2. amps-preamps
  3. 183902-181825

Warmer class D amps for magnepan?

I am planning on buying a pair of lrs+, and i need a poweramp. I am well aware that class D is despised in the magnepan community, but its unwarranted. Nuforce and the new purifi amps are designed to handle 2 ohm loads, and have been used to power Maggies without falt. My only concern is they will kinda rip my head off if i play any less than perfect recording on them. I’m aware that all modern magnepans are unforgiving, but can be tamed with a smoother amplifier. So why not class A or AB? Unfortunately, i simply dont have the space for the ones that are actually rated at 2 ohms (the lrs is around 3.5ohm, but dips to 2.8, it MUST be able designed to handle a 2 ohm load). Also, any one of them that does go up on sale, the owners almost always refuse to ship them, and want you to pick it up in person (for which i dont have the resources to do so). So I ask if there are any smoother, more forgiving class D poweramps (not intergrated models) that you are sure will power magnepans correctly. They can be discontinued, as i will be buying it used regardless, so anything from 2008 to 2018 would be preferable and my budget is around €2000, so say $2500. Thank you.

hamark
charliech
21 posts
 

I’m using D-Sonic M3a-600m mono blocks to drive some MMGs (I have 1.7is on order) and they sound good to me. But to be fair I’ve not side by side compared them to anything.

The store where I auditioned the 1.7s ran through Rogue Audio gear and they sounded good, even in that small, untreated space.  I researched the Rogue audio stuff but it has tubes and I’m not interested in tubes for home audio.  I could always add a Freda+ later if I wanted to mess with tubes.

The D-Sonics replaced a Parasound HCA-1500a power amp that I’ve had for almost 30 years and used it with some 1.6s with good results. Unfortunately the Parasound broke (more specifically I broke it changing speakers without shutting it off). I did have the amp repaired but it never sounded the same.

it sounds like you want to use your power amp as a tone control?

rfagon
34 posts
 

Merrill Audio Veritas monoblocks sound very good with Magnepans (0.7s in my system). They have a robust power supply.

mbmi's avatar
mbmi
572 posts
 

I’m Running the LRS + with Audio-GD Tube pre and Peachtree GaN 400 Amp...Class D and powerfull But Smooth as tubes and What a soundstage ($2500)....Superb...couldn’t be more musical for the $. Call Jose @ Peachtree....You will be in Hi Fi Heaven.

hamark OP
2 posts
 

Hay guys. Thanks for all the suggestions, its really appreciated. Unfortunately rogue products are very rare in Europe (i live in Germany), and when i do find them, they are usally expensive (as in overpriced compared to their selling price in the states). In the interim i found that audio research actually made 2 class D models (DS series)! They are very highly regarded and and tuned like their other solid state products. There also is Auralic that makes class D monoblocks with class A stages. They are said to sound far more forgiving than the later generation of ICE amps. Lastly nuforces later generation products like the 9 v3 se are said to not be as harsh as their previous offerings. They all fit under my budget on the used market in Europe. I think i will go for one of them.

hamark OP
2 posts
 

The CIA amps also look like a very good option, and are in budget. I would love to try the D sonic amps as they seem to be rated very highly with Maggies, but again, simply not available in Europe even on the used market (also, i apologise that someone already mentioned the AR amplifiers). 

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