Best Cheap Amps for Magneplanar Speakers

i have three of them no ticking or problems for 9 months now I  use them constantly.  That may have been a gen1 problem but actual experience with gen2 has been fault free

Problems I've read with the XPA -1 make it risky.  Owners complain of the heat sinks ticking as they heat up and cool down.  How Emotiva could engineer an amp and miss this is beyond me, but there you are.

if you want clean SS power  Class A 60w auto switchable to ClassA/B 600w   try the Emotiva monoblocks   XPA 1 gen 2   about a grand a piece  will power Maggies beautifully with excellent soundstage and detail.  You can audition them at home with a full return policy.   If Tubes are your choice try the Cary 120MkII (stereo not mono block)  which I just saw on sale from Cary at $2800

When I had the 2Bs, a similar budget design,  I used a Hafler DH200. It was a little dry and clinical, maybe, but it seemed to suit their character. I also tried the Dynaco ST70 which didn't have enough bass, but the mids, especially strings were decent.

Positioning is everything with these types of speakers. They need to be loaded off the sidewalls, very close, and have a good 6 to 8 feet behind them. Even an inch or two this way or that can make a huge difference. 

Well, that's what I'm afraid of...

Randy,

It would be a miracle to find a new SS amp for $1k that will outperform your Sunfire.

Dave

I actively tri-amp (electronic crossovers) my vintage Maggie llls. I am using McCormack ultra-modded amps for the mids (DNA-0.5) that puts out 200wps into 4Ω, and the DNA-1.0 which doubles that for the bass panel. I have an Aragon amp whic is also capable of 200 wpc for the ribbons (way overkill) Mye stands, C-J tubed preamp. Nirvana!

Sounds like your bent on SS; someone mentioned earlier Threshold equipment that comes up from time to time for around $1k; that would be smart; earlier Audio Research SS amps also come up for around the same price as well. Both could fill the SS bend your seeking playing Maggies.

I have had Maggies for 30 years ( IIs, Tympanis, and currently playing 1.7s). I could have purchased the 3.7s, but to my ears the tweeter ribbons are just to in my face and ear; I play piano and my wife plays violen. Jazz and Classical listeners here.

I have gone back and forth between tube and solid state:
* Audio Research D100B solid state (100 watts per channel) with a CJ MV5 tube preamp
* Audio Research D100B with the Audio Research SP14 (tube phono because I play 80% vinyl)
* Currently MFA 200C amp (tube with 200 watts per channel switchable to 60 watts triode; Wavestream Kinetics phono (all tube) and Wavestream Kinetics line stage (all tube). I have only once or twice used 200 watts for yucks....but 60 watt triode mode is bliss.

This last system plays the Maggie 1.7s; we use this literally as our daily system. Turn on and play all day when I work at home or on weekends.

We have a 2 story house, and I have no problem hearing the MFA 200’s set at 60 watts / channel play 1.7s. We have one teen ager and one younger son, and they even say I have to turn the volume down when the amp is set at 60 watts.

As for listening, frogman’s comments re. musicality is spot on for Maggies and tube amps at 60 watts. YMMV.

I own these. They are spectacular. Affordable, super high power and musical! They would make your Maggies sing. Oh, and there is a 45 day in home trial with money back guarantee. Nothing to lose. Give them a try you wont regret it.  I use a primaluna tube preamp in front of them.  My friends and I are discovering that the right class D amp with a good tube preamp can be incredible to say the least. 

http://www.reddragonaudio.com/collections/amplifiers/products/m500-mkii

and now back to our show...

I should have said in the OP that I have a tube pre-amp and would prefer a SS amp if possible.

Also, it needs to be a significant upgrade from my current Sunfire Cinema Grand (a Bob Carver design).  That means I'd like to buy something I can test at home, which means new.

Thanks for all the ideas!

@maplegrovemusic -- seems a few of us reported this as spam, looks like all of his advertising postings have been removed and hopefully @bglenn2012 has learned his lesson

^^^^^^DO WE NEED 30 ADVERTISEMENTS FOR THIS POWER PRODUCT ?
YOUR MARKETING BLITZ HAS HAD THE REVERSE EFFECT . I WILL NOT INVESTIGATE THIS PRODUCT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

limniscate,
My listening level varies. Usually, when things have quieted down and I just want to kick back and relax with some light rock, jazz or chamber music, the volume level is pretty moderate. When friends are over and we're in the mood for some old time rock or a live level jazz performance (Stan Getz, Hugh Masekela etc.)  the volume gets substantially louder, but neither my ears, nor my head will take rock concert volumes any longer, so I never listen at that volume level. If one is wanting to drive the Maggies at anything over 98 or 100 db. I don't think tubes would be the answer, at least not in the lower 1-2 k price range.
Jim

Pro audio amps will give you the best bang for your buck.

Look for Yamaha, Crown, Soundcraftsmen, QSC, etc.

I run a pair of Soundcraftsmen PM860 monoblocks - 900W @ 4 Ohms which have no difficulty in powering my Martin Logan Spires.

A decent preamp is essential. I use a tubed preamp with this combo.

Hey frogman,

Still very pleased with the TNT/ET Two largely thanks to you and Chris. The MW player is giving it a real challenge I must admit, even on Redbook. Never would have thought that possible from digital before. Tubes done right...

Thanks again for all your help and Happy New Year!
Dave

Dave, I'm glad you were able to achieve great sound with your gear.  My comments were in reference to affordable (<$1000) ss amplification and I have not heard everything that's out there in that price range.  Still.....

Nice system page, btw.  How's your ET2 working out?  Love that arm!  Happy Holidays.

Nord

I have a pr. of Maggie 1.7s and drove them for a while with an Ayre V5 xe ss. amp @ 150w per side @ 8 ohm and 300w per side @ 4 ohm (even used, probably a bit more than you want to spend for just one) Even though I liked the Ayre very much, I finally settled on a Rouge Cronus Mag. II, a 100w per side, integrated tube amp and am most happy. With the Maggies, I like the sound of the 100w tubed Rogue even better than the 300w ss Ayre and at half the cost. I am using just a single amp to drive the 1.7s and it drives them very well at any volume I care to listen at, although you may need more if going to the Maggie 3.7s. In all I have to agree with others that tubes just sound better on the Maggies.
Good luck with your quest
Jim

What volumes do you typically listen at?

"With the Maggies, I like the sound of the 100w tubed Rogue even better than the 300w ss Ayre and at half the cost."

A very strong endorsement from someone with direct experience with fine exemplars of each type. Sounds like the Rogue is worthy of serious consideration, Randy.

Best to you Randy and Jim,
Dave

I have a pr. of Maggie 1.7s and drove them for a while with an Ayre V5 xe ss. amp @ 150w per side @ 8 ohm and 300w per side @ 4 ohm (even used, probably a bit more than you want to spend for just one) Even though I liked the Ayre very much, I finally settled on a Rouge Cronus Mag. II, a 100w per side, integrated tube amp and am most happy. With the Maggies, I like the sound of the 100w tubed Rogue even better than the 300w ss Ayre and at half the cost. I am using just a single amp to drive the 1.7s and it drives them very well at any volume I care to listen at, although you may need more if going to the Maggie 3.7s. In all I have to agree with others that tubes just sound better on the Maggies.
Good luck with your quest
Jim 

My pair of MG 3.7i are being driven by an AVA Fet Valve 600R, at $3199, which has the hybrid technology of both high current MOSFETs and tubes for the voltage amplification, a step up from what yogiboy referred to above and it is the perfect complement for them.  The attention to superb power supply design given to it pays ample dividends.  Have owned nothing but Magnepans since T-1A days, suggest you at least try to audition one if you can.

"a sense of dimensionality and separation front to back and not just side to side, a sense of aliveness by way of subtle dynamic gradations and not just the ability to play really loud, and inner detail in the texture of the sound of instruments."

frogman,

I have achieved these results by introducing a ModWright 5400ES (tubes in power supply and player) into my otherwise SS equipment chain. IME, the better SS gear can partner with a great tube front-end to deliver both the realism and musicality you describe while also providing transparency and the current delivery to really wake up the most difficult to drive speakers, even at lower volume.

Best to you frogman,
Dave

Randy, I am no expert on ss amps I can’t possibly claim to have heard every ss amp in this price range in order to give you a specific recommendation. What I can tell you is that the most recent good quality ss amp that I tried on my Maggies was a Levinson 23.5. It was a very good amp, but still sounding like the ss amp that it was. In fact, I personally have never heard a ss state amp that sounded like a tube amp. Some do have qualities that are sometimes considered tube traits like fullness of individual images and absence of hardness in the upper frequencies. Of the things that are priorities for me, what tubes do that I have never heard affordable ss amps do is give a sense of dimensionality and separation front to back and not just side to side, a sense of aliveness by way of subtle dynamic gradations and not just the ability to play really loud, and inner detail in the texture of the sound of instruments. To me, most affordable ss amps still sound a little mechanical. While I am sure some will disagree, in this price range the general differences in sound between tube and ss are still pretty significant, imo.

frogman - are there any SS amps that can give that inner detail, etc. with Maggies like tubes do?

maybe a suitable topology using MOSFETs for example?

brauser....I remember that combination...wonderful...   Also loved the Infinity Servostatic 1A's with ARC. In the old days, I thought ARC was the very best one can get. In  recent years, tubes and s/s have merged their sound.   I use Ayre stuff now which I love

The Sanders Magtech is excellent, and I've seen them down to $2900 used.

Buy a used Sanders stereo Mactech, it would be the best amp you could get, period.

I own Maggie 20.1s.  I first powered them with an Accuphase P1000 SS amp.  On paper, the Accuphase was the perfect amp.  It was capable of delivering lots and lots of current, 1000 amps into a 1 ohm load!!  The Maggies are a 4-5 ohm load, and that meant about 200-250 watts to that load.  The sound was good, but not great.  Very clean, quick, but not to my ears musical.  I replaced the Accuphase with a pair of Manley Neo Classic 250s.  EL34 tubed amps at 250 watts into an 5 ohm load.  Much more musical than the Accuphase.  The music had more sole, the soundstage was very realistic.  I agree with Frogman, tubes bring out the best in Maggies.  Oh, and I wouldn't hesitate to get the 60WPC Quicksilvers unless you like ear splitting sound levels.

Ditto the Bryston 4BST, an improvement over their original design. I’ve been driving both Martin Logan reQuests and Dahlquist DQ10’s and it hasn’t skipped a beat. I think it’s a ’dual monoblock’ design, and you can usually find ’em at about $1G if you shop around.

I have two options I use to feed my rebuilt 3.3rs:  (1) Krell KAV 250A for "daily" (non-focused, i.e. sitting at my desk doing other chores) listening -- also has the advantage of not putting out much heat; and (2) Rogue Audio Magnum M-120 monoblocks, for more serious listening and when I am in a tubey mood.  The monoblocks tend to heat up the room after a couple of hours.

There's a Krell for sale now.  Rogues come up every so often.  

I really enjoy both - the Krell offers a lot of control and the Rogues add a lot to the fun factor.  

The Bryston 4 series has been mentioned a few times.  It should be noted that this was the "de facto" recommendation for Maggies back in the day; from Magneplanar themselves and from Lyric Hi Fi, the biggest Magneplanar dealer at the time (80-90's).  This was the "affordable" amp recommnedation for many years.  Having said that, while the store demos using Bryston sounded good, they never sounded nearly as good to me as the demos using tube amps.  I can't help but notice how often the term "to drive" is used without, imo, enough emphasis on the quality of the resulting sound.  Sure, something like a large Adcom and many affordable ss amps will "drive" Maggies well and provide plenty of output and decent bass (maybe), but the sound will lack refinement and finesse.  While the ultimate dynamic range may be wider than with a moderately powered tube amp, on a micro dynamic scale the sound that a decent tube amp can produce within a narrower dynamic range may have a better sense of aliveness and excitement; not to mention the possible advantages in the areas of timbre and dimensionality.   

D-Sonic.  Should be in your price range per channel, and are very powerful.  I had my MG-12s "gunned", and that's what John "Peter Gunn" recommends.  He also recommends Butler and Sanders, but both are out of your price range per channel.  Butler is tube, just an fyi.

If you can swing the upgrade, do it.  John is not sure how much longer he will be doing it, and to the best of my knowledge he is the only one out there with such offering.  You get awesome looking handmade wooden frames, top notch crossover parts and sound that is out of this world.

Tell him the mad russian send you.  He'll probably charge you extra :-)

www.d-sonic.net
http://www.indiespinzone.com/magnestand.html

Obviously your looking at something used as I don't know of anybody making good mono blocks for under a grand. A few years ago while just looking on ebay someone was selling a pair of the Denon POA-6600 mono blocks for $800.00 and listed them as in mint condition and when I got them the seller was right. The amps appeared to look better than mint, they looked brand new, man was I happy. Just about a month ago I got curious and decided to hook them up to my Maggie 3.6R's and they sound phenomenal on my Maggies. The Denon's run cool, have plenty of power, and you can leave them on all the time with no worries. They are still hooked up to the 3.6's and I have no desire to remove them. Look for a used pair of the Denon's if you want something cheap, reliable, and sounds great.

Ok, this one will throw you for a loop!  Luxman R-117 receiver!!! Read the reviews from the 1980's and early 90's then see if there are any on ebay.  Should be about $350-400 now ($1200 new)  Absolutely phenomenal amp and preamp section.  Grossly underrated @ 160 wpc into 8 ohms it produces 400, 600, and 700 wpc of "dynamic" power into 8,4, and 2 ohms.  I once read a "test bench" report from a measurement guru who said the real rating of "actual" power was closer to 350 wpc into 8 ohms!  Smooth as silk with massive power, it sounds a lot like tubes.  For the money you can't go wrong and can own a piece of audio history!

It would be a shame to take such a good speaker and feed it poorly.

Want to add a little tube magic? There is a hybrid Counterpoint SA-100 for $695 also.

Cruising the ads I see a Belles 150A 3ch amp for $695. Probably can't go wrong with that.

I drive a pair of Magnepan 1.7 loudspeakers with a Rotel RB-991 solid-state amplifier producing 200 watts/channel. They sound great! This amplifier can be found secondhand for around $700. Alternatively, the current replacement model, the RC-1582 Mk II, for $1500 new in the box.

I also have a pair of Dynaco MK III monoblocks each producing 60 watts/RMS. They provide a warm vacuum tube 'sound.' If you can solder and have a few evenings free you can build a pair of these kits produced by www.DynaKitParts.com. These are the real deal, but you have to assemble them. They cost $550 each, slightly over your $1000 budget, but at $1100 well worth the effort.

http://www.dynakitparts.com/dynakit-products/amplifier-kits/MARK-III-KIT

Adcom 555 are widely available and cheap.  New caps etc would only be a few $100.  200wpc.....

On the tube side, you can find a pr of rebuilt Dynaco MK3 for less than $1k if you are willing to take your time.  60w per monoblock of good tube power.

On the low end, NADs are a good match, and I'll also second the Quicksilvers.

If you go tubes, the Zero Impedance autoformers might prove useful.

Nobody has mentioned Hafler?  Really?  The question is "cheap amps", right?  The Hafler DH500 is a good sounding, beefy amp and not all that hard to find.   As I write this, there's one on EBay right now, in a "Buy-it-now" for $395.  The description talks about an upgraded power supply, which certainly doesn't hurt.

I used Ghent Audio mono amps with 3.6r and they worked wonderfully...@$1300/pr.

Cheap amp and Magnepans shouldn't even be in the same sentence unless you listen at low volumes!  What volume do you listen at?  If you listen above 75db, I highly suggest a very powerful amp.

I have a set of 1.7s and drive them with a Carver AVR100 in a 20x25 room. I bought it new back in 1989 and recently pulled it out of storage (forgot I had it). Although it certainly isn’t a fully functional receiver by today’s standards, it does have a great amp, at 225x2 at 4 ohms. I think it’s a total myth that Magnepans "need" tons of power to sound good. I’ve never had more than 225w to them and only had 150w before I brought out the Carver. It’s far more important to have clean, constant power than to have tons of it.

Maggies and ARC gear have been a great match through the years. It was the Tympani 1Cs and ARC tube gear that got me into this hobby...a very long time ago. 

How big the room is will determine what size amp/s you need as well . Listening habits ? Type of music . ..

I would look at some class d pro audio . Have worked on panels for me in the past . Guitar center has a nice return policy  . Worth a shot in my book . You buying new ?  Keep an eye on cl . Threshold , Older Krell . Mcormack . Definitely Bryston .SimAudio W5 . What topology are you interested in ?