2. amps-preamps
  3. 179032-174629

Basic question about power/watts

Hi everyone - I have a question that I can't seem to wrap my head around.  

I purchased a pair of Magnepans a few months back. Honestly, I do not like them. They have their moments but overall, pffft.

So, related to this, I keep reading from various Maggie owners you need TONS of power to make these things sing rather than squawk. I bought a new amp that is rated at 80 wpc at 4ohms. This, I realize, is low power when I see these guys saying they are running some crazy amount like 600 watts per channel. Here is my actual question:

When you are listening to your speakers at a normal volume, the wattage you are using is not near the POSSIBLE output, correct? My 80 wpc is unbearable with the volume at the 11 o'clock position. Why does a person need or want 600 watts? I suspect I am missing something here. Maybe this has to do with why I dislike my Magnepans. Somebody take a moment to set me straight?

Thanks! 

timintexas
theaudiomaniac
87 posts
 

@timintexas 

It ain't you amp. Don't waste your time chasing ghosts. If you can play them loud enough, and by your description too loud, without obvious clipping, then you don't have an issue, unless you are using a tube amp. Tube amps and maggies are not good bedfellows. Magnepans may dip down to 3 ohms, but they are close to being a resistor as you could ask for for a speaker. The impedance from 20-20 may not vary more than an ohm and phase is flat too.

 

@mlsstl gave you the answer in the first post. Wonderful speakers when dialed in and the room works for them. Awful in every other case and that is the case more often than not.

arcticdeth's avatar
arcticdeth
1,572 posts
 

Lots of great info here for you.

 

a lot late to the party.  Whenever I hit the stereo shops here, I listen to about everything, b and w, songs Fabre, with Mac amps, etc etc, I will stay there for 2 hours. I love the magnepan  airy sound, guitar sounds so real, voices, then there is the kick drum, this is where boys and men separate $$$$$$$$

 

**as mentioned, patience and relax. If it takes an extra few months or longer to save a small bit more money, so be it. I sat on 5K as I saved it, huge wad in my hiding place, I then started gathering info, reading a lot, talking to the fine people in here,asking tons of questions. I bought used, and have a very very good pair of amplifiers, with matching pre and cd spinner. Amps were a great deal, pre was also a fair price, cd spinner was 100$ over what I wanted, but, if you want something, get it before someone else does.

 

maggies will take gobs of power, and sound amazing, as far as a bass driver, mentioned above, this will totally help. Get 250-300W RMS, you can thank me later. The Bryston is a great idea, also the crown, or the QSC. 
I used two Carvin dcm-2500 in mono, they didn’t last long, cheap tripe.

the crown and QSC are built better.

or try the Avantones newest amp cla-400  about 1K new. Wish I knew this was being released I ,..n remind!

  

 

theaudiomaniac
87 posts
 

If you had 300 watts instead of 80 you would only have 6 more db. Watts and power are not your fundamental issue.

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