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Active Biamping of Your Dreams for Magneplanars

I have been thinking about upgrading my system a bit and searching the archives for threads on amplifiers to use with my Magneplanar Tympani IVa's.

Most of you seem to suggest that you could never have too much power for Maggies -- not to mention the greater demands of the three panel per side design.

Therefore, I am wondering how I might make a significant upgrade, without spending shocking amounts of money.

One idea is to buy another ML 23.5, use the pair for the low end, and actively crossover to a tube amp for the highs.

Good idea?

Next idea: same thing, but upgrade to a pair of 20.6 monoblocks.

Or a pair of Pass Lab monoblocks?
Aragon Palladiums?

Would like to spend < $10,000 and retain the reliability and slam of solid state in the low end please.
cwlondon
zt000
30 posts
 
My experience supports following as well:

http://www.gcaudio.com/resources/howtos/biamping.html
mikesinger
572 posts
 
classe cam mono 350's
lbmp
17 posts
 
I have done this with MG 3A's and 3.6's ( and pre ribbon Tympani's) with tube and SS on top and it sounds great.

The only people who don't like it seem to be dealers that don't sell electronic x-overs, which are most these days.

One Person who heard the 3.6's biamped bought a x-over the same day.

All this Biwire Biamping may help, but there is nothing like a real active x-over
hotsauce
108 posts
 
I'm biamping my MG 20's. Matchand XM26S tube crossover, Krell 300MDA monos for the lows, and 845 tube power for the midrange panel and ribbon.

I've bypassed the MG fuses, and the jumper, and replaced the binding posts with Cardas. The internal caps in the MG crossovers are replaced with V-cap oils.

The thing you really need in the crossover if you are mixing amp types is a gain control for each amp, many only have gain for the treble.

John C.
cwlondon OP
1,210 posts
 
Horsauce

Thanks for the description, but how does it sound?

So you are also an advocate of active biamping?

and Lbmp, a very astute comment about dealers, I think.

I also get really irritated when the latest, newest, much more expensive technology is always vastly superior to classics which can be purchased for a fraction of the price.
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