After nearly forty years of faithful service, my Phase Linear model 300 Series Two amplifier has overheated and died. I have been using it with various preamps, most recently an NAD. It has sounded wonderful with my vintage Design Acoustic D12 speakers. These were very highly rated speakers back in the 1970's, known for their open, spacy, omnidirectional sound. They still sound good, supplemented with an SVS sealed box sub-woofer.
I may get the Phase Linear repaired, but its failure has got me thinking about getting new equipment. Reviews on the IDA-8 have been excellent. Particularly appealing are its quick transient response, accuracy, warmth and quiet background. These characteristics would seem to match well with some Magnepan speakers that I am interested in - either the MMGs or the .7s. Either would go well with my SVS sub, which is considered fast and musical.
My question for the forum is whether the NuPrime amp would have the necessary power, and the right kind of power, to drive the Magnepans well. The Maggie's are known to need quite a bit of power, driven into 4 ohms. The Magnepan site suggests that a suitable amp should have about double the power into 4 ohms that it does into 8 ohms. Most amps have more power into 4 ohms, although not many have double. The NuPrime is rated as having 100 watts into both 8 and 4 ohms. This is the only amp I have seen with the same rating into both loads. Is this a characteristic of the hybrid class A/D design? Is this something thatYVD I should worry about in driving the Magnepans, or would the NuPrime be stable driving a 4 ohm load?
I am a new forum member. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
