[MatthewT]

Very interested in the SET 120, specifically because of its SET design and class A operation where I would spend most of my time. Anyone using a 120 with the Maggie LRS? I've not seen anyone here using that combo yet. If I've missed a 120 and LRS thread, please post a link.

Thanks!

[AvsFan]

Very interested in the SET 120, specifically because of its SET design and class A operation where I would spend most of my time. Anyone using a 120 with the Maggie LRS? I've not seen anyone here using that combo yet. If I've missed a 120 and LRS thread, please post a link.

Thanks!

I have LRS’s and am going straight to the SET400. 120 just isn’t enough for the LRS’s. Even Frank said it would power them but be at the limit of what it can do for Maggie’s. I have found that to be true with my LRS’s as all the amps I have tried with them gave upon anything dynamic or complex.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Very interested in the SET 120, specifically because of its SET design and class A operation where I would spend most of my time. Anyone using a 120 with the Maggie LRS? I've not seen anyone here using that combo yet. If I've missed a 120 and LRS thread, please post a link.

Thanks!

Matthew, I wrote a review of the 120 for AVAHiFi.  I also own Magnepan 1.6's and MMG's.  The 120 is a great sounding amp with plenty of power but if you like to listen at louder volumes you will need more power for dynamics and better musicality.  You are much better of with the SET 400.   Spend the extra money and don't look back.

Larry

[MatthewT]

I have LRS’s and am going straight to the SET400. 120 just isn’t enough for the LRS’s. Even Frank said it would power them but be at the limit of what it can do for Maggie’s. I have found that to be true with my LRS’s as all the amps I have tried with them gave upon anything dynamic or complex.

How do you know the 120 is not enough? I must be the only LRS owner not trying to fill a stadium, as my current amp does just fine. I'm more interested in the first watts, not the last. Guess the only way is to get the 120 and see.

[MatthewT]

Matthew, I wrote a review of the 120 for AVAHiFi.  I also own Magnepan 1.6's and MMG's.  The 120 is a great sounding amp with plenty of power but if you like to listen at louder volumes you will need more power for dynamics and better musicality.  You are much better of with the SET 400.   Spend the extra money and don't look back.

Larry

I've read that, very informative and well done. Still interested in the 120! I'd never leave class A.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

How do you know the 120 is not enough? I must be the only LRS owner not trying to fill a stadium, as my current amp does just fine. I'm more interested in the first watts, not the last. Guess the only way is to get the 120 and see.

PM sent

[avahifi]

I have a SET 400 returned from a customer under our satisfaction guarantee.

It turns out his issue was with his preamplifier, not our power amp, but he returned it anyway.  The preamp used was not one of ours.

Anyway this essentially new SET 400, black faceplate, is available at 10% off, $1799.  Has our new 3 year parts and labor warranty and 30 day satisfaction guaranty.

Act quickly, it won’t be here for long.

Frank

[AvsFan]

I have a SET 400 returned from a customer under our satisfaction guarantee.

It turns out his issue was with his preamplifier, not our power amp, but he returned it anyway.  The preamp used was not one of ours.

Anyway this essentially new SET 400, black faceplate, is available at 10% off, $1799.  Has our new 3 year parts and labor warranty and 30 day satisfaction guaranty.

Act quickly, it won’t be here for long.

Frank

Doh!!!! I WANT it! LOL
Funds just aren't there right now. 

[charmerci]

Doh!!!! I WANT it! LOL
Funds just aren't there right now. 

There are many credit cards out there with 0% interest for a year out there. You can apply on line and pretty much get an answer very quickly.

[AvsFan]

How do you know the 120 is not enough? I must be the only LRS owner not trying to fill a stadium, as my current amp does just fine. I'm more interested in the first watts, not the last. Guess the only way is to get the 120 and see.

Because the LRS's love lots of power and current. I am using a very high quality 120 watt per channel amp right now and it's not enough. I don't know your listening habits nor the music you listen to, but I am not trying to fill a stadium by any means. In fact I have the LRS's in a small 12x10 room. On some music, with moderate volume, the amp does just fine, even though I have it turned up quite a bit. But when the music gets complex and dynamic, the amp goes into protection mode. I have had 3 amps do this with the Maggie's. And this isn't at ear bleed levels either, just loud enough to be fun! If you plan on ever playing music and complex dynamic music at higher volumes, I can attest that 120 watts is NOT enough.
If all you are playing is acoustic or light female vocals with not a lot of dynamics at lower listening levels, then 120 watts will be enough. I want the amp I own to own the Maggie's, not the other way around. I am going straight to the SET 400. The SET 120 will be happy with my way easy to drive ZU Audio Dirty Weekends.

[AvsFan]

There are many credit cards out there with 0% interest for a year out there. You can apply on line and pretty much get an answer very quickly.

Already did that for the Maggie's! LOL 

[avahifi]

Sorry folks, the returned SET 400 just sold, same day as posted here.

A new one is still just $1999.

Frank

[MatthewT]

Because the LRS's love lots of power and current. I am using a very high quality 120 watt per channel amp right now and it's not enough. I don't know your listening habits nor the music you listen to, but I am not trying to fill a stadium by any means. In fact I have the LRS's in a small 12x10 room. On some music, with moderate volume, the amp does just fine, even though I have it turned up quite a bit. But when the music gets complex and dynamic, the amp goes into protection mode. I have had 3 amps do this with the Maggie's. And this isn't at ear bleed levels either, just loud enough to be fun! If you plan on ever playing music and complex dynamic music at higher volumes, I can attest that 120 watts is NOT enough.
If all you are playing is acoustic or light female vocals with not a lot of dynamics at lower listening levels, then 120 watts will be enough. I want the amp I own to own the Maggie's, not the other way around. I am going straight to the SET 400. The SET 120 will be happy with my way easy to drive ZU Audio Dirty Weekends.

I'd argue something is wrong with your amps. The Stereophile reviewer of the LRS used a number of low-power amps and loved it. The Pass SIT-3 (18 wpc) review was used with LRS's and also passed with flying colors. I'll move on, as I'm not interested in "buy the 400" in every response. Thanks much, though.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

I'd argue something is wrong with your amps. The Stereophile reviewer of the LRS used a number of low-power amps and loved it. The Pass SIT-3 (18 wpc) review was used with LRS's and also passed with flying colors. I'll move on, as I'm not interested in "buy the 400" in every response. Thanks much, though.

Those amps will drive them but at lower volumes, turn them up and  they will clip for sure.  My 1.6's shut down a high current Adcom 5.1ch AVR  that was 225 wpc in 2 channel mode.  My MMG's have put a few AVR's at 125wpc in protection mode at moderate volumes.  The MMG's also broke a Class D Audio amp that was 250wpc at 4 ohms.

And the Stereophile reviewer used a Pass XA25 which is 50 wpc at 4 ohms in Class A but Stereophile measured it at 130 wpc at 4 ohms.  And in the SIT-3 review they did not specify how many db the amp was able to play.  It certainly would not be 90db at 18 wpcc.  The SIT-3 was measured at 16 wpc at 1% distortion and 3% at higher wattage.

It is the dynamic passages the hurt these lower powered amps along with heat generated at moderate to loud volumes.

With that being said, I am sure the SET 120 will drive the LRS's just fine at moderate volumes.