Tube Amps from China

I echo the concern that a sub-$1000 tube amp might not be the best match for Magnepan's. What amp are you currently use to drive your speakers, and what do you find lacking that makes you want a tube amp?

Some of the better-known amps for powering the Maggies are Innersound/Sandersound amps, but even used you're talking over $1000. Maybe Wyred4Sound would be a good option, or perhaps Odyssey or an older McCormack (DNA-1 or DNA-225). All of these options I've mentioned are SS, by the way.

If you like the sound of the Maggies, and have the appropriate room for them to be positioned optimally, then my suggestion is to save up for an amp that will truly match your speakers. I think you'll be much happier in the long run.

Michael

A tube-SS hybrid amp might be a possibility within your budget. Maybe a Vincent hybrid?

It's going to be hard to find a NEW tube amp in that price range with enough juice for 86db speakers. I do love my Jolida 502p but my speakers are higher efficiency than Maggies. Jolida's 100 watt hybrid is around $800 (new) so that maybe could work for you...and I can attest, based on my recent experience with them, that Jolida MD (Mike Allen et al) is a great company to work with. I have no connection with them, but if they read this stuff they really should thank me for my shameless promotion of them...but NO NO NO...I get NOTHING. Bastards.

The Dyna ST70 may have not enough power for (any) Maggies. I had one with the Van Alstine mod and, IMO, was way underpowered for the 1.6/QR that I once had.

If you like the tubey sound, go for a hybrid or a FET input / power bi-polar transistor end based solid state amp. Maybe a CJ MF2250A or MF2500 that goes a bit above a grand. I second the vote for McCormack.

For more efficient speakers, I can recommend the Grant Fidelity that I heard or the Eastern Electric 8W (with NOS tubes) that I own which replaced the Krell KAV 250a to drive a pair of Vandy 2 Ce in my study; YMMV. I have the EE preamp and tube DAC as well, very good sound and built quality in a nice form factor.

Magnepans love power...

Back when I had 1.6QRs, I hooked up a "50" (more like 25-30!) watt EL34 Yaqin MC-10T amplifier. It sounded pretty good - provided you didn't listen at loud levels or any music with deep bass.

Perhaps a Ming Da MD75 would work...

but as someone already said, look in the used market first - VTL, Conrad Johnson, even Audio Research come along under $1k once in awhile.

Other option: get a good SS amp and run a tube preamp with it?