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Best Amp to drive my Apogee Stages?

Greetings all.
I am wondering if I might get some good suggestions from anyone who might be firmiliar with the Apogee Stages. I have owned them for quite awhile, but due to blowing up my Krell (300i)intergrated amplifier more than once now (a $400 bill to fix it each time) I beleive that it is time to buy the right amplifier for the job. I need more power for sure, but my wallet is light these days. This means that I must minimize my purchase to something definitly under $2K and even more like $1200 price range. This seems to limit me quite a bit in my findings, but I am wondering if I might have missed something with my research so far? I have reviewed Krell, Levinson, Pass Labs and Threshold to date. Each have older options in my price range, but I am not certain if any will work better with my speakers?

Any thoughts out there?

Thank you in advance.

-LoveItLoud
loveitloud
rrog
1,958 posts
 
Unsound, I don't think Loveitloud is going to get a recent Rowland class D amp that fits into his budget of under $2000.
matti
114 posts
 
No need to spend a lot - find a used Aragon 8008BB. I find the Rowland recommendations a bit puzzling as I would never choose them to drive anything below 4 ohms.
sogood51
2,157 posts
 
I don't find my Stage particularly hard to drive...100 watts of solid state or tube amps (with a good power supply) is up to the task in my room. I guess if you like to play music at loud levels (90-100 db) you should play it safe and get 200 watts or so?

I've used Krell Ksa-250, Krell Kav-500, Rogue Audio M-120 Magnum, Onkyo M-504, and Outlaw Audio 755....none had a problem driving the Apogee Stage.

I'm surprised you have had amp problems...you must play very loud music?

EDIT: Woops.....LoveItLoud (I should have saw that).

Dave
don_s
271 posts
 
Sogood51 I am glad you are happy with your Stages used as part of a Mini Grand system but I have to disagree with you about power requirements. I have had Stages (later Mini Grands) for 18 years and when I finally put serious power on them I discovered new speakers. Clavil has it right.

Stage speakers can sound very good with high quality, lower-power amps and respond to tubes very well but, in my opinion, to unlock their full potential requires more power. The caveat is it has to be clean power from an amp that has good control. If the midrange/tweeter ribbon starts to dance either the speaker is being pushed past its limits or the amp is clipping.
rrog
1,958 posts
 
Matti, why do you find the Rowland recommendation confusing? Is it because the Rowland 5, which I recommended, will deliver 600wpc into a 2 ohm load and it might be too much power for the Stage?
Honestly, Aragon is nothing more than a glorified midfi amplifier. Please don't confuse this product with highend. I have seen the Aragon protection circuit turn the amp off at idle with a pair of Martin Logan CLS. A Dynaco Stereo 70 would play the CLS with ease.
You are doing an injustice to the Jeff Rowland Design Group, Loveitloud and any Audiogon memebers reading your posting that the Jeff Rowland Model 5 is not a good recommendation for a load below 4 ohms. Not to mention the poor guy trying to sell his amp here.
Wilson Audio even chose a Rowland amp to power their WOW subwoofer when they could ave had any amp they wanted.
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