2. amps-preamps
  3. 167036-159831

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.
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william53b OP
211 posts
 
@drbarney1

Thank you for the info and offer. Not going to be building any new amps for the foreseeable future as I have some rebuilds in the works and am also building some Fostex folded horns this year. But I will put the link and your note in my project file.

As of today I am waiting for some new crossover parts for some ideas I have for my 1.7i’s, everything should be here by Wed. of this week, so it’s back to my wife’s garden for me until they get here.
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william53b OP
211 posts
 
@kellyp

Yes, Magnepan’s are another compromise in the speaker world. Good enough? What is "good enough"?
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william53b OP
211 posts
 
@Decathlon1991

Please don’t make me talk to Wendell. 😉
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atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,837 posts
 
why ,because they take a lot of current to drive then
tube donot have the current on demand that good solid state brings , when you have a speaker going
Power (watts) is equal to voltage times current. If the amp can make the power then it also has the current. You can't have current without voltage- that's the laws of physics. Obviously the above statement is false.


If you want to use tubes and get the bass right on Maggies, first, use a tube amp that has good low frequency bandwidth. Second, use monoblocks so you can keep your cables short, and by that I mean maybe about 1/2 foot. Back the amp up to the speaker and use that short connection- which should also be fairly heavy. We have a lot of customers with Maggies because Magnaplanar is here in town and people want to put our amps on their speakers- both are known for transparency. So I've done this a lot- it works. The usual YMMV due to standing waves in rooms but that has little to do with tubes.
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