2. amps-preamps
  3. 172369-91258

Solid state amp recommendations for Maggies?

I am looking for another amp to drive my magnepan LRS, looking for a solid state amp to deliver more detail than my current tube amp, but don't want to give up (much) of the soundstage and depth.

I have a small listening room with a near field set up, so I don't need a ton of power for ear piercing volume. I listen mostly to acoustic rock, acoustic jazz and female vocalists.  I want more the guitar on Keith don't go and hotel canifornia intro from hell freezes over to  to sound... better...

at the risk of sounding stupid, I am driving these $650 speakers with many thousands of dollars of electronics.  The amp is a Primaluna HP (80wpc using 4 EL34s per channel), CJ ET7 preamp, PS Audio Direct stream DAC and a Naim digital source. All with MG audio silver interconnects and speaker wire. Even the interconnects cost more than the LRS.  

I am very happy with my current set up, but would like to grab another amp to a change of pace.

My budget is $5-8K, used or new.  My room is such that mono blocks set up well, but that is not necessary. 

thoughts/recommendations?

 

 

meiatflask
johnto
1,026 posts
 

The Pass X250.8 I'm using very really goes out of class A unless I'm cranking the volume on heavy organ or bass material. I don't think your ears can tell when it moves from A to A/B it's only by watching the front meter that you'll know.

meiatflask OP
152 posts
 

Wow, lots of ideas here. Thanks to everyone for your input.  Hopefully I will have time over the holiday weekend to do some research, look at company websites for details, read some reviews, identify local (chicago-Milwaukee) dealers, and look at the various sites for used candidates.  

The Pass amps intrigue me as I recall loving the Threshold stuff in my youth. But the Hegel, Bryston (another brand from my youth), and parasound will be on the "look into" list, as well as the PS Audio (because I enjoy their DAC). There were several other brands that I have never heard of, so that is always fun to discover new stuff.  And while several mentioned lower cost stuff, I really plan to spend $5k+, so I will pass on them.

And perhaps the most interesting suggestion was upgrading fromLRS to the 1.7xx or larger Maggies.  Yep, this is on my radar, probably a couple years down the road when we move south, and I can have a larger listening room.

But for now THANKS for all your input.

Bill

tweak1
3,668 posts
 

@spacecadet65

 

According to Ric from EVS, the PS Audio M1200s are the exact same Icepower modules as he uses in my highly tweaked EVS 1200 (<$2400), but they use totally stock modules with a tube input said to be made in house. Oh, and they’re $5998 the pair. What are they smoking?

I never heard them, but can’t imagine them being any better than the EVS1200 and the Voyager 350 blew it away, confirmed by another who owned a EVS1200 then got a Voyager

 

The stock Voyager 350 Black Friday special is $2499 and the upgraded version is $2799, including a $150 wire upgrade and Diamond XLR interconnects (MSRP $900)

 

hth

oilheadoug
10 posts
 

I am very happy with my Sanders Magtech driving my 1.7i Maggies.

Sanders offers a free 30 day trial and this amp is within your budget.

ghdprentice
7,051 posts
 

For your reading I would skip company web sites all together and concentrate on The Absolute Sound and Stereophile reviews. There are a couple more... but you need as objective information as possible. 

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