here's 8 pages on the Maggie MMG's. There should be enough in there to figure it out. I'm going to look around myself. I don't recall them needing all that much current.

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/forum/vie...187ce7e8c38010f

It is true, for the last bit of 'impact' to the sonics, specifically in the bass, panel speakers need gobs of current, but that does not mean they don't work with, or lack in performance with lesser amplifiers.

I've run 'Apogee Duetta (MKII's)' with 4 amps, running at about 1400 W/PC and playing LKJ, Sly and Robbie, talking heads, etc (reggae and rock, etc.) The bass control is definitely needed with those particular panels, but that does not mean that they would not work with the average 50w/pc integrated amp. MMG's are considerably smaller and less demanding on a given amplifier. The Duettas were capable of eating up all of that 1400/wpc@4ohms on transients (drum whacks-bass line), but they are and were the exception to the rule.

Now I have to figure out what a squeezebox is. As for DAC, if it is of the normal nature, then that should be fine. We are talking about a digital-to-analog converter, with left/right audio outputs? If so, fine. With squeezebox, if it has left and right audio outputs, it should be fine as well. However, any low bit or low quality sources will show themselves through.

The combination of a decent amplifier and a set of MMG's will show what level of audio quality the given source material is at. At least this given pair of items is quite forgiving with respect to dealing with 'harsh' sounding music sources.

As for tube amps. One thing. You never leave it turned on when you leave the house. Nothing is likely to happen, but with tubes, pay attention. With standard audio gear, it is slightly less of an issue. It's always prudent to shut equipment off before leaving the house, but with tube gear, this goes double.

Cats and tube amps don't mix, either. Cats peeing on high voltage equipment is not a good thing. Just so you know. Cats do what they do.

OK. After re-familiarizing myself with the maggie arguments, it may not be a good match with this amplifier. Perhaps some dynaudio audience 42's or similar, which used, are at slightly less of a price you and end up getting the necessary speaker stands for the same price as the maggies. Make no mistake, the maggies are very sexy sounding. Highly seductive. However, the given tube amp may be happier with something like the dynaudio speakers.

http://buy.audiogon.com/cgia/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1203255582

Funny, I listed this auction a few days back. Perhaps it helped sell them? No matter, they come up from time to time.

If you have wide musical tastes and a small, slightly cluttered space, the maggies are not the best choice, regardless. Maggies sound best in a properly set-up space. Panel speakers require a complete lack of clutter in their surroundings, in order to show their best. This is true with any given audiophile-ish intent, concerning speakers and set-up, but it is especially true with panel speakers.

Welcome to the audiophile dilemma!

Still..bargoons can be found:

http://buy.audiogon.com/cgia/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1201834779

Caveat: I know nothing about this speaker. However, Mission has a long audio/audiophile history, relatively speaking. And at less than 1/2 price for a new speaker, is quite good. I've owned about 4 pairs of missions, all a long time ago. (over 15 years ago)

I'd say that the tube amp and these speakers would be very happy together. I'm not saying it is the exact right speaker for you, only you can tell that. But that they be electrically compatible? -very likely.

What I'm sorta saying is that you are flying relatively blind here. Now, the tube amp's price is bottomed out. So is that of the mission speakers. If resale in the future is desired, to upgrade to something else, both, at their current prices represent a bargoon, as their resale value is high compared to their purchase price. Best cost to resale value, kinda thing.

For example, buying $1k+ cartridges for turntables is a bad deal on the resale value front. A $2k(new price) cartridge, used, goes for about 30%-35 of it's original price, on a good day. These speakers might re-sell a year from now, for about $400, instead of just 30% of what you paid, as the used re-sale price is connected to the original retail-in this case, $1250.00. That's the kind of thing I'm talking about.

The balance we are looking for, is the thought of getting your feet wet in the world of decent audio gear, with the lowest amount of risk, also considering one's musical tastes and needs.

This is the job that salesmen at audio shops are SUPPOSED to do. However, they are generally limited by what is on their shelves.

Both the MMG and the Mission e81 (it's smaller sibling, the e80, that is) are highly recommended in TAS magazine.

My favorite Audiophile magazine quote/story concerns Mission equipment and it comes from JA: (John Atkinson, Stereophile's editor)

It involves Kraftwerk's "Electric Cafe" (possibly), a set of mission Argonauts, and a pair of Mission mono-block power amps, with an outboard power supply additional box.

It gos like this:

"...Beer followed beer...then we switched to scotch...

..Then....I broke them."

JA was cranked, and so was the system. up...and Up..and UP..went the volume...And he broke them.

One of the funniest stories in audiophile print.

It has become a standard 'crank it up, dude!' story.

As a matter of fact, it's just about to become my signature!