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January 17, 2010 - 12:22pm
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Amplification for Magnepan MMGs
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Jungson JA-88D (09)
Haven't heard it but would sure like to.
Perhaps the Jungson JA-88D integrated amp for $895 plus $282 shipping? Or is it $2300? What would be the power ratings into 4 Ohms for Class A and Class A/B?
Bryston is a killer match. It's what Jim Winey uses at home and they've been using them consistently at shows for years too. My firsthand experience also also attests to the two being a great sonic match.
The Bryston B-60 is one great sounding integrated amp, built to a standard that is astounding.
I'm now looking at an Emotiva USP-1 preamp with its bass management capabilities and Norh Le Amp II monoblocks.
DON'T DO IT!!!!!!
LOL
I don't know what has got you onto those DIY toy amps but whatever it is you need to get over it!
I fail to see where those things even have a 4ohm rating. Link please?
However, it would seem the Rotel KBK recommended or the RB-1080 easily double into 4 and 2 ohm loads. Maybe I'm missing something?
I love what your doing with this system and although I have not heard the monoblocs I fear you may be wasting your money. Maggie's may offer you a degree of transparency where, in time, you will become intimately familiar with everything upstream. And I disagree that any amount of power is more than any speaker will ever need, particularly larger Maggies because wether you know it or not, your screwed now bubba, and bigger panels will be in your future!
Welcome to the wonderful fun world of panels. Carry on!
RG <------ ML's 3 feet from wall with 2'X 4'X 2" absorbsion directly behind and SVS sub.
nOrh Le Amp II
SPECIFICATIONS:
Continuous Average Power 200 watts x 1 (8 ohms 0.1%
THD), 400W x 1 (4 ohms 0.1% THD)
Dynamic Power per Channel 400W x 1
Power Bandwidth 5 Hz - 50 Khz
Damping Factor Greater than 100
Input Sensitivity / Impedance 2.0 V / 44 k ohms (rated power)
Frequency Response 20 - 20,000 Hz +0, -0.5 dB
Signal to Noise Ratio Better than 120 dB
Total Harmonic Distortion Less than 0.1%
Output Complement 8 transistors: The output stage is based on a CLASS A/B bipolar devices by Toshiba utilizing three Toshiba JFETS for the gain stage and three Toshiba bipolar for the output.
Power Supply 800 V/A Switching adjusted to 500 V/A supporting 800 V/A peaks.
XLR connectors for balanced inputs.
The Rotel RB-991 is rated for 200 wpc into 8 Ohms and 300 wpc into 4 Ohms with a minimum speaker impedance of 4 Ohms. While Rotel literature states the minimum speaker impedance for the 200 wpc @ 8 Ohms RB-1080 should be 4 Ohms they offer no power rating at 4 Ohms. The 4 Ohm rating is 300 watts per channel for the RB-1080, per Rotel tech support.
Switching power supplies don't really have dynamic headroom, they have hard limits. Which can be a problem, possibly.
I'm not arguing against them, I've never heard them.
There is a test of the 1080, 991 or whatever version (they are very similar, in all seriousness) at the stereophile archives.
The transient power into 1 ohm nears 800 watts, or more, IIRC, on the Rotel(s).
What budget?
I'd like to spew forth, but need some spewing parameters.
Well, the USP-1 and Le Amp IIs would run $1000. Ceiling $1500-2000 I suppose.
Mmmmmmmm.
Maggies respond well to a powerful hand that can flog them properly.
Music Direct has the Krell S 300-1 on sale for 1999$. Nice amp that actually does double its power output with a move from 8 ohms to 4 ohms, and should be able to slap the Maggies any way you like.
I have an older KAV 300i and have used it to drive ineffeicient electrostatics and high efficiency Lowther speakers and it is sweet and detailed and dynamic.
The Marantz PM 8003 for only one kilodollar is a great bargain. I guess the owner of Marantz doesn't buy the right people scotch, but it is very worthy of mention.
I have a PM 7002 or some such model and have been well pleased.
The Creek 5350SE can handle difficult speakers, as well. I've heard it, but don't own one.
The NAD C375BEE is absolutely worth your audition and can spank the Maggies.
The Vincent Audio - SV-226 has people saying nice things, and the specs look great, but I have not heard it. I would have it on my list if I were shopping.
I think those would be my big five in the affordable range.
An XPA-2?
I see you've moved on!
Now we're talkin' and the Maggies singing...effortlessly.
I suppose an advantage of the Emotiva stuff is the 30 day money back trial. With the 60 day money back trial of the Magneplanar MMGs I can listen to it all and send back what I don't like. As long as I can time the deliveries correctly. Its hard to determine how well the XPA-2 is regarded amongst audiophiles, but its all up to my ears anyways.
I have MMGs and I use an Audio-Research VT-100, Sounds great. I also have and have used Outlaw M-2200 mono blocks. They have plenty of power (300w @4ohm) and sound very good also.
The tube amp has wonderful sound although a bit limited volume wise. The Outlaws have more volume. I like both setups but I use the tube amp currently while burning in new tubes. It's nice to have two different amp rigs, Upgrade itis? Change amps!
Mmmmmmmm...here we go:
"1200W per side at 8 ohms; 2100W per side at 4 ohms; and a whopping 6000W bridged mono at 4 ohms."
Crown XTi6000
Or...
Crown XLS 500
Specs...
The Crown XLS 5000 power amp delivers 1800 watts per channel in four-ohm stereo mode, and a staggering 5000 watts in four-ohm bridge-mono mode.
Housed in a rugged, 3U, all-steel chassis...The front panel sports dual precision-detented rotary level controls, a power switch with accompanying LED, and six additional LEDs indicating signal, clip, and fault for each channel. Rear panel connections include two electronically balanced XLR inputs as well as touch-proof binding post and Speakon outputs.
Crown XLS 5000 Power Amplifier Features:
I've been looking at one of those Crown XLS series amps to drive my Acoustats. At the price they're asking selling for a loss if I don't like it wouldn't be a wallet buster.
I've been playing with an XLS 802 and am impressed.
I used it to drive some Apogee ribbons at first, and it seemed a bit analytical, but certainly no lack of detail...I wonder when I swith back how it will do because it was a relatively short audition period.
Then, I used it on Acoustat 2+2's that had the Medallion mod and it just owned them. Very 'clean,' in a good way.
Currently, it's driving a pair of La Scalas and makes a nice soundstage - it seems more 'laid back' and images more like a live event rather than hyperprecise placement. Plenty of dynamics and zero listening fatigue.
The one caveat is the fan can be audible. Big Mike did a fan-ectomy and only flogging the Apogees did it heat up and need to rest for a while.
On the Acoustats and the Klipsch, no problema.
I was familiar with the old Crown line, and the new lines are really much quieter.
The noisy fan aspect is something to think about. I've been looking into quieter fans. Ten bucks for a fan that produces half the noise and is a direct drop in replacement may be all that's necessary.
There are a number of Maggie owners on the Emotiva forums who love their XPA-2/Maggie combo...
I'd strongly suggest trying one out as you can always return it if you don't like it... FWIW, I love my XPA-2...
I ordered a Crown XLS202D. It should be here in the next couple of days. It's the lowest powered of the XLS series with only 200WPC@8 Ohms, 300WPC@4 Ohms. At a cost of $199 with free shipping I've got nothing to lose.
Woo Hoo!
Congrats!
This may be controversial, but I did think mine changed with 'break in,' so give them some time.
Keep us posted!
I believe in break in for components. I recently purchased a Yamaha DVD S1800 for $79. I think it's a steal at the price. Out of the box it was very in your face with prominent high frequencies. Over a period of 40 hours or so of use the accentuated high end slowly became less prominent and the midrange moved from the orchestra pit to row "D". It now compares quite favorably to my modified Marantz CD-63SE (row G) with tube output.
I just don't know if a 75 lbs amplifier is downsizing though. Maybe a pair of Emotiva UPA-1s ($700 delivered). A Crown XLS802d is $366 delivered (800 wpc at 4 Ohms and 1 kHz with 0.5% THD). Is it "hi fi" though?
IMHO, a buttload of power is Hi Fi!!! Is it Hi End? Who cares, it's effortless sound, there is no substitute. Dup was right!
The Crown experience is not about 200/300 watts. Fortunately they can be bridged.
That depends on who you ask... If you ask Emotiva users, then chances are the answer will be yes... If you ask persons who only believe in low powered tubes/set, then chances are the answer will be no... But more importantly, who cares? As long as you like the sound, it's HiFi to you!
Buy the Crown amp. Save up some extra $$ and have Peter Gunn modify the maggies to meke 'em sound and look their best.
http://www.indiespinzone.com/mag/mag7.html
Buddha would certainly endorse this!
Mike
I think I'm going to try the Crown XLS 802D for $366 delivered. If I absolutely can't stand it I'm pretty sure at this price I can sell it for near what I paid for it. It's less than half what an Emotiva XPA-2 goes for ($824 delivered) and about half what a pair of Emotiva UPA-1s are ($708 delivered). The Crown should be good for around 650 wpc into 4 Ohms if it were measured with both channels driven at 20Hz-20kHz and 0.1% THD. I think I can mod the fans myself.
How do these interconnects look:
Relatively inexpensive: http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat%5Fid=2029&sku=40046
Relatively expensive: http://www.avalive.com/Zaolla-Cables/ZXRM-103RD/112146/productDetail.php
I saved $200 with a pair of Emotiva UPA-1s on AudiogoN for about $500 delivered. For my small room listening at an 85dB average they should work well with 350 wpc and 160,000 uF of filter capacitance for those occasional peaks of 100dB+. I'll let you know how they sound as soon as they get set up and harkened.
I'd be very interested in how this works out, as much because I'm curious about Emotiva as I am about how well they drive MMGs.
S
Two months later and I guess I forgot I left the above post. I now have an Emotiva rack consisting of an ERC-1 CD player, USP-1 preamp and a pair of UPA-1 monoblock amplifiers. I've offloaded the low frequency duty from the MMGs with the USP-1 bass management (50 Hz high and low pass filter) to an old Acoustic Research PS112S subwoofer I had. I'm enjoying this setup and will provide more details of my impressions shortly.
I liked the XLS202 so much I just ordered a XLS402 (300WPC@8 Ohms 450WPC@4 Ohms). I sold the XLS202 for a $10 loss. I found a XLS402 for $199 with free shipping. So the total cost to me for it is actually $209. It should do fine driving my TL subs.