[Hasse]

Magnepan is using Bryston at shows and Jim Winey himself is using the 28B monos on his 20.1´s but how does Pass stack up? I am particularly interested in the XA 100.5. To make it even more complicated I´m also interested in the new ARC Ref 150, the Lamm hybrids and Spectral 260. What are your thoughts?

[medium jim]

I thought that Jim Winey retired and left it to his son Mark?  Someone I know from the boards, recently got VAC Phi 300.1 and really likes it with his 3.7's.  Hopefully he will see this thread and say something about his experiences.  He also has a Pass 350

Jim

[satie]

I suggest you don't get a "final" amp for your new setup. Nobody has sufficient long term experience with the 3.7, and it has a different sonic signature than the other recent 3.x series and has a totally different XO. So I suggest you get a value amplifier with high power and break in the speaker. Then you will have some time to get to terms with the speaker's sound in your system and have an idea of what amp to mate to it "permanently".

I suggest something like the Emotiva XPA 1 monos or XPA2 stereo, or Wyred 4 sound SX1000 monos, or ST1000 or STI1000 stereo.

[SteveFord]

Going from 3.6s to 3.7s didn't seem to make much difference with my VTLs. 
I did hear that new ARC Ref 150 the other day with 3.7s - that sounded very nice indeed.

[jhm731]

Check out the Sanders Magtech for your MG 3.7s.

[medium jim]

Going from 3.6s to 3.7s didn't seem to make much difference with my VTLs. 
I did hear that new ARC Ref 150 the other day with 3.7s - that sounded very nice indeed.

There are two camps for amps for maggies', the first says a lot of current and wattage and the other tubes.  Both work.  I have a beat to hell 1970's BGW 500D that is something like 425 in 4 ohms and a pair of tube mono's that are 70.  Both drive my 2.5's which are only 83db per magnepan very well.   The BGW shouldn't sound as good as it does, but it does. 

The bass is a bit faster with SS, but not by much.  I had a Bryston 4B sst2 and a Parasound HCA1500a when I had my 1.6's, both were very nice, I still preferred the underpowered 70wpc mono's.   I would have liked to see what the Bryston and Parasound would have sounded like with my current maggies' though as the ribbons might have been the difference. 

I have no doubt that a 150wpc of Tubes will drive them nicely, otherwise go with 300 or more of SS to get the current flow.

If you run with subs, you can even go with less wattage as it is the bass that really eats up the wattage.

Jim

[kevin360]

Hasse, I'm the guy to whom Jim was referring - replaced an X350 with a VAC Phi300.1. I think the VAC is slightly better sounding, but I also think that means nothing with respect to your choices. I would have loved to try a pair of XA100.5s. All of your selections should yield superb results. It's a tough decision, isn't it?

[Hasse]

Thanks for your input guys 

I did hear that new ARC Ref 150 the other day with 3.7s - that sounded very nice indeed.

Was it powerful enough to make the 3.7´s sing?

[I.Greyhound Fan]

I would go for a high current, high power tube or hybrid tube amp.  Consider these amps-

http://www.conradjohnson.com/It_just_sounds_right/et250_met150.html

http://www.avguide.com/review/vincent-audio-sa-31mk-hybrid-linestage-preamplifier-sp-331mk-hybrid-power-amplifier-tas-208

http://avahifi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=108&Itemid=210

I go to do an in home review of the new AVA 400R and 600R FET Valve amps with my Magnepan 1.6's and the amps are spectacular.   They present a wide open and transparent sound sound stage with a very smooth and detailed sound.  Well controlled, deep bass and very natural, detailed treble with no fatigue and no grain.  The amp is extremely dynamic and fast.  They come with a 30 day money back guarantee so there is no risk if you do not like it.

[medium jim]

Hi Haase:

There are just so many great amps that will drive your 3.7's to Nirvana.  As you can see, many different opinions already.  Sometimes a consensus winner does come out of the same type of question, but that is usually rare.

I agree with the idea of buying something where you can do a 30 day in home trial and most dealers in this economy will allow that to make a sale. 

There are so many factors, such as associated gear, personal preferences and tastes, aesthetics and so on. 

General rule, 150wpc of tube will be enough without subs and 300+ in SS, some opine for at least 500 to get the bass out of them, again without subs. 

Sorry that I couldn't name a name for you.

Jim

[Hasse]

Hi Haase:

There are just so many great amps that will drive your 3.7's to Nirvana.  As you can see, many different opinions already.  Sometimes a consensus winner does come out of the same type of question, but that is usually rare.

You are probably right but it is always interesting to hear what others have tried and what seems to work for other Magnepan owners.

[sachi]

My recommendations in order of preference.

Symphonic Line Kraft stereo or mono blocks (Buddy of mine uses one to drive Apogee Scintillas)

Pass Labs XA-150 or XA-250 (Heard these driving Apogee Divas)

Plinius SA_Reference or SA-250Mk4

My Plinius SA-100mk2 replaced a Mark Levinson No333. No contest. Driving a pair of 1.6s

[AVnerdguy]

I use the hybrid AVA 600R and am extremely satisfied. Has been in operation for about 6 months now. More than enough power, and very detailed and smooth/never gritty. This combo plays so clean that I don't realize how loud it is until I turn it down to spare the rest of the occupants (wife) in the later hours. Even more impressive is how well it performs at lower volumes. Never looses anything (bottom end) when playing at lower volumes where my 1.7s and the previous AVA FetValve 550+ wouldn't really open up until they were kicked up a notch. I think that is one of the more surprising and pleasing benefits of this combo because I can't always play the system at the volumes I like.

[medium jim]

You are probably right but it is always interesting to hear what others have tried and what seems to work for other Magnepan owners.

Totally understood, I'm running a pair of Marantz Model 9 Reissues made in 1997 or 1998 made by VAC.  They're only 70WPC, but with a pair of subs and a smallish room make me very happy and get as loud as I like with room for peaks.   Lots of nice transients, beautiful note bloom and decay and with most excellent detail and space.

I like tubes and make no excuses for it, I agree with Steve about the ARC150's and also like what Kevin360 has said about his VAC Phi300's.  For me, tubes bring a little warmth, but without sacrifice of the detail, just a little softer and sweeter and nice weight to the music. 

Again, I'm a "Bottlehead" and tend to lean towards tubes, so take that with my preferences. 

Jim

[Rclark]

Consider the Hypex Ncore

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=95588.0

[kevin360]

Hey Hasse, am I crazy or do threads like these never seem to work as the OP hoped? You were considering five outstanding choices, and we've added over a dozen more for you to ponder. It's a tough decision, but I think the good news is that are lots of right choices.

[Hasse]

Hey Hasse, am I crazy or do threads like these never seem to work as the OP hoped? You were considering five outstanding choices, and we've added over a dozen more for you to ponder. It's a tough decision, but I think the good news is that are lots of right choices.

Yes, lots of right choices out there  . I heard a pair of VAC monos in the nineties driving the Thiel CS6´s, I have never heard them sound better. Unfortunately, VAC is currently not available here in Sweden 

I like tubes and make no excuses for it, I agree with Steve about the ARC150's and also like what Kevin360 has said about his VAC Phi300's.  For me, tubes bring a little warmth, but without sacrifice of the detail, just a little softer and sweeter and nice weight to the music. 

This is the reason why I´m interested in the Pass XA-series; "with a warmth and ease reminiscent of tubes but without tubey colorations" (according to RH). Not sure I could live with a tube amp... blown tubes and resistors, biasing, etc, etc

[66mgb]

I am driving my 3.6's with a Pass Labs X150.5, it has more than ample power and a sound that should please most ears. The Pass equipment is VERY well made, I can attest to their construction having toured the factory and seen the build process.

Russ

[djcxxx]

It is difficult if not misleading to discuss the amplifier choice in isolation. The amp/pre-amp synergy is as important to the equation as the size or type of amp used IMHO. I ran my 3.6s w/ an ARC VT200/LS16 for 6 years before changing the LS16 for a Ref 3. The improvement in soundstage and detail were far beyond what I had expected. I've had the 3.7s for a year now and frankly the change from 3.6 to 3.7 was not as great as changing out the pre-amp had been. I believe you should try to audition any new amp in your system if possible, paying attention to impedance matching for starters, and more subtle elements of synergy or lack thereof.

[satie]

Since you are up there on the continent's edge, why not look into some EAR and Electrocompaniet, and perhaps YBA?

MBLs and quite a few other things can work, at a price.

Arcam Musical Fidelity and other UK makes. and German folks make high bias class A/AB amps and more sophisticated class D amps. And there are the warmer Italian designs like Unison.

Also consider a NAD 208 (MOSFET), a spectacular power house, and the somewhat less great but still powerful 218 bipolar amp.

Also consider chinese products a jungson 88 (not the 99 monos - they are topless - only good for the most sharp sounding speakers). Also the Vincent hybrid amps designed in Germany, like the 331 MK