Upgrading Magnepans

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  • 01-22-2008, 04:52 PM
    BOXMAN
    Upgrading Magnepans
    I am currently running Magnepan MGIIa speakers. I personally still love these things!! They are getting a little rough and it is getting time to replace in the near future. I have always wanted a new pair of Magnepans. I have had my eye on the Magnepan 3.6s. Anybody out there running 3.6s? I am looking for some feedback on them. A new pair is quite salty, but my current maggies lasted me quite a long time with great sound so I cant complain. I have tried dynamic speakers and the bottom line is I am a planar guy period. Thanks in advance for your time! I look forward to your input! Jim
  • 01-22-2008, 05:05 PM
    blackraven
    I've got the Q1.6's and wish I had bought the 3.6's when I had the chance. The 3.6's like lots of clean power, 200wpc and higher. You won't be disappointed. I've heard those and the MG20's plenty of times.
  • 01-22-2008, 05:23 PM
    BOXMAN
    Thank you for your input... I am planning on running my Ampzilla II on them. the amp has been fully refurbished and very clean. 200 wpc is the rating. I have a feeling I will love what I hear!!
  • 01-22-2008, 05:45 PM
    blackraven
    Is that at 4ohms? I think the ampzilla is 400wpc at 4ohms if I'm not mistaken. Don't forget, Maggies are 4ohm. I'm running 225wpc of high current power at 4ohms on my 1.6's and I would like to have more. The 3.6's would really do well with 300wpc but should be able to drive them ok with 200watts. There's some one on this forum who has the 3.6's and I think uses a Musicalfidelity integrated with 500wpc.
  • 01-24-2008, 05:21 AM
    Florian
    I had two pair of 3.6's, great value! Plenty of power is needed, but before choosin some bruiser amd or some class D, i would look for an amp with good resolution and sound. :-) They require a good size room with good acoustics also.
    Cheers
  • 01-24-2008, 06:48 AM
    Feanor
    Amplifiers
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Florian
    I had two pair of 3.6's, great value! Plenty of power is needed, but before choosin some bruiser amd or some class D, i would look for an amp with good resolution and sound. :-) They require a good size room with good acoustics also.
    Cheers

    Florian has been there and done it. So have I to a lessor degree; I have just the MG 1.6, but I can assure you that any Magneplanar will exploit a great amp. For many years I used a Phase Linear 400, including with the Magneplanar MMGs. The PL 400 put out close to 400wpc @ 4ohms, like the Ampzilla, but what a revelation it was to go first to a NAD C270, (200wpc but a significant improvement), then to Monarchy SM-70 Pro's, (120wpc and a very big improvement).

    I suspect blackraven is right that 300watts is the minimum optimal with the 3.6's, but that 200 would do, however it depends how loud you listen.

    In any case my advice to BOXMAN, as it is to blackraven, is up grade your amp before you go to the 3.6's.
  • 01-24-2008, 06:57 AM
    BOXMAN
    Upgrade my amp?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Florian
    I had two pair of 3.6's, great value! Plenty of power is needed, but before choosin some bruiser amd or some class D, i would look for an amp with good resolution and sound. :-) They require a good size room with good acoustics also.
    Cheers


    I really appreciate your input from both of you. Florian, I am a little stunned on your words though...... You are running a Krell on top end and you just asked me to upgrade my amp......?? Krell is decent, but I have heard plenty of Krell, there is no advantage over an updated GAS Ampzilla. I look at krell as a decent midline for component set ups.........

    Sure there is a little better out there.... but the big price tag can also work as a great placebo to think it is that much better... Thanks again for your input sir.
  • 01-24-2008, 06:59 AM
    BOXMAN
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Feanor
    Florian has been there and done it. So have I to a lessor degree; I have just the MG 1.6, but I can assure you that any Magneplanar will exploit a great amp. For many years I used a Phase Linear 400, including with the Magneplanar MMGs. The PL 400 put out close to 400wpc @ 4ohms, like the Ampzilla, but what a revelation it was to go first to a NAD C270, (200wpc but a significant improvement), then to Monarchy SM-70 Pro's, (120wpc and a very big improvement).

    I suspect blackraven is right that 300watts is the minimum optimal with the 3.6's, but that 200 would do, however it depends how loud you listen.

    In any case my advice to BOXMAN, as it is to blackraven, is up grade your amp before you go to the 3.6's.

    The 3.6s are 4 ohm I believe... therefore an Ampzilla II would be at 400wpc. I would suspect that would be enough...... and I dont understand why you guys are saying upgrade my amp..........I feel the GAS and Maggies combo is very nice
  • 01-24-2008, 07:20 AM
    Ajani
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by BOXMAN
    The 3.6s are 4 ohm I believe... therefore an Ampzilla II would be at 400wpc. I would suspect that would be enough...... and I dont understand why you guys are saying upgrade my amp..........I feel the GAS and Maggies combo is very nice

    LOL... Don't take it personal.... from my very very basic understanding of planars... more watts and larger planars are generally better.... as a result, most planar lovers seem to toss out the 'upgrade your amp' line as a default response (more often than not it maybe correct, but not always)... If you really like the syngery between your amp and the maggies (and it clearly seems to have the watts), then just get bigger maggies...
  • 01-24-2008, 07:30 AM
    BOXMAN
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ajani
    LOL... Don't take it personal.... from my very very basic understanding of planars... more watts and larger planars are generally better.... as a result, most planar lovers seem to toss out the 'upgrade your amp' line as a default response (more often than not it maybe correct, but not always)... If you really like the syngery between your amp and the maggies (and it clearly seems to have the watts), then just get bigger maggies...

    :thumbsup: Cheers to you my friend
  • 01-24-2008, 09:24 AM
    Feanor
    What we are implying, sir ...
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by BOXMAN
    The 3.6s are 4 ohm I believe... therefore an Ampzilla II would be at 400wpc. I would suspect that would be enough...... and I dont understand why you guys are saying upgrade my amp..........I feel the GAS and Maggies combo is very nice

    ... Is that these old amps, in general, sound like sh!t. There is more to amplifiers than wattage and Magneplanars need more than watts.
  • 01-24-2008, 09:31 AM
    Feanor
    I await Flo's response
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by BOXMAN
    I really appreciate your input from both of you. Florian, I am a little stunned on your words though...... You are running a Krell on top end and you just asked me to upgrade my amp......?? Krell is decent, but I have heard plenty of Krell, there is no advantage over an updated GAS Ampzilla. I look at krell as a decent midline for component set ups.........

    Sure there is a little better out there.... but the big price tag can also work as a great placebo to think it is that much better... Thanks again for your input sir.

    BOX, if you believe all amps sound the same, you need to clean out your ears. As I alluded to above, I had this personal revelation a few years ago, having lived with a ghastly vintage amp for decades.
  • 01-24-2008, 09:47 AM
    audio amateur
    Krell make incredible amps as of what I've heard and read about them
  • 01-24-2008, 10:14 AM
    GMichael
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by BOXMAN
    I really appreciate your input from both of you. Florian, I am a little stunned on your words though...... You are running a Krell on top end and you just asked me to upgrade my amp......?? Krell is decent, but I have heard plenty of Krell, there is no advantage over an updated GAS Ampzilla. I look at krell as a decent midline for component set ups.........

    Sure there is a little better out there.... but the big price tag can also work as a great placebo to think it is that much better... Thanks again for your input sir.

    This should go over like a fart in church.
  • 01-24-2008, 10:22 AM
    BOXMAN
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Feanor
    BOX, if you believe all amps sound the same, you need to clean out your ears. As I alluded to above, I had this personal revelation a few years ago, having lived with a ghastly vintage amp for decades.

    I do not think all amps sound the same... I am aware of the differences. what I am saying is an updated Ampzilla II can hold its on versus a Krell...... as I mentioned a Krell product is a decent midline component. If you take an upgraded Ampzilla II and run some planars you would be very surprised...... We all have our preferences as well

    If you want top notch... (in my eyes) run an Audio Research tri amped system with tubes on top and a set of tympani's..... now that would be worth upgrading to in my opinion....
  • 01-24-2008, 11:10 AM
    Feanor,

    I've dipped my toe in the planar pool with the MMGs and decided the water was too cold (& didn't really see what all the hoopla was about), so I am still "boxed-into" a box speaker, as the planar folks like to say. That said, I'm still very interested in the topic.

    What I'm wondering is how the Monarchy SM-70 performs with those Maggies. Logic would suggest that an 80/120w amp isn't going to have the grunt to push those speakers to their full potential. I would have opted for the SE-100s, at least. Now don't get me wrong, I haven't heard the Monarchy amps, and I've read nothing but good reviews about them, so I may be way off here, but I'm just wondering how this is working - there seems a to be a logical disconnect from what everyone else is saying about how much power these speakers require.

    Boxman, I'm a big fan of PS Audio amps and while they do have a sound that isn't to everyone's liking, they certainly aren't lacking in the power-reserve department. PS Audio amps sell used for less than half the new price (esp. the newer GCC amps) and the older generation amps sell for much less. Hence my belief that they are an excellent value. I have a pair of Classic 250 monoblocks that I picked up for nearly nothing and they are amazing amps for the money - you can find them every once in a while on Audiogon and eBay for $500/pair or thereabouts. The HCA-2 is a 150/225w amp that despite it's class-D roots actually sound quite warm and seems to be popular amp to pair with Maggies. Of course, if you can find a GCA/C-250 or 500 amp used, that would be my suggestion, but the HCA-2 is a very nice amp for $600 used, if the others are too "salty."

    Anyhow, that's my 2 cents. If the Monarchy Audios are as good as Feanor says, then they definitely deserve an audition.
  • 01-24-2008, 11:42 AM
    Feanor
    How much power?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by nightflier
    Feanor,

    I've dipped my toe in the planar pool with the MMGs and decided the water was too cold (& didn't really see what all the hoopla was about), so I am still "boxed-into" a box speaker, as the planar folks like to say. That said, I'm still very interested in the topic.

    What I'm wondering is how the Monarchy SM-70 performs with those Maggies. Logic would suggest that an 80/120w amp isn't going to have the grunt to push those speakers to their full potential. I would have opted for the SE-100s, at least. Now don't get me wrong, I haven't heard the Monarchy amps, and I've read nothing but good reviews about them, so I may be way off here, but I'm just wondering how this is working - there seems a to be a logical disconnect from what everyone else is saying about how much power these speakers require.
    ...

    Anyhow, that's my 2 cents. If the Monarchy Audios are as good as Feanor says, then they definitely deserve an audition.

    'Flier,

    Perhaps it's of academic interest to you if you're not really interested in Magneplanars ... but a lot people would agree that 200wpc is the "minimum" for the 1.6's, or 300wpc for the 3.6's. The 120wpc Monarchy SM-70 Pro's are working great for me with the 1.6's, but let me explain.

    My listening room is a small medium, 12' x 20', although it has a lot of furniture and drapes. The bigger factor is that I don't listen to loud music. I listen to classical mostly, and an average level of <70dB. Of course peaks are much higher, but the SM-70's 60,000uF per side helps with that, no doubt.

    I bought the SM-70 Pro's instead of the SE-100's because (1) I saw deal for the former, (2) some pundits said that the former sounded slightly better, especially if run as fully-balance monoblock, and (3) I had a preamp with fully balance operation.
  • 01-24-2008, 11:46 AM
    Feanor
    Fair enough
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by BOXMAN
    I do not think all amps sound the same... I am aware of the differences. what I am saying is an updated Ampzilla II can hold its on versus a Krell...... as I mentioned a Krell product is a decent midline component. If you take an upgraded Ampzilla II and run some planars you would be very surprised...... We all have our preferences as well

    If you want top notch... (in my eyes) run an Audio Research tri amped system with tubes on top and a set of tympani's..... now that would be worth upgrading to in my opinion....

    I'm glad you acknowledge that amps sound different. While I would probably lean to the ARC system myself, I'd waiting for Florian's reaction to your Krell evaluation -- might be fun :D :eek:
  • 01-24-2008, 03:53 PM
    O'Shag
    Boxman, your estimation of an ARC tri-amp setup is spot on. I've not heard this setup on the Maggies (although I heard several maggie systems which sounded very good), but I have heard an ARC tri-amp setup on another speaker system (ARC d'Triamphe so to speak). The sound quality was breathtaking .I'll be setting up a fully tri-amped system in due course, using Mark Levinson No 27 (2 bridged as monoblocks) for the bass, ARC Classic 150 monoblocks for the mid-bass, and ARC Classic 120 for the midrange and tweeters. I've just tried tri-wiring, and was astonished by the results!!!
  • 01-24-2008, 04:46 PM
    audio amateur
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by GMichael
    This should go over like a fart in church.

    Couldn't have put it better
  • 01-24-2008, 04:54 PM
    BOXMAN
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by O'Shag
    Boxman, your estimation of an ARC tri-amp setup is spot on. I've not heard this setup on the Maggies (although I heard several maggie systems which sounded very good), but I have heard an ARC tri-amp setup on another speaker system (ARC d'Triamphe so to speak). The sound quality was breathtaking .I'll be setting up a fully tri-amped system in due course, using Mark Levinson No 27 (2 bridged as monoblocks) for the bass, ARC Classic 150 monoblocks for the mid-bass, and ARC Classic 120 for the midrange and tweeters. I've just tried tri-wiring, and was astonished by the results!!!

    Glad you also think so!..... I will one day build an ARC system with maggies.... but I am really happy with GAS equipment. Maybe they match real good with maggies.... I dont know, but it works out nicely. I will admit I put a set of dynamics on the Ampzilla, and I quickly said.... man I got to hook my maggies back up!! and by the way, I like your amp set up you have!! Classic 120 should go nice on the top end!! If you ask me, the older equipment is the real deal!
  • 01-24-2008, 05:10 PM
    Not academic at all...
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Feanor
    'Flier, Perhaps it's of academic interest to you if you're not really interested in Magneplanars ... but a lot people would agree that 200wpc is the "minimum" for the 1.6's, or 300wpc for the 3.6's. The 120wpc Monarchy SM-70 Pro's are working great for me with the 1.6's, but let me explain.

    While I am fairly happy with what I have, I also know from hearing other systems, that this isn't anywhere near where I want to be as far as speakers. I haven't settled on a pair yet and one of the attractive features of the Maggies to me is that when not in use, I can push them against the wall, which is not so easy with my current speakers. What is not attractive is having to power them with amps that take up more floor space than the speakers themselves (not to mention suck electricity right out of the wall and act like furnaces to boot). Your choice of Monarchy amps is a refreshing alternative opinion.

    As far as your taste in music, your room, and the price point, we probably have a lot in common. I guess what I was asking is how do they really sound? Do you hear the limitations of the amp during passages with a wide dynamic range (e.g. Hovhaness, Strauss, Khachaturian)? Have you experienced any clipping? Is there compression in the frequency extremes?

    As a side issue, did you try any class-D type amps? Of so, what did you or didn't you like about them?
  • 01-24-2008, 06:09 PM
    E-Stat
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by BOXMAN
    I do not think all amps sound the same... I am aware of the differences. what I am saying is an updated Ampzilla II can hold its on versus a Krell...... as I mentioned a Krell product is a decent midline component. If you take an upgraded Ampzilla II and run some planars you would be very surprised...... We all have our preferences as well

    The Ampzilla should work nicely. I confess that I'm not a big Krell fan having heard a couple. Clean, but too sterile for my perception of live. Back in the 70's, D'Agostino used to be a rep for Dayton-Wright electrostatics and Dunlap-Clarke amps. Those amps share a similar house sound to the Krell stuff I've heard. I'd focus on speaker placement and room treatments.

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by BOXMAN
    f you want top notch... (in my eyes) run an Audio Research tri amped system with tubes on top and a set of tympani's..... now that would be worth upgrading to in my opinion....

    That's how I heard my first Maggies back in '74. Tri-amped T-IIIs with an SP-3a and three D-76as. Got me hooked on planars. I had a pair of MG-IIs myself back in the 70s. You should enjoy moving up to 3.6s. The true ribbon tweeter is really sweet.

    Good luck!

    rw
  • 01-25-2008, 05:04 AM
    Florian
    Your comment is like saying that you have heard one electrostatic, did not like it, so all electrostatics are not to your taste. ^^ There is Krell and then there is KRELL. A small KSA is in no way in the same league as a KAS or a MRA. I run 8 amplifiers actually, the Krell Audio Standard (old style pure class a master reference series) is only for the tweeters (2m long ribbon from 9Khz up, fully active made for this driver by Todd Eichbaum from Krell).

    I understand your liking of the Ampzilla, i personally had 2x Ampzilla 2000 Monoblocks and Stereo. I sold them, but i had them :-) Nice milky foggy kinda sound. Good for beer and music.
  • 01-25-2008, 05:32 AM
    BOXMAN
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Florian
    Your comment is like saying that you have heard one electrostatic, did not like it, so all electrostatics are not to your taste. ^^ There is Krell and then there is KRELL. A small KSA is in no way in the same league as a KAS or a MRA. I run 8 amplifiers actually, the Krell Audio Standard (old style pure class a master reference series) is only for the tweeters (2m long ribbon from 9Khz up, fully active made for this driver by Todd Eichbaum from Krell).

    I understand your liking of the Ampzilla, i personally had 2x Ampzilla 2000 Monoblocks and Stereo. I sold them, but i had them :-) Nice milky foggy kinda sound. Good for beer and music.

    I can appreciate your love for the KRELL equipment..... and I can agree with you that they sound decent..... but for a person the runs Krell, and asks me to upgrade my amp.... I must laugh! Like I said before, Krell makes good midline components. This isnt ARC or Mark Levinson were talkin about...... and you can have that Ampzilla 2000 stuff. I have a fully updated 1978 Ampzilla II, and I promise you it isnt good for just beer and music. It is good for pushing maggies and letting the guys who just bought into the $8K "modern amps placebo" start crying. Hopefully one day you will see past the big price tag equipment that usually isnt that much better.
  • 01-25-2008, 05:40 AM
    Florian
    If you would have actually taken the time to analyze my setup and read some of my past posts, you would have known that i am not a Krell fan and that my speaker is not powered by Krell solely. Actually, i believe you never looked at my system at all. Further, i do not believe in your "experience", its fine that you like your older Ampzilla, i was not giving you a recommendation to update it, but to say that Krell is not in the same league as Mark Levinson or Audio Research, will set most guys on this forum in a laughing state. Maybe your are confusing Krell Industries with a different Brand?

    Anyway, i hope you will find a speaker to your liking. Like i said, i had two pair of 3.6's. And even if i where to like your Ampzilla amp, it would not be able to drive my 1.3ohm tweeter ribbon. If you do not apreciate my comments, then please say so and i will ignore your posts from now on.

    Cheers

    Florian

    PS: 8000$ for a modern reference monoblock from Krell? <-- Got a link to a seller?
  • 01-25-2008, 06:01 AM
    BOXMAN
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Florian
    I had two pair of 3.6's, great value! Plenty of power is needed, but before choosin some bruiser amd or some class D, i would look for an amp with good resolution and sound. :-) They require a good size room with good acoustics also.
    Cheers

    I am "requoting" what you posted a few days ago..... Perhaps you forgot what you posted... and all that I am saying, is someone running Krell in no way shape or form can logically tell me I need an amp with good resolution and sound... that is funny!

    Yes I know Krell very well. I have two dealers here in Indianapolis. the stores are mainly home theatre stuff. they opened a high end store... to have brands like Cary and ARC... and guess what, Krell isnt in that store. Funny how that worked out........enjoy your equipment sir, because you sure paid for it!
  • 01-25-2008, 06:06 AM
    Feanor
    Advice
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by E-Stat
    The Ampzilla should work nicely. I confess that I'm not a big Krell fan having heard a couple. Clean, but too sterile for my perception of live. Back in the 70's, D'Agostino used to be a rep for Dayton-Wright electrostatics and Dunlap-Clarke amps. Those amps share a similar house sound to the Krell stuff I've heard. I'd focus on speaker placement and room treatments.

    That's how I heard my first Maggies back in '74. Tri-amped T-IIIs with an SP-3a and three D-76as. Got me hooked on planars. I had a pair of MG-IIs myself back in the 70s. You should enjoy moving up to 3.6s. The true ribbon tweeter is really sweet.

    Good luck!

    rw

    E-Stat, my advice to BOXMAN is the same as my advice to blackraven: Magneplanar speakers will exploit a really fine amp, so prioritize a good amp ahead of a speaker upgrade. I have not heard BOX's Amplzilla II; I haven't heard the Outlaw monoblocks blackraven was considering. However I have heard various vintage and mid-fi amps, and they weren't good enough, not even with the MMGs much less the 3.6's.

    If BOXMAN is confident the Ampzilla II as the necessary qualities, then he should go for the 3.6's; the Ampzilla ought to have the juice, at least, to drive them. On the other hand, based on his Krell and placebo comments, I'm not sure that is confidence in the Ampzilla II's sound qualities is well placed.
  • 01-25-2008, 06:12 AM
    Florian
    I knew there was a reason why i stopped posting on this site and helping n00bs.

    :nonod:
  • 01-25-2008, 06:27 AM
    Feanor
    My Magneplanar amps
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by nightflier
    While I am fairly happy with what I have, I also know from hearing other systems, that this isn't anywhere near where I want to be as far as speakers. I haven't settled on a pair yet and one of the attractive features of the Maggies to me is that when not in use, I can push them against the wall, which is not so easy with my current speakers. What is not attractive is having to power them with amps that take up more floor space than the speakers themselves (not to mention suck electricity right out of the wall and act like furnaces to boot). Your choice of Monarchy amps is a refreshing alternative opinion.

    As far as your taste in music, your room, and the price point, we probably have a lot in common. I guess what I was asking is how do they really sound? Do you hear the limitations of the amp during passages with a wide dynamic range (e.g. Hovhaness, Strauss, Khachaturian)? Have you experienced any clipping? Is there compression in the frequency extremes?

    As a side issue, did you try any class-D type amps? Of so, what did you or didn't you like about them?

    nightflier,

    The qualities of Magneplanars are apprciated by a lot of people, me one of them, although the small and mid-sized models aren't for rock music.

    With the Monarchy SM-70 Pros, no, I haven't notice any compression and I certaintly haven't experienced clipping. I have run my 1.6s with over 320wpc using an Adcom 555II, and I don't feel I'm loosing anything in the bass for example. But I do attribute this to two factors: (1) I listen a low average levels, i.e. <70dB except for peaks, and (2) the reserve capacity of the of the Monarchys, 60,000uF per monoblock. A third factor might be the SM-70 Pro's, (but not all Monarchy models), provide better micro-dynamics, per Monarchy Audio, when driven by a balanced signal which, in my case, they are.

    Yes, I've used a class 'D' amp. Actually a Bel Canto eVo2i 'Tripath' with 200wpc. The Bel was a very nice, extremely transparent amp, but I prefer the SM-70 Pro's with about 85% of recordings. The Monarchys are warmer and more "organic" while giving up very, very little transparency; they are also as or more dynamic and do bass just as well at my listening levels. Still, I would find it interesting to hear a good switching amp in combo with the tube preamp I acquired after giving up the Bel Canto.
  • 01-25-2008, 06:36 AM
    E-Stat
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Florian
    Your comment is like saying that you have heard one electrostatic, did not like it, so all electrostatics are not to your taste. ^^ There is Krell and then there is KRELL. A small KSA is in no way in the same league as a KAS or a MRA.

    Agreed, but my comments were not based upon a "small KSA". Never heard one of those.

    rw
  • 01-25-2008, 06:39 AM
    Florian
    E-Stat, my comment was adressed to BOXMAN. I never said that i thought his amp was not good enough, i didnt even mean to upgrade it. In fact, ALL i said was that i would prefer a sublime musical amp, with less maximum power over a big solid state beast. And ever since i made that friendly recommendation i have to listen to stuff like "I wont accept advice from someone who is running middle class equipment like Krell" :confused5:

    Hello Earth? ^^
  • 01-25-2008, 06:41 AM
    E-Stat
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Feanor
    E-Stat, my advice to BOXMAN is the same as my advice to blackraven: Magneplanar speakers will exploit a really fine amp, so prioritize a good amp ahead of a speaker upgrade.

    That's fine, but I will readily admit I'm a speaker guy. Have you ever heard a pair of 70s vintage MG-IIas? They are nice, but not in the same league as your 1.6s. Surely, there are better sounding amps than the 'zilla, but I would start building a system with a great speaker first. Just a difference of approach.

    rw
  • 01-25-2008, 06:47 AM
    E-Stat
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Florian
    E-Stat, my comment was adressed to BOXMAN.

    I wasn't sure, so I switched my display mode to threaded. Evidently, you read my comments just before responding and thus posted yours as a reply to mine.

    Krell is most certainly not "middle class equipment" in my book either.

    rw
  • 01-25-2008, 07:04 AM
    Feanor
    On that basis ...
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by E-Stat
    That's fine, but I will readily admit I'm a speaker guy. Have you ever heard a pair of 70s vintage MG-IIas? They are nice, but not in the same league as your 1.6s. Surely, there are better sounding amps than the 'zilla, but I would start building a system with a great speaker first. Just a difference of approach.

    rw

    ... I.e. that the MG IIas are "not in the same league as [the] 1.6s", you might well be right.

    For my part, I am a speaker primacy guy too. It's just that current Magneplanars are so good that a significant amp upgrade can be justified. I drove $550 MMGs with a $3000 Bel Canto and I don't feel I was wrong to do so even though I eventually upgraded to the MG 1.6QRs. Which gave me the most value, Bel Canto or $1900 MG 1.6? It's a hard call: they did different things.
  • 01-25-2008, 07:13 AM
    audio amateur
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Florian
    I knew there was a reason why i stopped posting on this site and helping n00bs.

    :nonod:

    Don't bother;) I don't...
  • 01-25-2008, 07:16 AM
    E-Stat
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Feanor
    ...you might well be right.

    I sold and owned MG-IIs. The biggest improvement with Maggies over the decades is the top, IMO. Actually, the big Timpanis were stellar bass performers. Remember HP's QRS-1D system?

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Feanor
    It's a hard call: they did different things.

    I'll certainly agree. I am amazed how good the updated double Advents in my vintage system can sound with a Manley tube output DAC/line stage and Threshold amp driving them. :)

    rw
  • 01-25-2008, 07:35 AM
    GMichael
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Florian
    I knew there was a reason why i stopped posting on this site and helping n00bs.

    :nonod:

    I listen. Someday I may even learn something. Till then, since those Krells of yours are only mid-fi, think you could send them to me? Two would be enough.

    Thanks,
  • 01-25-2008, 08:11 AM
    Florian
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by GMichael
    I listen. Someday I may even learn something. Till then, since those Krells of yours are only mid-fi, think you could send them to me? Two would be enough.

    Thanks,

    You dont want my cheap Krell stuff, besides its build into the speakers. You would have to take my cheap speakers also, and thats just a waste of space. I will relieve you of this bother and just keep them :)
  • 01-25-2008, 08:15 AM
    GMichael
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Florian
    You dont want my cheap Krell stuff, besides its build into the speakers. You would have to take my cheap speakers also, and thats just a waste of space. I will relieve you of this bother and just keep them :)

    I don't mind. Really. I'll give them a good home.
    I have a good sized basement and nothing on one side. Something to take up the space would be great.