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Atma Sphere M-60

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Posted on August 21, 2014 at 18:16:11
tz7
Audiophile

Posts: 260
Joined: September 26, 2004
 Has anyone else tried M-60s with Maggies?

I owned a pair of M-60s at one point and was surprised that they weren't materially better than my six pacs. Especially considering the additional power and simpler circuit. Is there a reason why they didn't mate well with Maggies? Or is it just a matter of personal taste?

If you use a tube amp with maggies does it have to be push-pull?

I also tried adding zeros.

 

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RE: Atma Sphere M-60, posted on August 21, 2014 at 18:27:27
tz7
Audiophile

Posts: 260
Joined: September 26, 2004
 btw...the M-60s were a little smoother and had better bass but they didn't have the same mid range magic. Maybe the M-60 are just too neutral for my taste. The six pacs are more lively and provide more texture.

 

RE: Atma Sphere M-60, posted on August 21, 2014 at 18:55:19
ahendler
Audiophile

Posts: 5151
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Joined: January 24, 2003
 OTL amps like to see higher impedance loads. The m-60's are 60 watts into 8 ohms but only 45 watts into 4 ohms which are what the maggies are. Probably not enough power
Alan

 

RE: Atma Sphere M-60, posted on August 22, 2014 at 07:17:11
Satie
Audiophile

Posts: 5426
Joined: July 6, 2002
 The OP tried it with Zero autoformers to get the higher impedance but didn't like the results any better.

The OTLs are known for being better in preserving detail and not having a high freq rolloff so they end up sounding brighter. If your cables sources and pre were picked to complement the six pacs then you might find the Atmaspheres bright and sharp sounding.

The midrange magic of the EL34 tubes is not something you find other than in SET amps. Those are not likely to have enough power to drive your MG12s.

I am actually surprised you like the combo that much, as it is rather low in power. A Cary V12 might do the trick too. There are also Primaluna's that use these tubes or KT120 based amps that don't have quite as much magic as the EL34 but compensate with a warm overall balance with a much heftier bass and dynamics, and a more extended top end (though nothing like an OTL).

If you want to use a SET (and the 34 like midrange) then you would need to go to the large 211 and 845 tubes to start and probably end up wanting a parallel SET design to gain sufficient power.

Another way to go is to use your MG12 as a woofer for a line array of Neo8 PDR drivers for midrange and treble. They will match up with your six pacs much better and quite a few of us here can design the crossover for you either for biamping or at speaker level for single amp operation.

 

RE: Atma Sphere M-60, posted on September 1, 2014 at 09:21:05
Albert B. Broman
Audiophile

Posts: 740
Location: Pac NW
Joined: July 10, 2000
 Interesting. I first heard Magnapan (Magnaplaner) in 1974. I have been wanting to live with Magnapan 3.7s before I pass. I wonder if a Quicksilver V4 would not be a good amp. It uses KT150 and must put out about 200 watts. Also wonder about Devialet, but I think the higher wattage versions run into big money.

 

RE: Atma Sphere M-60, posted on September 1, 2014 at 21:33:10
Satie
Audiophile

Posts: 5426
Joined: July 6, 2002
 The Quicksilver v4 sould be enough with a sub or for a small room or for limited peak volume listening. Unless you listen mainly to full scale classical at true to life volumes or do head bangin' rock/heavy metal, then it should do fine most of the time.
with subs it can do it all.

 

RE: Devialet, posted on September 1, 2014 at 22:18:00
Satie
Audiophile

Posts: 5426
Joined: July 6, 2002
 I heard the amp and it is everything the press says it is. Just brilliant.

I would take it even if it limits my ultimate listening volumes. And yes, to be practical running the 3.7 full range you do need the high power 240 or the original D Premier.

 

RE: Devialet, posted on September 2, 2014 at 16:38:57
Albert B. Broman
Audiophile

Posts: 740
Location: Pac NW
Joined: July 10, 2000
 Did you listen to the Devialet while it was driving Maggie 3.7? Do the Devialet do the "walk into the soundstage" that tube amps do? Do they do the three dimensional imaging?

 

RE: Devialet, posted on September 2, 2014 at 20:33:32
Satie
Audiophile

Posts: 5426
Joined: July 6, 2002
 I heard them driving a couple of speakers from Focal and Sonus Faber and a Magico.

They sound like a class A SS amp tuned by CJ but with great dynamics. They image very well and nearly like a good tube amp. They do not have the extra "bloom" but compensate for it with image precision and proportionate dynamics - meaning that they don't compress till they are entirely out of their power capacity. While doing ffff passages you can still get tonal color + fine detail so far as the speaker can handle it and produce both the big sound and the little details.

I was very impressed with it. Not so much the collection of $8-12k speakers. Only the Magico could handle the power but its bass bottomed and it didn't do much with all that energy. The Focal got congested and its bass became wooly, the Sonus Faber was just plain overwhelmed.

 

RE: Devialet, posted on September 3, 2014 at 09:21:14
Satie
Audiophile

Posts: 5426
Joined: July 6, 2002
 I should add that for high power Devialet intend you to use a 200 model in bridged mono with another 200 "slave" (stripped down 200 in mono ony). This combo can get you in the KW range into 4 ohms.

 

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