Maggie 1.6 - Best Amp? Thinking about tubes.

My experience with using tube amps with Maggie 3.3 and 3.5 is that you need something in the 200w+ range. The 110w ARC VT130 was absolutely spectacular in the midrange at medium volume levels but quickly ran out of steam. I then tried the older ARC Classic 150 monos. Much of the VT130 magic was gone but I did gain a little more dynamics....but it was clearly not at all enough.

I have since gone with the Counterpoint NPS400 and now things are working mighty well. This amp was so vastly superior to the CL150s in every way. I truly have no idea what all the hype was over the CL150s a decade ago.

If you are an ARC fan, I suspect the old D250 or the newer VT200, VM200 models might be worthy of an audition. But I think the VTL 450 or 700 is what would really do it....or maybe the big Melos mono amps or a mono pair of the Counterpoint amps.

Once I heard the incredible magic of the Maggies and tube sound, it was mighty tough to go with solid state....and the Counterpoint allows for a good compromise with its hybrid implementation. This could be a super match with the 1.6s.

I am using an Eastern Electric Mini Max tube pre amp going into a 25 year old GAS Ampzilla II that feeds my 3.6's.

I have been through thirty amps in the past 15 years and that does include the VTL MB250's. The Ampzilla comes so close to the VTL's. None of the other amps has all the things the Ampzilla does. And, you won't have to worry about tubes in the power amp to get great sound (some call it tube sound).

Sad thing is, I started off my audiophile passion with the
Ampzilla. Little else measured up.

I agree that it costs too much to use tubes. I had Rogue Magnum 120s with my Maggie 1.6s and they ran out of steam pretty quickly. In comparison with 3 other amps that were all solid state, the Rogues sounded lifeless. This was with Rogue 99 Magnum pre, Sony 9000ES CD player and AZ wire.

2nd the Rouge Magnum 120's

I have both and perhaps with the right tube amp--- but for me toobs can't pull it off with maggies.

jeff