| Columns Retired Columns & Blogs |
June 18, 2010 - 1:15pm
#1
Amplification for Maggie 1.7
| Loudspeakers Amplification Digital Sources | |
Analog Sources Accessories Featured | |
Music Columns Retired Columns | |
Show Reports | |
Features Latest News Community | |
Resources Subscriptions |
© 2024 StereophileAVTech Media Americas Inc., USA
All rights reserved
Have you seen THIS REVIEW?
Excerpt from further comments:
Well if you can't or won't spend more than your original* purchase you might not get BETTER sound, just DIFFERENT sound. Do you dislike your current amplification enough to spend money to move sideways?
*Unless many, many years have elapsed and technology and parts quality have significantly improved.
Some good suggestions. Recognizing that he's (JV) the authority, I see a lot of postings from people who've got MMGs -- the mini-Magnepans -- which say that they are hard to drive with valve amps, like the Prima Luna Prologue.
I should have specified in my post that my upgrade-itis was all about tubes. My other respondent (I'm not sure whether his post will appear above or below this one) asked the good question about whether I wanted to move "sideways," to get something different, if not better. Well, I think the answer's yes. I'm just fearful that, for example, an amp like the Cayin KT88 won't control the Maggies.
Maggies very much like the power when I sold audio I worked with the brand extensively. Unless you have a really big budget, or find a killer deal on the used market tubes aren't the way to go because powerful tube amps (100 watts or more) are expensive. Maybe a tube-like solid state amp might be the way to go. I'm thinking B&K new or used. One of the other forum members, JIMV tried the MMGs with a small tube unit and was really unhappy.
I think you're right, at least for my price range. The tube units that I thought might work, like the ARC 60 watt integrated, or prima luna monoblocs -- which would entail getting a preamp -- all add up to a lot more that $2000. The impression I'm getting from this thread is that I should just sit back and enjoy the speakers and not get into the upgrade or sideways-grade game.
S
Shanling A3000
Perhaps look for a nice used tube amp?
I have two different amp setups I use with my MMGs.
The first is an ARC VT-100 mkIII. I think you can pick these up for around $3k used. Sound is wonderful! This amp puts out 100watts at 4ohms.
The second is a pair of Outlaw m-2200 mono amps. These cost $350 each new and they put out About 300watts at 4ohms. The sound is very good for the money. Really a great value. I bought these because I did not have the confidence that the ARC would have enough power for the maggies. But it does in my room.