Tri-amping 3.6R's; what amp for the ribbons?

The reason I bring up relative amp power is that for someone like yourself, for which too loud is NEVER loud enough, you theoretically want both amps to redline at the same time. You can always turn the 'louder' amp down, but did you turn it down because it was too loud relative to the other freqs or distorting...ran out of juice? or the panel is at redline? You may end up needing an SPL meter and a calibrated disk, like the one from RIves Audio, which is a match for my RadioShackup analogue meter.

Extreme example. Your kilowatt amp on the lows. coupled with say.....100 watts on the highs. Kilowatt amp doesn't get out of first gear while the 100 watter is off scale. You're looking for the highest peak power without clipping.

Now, something you might NOT know about ASP modules and 'd' in general. They rate power for SHORT TIME PERIODS.

http://www.icepower.bang-olufsen.com/en/solutions/speaker/ASP_SERIES

Go to link an poke around in the data sheets. you'll find the kilowatt amp is that lofty 1000 watts....for 30 seconds. The 500? Time limit is 60 seconds. Both are limited by cooling. Run 'em upside down in some LN2 (liquid nitrogen) and you could get away with it for far longer.

I think that amp amps is sort of a red herring, but may be wrong, if someone can tell me why. It would seem that in order to keep from running the power devices out of the save operating range, you'd have to run that high an amperage at some very low voltage. After all, 40 amps at 50 volts is 2000 watts. My 1.6s have a 4 amp fuse and crossover about 600hz. If thats near the 50:50 point (it's a little high) I'd have to call the entire panel 8 amps MAXIMUM. I'm not going to do the math. My head is killing me from a long day, but you can work out the power. If you don't know off the 'topofyourhead', look up ohms law calculators.

I have measured voltage to my panels using a DVM. This is NOT accurate at all, but I double it and call that 'peak'. Music is much quicker than most meters. If I had access to one, I'd use an O'Scope. Preferably one with 'peak capture'.

Good for you that you've never blown a fuse. In maggie circles, the ribbon is known as a fuse protector.

I don't think the amps are coming close to red-lining; it's the speakers, if anything. I get mylar slap and have to back off the volume long before I get anything like clipping from the amplifiers.

That's why I think it probably doesn't matter that there's twice as many watts for the bass panels.

I'd heard about the power ratings for the ICEPower modules, so I'm aware it's not really comparable to the ratings for something like Pass Labs amps.

"There's a Monarchy SM70 listed for $400 (no relation). Wouldn't hurt too much to try."

True, but I didn't much like the sounds of them driving my highly improved Audio Physic Avanti IIIs...very clean but rather uninvolving and a bit thin.

I'd look for smaller solidstate Class-A amps such as the 20-year-old Marantz MA-22 (50 or 75 into 8 or 4) or the more-expensive MA-24 (30 or 60 into 8 or 4). Even older would be a Bedini 25/25 or a Lazurus HA-1A, rated 50 or 100 or 200 into 8 or 4 or 2 Ohms. The Lazurus is hybrid, with a pair of 6DJ8s in the frontend and MOSFETS in Class-A in the output stage. I know of one Lazurus that I owned and a friend does that might be available.
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class 'a'?
Pass xa30.5 clean 30x2 which near triples to almost 100 in a/b, both while nearly doubling into 4 ohms.
I wish I could afford Pass for my panels. I'd do so without even extensive audition and doubt I'd ever look back.

Hello, Thought I'd throw in my 2 cents as I have a somewhat similar type arrangement. I too run dipole radiating panels and am "multi-amping" my speakers but in a slightly different way. Your 3.6's are great speakers (my first 'hi end' speakers were Maggie MG2B's over 30 yrs ago and afterward I was very happy with MG 3A's for many years). Yours are true 3 ways while my current planars are 2 ways (Apogee Duetta Sigs) which have a separate bass panel and a combined mid/tweeter ribbon. Your crossover scene allows true tri-amping which is very cool. I have what might be deemed "semi-tri-amping" wherein I use an external active crossover (an NHT X-2)to split my main signal at 50hz into a Rel sub, the remaining signal (call it 51hz+) feeds into another active crossover (a fully upgraded Apogee Dax 1) which then splits it into dedicated woofer panel tubed monoblocs (Conrad Johnson Premier 12's) and then to a dedicated amp for the combination mid/tweeter ribbon... This is essentially the equivalent of what you are describing you would like to try. Before I decided to run the mid/tweeter amp I had been using the CJ's and the X2 only, and after the sub relieved the bottom 50hz the CJ's did a great job...(this was utilizing the passive crossovers built into the speakers). Pretty simple, pretty direct...minimum complications and a very very nice sound. BUT, apparently like you, I just couldn't get the upgrade itch out of my mind so when this dedicated external crossover became available I thought I'd take the plunge and pursue the world of TRUE bi-amping...
The story is too long from here so I'll cut to the chase: after a LOT of pondering I knew I wanted tubes (that was never a question) but I also knew I wanted maximum flexibility and of course superb sound. Years ago I ran a pair of VTL MB-125 monos (into Silverline Sonata 2's = awesome combo) and since then became very enamored of the EL-34 tube... simply glorious midrange and a top that can extend as beautifully as the best out there, (especially when driving true ribbon tweeters as both you and I are). I've also appreciated the allure of running them in triode for certain types of music as well as some late night listening sessions but only as an option...full pentode or ultralinear is mandatory of course too. (The VTL allowed switching albeit NOT on the fly) and it was a nice feature.
What I eventually sought out for my application was an amp that could not only meet all of my requirements but in addition, was actually tube-TYPE flexible in case I felt the need to match the 6550's or KT-88's which the CJ's are using driving the bass panels. My answer finally became clear...an amp I had heard about 10 years ago at a dealership; it's a Cary, model SA 280 V12...(mine is an "i"model, F1 edition but that's not the point). It will run EL-34's, 6550's, KT-88's, and a few others as well...all at 100wpc ultralinear OR 50wpc triode as well as varying degrees of 1/3, 2/3 partial triode mix, and all capable of switching on the fly....And it sounds absolutely phenomenal doing dedicated midrange / tweeter duty...I think it would be well worth your while looking into this amp for your application. I will not attest to understanding the math of system/amp synergy in your rig, you will have to do your due-diligence to be sure the specs match up to the rest of your equipment but assuming that all can coincide together, I'm quite confident you will not be disappointed with its virtues...These include but are not limited to its spectacular soundstage, both wide and deep...complete lack of grain, tremendous sense of presence, air and natural timbres... a glorious sounding amp...
I really didn't plan on doing a review here (and I have no association with any brands/dealers/business in the audio field)...I'm just another A'gon addicted Lissnr...
Hope this expands your list of considerations by at least one more...but regardless of this particular amp or not, I would still pursue tubes to handle that tweeter of yours...remember: ribbons (especially midranges and tweeters) + tubes are pure listening bliss.
Good luck and happy Lissn'n