2. amps-preamps
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Solid state amp recommendations for Maggies?

I am looking for another amp to drive my magnepan LRS, looking for a solid state amp to deliver more detail than my current tube amp, but don't want to give up (much) of the soundstage and depth.

I have a small listening room with a near field set up, so I don't need a ton of power for ear piercing volume. I listen mostly to acoustic rock, acoustic jazz and female vocalists.  I want more the guitar on Keith don't go and hotel canifornia intro from hell freezes over to  to sound... better...

at the risk of sounding stupid, I am driving these $650 speakers with many thousands of dollars of electronics.  The amp is a Primaluna HP (80wpc using 4 EL34s per channel), CJ ET7 preamp, PS Audio Direct stream DAC and a Naim digital source. All with MG audio silver interconnects and speaker wire. Even the interconnects cost more than the LRS.  

I am very happy with my current set up, but would like to grab another amp to a change of pace.

My budget is $5-8K, used or new.  My room is such that mono blocks set up well, but that is not necessary. 

thoughts/recommendations?

 

 

meiatflask
trey0thompson
1 posts
 

I have LRSs with a Parasound A21+ and the combo is really good. If you went that route, you could get 2 and run them as monoblocks and would come in near the top of your stated budget range. Another option with plenty of current and watts and stable down to 1.5 ohms is the Parasound JC5. It has a bit more grunt than the A21+ and I think is around $6000. 

parker65310
210 posts
 

I’ve got very demanding Apogee Duetta II Signature Series full range ribbon speakers and have always been very happy with the combo of my BAT (Balanced Audio Technology) tube preamps with BAT’s solid state amps. They are built like tanks with massive transformers and a lot of quality current (essentially 2 mono blocks in the same chassis), particularly with an SE model that has the BAT pack or super BAT pack that give you a massive of amount of extra power when you need it. Even though they are solid state amps they have always been known for imparting a lot of what listeners love with the tube sound. I recommend talking to Victor Khomenko. He’s designed their gear for decades and is happy to answer all of your questions.

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kingbarbuda
514 posts
 

Bryston 4B3 and higher. 

sjsfiveo's avatar
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sjsfiveo
59 posts
 

Sanders Magtech designed for hard to drive high current speakers.

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re-lar-kvothe
160 posts
 

I recently upgraded my phono stage for a mc cartridge and chose a Hegel V10. While at the shop to give it a listen and pick it up the owner ran my TT, cartridge, and phono stage through a Hegel H20 solid state amp. I also have been looking at some other toys and auiditioned a few tube and SS amps. This Hegel is amazing. I am of the mind to sell one of my MACs to fund adding it to my stable of amps. It is $6K so falls in your price range.

 

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