiers are incompatible with conventional low-speed components from other manufacturers. The DMA-500SV will be warranted for use exclusively in Spectral component systems and installed by the RS dealer.
7) What dealers will be demonstrating the DMA-500SV? Only a select group of our most experienced RS dealers have been chosen to represent the DMA-500SV and will be demonstrating according to factory set-up procedures. These dealers will be factory trained by Spectral and will be installing the DMA-500SV in customer systems as well as overseeing on-site system optimization and fine tuning.
2) Why was it created? The DMA-500 Anniversary Reference was a limited production specialty product built to commemorate the Spectral forty year anniversary and limited to a small number of pairs for exclusive dealers and established clients. But the high demand for the limited availabilty DMA-500AR was never fully satisfied during the official production period and dealer demand required a new production flagship.
3) What are the objectives for the DMA-500SV? The DMA-500 Anniversary Reference has proven the performance advantages of Spectral's SV high-speed technology. In the DMA-500AR proprietary FET devices in custom silicon were developed exclusively for our circuit application in collaboration with Spectral engineers. The original limited device run for the DMA-500AR proved entirely successful, leading to expanded custom production for Spectral today. The first application for these ultra-high performance devices is in the production DMA-500SV monaural amplifier.
4) What are the breakthroughs in the DMA-500SV? The fundamental advantages of the original DMA-500AR are further enhanced and focused in the production DMA-500SV. Spectral engineers developed the first high-speed, wideband audio amplifier circuits for music reproduction 40 years ago. These circuits addressed important time domain and transient distortions in amplifier design for the very first time. Today, the DMA-500SV represents the pinnacle of our high-speed, high-resolution technology with the fastest signal response and the lowest time-based distortion in the audio industry. The DMA-500SV builds on the legacy of the DMA-500 Anniversary with further refinements in passive signal components and improved power supply capacity and performance.
The Teflon revolution began with the DMA-500AR and continues with the DMA-500SV. Our Teflon Array Technology (TAT) introduced in the 500 driver, is further improved in the DMA-500SV. Proprietary Teflon trimmers also replace conductive plastic parts in critical output bias circuits, lowering transient settling distortion to the lowest levels yet achieved.
The DMA-500AR has proven the remarkable stability and robustness of the SV gain and output sections. With this confidence Spectral engineers have redesigned the DMA-500SV power supply and "opened it up" for increased performance. New transformer designs deliver improved regulation and higher peak current capability to fully realize the absolute potential of the DMA-500 topology.
5) Does the DMA-500SV share components with the DMA-500AR? Although the DMA-500AR and the DMA-500SV share common chassis designs and general layout, the DMA-500SV features various recently available new components as well as unique power supplies and support metalwork. Input, gain and ouput devices are individually matched by hand on advanced curve-tracing equipment before selected parts are soldered into the curcuit position on the amplifier boards of the DMA-500SV.
6) Who was the DMA-500SV created for? These amplifiers are for the audio connoisseur, primarily established Spectral customers for use in the most sophisticated all-Spectral systems. Due to their extreme high-speed signal operation and ultra-low impedance circuitry, these amplifiers are incompatible with conventional low-speed components from other manufacturers. The DMA-500SV will be warranted for use exclusively in Spectral component systems and installed by the RS dealer.
7) What dealers will be demonstrating the DMA-500SV? Only a select group of our most experienced RS dealers have been chosen to represent the DMA-500SV and will be demonstrating according to factory set-up procedures. These dealers will be factory trained by Spectral and will be installing the DMA-500SV in customer systems as well as overseeing on-site system optimization and fine tuning.
Technical Overview of the Spectral DMA-500SV Monaural Reference Standard
by Keith O. Johnson, Spectral Audio Director of Engineering
The DMA-500SV Monaural Reference Standard amplifier is a state of the art instrumentation design created and crafted for use in the most demanding component audio systems. Its quickness, instantaneous accuracy and unrestricted maximum power are second to none in the industry. The remarkable audio components from Spectral have always evolved from much careful listening and from developing new technical designs that were auditioned during live music recording sessions and production. The best - those accurately conveying robust dynamics and transparency along with superlative detail and staging have become part of the Spectral legacy. The DMA-500SV represents Spectral's most advanced thinking and sophistication in these areas.
Evolution of the Ideal Spectral High-Speed Amplifier
Music technology continuously advances or progresses and some parts chosen to build the DMA-500AR have favorably evolved to deliver even better performance. State of the art speakers have become more demanding and now they are more dependent on amplifier control and capability. To address these challenges the new DMA-500SV has a revised power transformer design capable of higher surge output to improve musical dynamics. Improvements to the driver circuits of the DMA-500SV also come from the use of new technology parts including our unique custom TA technology array capacitors. These super precision Teflon parts allow feed-forward circuits to precisely anticipate and apply small corrections so internal amplification and perceptual listening become effortless. More cascode shield circuits and greater power isolation constructions have also been added to reduce cable dependency and noise propagations to other parts of the music system. These features create a subtle but very rewarding support to ease of listening and the ability to reach in and hear fine micro-details that enhance realism and the listening experience.
A combination of unrestricted power and instantaneous accuracy are a superlative feature of the DMA-500SV architecture. To be agile, precise and fully committed, each selected output device, the largest of their kind, has its own transformer powering, a very large filter and an optically coupled analog computing safety circuit. This functional grouping is configured with field folding and noise cancelling layouts that are far more effective than mechanical shielding and massive metalwork to prevent electrical and magnetic disturbances to other parts of the amplifier. Should a loudspeaker component fail, a cable short or a power line surge, any of the computers that are monitoring and responding to device conditions can instantly place the DMA-500SV into a safe protection mode. This technique allows unimpeded output device performance right up to the protection event, a much superior method compared to signal distorting current limits that gradually shut down the amplification before a protection is really needed. With computed safety, the combined outputs of all devices in the DMA-500SV can be as high as 90 Amps. This power capability is unprecedented in a high-speed amplifier.
Since these parts groups operate independently, they do not interact or crosstalk or couple their activities, acting as if each output device were operating in its own individual amplifier. The result is extraordinarily low distortion and noise. Waveform tracking can be of precision acquisition quality with one-part-per-million accuracy, an assurance of absolute transparency and neutral tonality.
Driver circuits for the high-speed output section of the DMA-500SV have floating power architecture. Their signal amplification parts operate as if battery energized so amplification activities are blocked from propagating from one section to another. Additional cascode shield circuits create further barriers to isolate AC power and grounding noises from circulating and creating subtle distortions. Spectral instrumentation techniques effectively use this stealth or silent support technology to reveal inner detail by preventing energy storage effects and transient distortions after a musical event. Our fully discrete custom semiconductors are used in these circuits and unlike conventional low speed and IC circuits, which switch internal state conserving power, Spectral’s amplification paths up to the output devices are always operated in continuous Class A. Like vacuum tubes they are always drawing substantial power so the audio activity is not broken up by switched states but instead the action is smooth, small and effortless, requiring only a very small part of the driver’s full capability.
Other circuits in the DMA-500SV respond to music and operating conditions. They anticipate and directly nudge corrections that would otherwise propagate through feedback paths to stress the entire amplification path. This feed-forward technique combined with high current drivers and stealth floating power reduce the need for sound damaging excess feedback, a burden placed on other amplifiers by designers opting for the lowest steady-state distortion measurements that rarely correlate with the ability to faithfully reproduce music. Without circuit stress, which cover up delicate music signals, the relaxed operation of the DMA-500SV is evident by its extraordinary transparency, ability to delineate subtle detail, and its lack of technical intrusion or distraction. All are mandatory for timbral neutrality, staging precision and full dimensional realism.
The DMA-500SV monaural reference amplifier further advances the sophisticated topology and design features introduced in our limited production DMA-500AR anniversary amplifier. The DMA-500SV also completes the development of our “super veloce” circuit technology that will be translated throughout the Spectral line of high performance, high-speed instrumentation amplifiers.
SPECIFICATIONS
Power Output
Continuous
@8 ohms -- 350 watts RMS
@4 ohms -- 580 watts RMS
@2 ohms -- 750 watts RMS Output Current
90 amperes peak
Frequency Response±0.1 dB, DC-150 KHz±1 dB, DC-1 MHz±3 dB, DC-1.8 MHz
DistortionStaticLess than 0.015% from DC to 100 KHz, typically 0.009% @ 350 WRMS/8 ohms
Dynamic8 Tone Cluster Test 20 KHz @ 500 Hz separation
0.01% @ 8 ohms
0.015% @ 4 ohms
SpeedRise Time less than 225 nanosecondsSettling 28 microseconds to 0 signal noiseSlew Rate1200 volts/microsecond
NoiseSignal to Noise 108 dB ASA ACrosstalkzero Input Impedance 10K ohms Sensitivity 1.5 volts / nominal output
Power SupplyLine Voltage100 volts, 120 volts, 220 volts (internal wiring/factory) AC Voltage Range±10% Maximum Consumption 2000 watts Quiescent Consumption 115 watts Operating Temperature 0 degrees Celsius to +50 degrees Celsius 32 degrees Farenheit to 122 degrees Farenheit Protection FeaturesDC Protection Servo0.5 volt rangeCurrent Limit Onset 90 AmpsThermal ThresholdProtects at 85° Celsius 185° Fahrenheit AC Main Fuse 5A/3AG Slo-Blo @120v Dimensions 20" W 19.6" D 7.25" H Weight Net 72 lbs 34 kg Please note that all of the information and specifications provided herein are subject to change owing to the evolutionary nature of Spectral designs and technology.
SpeedRise Time less than 225 nanosecondsSettling 28 microseconds to 0 signal noiseSlew Rate1200 volts/microsecond
NoiseSignal to Noise 108 dB ASA ACrosstalkzero Input Impedance 10K ohms Sensitivity 1.5 volts / nominal output
Power SupplyLine Voltage100 volts, 120 volts, 220 volts (internal wiring/factory) AC Voltage Range±10% Maximum Consumption 2000 watts Quiescent Consumption 115 watts Operating Temperature 0 degrees Celsius to +50 degrees Celsius 32 degrees Farenheit to 122 degrees Farenheit Protection FeaturesDC Protection Servo0.5 volt rangeCurrent Limit Onset 90 AmpsThermal ThresholdProtects at 85° Celsius 185° Fahrenheit AC Main Fuse 5A/3AG Slo-Blo @120v Dimensions 20" W 19.6" D 7.25" H Weight Net 72 lbs 34 kg Please note that all of the information and specifications provided herein are subject to change owing to the evolutionary nature of Spectral designs and technology.
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