[medium jim]

If you you have Magnepan's and drive them with tubes, please let us know. 

I run my 2.5's with a Audio Research VS-110, which is rated at 100 watts per, closer to 110.  It makes joyous music with the maggies.

Who's next?

Jim

[Freo-1]

I'm still working out if a pair of 55 watt tube mono's will work out OK with 1.7's.  It's right on the edge. 
 
The guy I got the Maggies from was using a pair of VAC mono behemoths that sported 4 KT88's per side.  Obviously, that worked pretty well.

So far, I can report that a Pass Labs INT-150 is a GREAT match for the 1.7's.  If I didn't know better, I'd swear the INT-150 was voiced with the 1.7's.  (It's THAT good).
 
Need to conduct more listening, but I think I'll wind up using both tubes and solid state, depending on the power demands from the source.

[Mr. Orange]

I just switched back to SS from a TAD60 amp. I will agree that tubes really do sound great with Maggies but with winter passing and the warmer temps coming I had to do a reality check. In my second floor little listening room it will get very warm in late spring and summer. My upstairs room temp can be as much as 20 degrees hotter even with the AC running!  That TAD60 did a fine job of driving my MG12s but I don't want to have to sit here sweating my butt off when listening to music.  Who knows maybe when winter comes back maybe I'll pick up a nicely used MC275 and bring the glow back into my little room.

[medium jim]

I'm still working out if a pair of 55 watt tube mono's will work out OK with 1.7's.  It's right on the edge. 
 
The guy I got the Maggies from was using a pair of VAC mono behemoths that sported 4 KT88's per side.  Obviously, that worked pretty well.

So far, I can report that a Pass Labs INT-150 is a GREAT match for the 1.7's.  If I didn't know better, I'd swear the INT-150 was voiced with the 1.7's.  (It's THAT good).
 
Need to conduct more listening, but I think I'll wind up using both tubes and solid state, depending on the power demands from the source.

Freo-1:

I hear you, my VS-110 has four 6550/KT88's per side and yes, it does just fine! 

Jim

[Crimson]

I run a set of biamped 3.6s with ASL Hurricane DT monos for the mids/highs.

[NIGHTFALL1970]

I run my 1.7s with an AVA Hybrid Fet Valve 400R.  400 watts into 4 ohm.

[SteveFord]

I just answered this in another thread, I think.
During the Summer the upstairs system gets hardly any use unless it's early in the morning before the heat rises.
Thank heavens it's finally warming up here in Pennsyltucky!

[medium jim]

I think this summer I plan on listening earlier as well, before the sun wakes up!

Jim

[Maritan]

You ninnies. 

I plan on listening to my tube amps all through 120F Arizona heat! But we'll see if that actually happens.

And, that's a resounding yes to the question asked. Maggies and tubes for sure. I power my 1.7s with an older VTL ST-150 (also uses 4 6550s per side).

[SteveFord]

Maritan,
You've got to update your system there!

[kevin360]

I have tubes driving my 3.7s - love the pairing.

I had a beefy solid state amp which was no slouch in the sonics department - Pass X350. When I experimented with a crossover, I discovered a couple of things - the Maggies seem a bit cleaner without being asked to reproduce the deep bass and they need less power for a given volume. So it was that the door to tubes was thrust open for me and I'm glad I ventured into valveland. I think I'll stay. I have a VAC Phi 300.1 (custom) that isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

I have a very efficient and quiet cooling system for the mancave - Mitsubishi Mr Slim. Tubes are invited to give off their heat anytime of the year.

[Freo-1]

I have tubes driving my 3.7s - love the pairing.

I had a beefy solid state amp which was no slouch in the sonics department - Pass X350. When I experimented with a crossover, I discovered a couple of things - the Maggies seem a bit cleaner without being asked to reproduce the deep bass and they need less power for a given volume. So it was that the door to tubes was thrust open for me and I'm glad I ventured into valveland. I think I'll stay. I have a VAC Phi 300.1 (custom) that isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

I have a very efficient and quiet cooling system for the mancave - Mitsubishi Mr Slim. Tubes are invited to give off their heat anytime of the year.

What are you using for a crossover?  Every one I've tried does more damage than good.  Jan Plummer of TBI sound told me most audiophiles wind up running their speakers full range, and adjust the crossover on the sub amp to get the sound right.  I get the fact that relieving the speakers of the deepest octave should help, but my experience is the trade off is not worth it.

[kevin360]

I'm using a Bryston 10B Sub XO - currently crossed at 50Hz with 18dB/oct slopes. I don't suppose the Bryston is perfectly innocuous, but it's harmless enough to notice no ill effects. There's always that awesome Pass XVR1. That reminds me; I haven't checked on the availability of the new, more reasonably priced Pass crossover in a while. Still, I can't help thinking that something very simple may be what I really want.

I did the parallel thing with my MMGs - they're still set up that way, but I don't push them the way I do my 3.7s. I had the 3.6s running full range with the subs run parallel, but that configuration didn't work quite as well with the 3.7s. It prompted me to introduce some division of labor. That showed great promise while also reducing the effort my amp needed to exert. That led to the switch to tubes. I've done a little back and forth comparing - enough to know that I'm happier with the tubes.

[medium jim]

I agree with Kevin insomuch that you don't need to run maggies full range when employing subs.  Since getting a more powerful tube amp than its predecessor, I have dropped the x/o point to 60hz, and is seamless to the panels and are very fast as well. I'm using custom made HI-Pass X/O's from the subs to the panels and use the low pass on the subs.  I don't feel that I'm losing that much to worry about it.  My panels are 2way so there's less there in the way of x/o foolishness to get in the way. 

Freo, try running your 1.7's down to say 55hz or so and let the subs do the work and you might find that you can use your monoblocks.  I'm a bona fide Bottlehead, but I like SS Bass as it has more control and speed.  Sort of getting the best of both worlds.

Jim

[Maritan]

Maritan,
You've got to update your system there!

Wow. You are right. That was woefully out of date. System updated now, but I am now lacking the right channel on the VTL.  Next issue to work on. I'll start a separate thread in the Tube circle so I don't hijack this one.

I do have to say though - the VTL and the 1.7s make glorious music together. Just hours of fun without ANY ear fatigue at any volume. 

[berni]

I have 20.1 on a  large Ss amp. While always being a SS guy, I decided to give tubes a go.
Bought a OTL/OCL GRAAF GM200  with  200 w info 8ohm, it uses 32 pl504.
Still in the phase of testing, but if the tube amp will not be able to drive the 20.1 due to their low impendance and current demand I can still biamp.



The last photo is not mine but it shows what a nice heater the GM200 is.

[kevin360]

Bought a OTL/OCL GRAAF GM200  with  200 w info 8ohm, it uses 32 pl504.

Wow! If it doesn't work out for you...
I'd love to hear an OTL like that in my system.
I guessed they'd cost more - seems like a bargain.
Any impressions yet?

[berni]

Will post how it turns out.
A new one has cost about 12.000 euro. Used one go for about 4-6 thousand, depends on the condition and tubes being used. It is a bargain if you compare it to Atmasphere. But it can also be tricky to set up, no autobias, no schemes, many working on it not knowing .... To my luck mine was checked by the designer Mr.Mariani himself and declared like in new condition.a
Also Italy is near for me if I ever need a helping hand.

[medium jim]

Berni:

It has the cool factor to the imp degree!

Jim

[berni]

A fast translate in the case I didnt get it right?