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Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans

99.103.83.129

Posted on January 7, 2017 at 08:30:32
partell
Audiophile

Posts: 23
Location: st louis mo
Joined: December 31, 2016
I am looking for a good amp to power up either the 1.7 or 3.7 magnepans. The room size is 18x21 12 foot ceiling . I have been looking at the rogue Audio equipment since I have dealer close.The atlas amp with the Rp1 pre amp or the m-180 mono block with the Rp1 .Does anyone have any experience with the rouges? Any advise would be appreciated

 

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RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 7, 2017 at 08:41:47
Mike K
Audiophile

Posts: 13966
Location: 97701
Joined: September 23, 1999
I cannot speak for the Rogue amps you mention, but my experience has
been nothing but positive.

Magnepans do VERY well with tube amps.

Maggies require a LOT of power; it's almost impossible to provide
too much power; and providing them with adequate power from a tube amp
can get very expensive. You have a big room, so you're going to need
a LOT of amplifier power.

A lot of people utilize a tube preamp and a solid state power amp as a
cost effective alternative. I've no experience with high quality ss
amps, but there are the usual suspects: Ayre, Pass, Boulder, Rowland,
Bryston, and many others. A rogue preamp and the latest Bryston
4B-series amplifier should provide adequate amplification.

Do NOT underpower your maggies. You will regret it.

Good luck. I recommend the 3.7s over the 1.7s for a room your size.

I think you will like what you hear.

Lack of skill dictates economy of style. - Joey Ramone

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 7, 2017 at 08:54:26
I would try posting this on "planar" asylum, as they would have more information specific to your speakers.

Here are a few off the top of my head in no particular order.

1) Pass Labs.....X250, X350,
2) Parasound Halo.....A21, JC1
3) Bryston......4bsst and all its iterations
4) Adcom......GFA-555,5500,5802
5) Classe.......Any of them
6) McIntosh......MC-402, MC-602, or the big monos.
7) Sanders.......Magtech
8) SimAudio
9) Kell......KSA
10) Oddessy..... Khartago

You can drive Maggie's with tubes with great results as well. Just make sure to use at least 40 watts per channel with more being better. I liked KT-88/6550 amps but that's me. I have heard BAT gear on Maggie's and was impressed as well.


 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 7, 2017 at 10:15:39
A.Wayne
Audiophile

Posts: 2527
Location: Front row center
Joined: November 30, 2011
Power power and more power , Magtech works well with them as well as others .....


Regards

 

I have had..., posted on January 7, 2017 at 11:22:21
kootenay
Audiophile

Posts: 8442
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Joined: October 16, 2007
Magnepans speakers from SMGA to MG-IIB in the past. I agree with what everyone said. They do require lots of power but not just brute power mind you but power with finesse and very stable that can withstand an impedance all the way down to 2 ohms.

The best power amp that I used to drive my Maggie MG-IIB was the Audio Research D-250 tube amp that put out 250/w at 8 ohms. It sounded very open and smooth with silky top end coupled with articulated bass.



 

agree the planar asylum (reachable only from the vertical first menu) is the place to go, posted on January 7, 2017 at 11:41:00
For some arcane reason the menu at the top of the page does not include the "Planars/Statics/Ribbons" listing.
The listing can only be found 2/3 of the way down the front, vertical menu.
Here is a link anyway..

 

There's also a link from the Speaker Forum -nt, posted on January 7, 2017 at 13:15:03
E-Stat
Audiophile

Posts: 37464
Joined: May 12, 2000
Contributor
  Since:
April 5, 2002
,

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 7, 2017 at 14:56:24
mkuller
Audiophile

Posts: 38130
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: April 22, 2003
...a very knowledgeable poster here who passed away a few years ago used Gilmore Raptors very successfully with his Maggies.

I heard them and they sounded great.

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 7, 2017 at 15:03:23
ahendler
Audiophile

Posts: 5151
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Joined: January 24, 2003
I also used and liked the Gilmores on my 3.6's I now use a pair of Berning ZH270. But to answer your question you will like the Rogues on Maggies. The monoblocks should be very good. Very nice sounding amps.
Alan

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 7, 2017 at 15:06:34
hotglass
Audiophile

Posts: 2
Joined: October 22, 2008
The locally produced Clayton amp I once heard on a pair of 2.7QRs has been the best amp I have tried on Maggies. Who in the "Lou" has Rogue Audio? Nice to hear someone that remembers Flips. I got my first tube amp there many years ago.

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 7, 2017 at 15:10:06
ahendler
Audiophile

Posts: 5151
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Joined: January 24, 2003
The 180 watts from the Rogue mono blocks will sound very, very good
The lots and lots of power crowd overstates there case. I have driven my 3.6's with 80 watts and they sounded terrific
Alan

 

Not Happy, 60 wpc Tube Amplifier, posted on January 7, 2017 at 15:39:33
Charlie8521
Audiophile

Posts: 914
Location: South East Michigan
Joined: October 2, 2004
I tried to run a rebuilt HK Cit-II tube amp at 60 wpc with a pair of Maggie 1.7's, but Merlin TSM BME Monitors just sounded better with that amp (sold the Maggies). I like Maggies and some day may try a pair of the new Maggie 1.7i's, but it will be with a SS Amp at 150+ per channel. I'm not an expert on Maggies, but I've always heard they like power to sound good - - - if not exceptional. I don't know the current pricing of the 1.7i's, but at around $2K they are a heck of a speaker with the right amp. As the Tool Man would say, MORE POWER! Just an opinion.

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 7, 2017 at 18:10:54
Awe-d-o-file
Dealer

Posts: 21037
Location: 50 miles west of DC
Joined: January 10, 2004
Bernings are nice aren't they? Nice having him local and here and talking to him. We shared a customer who made his own electrostatics including making the wire loom to build them.


ET

"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 7, 2017 at 18:16:27
ahendler
Audiophile

Posts: 5151
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Joined: January 24, 2003
Too bad his new 211/845 mono blocks are $75000 a pair
Alan

 

RE: Not Happy, 60 wpc Tube Amplifier, posted on January 7, 2017 at 18:18:53
ahendler
Audiophile

Posts: 5151
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Joined: January 24, 2003
You need at least 100 wpc with a big power supply
With my 2 bernings I am running effectively 200wpc and can blow myself out of the room
Alan

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 7, 2017 at 18:30:27
Awe-d-o-file
Dealer

Posts: 21037
Location: 50 miles west of DC
Joined: January 10, 2004
Yikes, I hadn't heard that. I'll get those and Atma-Sphere MA-3s then.....


ET

"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 7, 2017 at 20:08:51
partell
Audiophile

Posts: 23
Location: st louis mo
Joined: December 31, 2016
I am getting so many different opinions .I just want something that's going to sound very good in that room.I have been told the 1.7 would would work with the rouge atlas and rp1 pre amp but might not be big enough for the room if I I listened at louder volumes.I also been told that the 3.7 are a better choice for the room but then the question becomes if the 100 watt atlas separates will be up to the challenge.I have mentioned the rouge mono m-180 mono blocks 180 watt per channel a few times with the rp1 but a lot of people are not familiar with them.I have a rouge dealer not to far from me, but could always have something shipped to me.Magtech has been mentioned along with Heger but I don't know much about them.I guess I am old school something that weighs 50 pounds that puts out 900 watts boggles my mind.

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 7, 2017 at 20:11:42
partell
Audiophile

Posts: 23
Location: st louis mo
Joined: December 31, 2016
Flips is the first only time I heard the Maggie's sure left a impression on me.I was blown away but had a ready committed the bipolar def techs.

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 8, 2017 at 08:46:43
AbeCollins
Audiophile

Posts: 46196
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
  Since:
February 2, 2002
In my experience even 100wpc of power might be marginal on Maggie 1.7's. I say this because I brought my 100wpc Rogue Stereo 90 Magnum amp (KT120 x 4)to a friends house and put it on his Maggie 1.7's. It was OK but a little compressed sounding whereas his 300wpc SS monoblocks sounded great. On the other hand my Rogue amp did very nicely on my Thiel speakers.

 

RE: Not Happy, 60 wpc Tube Amplifier, posted on January 8, 2017 at 10:32:20
Jim McShane
Dealer

Posts: 5910
Location: Chicago
Joined: January 13, 2003
I have heard of guys running one Cit II per channel on the Maggies and other difficult loads. It works well since if you have a couple of my "McShaned" (as Mikey Samra calls them) amps you get about 120-130 watts RMS per channel and about 150-175 watts per channel peak. That's more like it...

But one amp usually comes up a bit short on power.

Note: Edited to correct error

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 8, 2017 at 11:30:26
partell
Audiophile

Posts: 23
Location: st louis mo
Joined: December 31, 2016
What 300 watt amp did he have.

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 8, 2017 at 12:56:29
Les Anderson
Audiophile

Posts: 1094
Location: So. Florida
Joined: May 12, 2003
I think the answer depends on room size, listening habits and wether you have the 1.7 or 3.7. I can tell you that in a medium sized room playing orchestra music at high spl the 1.7 does significantly better with 1000 w Bryston monos vs their 500 wpc stereo little brother. Transient impact I would call it.

I am of the opinion that while quality matters, you can't have too much juice wth these panels.

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 8, 2017 at 15:46:09
AbeCollins
Audiophile

Posts: 46196
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
  Since:
February 2, 2002
I don't recall the brand / model of the 300wpc amps but I do remember that they were tiny upmarket (not cheap) Class D monoblocks.... and I'm not generally a fan of Class D.

In this case it certainly appeared that the 100wpc Rogue tube amp was under powered while the monoblocks were more than sufficient. It wasn't a matter of room size or volume level. The 100wpc tube amp simply sounded slightly 'compressed' on the Maggie 1.7's regardless of volume level.

This same Rogue amp is hugely dynamic and robustly powerful on other speakers that are easier to drive including my Thiel CS2.4 (which aren't the easiest but nothing like the Maggies) and my Tannoy Definition D500's. I no longer have the Rogue Stereo 90 Super Magnum amp. I have the similar Rogue Cronus Magnum Integrated that puts out about 100wpc using KT120 power tubes. The larger Rogue monoblocks might work.

You can visit 10Audio.com. I live a few miles from JerryS (the reviewer) and you'll probably find those Class D monoblocks in his review listing. They weren't W4S or any of the 'value brands'. They were very expensive as I recall ~$8000 - $12,000 range.




 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 8, 2017 at 17:08:23
partell
Audiophile

Posts: 23
Location: st louis mo
Joined: December 31, 2016
The stereo 90 is called the 100 now I think.Do you think the pre amp had anything with it being compressed?I was looking at the Cronus hard seems like a nice piece but if I was to purchase 3.7s probably would not cut it.

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 9, 2017 at 07:53:33
AbeCollins
Audiophile

Posts: 46196
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
  Since:
February 2, 2002
No, the preamp was not compressed at all. It was a Mark Levinson 326s which sounds great on a variety of amps. In any case, the setup didn't sound compressed with his Class D monoblocks.

Yes, the Stereo 90 is now the Stereo 100, an upgrade but still in the same power class. Based on what I heard I honestly don't think the 100wpc Stereo 100 or Cronus Magnum II will be fully sufficient for the Maggies. I love the Cronus Magnum which I run on my Thiel CS2.4 in the basement setup but this fairly robust tube amp might be marginal on Maggies. If Rogue still makes their larger 180wpc monoblocks, those might do the trick.

Oh, I found the review. The Atash monoblocks are actually 400wpc. I'm not suggesting you need these, just saying you probably need more power than 100wpc.


 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 9, 2017 at 08:05:30
partell
Audiophile

Posts: 23
Location: st louis mo
Joined: December 31, 2016
I had it in my head that I wanted tubes this round but maybe I should re consider .I think I am going to go with magnepans 3.7 for sure. it looks like it will be rogues M-180 mono blocks or I have been looking at parasounds halo A21 amp with one of their pre amps.I will check out the Atsah review. Any experience on the parasounds they been running with 121 for almost 10 years now.

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 9, 2017 at 09:44:12
Jonathan
Audiophile

Posts: 620
Location: NE Ohio
Joined: April 10, 2000
I've been using a Parasound Halo A21 on my 1.7s. Sounds great, with plenty of headroom in a 20 x 15 room. Preamp is a Tortuga LDR3v.2; source is a PS Audio PerfectWave DAC II (uncompressed audio files from a Mac Mini and/or Tidal streaming into Roon).

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 9, 2017 at 20:29:59
AbeCollins
Audiophile

Posts: 46196
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
  Since:
February 2, 2002

I have no experience with the Parasound amp but it looks like Jonathan does, and I know that inmate John Elison owns one that he uses to drive his Thiel 3.7's.

IMHO, and based on some experience with the Maggies I believe they need a fair amount of power to sound their best, SS or tubes. I just know that my 100wpc Rogue tube amp didn't cut it with the Maggie 1.7.

Good luck!



 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 11, 2017 at 05:20:12
macmagman
Audiophile

Posts: 501
Location: NW Indiana
Joined: October 17, 2010
I started with 3.3's and a McIntosh MC352, I had been a Mac fan for years but they are not a good match with Maggies. I then went with a pair of Bryston 7bst's mono blocks, they were ok but kind harsh sounding. Then I went with a Sanders Magtec which was a huge improvement. I now have a set of 20.1's actively bi-amped with the Magtech on the bottom and an ESL on the top pushing 3200 watts. The added power was not to make the sound louder but to listen at the levels I wanted to safely, I too have a big room. Before I bi amped I went through a lot of fuses and ribbons not so much now since I bi-amped. I also use a tube pre amp that was also a great improvement. I can now say that I am done.

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 11, 2017 at 08:46:00
Mick Wolfe
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Posts: 3349
Location: AZ
Joined: October 10, 1999
Contributor
  Since:
September 4, 2000
Not to further confuse, but if you want to stay with tubes, also consider the Quicksilver V4's. They currently use KT 150's and are rated at 170 watts/channel.

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 11, 2017 at 15:16:09
A.Wayne
Audiophile

Posts: 2527
Location: Front row center
Joined: November 30, 2011
I have experience with the parasound on a few different speakers including Maggies , the magtech is much better IMO ..


Regards

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 11, 2017 at 18:08:49
partell
Audiophile

Posts: 23
Location: st louis mo
Joined: December 31, 2016
Are you from St. Louis Hot Glass

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 13, 2017 at 11:41:15
pictureguy
Audiophile

Posts: 22597
Location: SoCal
Joined: October 19, 2008
I have a PAIR of the A23, one per panel with the P5 preamp.
The '23 is the little brother to the '21 and has roughly 1/2 the power.

Nice combo.

Perhaps the Halo integrated?

Don't forget that with any of the x.7 series Maggies, you can NOT biamp without going into the speaker and doing some surgery.

Unless you know about the reviewer, IMO, they are of marginal added value. Ever read a BAD review?
Too much is never enough

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 13, 2017 at 17:53:33
partell
Audiophile

Posts: 23
Location: st louis mo
Joined: December 31, 2016
I know a few of you have mentioned the Martin Logan's .I guess this is what you call a Hybrid with powered sub below.,will these produce the same quality sound as the Maggie's? I assume these would be easier to drive beings they have a powered sub on the bottom? I watched a YouTube video with the Martin Logan's Montis El with the Prima Luna HP man does that sound good ! Well it's YouTube so maybe sound is deceiving. Is the Prima Luna good stuff.Here is the link http://youtu.be/s-rtyg1qvb0

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 13, 2017 at 20:00:14
pictureguy
Audiophile

Posts: 22597
Location: SoCal
Joined: October 19, 2008
Martin Logans are generally pretty demanding of the amp.
They are sort of flat like Maggies, but that's where the similarity ends.
They are electrostatic and have some awful electrical characteristics at the higher frequencies.
The built in woofer taking off 'some of the load' is a red-herring. Don't be fooled.
Too much is never enough

 

RE: Amplifier for 1.7/ 3.7 magnepans, posted on January 13, 2017 at 22:58:22
pictureguy
Audiophile

Posts: 22597
Location: SoCal
Joined: October 19, 2008
For a similar price to the Magtech, i'd be real surprised if the Parasound JC-1 was in ANY way inferior.

Too bad the 1.7 needs major surgery for those wanting to biamp. My A23s will end up with more effective power than an A21. As much as 3db more.
Too much is never enough

 

Esoteric A-03 or Plinius SA-103, posted on January 19, 2017 at 16:32:08
Plinius_Fan
Audiophile

Posts: 422
Location: Singapore
Joined: August 4, 2006
I have heard the 1.7 with Esoteric A-03 which is 50 watts class A and it sounded terrific. Very dynamic and effortless. I would suggest you look for one of these high current pure class A amps. Plinius SA-103 is another veru good candidate that will provide solid drive for these speakers

 

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