how does current work in an amplifier?

So.....all other things being equal (same room, same source, same cables, same other characteristics of the amplifier), am I to understand that an amp that delivers more current would do a better job of driving a 4 ohm speaker, like Magnepan MG12's, than would an amp with less current?

Guys, your knowledge is impressive, but gets confusing for the relative neophyte!

The main takeaways that I got from the last several threads are:

1) do not get hung up on current because Ohms Law demonstrates that current really does not tell the story - if there are watts, then there is current, and vice versa.

2) most music is played at the low end of the watts - rarely does one continuously use much more than 10 or 15 watts.

So.....if I am running a Mac MA6300 integrated at 100 wpc @ 8 ohms and 160 wpc @4 ohms....with the volume control no more than half way....and at this volume level, the meters jump to 100 wpc into 8 ohms just occasionally....but I would like it little bit louder...and I feel that I am missing something.....

Does this mean I am missing the top end of the dynamics due to the amp's powerguard feature kicking in to prevent clipping?

Does this mean that a Mac with more wpc power would give better dynamics (as well as more loudness)?

Or does it mean that the Magnepan 1.2's just lack that last bit of slam because they are not box speakers?

I realize that I am mixing dynamics and loudness here but I think that you can get my drift....

Your continued discussion and feedback, please.

And thanks!

Hi Magfan,

I always wanted a Mac and figured it for good resale if it came to that.

I want the slam without the treble going over the top. Mac seems pretty mellow in that regard, especially if I decide to upgrade to MG 1.7's.

My 1.2's are less than one year old and I can get what I paid for them from my dealer if I trade up within the year.

Understand your comment about doubling power. My thought was the MA6900 or MA7000 at 200wpc or 250wpc.

The other side of this is maybe the panels have to go. I wonder about the new version of the Ohms?!

Martykl,

There is a Magnepan dealer in Columbus, Ohio who pairs the speakers with McIntosh as well.

The last time I was there, they had 3.6's with something like 400 watt monoblocks. Very real sounding without too much high end in the treble decay.

Another question that comes to mind when selecting an amp is Total Harmonic Distortion.

I read on another Audiogon thread about what amp for Magnepan 1.7's. One suggestion was an Emotiva Audio XPA-2.

The EPA-2 is advertised at 300wpc @ 8 ohms and 500 wpc @4 ohms - at less than $1000!?!

However the THD is listed as less than 1% compared to Mac's, for example, which are listed at less than .004% THD.

So what's up with THD? When can you hear it? How do you hear it?

Mapman,

The last few weeks have proven to me that your words about matching components are true.

I had always wanted a Mac amp and got one and was happy with it until I got my Maggie 1.2's. At that point, the power into 4 ohms question came up.

I solved it by trading the nine month old Mac for Krell and paid a piece of change to make the trade.

I guess my only excuse is that I bought the Mac before I had heard Maggies. I will never forget that day - I was listening to Paradigm and Klipsch at a local dealer and he suggested that I might try the Maggies. The superior (to my ear) openess and resolution blew me away!

Anyway, it is now Krell and Maggie 1.7's.

I need to be happy with this for at least a while or the most beautiful woman in my life will shoot me dead!