Sanders Magtech versus Spectron Musician 3 Mk2

I have the 3.7i with the Sanders Magtech and an Aesthetix Calypso Signature and the highs are not shrill at all. I’m not running the resistors at all but am using Empirical Audio jumpers. I’m also using GiK Q7D diffusers and Monster Bass Traps with range limiters and scatter plates. My room is quite large (35’x15’x10’).

I did have shrillness in the upper registers when I was using the stock jumpers, Odyssey Kismet in Stratos, and no room treatments, but with each addition (first the Empirical Audio jumpers, then the GiK room treatments, and finally the Sanders Magtech), the shrillness decreased.  The Odyssey monos especially strained at higher volumes (75db-90db).

I’m actually picking up a Spectron Musician III mk2 with all of the upgrades tomorrow and will be able to directly compare to the Magtech.

Unfortunately, the Spectron has a channel imbalance issue.

One other user on this site said that they pretty much sounded the same with his Maggies.

I have the Spectron again, and this time it's working properly.  I'll report back after some time with it.

Initial impressions for the Spectron from a few days ago are that it's not as refined or transparent as the Magtech, and it sounds a little edgier. However, I need to allow it to power up for longer. That was just an initial back-and-forth test from the Magtech to the Spectron and back to the Magtech.

Spectron changed out the left channel board, so it may require break-in again, which I've heard is lengthy.

Switched out the amps again today. Played music through the Spectron for a little over an hour. There's a slight amount of noise when there's no sound playing but you have to have your ear fairly close to the tweeter to hear it. The Magtech is definitely quieter. Also, the Spectron seems to have some interference issue; I would intermittently hear static through the right channel. It may be related to my cell phone's activity. I still think the Magtech sounds more natural, but the Spectron may throw a slightly deeper soundstage and may have slightly better imaging.

Ok I tested again after leaving both on for a few days. They definitely sound fairly similar. The Spectron may have slightly better vocals and sounds a little more forward/edgy, and the Magtech sounded slightly more natural. I think the Spectron sounded better with balanced cables with my Aesthetix Calypso Signature, but the Sanders sounds better with RCA. Roger Sanders actually recommends RCA. I still couldn’t figure out the interference issue with the Spectron, so I'm keeping the Magtech.

If I were to recommend one over the other, I’d probably recommend the Spectron since it’s generally cheaper on the used market, assuming that there are no reliability issues.