Best Amp For Maggies 1.6 Tube Or SS

What's your budget?

SS unless you have 15K to spend on a big tube amp.

Mac 275 and Mesa Baron both drive them with ease!

Plinius SA100MKIII or Innersound ESL

The Maggie 1.6 have a very benign 4ohm load but a low sensitivity of 83db, a good Solid State amp of 100-200w that can do 4ohm on it ear should be a good choice.
http://www.stereophile.com/content/magnepan-magneplanar-mg16qr-loudspeaker-measurements

A good push/pull tube amp with 100w or more and 4ohm speaker tap will do also, but it should have a lowish output impedance, below 1ohm, zero feedback tube amps are out, as they are generally too high in output impedance, as negative feedback reduces the output impedance.
I can think maybe some S/H Rogue 120 monoblocks or 150 monoblocks these can also be switched to Triode from Ultra linear and have a good low output impedance and a 4ohm speaker tap, and tight bass for a tube.

PS: Ron I don't know if you are in California but there is a pair of Rogue 120 for sale here
http://app.audiogon.com/listings/tube-rogue-monoblock-m120-amplifier-2013-11-25-amplifiers-90036-los-angeles-ca


Cheers George

George I tried Rogue 120M with the 1.6 and it was lifeless, it was not a good match imo

ARC 100.2

Philjolet: "George I tried Rogue 120M with the 1.6 and it was lifeless, it was not a good match imo"

They are far removed from the norm sound of a tube, as they have a good deal of feedaback and also use a feedward type of arrangement with conjuctive filters. Whe I heard them they were very dynamic but also tight and dry like a SS amp. And drove a pair the ML Monoliths very well.
But I aslo believe more in GOOD solid state amps that use BJT's (bi-polar) for the current they can give if designed right.

Cheers George

I drove my Maggie 1.6's with a Parasound A21 high current amp and it really handled them well. The Parasound also has 1000 dampening factor for control of the bass. The maggies are very reveling and I found that I needed to soften the sound up with a tube preamp and a tube buffer after the cd player. They make beautiful music in the right room when set up correctly. They need a bit of room behind and on the sides...

Good Listening,
Dan

I own both 3.6s and 20.1s, after playing with a few amps my preferred amp is the Conrad Johnson MF2500. I think their smaller MF2250 Would be a good match as well. At their going price they are true bargain.

Go vtl mb300 or mb450.
Audio research is good too,
I have vm220.. Both power my 20.1 well.