100 watts per side of tube amp power will drive most maggies. I have 3.6's and have driven them with as little as 40 watts per side. I now biamp my 3.6's and have about 200 watts per side. In my opinion Maggies sound best with tubes.
Alan
Alan
Magnepans
I'm kinda new to the plannar/magnepan world, but I am really interested in trying out a pair after all the reviews I've been reading. From what I understand these speakers are quite power hungry. What is the minimum I need to properly drive these?
I currently have a VAC Avatar integrated tube amp. These are the stats:
Type: Integrated vacuum tube amplifier with MM phono stage and home theater (direct power amplifier) mode.
Tube Complement: two 12AX7 low noise (phono), two 12AX7 (line stage), three 12AU7/6189A (power amplifier), and four EL34 (power amplifier)
Options: Remote control for volume (motorized direct control) & mute
Power amplifier ("Home Theater" direct mode):
Output matching: 4 or 8 ohms nominal
Power output: 60 watts/channel ultra-linear; 27 watts/channel triode
Frequency response: 9 Hz - 35 kHz +0 / -0.5 dB, 3 Hz - 71 kHz +0 / -3.0 dB
Power bandwidth: 11 Hz - 63 kHz + 0 / -3.0 db ref. 50 watts
Gain: 25 dB ultra-linear; 23 dB triode
Residual noise: 1.5 mv at 8 ohm output
Channel separation: -72 dB @ 1 kHz; -60 dB @ 10 kHz
Line stage preamplifier:
Gain: 24 dB
Maximum input signal: Infinite (attenuation precedes line stage)
Noise contribution: Approx. 0.1 mv at power amplifier output
THD contribution: Approx. 0.04%
Tape output: Unity gain from selector, non-inverting
Phono stage preamplifier:
Gain: 37 dB (measured at tape output)
MC phono stage in place of the MM optional
Residual noise: 3 mv at output (S/N ratio approx. 69 dB)
Overload: 117 mv @ 1 kHz = 8 volts RMS output, 460 mv @ 10 kHz
Frequency response: RIAA +/- 0.25 dB
Notes: Does not invert absolute phase.
Anyone know if these will do or if I'll have to upgrade? Love the tube sound . . . will I need to go solid state for Maggies? Thanks for putting up with the noobie question :)
I currently have a VAC Avatar integrated tube amp. These are the stats:
Type: Integrated vacuum tube amplifier with MM phono stage and home theater (direct power amplifier) mode.
Tube Complement: two 12AX7 low noise (phono), two 12AX7 (line stage), three 12AU7/6189A (power amplifier), and four EL34 (power amplifier)
Options: Remote control for volume (motorized direct control) & mute
Power amplifier ("Home Theater" direct mode):
Output matching: 4 or 8 ohms nominal
Power output: 60 watts/channel ultra-linear; 27 watts/channel triode
Frequency response: 9 Hz - 35 kHz +0 / -0.5 dB, 3 Hz - 71 kHz +0 / -3.0 dB
Power bandwidth: 11 Hz - 63 kHz + 0 / -3.0 db ref. 50 watts
Gain: 25 dB ultra-linear; 23 dB triode
Residual noise: 1.5 mv at 8 ohm output
Channel separation: -72 dB @ 1 kHz; -60 dB @ 10 kHz
Line stage preamplifier:
Gain: 24 dB
Maximum input signal: Infinite (attenuation precedes line stage)
Noise contribution: Approx. 0.1 mv at power amplifier output
THD contribution: Approx. 0.04%
Tape output: Unity gain from selector, non-inverting
Phono stage preamplifier:
Gain: 37 dB (measured at tape output)
MC phono stage in place of the MM optional
Residual noise: 3 mv at output (S/N ratio approx. 69 dB)
Overload: 117 mv @ 1 kHz = 8 volts RMS output, 460 mv @ 10 kHz
Frequency response: RIAA +/- 0.25 dB
Notes: Does not invert absolute phase.
Anyone know if these will do or if I'll have to upgrade? Love the tube sound . . . will I need to go solid state for Maggies? Thanks for putting up with the noobie question :)
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- 85 posts total
Though I am a Vandersteen fanboy, I do like the sound of Maggies. +1 Ahendler, I too think 100 watts should be sufficient. Here is a link to Atma-sphere and his endorsement for the Zero: http://www.atma-sphere.com/Support#FAQ - it is on the right side of the page about mid-way down. |
Much depends on what SPLs you enjoy. Your VAC will certainly drive Maggies, but- whether it will run out of steam, before reaching your preferred level, is another matter. An in-home audition is the only way to know for certain. Toting your VAC to a Magnepan dealer for an audition, will give you a good idea also. Then again, Magnepan offers in- home auditions on a couple models. They were actually paying people to try the 1.7i, in home and the MMg has a 60 day return policy: http://www.magnepan.com/models btw: The size of your room and distance between the listening seat and speakers are also considerations, when discussing power requirement. |
I have Magnepan 1.7s in a medium-sized room (about 350 sq ft). I originally used a Linn Majik amp with 100 wpc @4 ohms. The sound was plenty loud enough, but it just did not have enough dynamic punch. I then changed to a Linn Klimax amp with 200 wpc @4ohms and got the dynamic punch that I was looking for. In my view, 200 wpc is much better than 100 wpc. I am very happy with 200 wpc and have not plans to add more power. |
- 85 posts total