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What does more power do for Magnepans?

I have Magnepan 3.5 speakers with a Plinius 9200 integrated. I think the sound is quite good but I always hear that Maggies love alot of power. I am curious and considering a Plinius P8 to biamp with the 9200. What difference could I expect to hear with more power? Any opinions?
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narrod
1,064 posts
 
We like what we like. There is no wrong answer. I've heard Magnepans (I have 1.6s and have owned 1.4s and 2.7s)) with low power and hated the presentation. I wouldn't own them if I couldn't drive them with lots of clean power.
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
hi narrod:

it's too bad you weren't at an audio meeting when i demonstrated the 1.6s with a 4 watt amp. i would have given you a barf bag, or you might have passed out. it was the best sound i heard from those speakers. bernadette peters sol rendition of "blackbird" was lush, thick and gooey. wonderful !!
prfont
89 posts
 
I think it's more about control of those panels than power. I had a friend drop off his hovland sapphire for use on my maggies and it just fell flat - and that was at low moderate volumes. It wasn't a question of enough watts. My ps audio hca-2 sounded clearer, more open...better. I really wanted the tubes to sound better because I am a tube lover, but for me it wasn't happening.

Mr. Tennis, lush, thick and gooey? Not really selling me with that description.
narrod
1,064 posts
 
"it's too bad you weren't at an audio meeting when i demonstrated the 1.6s with a 4 watt amp."

As I said, there is no wrong answer but, rather, what each of us like. I like low powered amps with efficient speakers but not with planars. I don't know what "thick and gooey" means when it comes to a description of sound.
rodman99999
6,110 posts
 
For an understanding of audio output in db, and power requirement, read this:(http://www.axiomaudio.com/power.html) It would be nice if doubling the perceived sound only required doubling the power. The least I've powered Maggies with was a slightly modded Dynaco ST-70(about 17W a side in reality). Yes- They sounded nice, but realism could only be approached listening to small acoustic sets. Remember that you're driving a nominal 4ohms too, and look at your amp's output into that load before you shop for power. I'm trying to think of ANY live music I've heard in the last 48yrs that was, "lush, thick and gooey." Was it the 'Hot Fudge Sundaes'? NO-that was at Baskin-Robbins. Hmmm, let's see.......
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