[Hear Clifford Brown]

Is anyone using a Wyred 4 Sound ST-500 amp?  These have an advertised rating of 250wpc into 8 ohms and 550wpc into 4 ohms.  It would be a less expensive amp than some other options I'm thinking of, like a pre-owned Bryston 4B SST or Ayre V-5xe.  I mention those two only because two Maggie dealers I've listened at sell and recommend them.

[Rclark]

If you can get a really good deal, you should do it. I've heard good things about that company. I also have a similar amount of power on mine, and you will find yourself needing that headroom. Especially when you want to crank things up, that's enough power to keep the music from sounding harsh or fatiguing. I had 87 watts per side, and 32 watts per side on these, and the amps would clip hard, the 87 watter began clipping at about 85dB (give or take, depending on the material played). You could push it louder of course, and just cover the clip light with the volume knob and not see it, and never know, but it was audibly fatiguing at the max wattage. Maggies just soak up the power like a sponge. 550 watts is perfect. It will allow you to reach maximum volume and still maintain good control over the panel, and at just regular loud levels you get all that room up top for big clean transients. The MMG will run on anything but loves a big amp.

[medium jim]

If you can get a really good deal, you should do it. I've heard good things about that company. I also have a similar amount of power on mine, and you will find yourself needing that headroom. Especially when you want to crank things up, that's enough power to keep the music from sounding harsh or fatiguing. I had 87 watts per side, and 32 watts per side on these, and the amps would clip hard, the 87 watter began clipping at about 85dB (give or take, depending on the material played). You could push it louder of course, and just cover the clip light with the volume knob and not see it, and never know, but it was audibly fatiguing at the max wattage. Maggies just soak up the power like a sponge. 550 watts is perfect. It will allow you to reach maximum volume and still maintain good control over the panel, and at just regular loud levels you get all that room up top for big clean transients. The MMG will run on anything but loves a big amp.

The math doesn't add up, there is no way that you were clipping at only 85db spl unless your amp was not producing enough current to drive a 4 ohm speaker,  or something was drastically wrong with your system.

Jim

[Rclark]

The Virtue Two.2 was designed to drive hard loads and in fact prefers a heavier 4ohm load versus 8. It is a STOUT little amp especially driven by two 5amp batteries. It drove the hell out of several speakers but the with the Maggie, at load, clips.

Nothing wrong with my system, it is widely known that Maggies prefer large amps. Isn't even up for debate.

[medium jim]

The Virtue Two.2 was designed to drive hard loads and in fact prefers a heavier 4ohm load versus 8. It is a STOUT little amp especially driven by two 5amp batteries. It drove the hell out of several speakers but the with the Maggie, at load, clips.

Nothing wrong with my system, it is widely known that Maggies prefer large amps. Isn't even up for debate.

You are wrong that Maggie's have to have large amps to do their thing.  If you are driving them with SS, true, if you are with Tubes, not true if the tube amp has decent transformers to supply ample voltage.  I have no problem whatsoever driving my Maggie's to near 100db spl at the listening position with tube mono's that are rated at 70 watts ( in reality are around 90) and without clipping...

Many others have posted the same, e.g., what you would consider low power tube amplification and are loving it.

There is no debate, just 1st hand accounts, not something read or found on the Internet.

Jim

[Rclark]

You love to argue, don't you Jim? And of course you are itching to bring up tube amps.

Look at the thread title. Forget I posted something here (of course, your whole purpose is to argue and push your agenda, I'm sure your patented crazy exclamation marks are coming out soon), the OP is ASKING about a SS amp and whether he should get it.

I'm glad you like whatever low power tube amp from the '80's you're running, that's great, go make a thread about it. You can start a whole club, maybe a forum, dedicated to low power tube amps, and SET amps, for Maggies.

[geowak]

I thought that any amp could only double the output power from 8 ohm to 4 ohm at the most ideal conditions.
IE 8 ohm= 250 and 4 ohm = 500. Can someone provide me some education here.

[SteveFord]

Gentlemen,
Let us keep it on topic, shall we?
Who has heard the amp in question?  I haven't so can't offer any opinions.

I believe geowak is correct in doubling being the maximum in a perfect world.

[geowak]

I ask this question because I see manufacturers make outrageous claims to sell their products. I am always skeptical since I have had a few components that just "were not that good" sometimes just sounding terrible.

[medium jim]

Gentlemen,
Let us keep it on topic, shall we?
Who has heard the amp in question?  I haven't so can't offer any opinions.

I believe geowak is correct in doubling being the maximum in a perfect world.

Steve:

Sorry, but I get tired of 2nd hand hearsay advice and bold statements based on the same. 

Jim

[Rclark]

Regardless of how accurate the output is at 4ohm, it's still more than enough power to allow you to get the full output potential out of the MMG without any clipping. Never heard Wyred for Sound, I've got Ncores, so I can only guess as to the sound quality you'll get, but at least the power you need will be on hand.

[SteveFord]

I think it would have enough power to do the trick.
The thing to do would be to find a Wyred 4 Sound dealer in your area (if there is one) and go give a listen and hear the Bryston and Ayre at your local dealer. 
Online reviews only go so far and your tastes is the one that counts.
Otherwise you can end up flipping a lot of gear around which can be fun, too!

[medium jim]

I think it would have enough power to do the trick.
The thing to do would be to find a Wyred 4 Sound dealer in your area (if there is one) and go give a listen and hear the Bryston and Ayre at your local dealer. 
Online reviews only go so far and your tastes is the one that counts.
Otherwise you can end up flipping a lot of gear around which can be fun, too!

+1

Jim

[Hear Clifford Brown]

Regarding the Wyred 4 Sound power output, I thought it was unusual to see 250 at 8 and 550 at 4 ohms (instead of 500 at 4 ohms) which is why I said "advertised" rating.  I have no doubt the Wyred 4 Sound ST-500 amp has plenty of watts and current for MMG's.  I'm more concerned about it's smoothness in the highs and overall tonality and warmth.  I've used many varieties of tube amps with my fairly high efficiency speakers (92 dB and 16 ohm impedance) and currently with a 6 wpc SET amp, so subtle inner detail and tonality is important to me.  My preamp is tubed so that will help.  And I'm also considering tube amps possibilities for the MMG's.  But back to SS again, a reliable source told me Hypex NCore NC400 is amazing with Maggies.     

[SteveFord]

I've only read one less than positive review of the NCores so maybe they would be your cup of tea.
I'm not sure if they're still having a demo tour of them?
My recommendations are always big tube amps so consider the source!
The Class D amps that I have heard didn't float my boat.  I have heard good things about the Peachtree and ARC Class D stuff.  This is second hand information but it's trustworthy.
One thing I forgot to mention is always consider resale value with things like amps if you can't demo them.  Flipping gear is fun unless you take a bath each time.

[Rclark]

@ Clifford Brown, yes, actually there are several people, myself included, now running Ncores with Maggie's and they are just such a synergistic pairing. Upright bass will leave your jaw on the floor, same goes for all frequencies. If DIY isn't your thing you could have someone build you a set. Cost you about 2k all said and done.

[jk@home]

Have you seen this review? It's their integrated with the same power, but the speakers used are Maggies.

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue48/wyred.htm

Also if you PM member Neolith, at one time he was using two Wyred 4 Sound ST-500 amplifiers vertically bi-amped.

[Letitroll98]

I have not heard the ICE powered amps with Maggies, I have heard the N-Cores with my Maggies.  For what they do well, the do very well indeed, from what I've heard second hand the ICE amps would be similar, if not as refined.  If you're going from tube amps though, I'd add a great deal of caution before diving in without listening.  It depends on how you listen to high frequencies and your musical selections if you'll like or dislike these type of amps.  For bass and lower midrange these amps are fabulous, and for dynamics and slam they are hard to beat at the price.  They are not harsh in the treble, the opposite, a bit rolled off if anything.  The utter lack of background noise and clarity is very seductive.  But some have noticed a problem with decay and micro dynamics in the upper regions.  It's something you may never hear and never be bothered by, but I would insist on an extended trial, or be willing to bite the bullet and dive in, if you're coming from tube amps.  They don't have the same harmonic structure from about 4Khz up, you may like or dislike this, but the people who have had problems with it seem to come from a tube amp background.  For myself, I could notice it when pointed out, but it never bothered me much, I liked the N-cores, you may also like the ICE powered amps.   

[Rclark]

Can't see that there would be a problem with decay when you have something as high speed as the Ncore. Or micro detail on an amp that is basically all about micro detail. Yeah, those are basically some of the main strong points of the amp, lol, so that would be kind of strange.

To Clifford Brown, which state do you live in? If you're in Washington you're welcome to come listen.

[Hear Clifford Brown]

What Letitroll98 said struck a cord.  Also reminded me, I had a Wyred 4 Sound amp with Emerald Physics speakers a few years ago.  After a couple months I became tired of the sound and didn't feel as close to or engaged in the music.  I figured it was the Emerald Physics speakers so went back to the speakers I'm now using with tube amps.  So I'm cautious when it comes to class D amps.