[Rashiki]

Probably about $700 which was great because that is what the Outlaw cost.  But I MAY be able to stretch that a bit....

I would strongly recommend you also invest in a subwoofer. The outlaw receiver includes bass management so you can easily control how much of the low frequency signals go to the Maggies. I use a pair of X-Subs from AV123. They don't seem to make them anymore, but I thought they were a good deal at around $200. Parts Express sells some subwoofer kits and even completely assembled subwoofers for under $200. Search the forums for more sub recommendations -- there are plenty of inexpensive options that will provide decent bass and free the Maggies to do their magic with the rest of the audio spectrum.

The MMGs are rated down to 50Hz, but I think they do better if set to only handle frequencies above 80Hz or even 100Hz. Also, I like bass and want to be able to hear stuff down to at least 35-40Hz.

 -Rob

[Crimson]

Great advice so far. I recently converted a friend over to the dark side. He ended up with the MMGs, an Outlaw preamp/amp combo, and an Outlaw sub. He's running some kick ass stereo and surround sound now.

[Rashiki]

Crimson,

What's your friend using as a center channel and surrounds with the MMGs? Or is he using something else for home theater?

 -Rob

[chriscrellin1]

Are we in agreement that the Outlaw RR2150 (http://outlawaudio.com/products/rr2150.html) will indeed push these speakers?  I will def get a sub to go with them eventually, but I want to see how the speakers sound without a sub (and so do the neighbors!!!)

[Rashiki]

Are we in agreement that the Outlaw RR2150 (http://outlawaudio.com/products/rr2150.html) will indeed push these speakers? 

I don't know that anyone here has actually tried that particular combination, but it should work well.

The general consensus is that Maggies like a lot of power, and the more power you give them, the better they'll sound; however, 160 Watts should be enough to drive them adequately, especially if you plan to eventually add a sub.

Both Magnepan and Outlaw offer money  back guarantees, so if you don't like the combination, at least you can send them back without losing too much money.

 -Rob
 

[Crimson]

Crimson,

What's your friend using as a center channel and surrounds with the MMGs? Or is he using something else for home theater?

 -Rob

He went with two pairs of MMGs with no center.

[whubbard]

What about going to something like the 2200 from outlaw?
2x 200W monoblocks seems like a wonderful piece of gear to drive the Maggies.

Then you could add a simple passive pre-amp.
The only problem I see here would be if you wanted a sub-out.

-West

[jaywills]

I know nothing about Outlaw amps, however, I have owned a pair of Maggies (1.5's), and echo the you-need-to-give-them-room-to-breathe comments.  An awful good match with my Magneplaners was a Hypex UcD 180 amp, often referred to as a "Class D" amp.  ~200 watts into 4 ohms, iron grip on the woofer panels.  Kevin Haskins @ DIY Cable (IIRC) (no affiliation) has some in kit form (simple assembly) or look on Audiogon for one of Tim Rawson's (again, no affiliation) UcD amps.  Wonderful transparency and control.  I replaced a Spectron Musician II with a UcD 400 I assembled and have never looked back.  Good luck.  Cordially,

[whubbard]

I agree,
If you are willing to do a bit of DIY (not that much...) the Hypex UcD modules will be a very good high power solution.
My only suggestion would be to get the modules directly from Hypex Shop [no affiliation]. Kevin is a great guy, but I have a feeling he purchased his when the EUR/USD was worse. The module are much cheaper, and even with shipping it is still cheaper.

You would want to go two 180 HG, and one 180 HG Power Supply (it powers two amp modules). You may also want to get a softstart module as well.
I would recommend you get the transformer state side though, as it will be about the same cost, and shipping will be way less.

-West

[ken]

Your first line of business is to definitely get the best integrated/amp you can afford, and then as soon as finances allow have them "Gunned" http://www.indiespinzone.com/mag/mag9.html  Peter's mods take these speakers to a whole new level.  I don't own a pair but I did have the pleasure of hearing them and still hold out hope of owning a pair someday

[chriscrellin1]

I am not much of a DIY guy sadly.  I am horrible with electronics.  I saw the Outlaw 2200 M (Power Output: 200 watts @ 8 ohms, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, <0.05% THD; 300 watts @ 4 ohms, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, <0.05%).  Can I just get that and throw it with any tuner out there (Onkyo, Yamaha)????

Edit:  I read that it needs one amp per speaker.....that doesn't really save me any $$$..That is $700 in amps before the tuner....hate being poor...

[whubbard]

Edit:  I read that it needs one amp per speaker.....that doesn't really save me any $$$..That is $700 in amps before the tuner....hate being poor...

...Problem with Audio.

But yes, you would be out $700. You can also just get a solid used receiver that has a pre-out. You will just send the pre-out to your amps.

I also would recommend you look around for some good used high power amps. With the economy the way it is, you might find some amazing deals.

-West

[chriscrellin1]

so frustrated....I may just get the Outlaw, see how it performs, then add an amp in the future.  With neighbors, I can really crank it up too much anyway right now....

[Danberg]

I agree with  Dusty C.  Invest in a Radio Shack SPL (Sound Pressure Level) meter to see how loud you presently listen, on a daily basis.  The Radio Shack $30 investment will cost less than the return shipping cost of the Outlaw, if you find that it isn't powerful enough for your listening style.  Best be informed, prior to your amp purchase.

Also keep in mind, doubling the wattage DOES NOT double the sound volume.

Best of luck, and glad you found Audio Circle!

[Jeff Ward]

I've been listening to my MMGs for around three weeks or so using a Van Alstine Insight 250 amp ($845). I disagree that you need to jump aboard the "more power" train just to get started. What you need is high current. As they break in, I have never felt any sense of strain from my aprox. 100 watt amp-- it runs cool, and performs flawlessly with these speakers. For digital, I use a Wadia i170 dock and PS Audio DAC III passing through a Chinese Little Dot MK III tube headphone amp (as preamp). For analog, I'm using a PS Audio GCPH with no other preamp at all. I have been tempted to just go completely passive on my digital front end as well.

I would suggest simply getting the best power amp you can afford and using a passive volume control such as the NHT-- forget even messing with receivers at all. You can always upgrade later-- for that matter, if you use your ipod mostly you could drive the amp directly using the digital volume control with the current model ipod docks. The amp is what matters most.

The speakers have been a revolution for me as well. I will never go back into the box.

[ajzepp]

The speakers have been a revolution for me as well. I will never go back into the box.

Same here...I lived with what I consider to be among the best 'box speakers' on earth, the DeVore Super 8s, but in the end I just couldn't resist Maggie...

[audioferret]

so frustrated....I may just get the Outlaw, see how it performs, then add an amp in the future.  With neighbors, I can really crank it up too much anyway right now....

Go to the Outlaw Forum, called the "saloon", and search on magnepan in the 2150 forum.  You will find a number of Magnepan users who are quite happy with the Outlaw.  Also, be sure to read the sterophile review and follow-up.
http://www.stereophile.com/integratedamps/306outlaw/


  This receiver will do exactly what you need.  The subwoofer recommendation is excellent. I recommend building a Rythmic Audio Subwoofer.  You just can't beat these things for the price.  They are easier to build than you think.  I love mine, I will never go back.
http://www.rythmikaudio.com/products.html

And a few more reviews...
http://www.affordableaudio.org/OutlawRR-2150.pdf
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/Magazine/equipment/0807/outlaw_audio_rr2150.htm

[MaxCast]

I think I have to agree.  That receiver offers you a tuna, pre amp, amp and active bass mgmt for $700.  Spend the rest on a sub like the ferret recommends. 

[Jeff Ward]

If it wasn't for the snowstorm that blasted us today, I was thinking about driving across town to get an REL R-205 sub for my MMGs. The insistance on subwoofers in this thread really puts my teeth on edge though. It is my understanding that most subs just don't blend well with the maggies. The bass they offer is so tight and precise that throwing some tub-thumper into the mix just seems like defeating the entire purpose of buying maggies to begin with. I would like to eventually develop my system with stereo subs, but as it stands I have to say that they are not bass deficient in the slightest-- they just do not go that deep. It is amazing just how little deep bass there is in most music, so I hardly miss the frequencies that they just ignore.

Bass management-- that seems almost a laughable concept (imho). Does the receiver send the "bad bass" to bed without its supper? The REL sub brochure offers some novel advice. If your crossover point seems to high or low, adjust it. If your bass seems too loud or too soft, simply turn the sub volume up or down. "Computerized controls" don't really do much more than that, they just remove the problem of actually listening to your system and tweaking it.

I'm not buying hardware to avoid listening to it, myself.

[Rashiki]

Bass management-- that seems almost a laughable concept (imho). Does the receiver send the "bad bass" to bed without its supper? The REL sub brochure offers some novel advice. If your crossover point seems to high or low, adjust it. If your bass seems too loud or too soft, simply turn the sub volume up or down. "Computerized controls" don't really do much more than that, they just remove the problem of actually listening to your system and tweaking it.

Bass management doesn't necessarily mean computerized. It just means that the equipment gives you the opportunity to route the low frequency part of your signal to a separate channel. In many cases it is just a simple crossover built in to the receiver -- essentially the same thing that is often built in to many subwoofers. While it's not entirely necessary to have bass management on a receiver or pre-amp if it's built in to your sub, it is nice to be able to have the option, especially if you have a digital source and the receiver handles bass management in the digital domain.