2. amps-preamps
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My speakers are set. Magnepan Tympani IVs

A year ago I acquired a pair of restored Tympani IVs (not IVa). I have been driving them with an Adcom  GFA - 555 that I have had for decades.  The matching pre-amp died and has been replaced with a Schiit SYS Passive pre.

The primary source was CD but has transitioned to a Bluesound Node 2 running TIDAL. I will be playing the MQAs whenever possible. My musical tastes are eclectic, with a pronounced preference for female vocalists, piano and acoustic guitar. Genres include rock of the 60s, jazz, folk, world, Celtic and classical.

The Tympanis do not suffer from the lower register issues to the same degree as some of the other Magnepans, but are still prone to occasionally overwhelming highs.  New components should tend towards the warm to mitigate this issue.

It is time to upgrade the amp.  The consensus judgement of people whom I respect and whom own these speakers are that they should be bi-amped.  Options include separate amps for highs and lows and an electronic crossover (Horizontal ?) or monoblocks (Vertical ?)   

I am only into the Tympanis for $1000, but have budgeted $2000 for amplification. One thing I have come to learn is that the traditional percentages of investment don’t always apply when Magnepans are involved as they offer such a high sound quality/cost ratio.

Cables and room treatments are on the to-do list. As always, I am here to draw upon the experience of the Audiogon community.  Please share your thoughts.  If you see something for sale here, please call it out as I am having trouble sorting through the plethora of options.
kythyn
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
kythyn OP

Here’s one of Audiogon’s members that just received his new/used Parasound A21 which would be very much in your starting budget if you can't afford the JC1's, and it will drive your Tympami’s full range, and still do justice to the bass.

Be good to have a discussion with him, as his speakers he’s had are similar loading and difficulty to drive, Martin Logans, Aerial 10T’s very hard to drive.
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/a21-is-in-da-house

Cheers George
thomasgc
24 posts
 
I had tympani iv. in the mid 80s using a Mac 2002 and felt the need for more bass so biamped with a John Iverson Eagle 3a on the bass that did the trick so I vote biamp
michel1980's avatar
michel1980
6 posts
 
They need subs, if you really want the full jist out of these speakers. They all sound thin on the low end, have a Tympani I (rebuild by magnepan) 

They don't go down to 30hz , least not on the right db numbers. Also I read the most exotic amplifier "requirements" it's inherently false. 

These speakers are a resistive load to a amplifier. In short the don't swing impedance wise, like a cone does. It's more a synergy thing (it reflects merciless, how your amp performs) 
I didn't like mcintosh at all on them, the auto formers always introduced a own sound I never liked. Not on my quad esl57 nor any Maggie I've had/have. 

They don't require 1.5kw monos to run right really. I've heard them play on 50watter tubes, and blew my mcintosh into the "for sale" bin easily. 

Anyways fantastic speakers, it pushed my infinity rs1b to the secondary system I have downstairs. The sound field these can produce, it's just in a league of its own ! 
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