Where do Magnepans peak as far as power is concerned?
I just tried the Carver ZR1600 with the 3.6R. I started off using 2 Carvers in bridged mono version, running biwired. These amps double their output when impedance is halved and are rated 1600w into 4 ohms. If I'm understanding this correctly, with my biwire configuration, each amp is seeing a 2ohm load, and therefore putting out 3200 watts per channel(potentially)!!
After getting a handle on the sound for a few hours, I changed over to one amp in stereo running biwired, which, according to the spec's is now 800 watts per channel. I couldn't detect any advantage between stereo with one amp and bridged Mono with two. Stage width and depth, bass extension etc appeared to be the same.
So at some point the speakers seem to peak, in terms of giving them 'as much power as possible'.
My previous amp was a Krell FPB200, outputting 400w into 4 ohms. I can't honestly say at this point that the Carvers 3200 watts 'opened up' the speakers any more than the Krell did. There is a small issue of break-in, since the Carvers only have about 30hrs on them, but I haven't heard any real noticable changes over the past 10 hrs or so. The Krell offered all the 'grip' that the Carvers do, and if anything, the stage width was a little wider with the Krell. Bass control and extension is similar, which is a remarkable achievement given the Carvers sticker price compared to the Krell.
So the question is, at what point do the 3.6's stop benefitting from more power?
The point/context of the question is: shouldn't a 450 watt tube amp like the VTL be enough, (delivering 500 watts into 4 ohms), if, as it seems, the speakers stop benefiting from more power somewhere around the 400 - 500 watt range?
What I'm trying to do is convince myself that the 450w VTL's will be man enough to handle the Maggie's, and that more watts are not really necessary.
How good a job am I doing of pulling the wool over my own eye's....help!
I just tried the Carver ZR1600 with the 3.6R. I started off using 2 Carvers in bridged mono version, running biwired. These amps double their output when impedance is halved and are rated 1600w into 4 ohms. If I'm understanding this correctly, with my biwire configuration, each amp is seeing a 2ohm load, and therefore putting out 3200 watts per channel(potentially)!!
After getting a handle on the sound for a few hours, I changed over to one amp in stereo running biwired, which, according to the spec's is now 800 watts per channel. I couldn't detect any advantage between stereo with one amp and bridged Mono with two. Stage width and depth, bass extension etc appeared to be the same.
So at some point the speakers seem to peak, in terms of giving them 'as much power as possible'.
My previous amp was a Krell FPB200, outputting 400w into 4 ohms. I can't honestly say at this point that the Carvers 3200 watts 'opened up' the speakers any more than the Krell did. There is a small issue of break-in, since the Carvers only have about 30hrs on them, but I haven't heard any real noticable changes over the past 10 hrs or so. The Krell offered all the 'grip' that the Carvers do, and if anything, the stage width was a little wider with the Krell. Bass control and extension is similar, which is a remarkable achievement given the Carvers sticker price compared to the Krell.
So the question is, at what point do the 3.6's stop benefitting from more power?
The point/context of the question is: shouldn't a 450 watt tube amp like the VTL be enough, (delivering 500 watts into 4 ohms), if, as it seems, the speakers stop benefiting from more power somewhere around the 400 - 500 watt range?
What I'm trying to do is convince myself that the 450w VTL's will be man enough to handle the Maggie's, and that more watts are not really necessary.
How good a job am I doing of pulling the wool over my own eye's....help!