2. amps-preamps
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Tubes for Magnepan’s.

I think next up on my acquisition list is a tube amplifier. I'm not looking for the be all end all, cause I don’t think there is a definitive "Best", so am looking for as good as I can get for $3-4k.


Because tubes drive speakers so much more efficiently than solid state I am only looking for 40-50 watts to drive my modded Maggie’s, 1.7i's. (Or what you have when you add a new crossover and planer tweeters to 1.7i's.) Maybe 2.7x? I haven’t settled on that yet. And I have some Zu Dirty Weekend's upgraded to the max coming in in 2 months to replace my KEF's.

Anyway, I haven’t had a tube device since my Halicrafter short wave radio, and reviews are not the same as advice from people that own something. There is a Rouge Audio dealer in my area, last I looked, (opps, they no longer carry them), so I may have to go to another market to hear something, or get a try before you buy from a manufacturer or dealer.

You folks have taught me a lot, and I think asking users is the right thing to do on this change in direction.

Thanks in advance.
128x128william53b
vinylzone
288 posts
 
Not with Maggie's, but with Apogee Duetta IIs, I had rebuilt a couple of 80wpc mono Conn Organ amps.  Conventional wisdom was the same at the time, 200w min, high current.  The tube amps sounded great, and pretty much kept up with a Bryston 3B at the levels I would listen.They sounded terrific.  Both had my wife complaining about the levels ;).

I still have them in storage and plan to give them a shot with the Maggie's next fall/winter.

I have found that at times, conventional wisdom impedes progress.
william53b's avatar
william53b OP
211 posts
 
Steve Guttenberg thinks the Rhumba 3.1 is the choice in my price range.


https://backertlabs.com/rhumba-1-3-preamp/
ieales's avatar
ieales
1,201 posts
 
Expecting a tube pre / ss combo to emulate a tube power amp is a fools errand. It could sound very nice depending on the power amp.
jjss49's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
Expecting a tube pre / ss combo to emulate a tube power amp is a fools errand.

i agree with the gist of this comment, though calling it a ’fools errand’ is unnecessarily perjorative

a very clean extended tube pre (think upper echelon arc, cj, vac, herron...) mated with a very pure solid state amp (hegel h20/h30, pass, ayre, accuphase) can do wonders in a system where a tube power amp could be impractical due to cost, heat, weight, reliability, tube matching etc etc to drive demanding speakers - but know that a high performing tube pre is not cheap by any means

certainly a top level high tube power amp like the upper arc models will give a greater sense of dimensionality, depth of stage, air and nuanced tactility through the freq range 

all about managing tradeoffs and what the user's priorities are
recluse
270 posts
 
Im thinking a couple of ma1 atmasphere monoblocks are one of the few that could drive Maggie's 
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