Price Paid:  $3900.00 from Audiogon

Summary:
When I just got Spectral SDR-2000 Pro to work with the ESTi "King Transport SE", I thought I had reached the audio nirvana. Then, because the ESTi transport was dead & needed to send back to Taipei, Taiwan for a repair, I bought the Theta Data III which had better bass articulation, sense of pace, BUT less involving & musical. After several months of living with this combo- SDR-2000 Pro & Data III, I decided to find the involvement & musical presentation I missed. Therefore, I bought Spectral SDR-3000 from used market.
When SDR-3000 & SDR-2000 Pro firstly worked together even before SDR-3000 was warmed up, I knew SDR-3000 was better than the combination of the advantages of the Data III & the ESTi transport! Yes, I didn't need to compromise anything even without utilizing the SpectraLink! At the volume I usually listened to music, I had heard my many CDs, especially HDCDs, better than SACDs I heard at a SONY ES dealer.(I admitted SACD format was better especially when you turned up the volume. The equipments for SACD audition were SONY 777ES, ML-380S, Krell FPB-350Mc(?), Wilson CUB, Transparent interconnects & speaker cables). Unlike many audio equipments also training your ears, I have been finding more and more strength of SDR-3000 or SDR-2000 Pro since I owned them.

My equipments:
Spectral SDR-3000
SpectraLink for communication between SDR-3000 & SDR-2000 Pro
Spectral SDR-2000 Professional
Cardas Golden Reference
EVS Nude Ultimate Attenuators
Cary Audio 300SE Signature with WE 300B & Sylvania 6SN7GT/VT-231 JAN/CHS tall bottle
Kimber BiFocal-XL
B&W Nautilus 805
RPG ProFoam level 2
RPG Classic Plus Abffusor

Strengths:
Get as much as possible information from my CD collections

Weaknesses:
none

Similar Products Used:
Theta Data III, ESTi "King Transport SE", CAL Delta, CEC 5100Z, pioneer DVD-525K, Philips CD-304, & Ultech UCD-100.

Summary:
I have owned the SDR-3000 since it was first released in 1996. It should be noted that I am using this unit in a complete Spectral system which includes the DMC-20 Series 2 preamplifier, DMA-180 Series 2 amplifier and SDR-2000 Pro D/A processor complete with the requisite MIT cables and power conditioning coupled to Avalon Eidolon speakers. This is significant because Spectral insists that their products can only perform their best when in conjuction with other Spectral components. This whole system has been designed with each component in mind, right down to the cables. It is little wonder, then, that the SDR-3000 performs terrifically within the context of this system. I also use a Theta Voyager, but I use that primarily for DVD and laserdisc use. Of course, out of curiosity, I compared that unit with the SDR-3000. Listening to CDs with the Theta made me aware of a graininess to the sound, absent with the SDR-3000. Also, the SDR-3000 was more musically involving than the Theta. This may be a factor of the digital cables used. I use an MIT Proline AES-EBU cable with the Theta and the Spectralink with the SDR-3000. The Spectralink cable was designed specifically for use with the SDR-2000/3000 combo. The result is superior, and perhaps unrivaled, performance with the Spectral gear when playing back digital. It is my opinion that this combo outperforms analog as well. There is a palpability and musicality to the sound which is highly involving and pretty much leaves me wanting for nothing. Despite Spectral's insistence on auditioning their components within the context of a Spectral system, I do not see why the SDR-3000 should not perform well with other brands. However, the true glory is achieved with the SDR-2000. As a result, I feel that the SDR-3000 is a mandatory purchase for other SDR-2000 owners.

Strengths:
Transparency, neutrality and build quality

Weaknesses:
Currently cannot play DVDs. However, that may change if Spectral decides that DVD is here to stay.

Similar Products Used:
Theta Digital Voyager DVD/LD/CD transport.