2. amps-preamps
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Basic question about power/watts

Hi everyone - I have a question that I can't seem to wrap my head around.  

I purchased a pair of Magnepans a few months back. Honestly, I do not like them. They have their moments but overall, pffft.

So, related to this, I keep reading from various Maggie owners you need TONS of power to make these things sing rather than squawk. I bought a new amp that is rated at 80 wpc at 4ohms. This, I realize, is low power when I see these guys saying they are running some crazy amount like 600 watts per channel. Here is my actual question:

When you are listening to your speakers at a normal volume, the wattage you are using is not near the POSSIBLE output, correct? My 80 wpc is unbearable with the volume at the 11 o'clock position. Why does a person need or want 600 watts? I suspect I am missing something here. Maybe this has to do with why I dislike my Magnepans. Somebody take a moment to set me straight?

Thanks! 

timintexas
terry9
2,229 posts
 

Consider a used Bryston. I had a Bryston 3BSST on Magnepan Tympani II and MG IIIAs, which both sounded wonderful. The SST even drove new Quads reasonably well. Haven't tried the previous ST series or the later SST squared, but the first series, 3B, is dull by comparison.

But I have also used DIY 40WPC Class A on an MMW-DWM combination for the HT, and it too sounds wonderful.

It's the quality of your power, much more than the quantity. JJSS is absolutely right - the speakers are a high end product, and precisely transmit the signal they are given. That is where you need to spend money - on your electronics, not cables, not speakers.

IMO.

soix
8,729 posts
 

I’m afraid at a $1000 budget you may be doomed to failure.  Not only because of the amp, but also because you apparently also need a preamp — do not neglect the importance of the preamp.  Your most cost-effective option is probably an integrated amp.  Here’s a Plinius — it puts out 120Wpc into 8 Ohms and I can’t find its output into 4 Ohms, but Plinius amps tend to have pretty robust power supplies so it’s probably close to double the power down there, which should be adequate.

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649854543-plinius-9100-integrated-amplifier/

FWIW, and best of luck. 

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,233 posts
 

@jjss49

sorry to say... the pioneer receiver, used as amp or preamp, needs to be replaced) --- it is one of the huge ironies of maggies and their low-cost-of-entry speakers at 800-1000-1500 a pair... the customer buys them, then they need 3--5 thousand bucks of upstream gear to make them

Blunt, but truthful. Wise counsel.

Charles

 

ghdprentice
6,408 posts
 

The difficulty with Maggie’s and subwoofers is the integration.  The Maggie’s are really really fast… dynamic woofers are slow. The only great integration I have heard is really big Maggies with lots of power. This can be subtle… so may definitely not be a problem for the OP.

One of the reasons I moved to all dynamic speakers is the inability to create a really coherent sound top to bottom using planar and dynamic.

tunehead's avatar
tunehead
151 posts
 

Watts is not just about getting loud. Its how it sounds as you turn it up. Even normal listening volume will sound better cuz the cleaner, faster, The watts have an easier path and usually with fewer things to get in the way. Thats what a good quality HIFI amp is designed to do. And it does it.

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