Magnepan Speakers LRS, 0.7i, 1.7i etc - 1000 watt amplifiers can't drive them. 50 watts can?

Magnepan LRS review can be found in another video. This video covers the amplifiers that can drive the magnepans.
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[@Jayiyagi]

Q&A: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z33PgYOvm9eUeZY Part 1: Crazy ribbon speakers for $650 ! Magnepan LRS loudspeaker Sound Review ! kzbin.info/www/bejne/eqm9p62Nestgo5o Part 2: How to Place Magnepans: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmSsmntjiM-beKc Part 3: How to amplify: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKjCiIavfpZ_eqs

[@ufarkingicehole]

I can help a little with this...your are mostly correct. What I look for is harmonic distortion along with watts (is it rms at that distortion or is the watts measurement taken when the amp blows up). Another way I look which seems to no longer always works but weight. Usually heavy transformers equals high current. I hope this helps man It's not 100% but 95% of the time it works. When an amp has a harmonic distortion of .0001% at 120 watts... it means the amp is a beast. My Cambridge Audio CXR200 is 200 x 2 or I believe 140x7 but it's at .0001% at 200 watts. I would love to know how the Hegal sounds in comparison to my Cambridge Audio. Also your friend Thomas has me interested in Moon Audio. I will buy the magnepan 1.7i , I would love to see C.A. vs Hagel vs moon vs parasound. I suspect parasound would probably be the best. Not sure about the others. Thanks for the great content!

[@ufarkingicehole]

@david wilson I respectfully disagree. Different orders of distortion equates to different tonal nuances. Its absolutely doesn't tell everything.

[@ufarkingicehole]

@david wilson calm down buddy. John Curl disagrees with you and so do I.

[@ufarkingicehole]

@david wilson cool man ! Will do👍

[@carltoncotter2614]

@david wilson Why do all the "facts and evidence" science types love measurements and statistics for audio, but audiophile ears often gravitate toward products with much worse numbers? Perhaps the EE's are measuring the wrong things??? Or just doing their best to understand something which isn't completely understood? I recently read a review of a Nelson Pass designed amp. It was trashed by a facts and evidence type complaining about how it measured. But Nelson strikes me as sincere, devoted to his craft and has built an enduring brand in a competitive industry??

[@denniswade4998]

You have done such a great and complete job of covering everything we need to know about these speakers, and have done a wonderful service for all of your viewers. Thank you! This review also helps to demonstrate why all amps do not sound the same.

[@dkerlee]

Naming amps that didn't work would be super helpful also!

[@davidbee8178]

Drew there are SO many of them out there that MIGHT NOT work that it would be fruitless + as he says, at the outset, that as he would't be ABLE to say whether a given amp WOULD work, by the same logic, he wouldn't be able so say what would NOT. Like he says, either you test hear it for yourself OR you can go by what someone with his experience says about a certain amp/speaker combination and go from there. Good luck in your search! BTW, Magnepans ARE the best bang for your audio buck, no contest. BUT as a rule of thumb, spend the money you save on the Magnepans (whatever model you choose) and spend it on the best amp you can afford to power them. Happy listening and shopping!

[@bullandvodka]

People say a lot of things ... and their comments might make you think you can hear a difference as well. Don’t buy into it. Maggie’s present a less than 8 ohm load and at some frequencies 1/2 of that. They also aren’t efficient, so you need solid power at 4 or 2 ohm loads. Cheap recievers can’t deliver, but a proper amp that can drive effectively below 4 ohms will do it,

[@petersouthernboy6327]

The two brands that I hear about over and over again that drive Maggie’s well are McIntosh and Bryston.

[@johnclark3823]

It's Academic what amps don't work, I can however add 1 amp to that list, it is the synthesis roma 37+ 500w×2 into 4ohm load i'm using it on my MMG's while waiting for my 1.4s to be restored

[@jankafka7330]

@@petersouthernboy6327 I never take anyone seriously who uses an apostrophe to make a plural.

[@scottroberts4551]

I'm using a Rogue Chronus mag 3 DARK all tube integrated with my LRS+'s, very nice sound, plenty of tube power.

[@j.badinter988]

Those speakers require a lot of current to get frequencies below 150 Hz. One of the trick is to use a subwoofer with a high frequency filter to remove low frequencies from being sent to the speakers while the sub will take care of them. Thus you can keep all the current produced by the amplifier to be send to the speakers.

[@crossroads78]

I have been driving my .7s with the Musical Fidelity m6si. Extremely happy with the setup 5 years into it.

[@67spankadelik]

Current matter more than watts is my experience. I have 1.7s and had the higher watt class D and was disappointed. One day just for kicks I put on my Scott LK 48 tube amplifier which is only 19 Watts. And my mind was blown. I was hearing everything I didn't hear from the class D. The happy medium was class A B 100 W to 200 W. Recently picked up an Adcom GFA 5802 and it's perfect. Lots of current and power for my normal volume listening.

[@stevenjackson8226]

Magnepans were my first "serious" speaker - the MG-IIB I bought new as kid. I've had numerous other Maggie models since. Love them, and the new models are their best ever. I've used lots of amplifiers with them. Agreed on the "try it and see" approach. That's effectively the advice Magnepan offers on its website. And assembling a good sounding system by reading specs is a tough way to go. I've used transistor and tubed amps with Maggies, and many power ratings and brands. Typically, I used tubes, either Audio Research or Conrad-Johnson; mostly C-J. Power from 35wpc to 400wpc. I found the lovely and venerable Dynaco ST-70 sounded very nice - until it very quickly ran out of steam. Not nearly enough power. C-J tubed amps of 70wpc (MV-75A-1 and Premier 11A) to 140wpc (Premier 12 monoblocks) worked beautifully. I've very much enjoyed the Odyssey Audio amplifiers. The Odyssey Audio Stratos was lovely with MMGs and 1.6QRs. Try it 'n see...

[@mgaming7]

Naim sounds really good with maggies. I had the 2.7's and bought them after hearing them with the Naim 60 wpc amp and pre amp . Really good.

[@MD-cy6pe]

i drive my .7is with a rogue audio sphinx v2 with no problem & it sounds great.

[@barbarashissias9567]

driving my MMGs with a rogue audio sphinx v2 and sounds wonderful too!

[@greenmachinecar]

I drive my Magnepan 3.5r with Rogue M180 mono blocks “dark spec”. They sound great

[@DANVIIL]

Glad to hear that. I have a Rogue Sphinx v3 and would lke to get some Maggies, but he said in this video that a Class D amp with 1000 watts wouldn't work, so I thought he was dumping on Class D amps.

[@chadbarker2316]

Thanks bro getting back in to audio and learning right now. Your information helps.Finally somebody that explains things clearly. Thanks again. Rock on from a 55 year old metal head! Love Jazz too

[@cau8365]

Much appreciate your 2 cents. Its worth more to me than many specs sheets. Well done and keep'em coming. Thank you!

[@jonathanreich6360]

I had a Nakamichi TA-4A that I hoped would work with the LRS speakers. I was really disappointed so I gave it to a friend to fix up so I could sell it. I tried an HK Citation 8 which sounded okay but not great. Then a Nikkon Alpha 230 which was better but not great. Then my Nak came back with new capacitors and my gosh it hit the sweet spot. The highs weren't shrill and it had bass and the mids sound so perfect. You're right, there is trial and error. I didn't want to put thousands of dollars into the amplification and I bought everything used on ebay. It helped that I knew someone who could fix up the Nak. One comment about your video, sometimes different companies make different sounding equipment so maybe saying Parasound isn't enough and you should mention the model numbers that you found worked well.

[@chrislj2890]

Right now I'm listening to my Magnepan MG-1.5/QR speakers driven by an Adcom GFA-555 II amp with a B&K Sonata pre-amp. I bought these components thirty years ago and recently brought them out of storage and they still work great. This amp is a beast and has no problem driving 4 Ohms or lower and the Magnepans are a piece of cake for it.

[@dajikbatarang1]

Hegel makes some seriously good stuff, I upgraded from a rotel preamp to hegel. The difference is night and day.

[@olegyamleq7796]

I was thinking of using a Rotel RA-971? 60W per channel.

[@EnemyofCredulity]

Always look for an impedance graph for the speakers , and check for watt output at 4 ohm, and even 2 or 1 ohm on the power amp. This will help you know if you can drive the speakers.

[@MichelLinschoten]

EnemyofCredulity planarian do not dip in impedance .. so that should not be an issue

[@davidbee8178]

Maybe so but he is right on by saying you HAVE to listen to the combination to make sure it SOUNDS good and not just MEASURES well : )

[@wimjansen4271]

I play my 1.4 Maggie's with mission Cyrus 2+PSX. Sounds really great! I have to mention I replaced capacitors on the speakers as well on the amplifier.

[@joseph-ow1hf]

Ok since last post, I got a Schiit Vidar. Can't drive LRS with any volume without overheating and shutting down. Sticking w/ my pick of Odyssey. Love to try a Hegel someday.

[@markmarcantonio3182]

Jay, you're absolutely right, it's all about current. When I had the Simaudio i7/Magnepan 1.6qr's, the i7had a really good grip and plenty of juice for the 1.6qr's. Currently, I own the .7's and have found a truly surprising match withe both the Peachtree amp500, and even smoother sound with their GaN400. If you get the opportunity, take a listen.

[@georgesadventuresinhifi7603]

The way you can tell if an amplifier will be able to handle difficult reactive loads like Magnepans is to look at how their power increases into lower ohm loads. If the output doubles with every halving of impedance (i.e. 50 watts into 8 ohms becomes 100 into 4) means that the amp has good current dumping capacity. You also need to verify with independent measurements that it actually does this as some manufacturers lie about it in their specs. Amplifiers from companies like Accuphase have ratings down to two or even one ohm impedance and they are actually stable at those difficult loads. Even though the amp may only put out 30 watts into an eight ohm load, if it can put out 120 watts into ranges where a speaker drops down to two ohms (or even lower) it'll laugh at speakers like Magnepans.

[@MichelLinschoten]

Magnepans are not hard to drive that such a myth ... They are a resistive load and don't dip to crazy impedances ..

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

​@@MichelLinschotenits more that most amps are terribly designed for a 4 ohm load.

[@Munakas-wq3gp]

@@enjoshi-godrez8775 4 ohms is a breeze. My electrostatic panels dip to 1 ohm at 20khz.

[@DH-og5yr]

Unless they lie about their 8ohm rating to make it looks like it doubles in 4. Like saying it’s 80/160 when it’s really 120/160. You’d never know. And they technically under rated it.

[@Munakas-wq3gp]

@@DH-og5yr It's very simple to run an amp benchmark, that will show exactly how much power an amp gives from 0.25 ohms through to 8

[@steamflower]

I tried my Maggie IIIa with Bryston 4B, Threshold, Spectral, Roland, Krell, Mark Levinson back in the 80's. Out of these solid state amps the best one was Mark Levinson. However couple of years later I got a pair of VTL mono 225 tube, with Audible Illusion modulus 3a tube preamp. OMG! Heavenly sound.

[@jon4715]

Schiit Aegir monoblocks work perfectly with LRS's; surprisingly wonderful combo. No clipping. My dac straight into the Aegirs is a little loud in fact, probably the top end of my comfortable volume range. Gain matching is really important, you don't want to have your attenuator knob down at 9 o'clock to be able to listen to your system.

[@jayem1826]

Maggie's owner here since 1989.. Accuphase and conrad-johnson PV-3 was a fantastic combo on my SMGa's.. Currently using the Mini GaN 5 class D and it's great.

[@Jack96993]

So I have recently bought a pair of Maggie's 0.7's I've owned a VAC PA 80 80 tube amp forever and love it! But it's configured in triode mode (35 watts per channel) so unfortunately it just won't have enough watts/current to drive my Maggie's As luck would have it, my friend was selling his Spectron Musical MK lll class D amp This amp was designed by John Ulrich back in the early 2000's Well for a class D amp it's a real beast weighing in at 52lbs! Output is 500watts@8ohm 650@4ohms & 1,200@1ohms but the real icing on the cake is the amp will do 65 amps for 500 milliseconds Talk about soundstage and dynamic inner detail! Even a low volumes ( 1/4 turn of the volume knob) everthing has such weight, energy from a guitar strum to a strike on a piano key. It's as close to real life as I've heard. So Jay is correct in sourcing out a high watts/current amplifier to drive Maggies. If my Spectron goes up in a puff of smoke one day, it sure will be hard to replace without selling my old Porsche : ) I have been looking and the ATI class D amps look very good for the money. Speaking of money and if it's not an issue Jeff Rolland class D amps is also a no brainer

[@josephchamberlain3681]

I put my SoundArtist SA200IA to the test and found it powered my new 1.7i fantastically. For the money, it's impossible to beat.

[@5333092]

Watts mean nothing, its almost a marketing term now. What you want to know is constant and peak current delivery which most manufacturers do not show.

[@saint6563]

Wrong. Watt means something; it's only how the manufacturer measures watts that matters or doesn't matter. Like a multi-channel amp being rated with only one channel driven at only 1K. The worse being "peak power" which the amp can only produce for a very short brust. A RMS rating is a continuous sine wave at the amps rated impedance & measures the output voltage. Getting the true RMS value which has a lot more credibility than the peak [or burst] rating. Enjoy.

[@firedancer1969]

I drive my MG 12 QR with Hegel H160 and love it...

[@rx7dude2006]

Willsenton R8 Tube amp is an amazing match for them, of course those are tube watts even on Triod mode at 25 watts per channel.

[@drbarney1000]

I drive my Magnepan 0.7's with 833-A radio station transmitter tubes with a plate voltage of 1000 and Hammond 1642SE output transformers run at 4 Ohms output and it sounds much better than the solid state amplifier the store used for me to audition them You have to build these amplifiers yourself and it took me over a year to get my design perfected, but I can't imagine any better combination of amplifier and speaker.

[@arnoldhryciuk7091]

I have a pair of LRS. I have driven them with two different amps. I first used an old Threshold S350e 150watts into 8 ohms and 300watts into 4 ohms. I recently bought a class D, Peachtree Audio Gan 400 rated 400 watts into both 8 and 4 ohms. Both seem to drive the LRS ok to 85 db listening levels with no overheating or shutting down. I have occasionally blown the tweeter fuses with both amps. The Threshold is a little more laid back sound while the Peachtree Gan 400 is a little more forward and detailed. The Peachtree does play a little louder than the Threshold. Also I ran both of these amps direct to the LRS from an Oppo 205 universal player source without a preamp.

[@Ba09035]

Those recommendations are spot on. I had Talk electronics mono blocks and short term loaner Bryston 4B SST, both which ran out of gas and became hard and brittle when the volume went up. Switched to Sanders amplification and sound quality went up dramatically, then finally settled on PS Audio BHK 300 mono blocks and I am in audio heaven(for the moment haha). Funny enough I also have a Hegel H190, but I haven't even tried it on my Magnepan 20.7's. Maybe I'll give it a go just for fun. I would also venture that PASS Labs would be incredible combination with Maggies in general as well.

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

Sanders?

[@Ba09035]

@@enjoshi-godrez8775 search for Sanders Magtech Monoblocks

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

@@Ba09035 thank you. Could you recommend me any other amplifiers (or manufacturers) that are stable with a 2 ohm load (i know the lrs+ is around 3.5ohm, but it dips to 2.8, and most amps are at their absolute limit with 4)?

[@Ba09035]

@@enjoshi-godrez8775 I might be able to recommend. What country do you reside in? Budget? What are you using for preamp?

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

@@Ba09035 Germany. Unfortunately in Europe the used market for byston, pass, krell, ML, mcintosh etc are very overpriced. Maybe you can find some examples from the early 2000 like the krell c200 or the byston 4d sst under €2000, but its rare. Hegal is one of the only in Europe that makes very large power amps, but only the H10 is in my price range. I dont want their integrated amps as i cannot stomach paying for neither the preamp or dac that will be wasted. Naim also makes power amps rated very strongly at 2 ohm, but ive been told repeatedly that they are too weak in terms of power unless you get a nap200 (the new one). I have alwayed used minidsp SHD as a dac and preamp. You'll scoff at that, but that device will make a system sound better than a $15000 dac or preamp ever will if you utilise its feature set correctly, no power amp will be "miss matched" against its performance, only that i can't afford it. I am aware of hypex and purifi amps, and yes, they will easily take a 2 ohm load, but I have never got on with the way they sound. Even the newest purifi amps like the ones from NAD dont get on with me. I guess I prefer some amount of harmonic distortion. Are you aware of any other brands that are designed for 2 ohms, and if you live in Europe, know can be found used for around or under €2000 (again the prices in Europe are very different than the US for certain products)?

[@btedd]

I drive my original MGIIs with a vintage class AB amp from GAS (now out of business). The combination is spectacular at least for my ears. I've been running this combo for 40+ years and why?, because I have not found any better combination. The GAS model 'Son of Ampzilla' at 80 watts drives this 4 ohm speaker with ease. Find one online and keep it as a tester, you won't be disappointed. Good review.

[@burlingtonbill1]

GAS is a superb choice, bur as old as they are (40 years) they MUST be rebuilt. And Ampzilla had a reputation for destroying speakers when they go a bit unstable (with age). Mike Bettinger is the GAS guru, so spend the $ and have him do the work. Will be worth it ! www.bettingeraudiodesign.com/gas-audio

[@danielblais5047]

I have Martin Logan Montis that I used to drive with a 600W/4ohms amp... Now driving them with a Naim Supernait 3 80w/8ohms and they sound way better ! This is actually spot on: look at the power supply in the Naim: huge!

[@epi2045]

When I got into Magnepans over 15 years ago... I used a Sony 5.1 surround sound amplifier with 120 wpc to drive the MMG Magnepans. After two months the amplifier was toasted. LOL. Now I use a 95 pound Mark Levinson power amp.

[@joseph-ow1hf]

When I originally got the Maggie 2c (the grandfather of the 1.7) back in the 80's I powered them with a pair of Adcom GFA550's. Years later I went w/ Odyssey Audio monoblocs which a superb but affordable amp. I'm currently using Merlins, but will go back to Maggie. Despite their limitations, they are just magical. (the main limitation being they are not very dynamic and it is hard to properly integrate a sub)

[@jankafka7330]

My MMGs work well with a 90s vintage 200 watt Rotel power amp, a 100 watt Emotiva amp, an ancient 50 watt NAD power amp and a slightly newer NAD receiver capable of an amazing 35 watts. All are capable of driving 4 ohm loads (which is imperative with Magnepan). I'm betting Audio Research amps would be killer with Maggies.

[@burlingtonbill1]

At one point (maybe STILL ?) Magnepan was using Bryston for their show demos.

[@MAB_Audio_Nut]

They used to way back in the 90s. last time I saw them on the road they were using Audio Research.

[@pennfootball71]

I have a Naim Uniti Star with a streamer built in...only 70 watts per channel...at only 50%-60% and it is way to loud and I have to dial it down. I am driving 2 new monitor gold 200 towers that are 3 way speakers that have 2 6 1/2 base drivers and a 4.5" midrange and a ribbon tweeter. NAIM WATTS ARE POWERFUL! This bad boy can drive Sopra 2's no problem and Focal voices them with this amp. You have to try one and the integrated streamer does tidal directly to the amp over wifi perfectly. Most people are blown away with Naim the first time they hear it and can't believe it. Naim for life here!

[@sandydennylives1392]

I'm thinking of getting one, would it work with B&W 705s2's and what other speakers under £2K ( $2.5K) did you try?

[@Taffy84]

They better be good considering how much they cost.

[@n.brucenelson5920]

Jay, I am using the .7s. I thought I would have to buy new amps. I have old (1983) and rather rare Technics New Class A SE-A7s. They can be strapped, but unfortunately only for 8 ohm loads, so I haven't tried it with the Magnapans. They are rated at 60 watts into both 4 and 8 ohm loads. Here are the published specs: Frequency response: 20Hz to 20kHz Total harmonic distortion: 0.003% Damping factor: 100 Input sensitivity: 1V Signal to noise ratio: 110dB Speaker load impedance: 4Ω to 16Ω Dimensions: 430 x 53 x 365mm Weight: 9.8kg It plays the .7s to quite loud levels and they sound wonderful! Boy, what a pleasant surprise!

[@ScottRutledge]

Thank you Jay this has been super helpful to me as I just received my Magnepan LRS’ and looking for an appropriate amp to make them sound their best within my budget.

[@LeoRousseau]

Hey Scott, I have a pair of LRS'S due in on Wednesday and from what I've read in just a couple of places, the Rogue Audio Sphinx v3 is a good match for them, which is what I have. It doubles power from 100 watts at 8 ohms to 200 at 4 ohms. I hope that what I have read is true. If not, I will not be hanging on to the LRS's. The Sphinx is a very good value for the money, so I thought that I'd throw that out there. Have a great day! Leo 🇺🇦🇺🇸👊

[@franknelissen8041]

Hey @@LeoRousseau , how did the Sphinx perform with your LRS's? And was it the LRS or LRS+?

[@LeoRousseau]

@@franknelissen8041 Good evening Frank! So the LRS's never got hooked up due to my wife not wanting them in our living room. So unfortunately I turned around and sold them to someone local for what I paid for them. They were the original LRS. According to the gentleman who bought them, they sounded very good and actually had a decent amount of bass as well. I don't remember the amp that he had. So I will have to settle for my Dali Oberon 5's. I also sold my Rogue Sphinx v3 and I now have a Rega Elex R and I'm very thrilled with it.

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

​@@LeoRousseaudamn men these days are complete cucks. You should be able to enjoy your hobby with reasonable compromises. Grow a spine.

[@ethan8023]

Watts = VA (if there is no reactive power var), if the amplifier's output impedance is high, it limits the current output. A high damping factor High Wattage amplifier must be High Current Amplifier. A modern designed Class D amplifier can output 30A plus current which means much powerful than the naim, so the current shouldn't be a problem to drive LRS.

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

Manufacturers do not give specification on the voltage or current of their amplifiers, so how do you know any class D amp is producing 30 amps at any frequency.

[@BunnyslippersEUC]

I just got my secondhand Magnepan SMGb. My vintage Luxman R800 MK2 can drive them at high levels with only 40 Watts. I haven't played complex music yet. My guess was that lots of vintage amplifier/receiver are high current, therefore have lots of drive even at low watts.

[@titntin5178]

I've been looking into peak current designs myself recently in trying to understand why their Naim Amps have such a reputation (well deserved) for pace rythem and timing. I've yet to hear amps that match it and I'm kinda stuck with my 250DR until I can find other amps which match this aspect of their design. Thanks for this piece, its very interesting.

[@heywoodjablome5630]

I've used Rotel, a low wattage tube amp, some older JC1 monos and Modular Electronics ME850 (massive toroidal transformers, dual mono and no negative feedback). The ME was great and the Parasound JC1s were excellent, if a little clinical... in my house.

[@edmerkel2407]

The info here is much appreciated. I'm thinking of either the Magnepan LRS or the .7. Amps under consideration are the Dayens Menuetto, Schiit Vidar with the Saga+ preamp, or the Outlaw Audio 2160 Mk ii. Here in SD there is really no place to see or audition any of this, so reviews like this are invaluable. Thank you!

[@mannytheseacow7381]

Been running the 2160mkii with LRS for about 7 months, not a good match.

[@peterdesmidt8742]

I'm using an old Adcom GFA-535II with my LRS. It works very well.

[@VladVonGrigorian]

Thank you for an excellent video. I approached the same subject with a few preconceptions as well. More power, high current, high damping factor, etc. Tried a $12K 75W tube amp, a 460W solid state with a damping factor of 4,000, etc. Ended up with a 110W $75 solid state amp from the eighties. When it comes to Maggies trial and error is the only way to go. But I have never considered NAIM. Will try it.

[@vicwahbyphotography4866]

Which amp was your $75 winner, and do you have any inkling why it works so well?

[@VladVonGrigorian]

@@vicwahbyphotography4866 This one, an old Onkyo M5100. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaC6YaCIjJJkf9k It was not the best, it was the best for the price. Before this one it was an Audio Research Reference 75: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aGTHl3RtaZ6VZsU

[@daviddrake6875]

What amplifier was that?

[@MAB_Audio_Nut]

This is the same type of conclusions I have come to. There are many others besides what you have mentioned of course. I find this whole idea that Magnepans need 500 watts or higher total rubush. and usually that's the sound you get. I have the 3.7i and after about 10 Amps many with a ton of power ended up with a VAC PA 100/100 so that's only two KT88 tubes per side easily powers the Magnepans with outstanding sound. The only big change that I made to the Amp with trading out the 12au7 tube for E80CC tubes after talking the the owner of VAC and him telling me that was fine to do. This Amp is so far and above anything else I tried including Parasound, B&K, Rouge, Vincent, NAD, Conrad Johnson, Audio Research, Crown Class D, Emotiva. My wife even says there is so much more to the VAC Amp. people would swear the person singing is in the room in front of you. So 100 Watts per channel and I have never gotten to the limit of this Amp. So all that to say you are right you have to try Amps in your setup to find what sounds best.

[@khanhdang8342]

I am currently use one McIntosh 275 tube amp ( 75 W ) driving my 3.7i without any problem, great senergy, no clipping. Use 50% Volume from PA and pretty loud about 80 dB already.

[@Jayiyagi]

Mc275 is a beast. Had the mk v. The output transformers made me drool 😂😂😂

[@flashhog01]

Awesome, I'm using a MC275 to drive my 1.7i in a small room. Great amp but will run out of gas in a bigger room.

[@catfisch2919]

Started with a MC2100 (105 wpc). Now have two as mono blocks (210 wpc) which sounds much better in my large room. Also running REL subs. May have to try a Hegel!

[@rhwinner]

Now can you do a video on possible Magnepan setups, ideal rooms, etc...?

[@jochvomberg5541]

My Maggies 0.7 needs much power,first played with Classe Audio CA 151-2*150 w 4ohm -2*300w 8ohm but after added a Nubert Power A 2*500 w the control and bass much more dynamic.

[@gumbypimp65]

I am using a Hegel H390 with my 1.7i, I recently purchased a ADCOM 555SE and I must say the it gives the H390 a run for the money, the rest of my rig consist of PrimaLuna Premium Dialogue PreAmp, Lampizator Atantic TRP DAC, custom Solid State computer as a server and an Isotek Aquarius conditioner, the 1.7i sound spectacular with this setup.

[@gumbypimp65]

StefanUrkel I got the ADCOM 555SE for nostalgic reasons since I had one when I was stationed in Sicily in the 90s, it has high damping factor which is critical to control and Magnepan as well as high current delivery, if you look at my front end with the ADCOM it is being feed the best possible signal I could give it so I’m able to extrapolate every once of performance it has, what I was alluding to was it ability to control the panel was similar to the H390, therefore I was impressed with its performance. My preference with the 1.7i is the H390 it has an excellent preamp section, it’s DAC is superb and it has a vice grip on the panel do to its 4000 damping factor rating. I also have Klipsch Cornwall 4 my system is primarily Tube based, That is why I got the Hegel for the Maggie’s.

[@gumbypimp65]

StefanUrkel I will say that when I run my Lampizator Atlantic TRP through the H390 it is without a doubt world class, if you want simplicity, superb engineering, and superlative sound quality, go with the Hegel you won’t regret it.

[@bigjay1970]

It's all about the current and amps not the Watts that goes for any speaker not just a magnepan!🤗😎🤔

[@jamesnelson8549]

Audio by Van Alstine made in USA & the price is good! I drive 1.7i’s all day long! High current!

[@netman42CT]

which model do you use?

[@stevorcompton5289]

I’m using 2 channels of an ATI made THX Ultra 5 channel amp that outputs 250 WPC @4 ohms the other three channels being used for my 7.4.4 system. I agree on the high current needs of these speakers and putting the tweeters to the outside did expand the sweet spot for a much more enjoyable communal experience. Tweeters to the inside result in more of a holographic effect but the sweet spot is quite narrow and a small movement of your head can change the effect dramatically. It took nearly four months from ordering to delivery so the guy who said he was getting them next week must live next to the factory and have a friend there as well!

[@yippie6862]

At a good price Magnepan's sound good with NAD also.

[@samuelevenstein6562]

i HAVE A NAD M10 RATED AT 100W PER CHANNEL, DO YOU THINK THE LRS MAGNEPAN'S WILL BE A GOOD CHOICE ?

[@jon4715]

I agree with the NAD’s too.

[@yippie6862]

@@samuelevenstein6562 Depends on the room, music style and how loud you like to listen. I think the M10 only puts 100 watts into 4 ohms. I like NAD's non-class D designs with power envelop. Gives short bursts of power into very low impedances. I think you should be just fine with the M10 but I wouldn't say its the best choice.

[@greganderson1681]

The Hegel H90 is the one! I heart my Hegel and can’t wait for the .7s I just bought to arrive. Unfortunately, they’re way back-ordered. 😕

[@timbathras2660]

I have a pair of PS Audio Stellar M700 monoblocks driving my 1.7i's and love it.

[@Jayiyagi]

Yes ! That combination works. It is a romantic sound.

[@irawong]

Yup, also using PS Audio Stellar M700’s to drive my Magnepan .7i’s. Speaking of which (since you’ve owned both), are the 1.7i’s simply a larger version of the .7i’s, Jay? Still debating if I should move up to the larger panels.

[@Jayiyagi]

@@irawong 1.7i is overall improvement. Although sound signature is similar

[@barryurg3134]

Just got M700 to drive my Quad ESL63. Less oomph than my old Proceed AMP2 but much better soundstage. Nice to know that when my Quads finally die I can get Magneplanars and not need a new amp.

[@nspfc]

I had the SMGa magnaplanar speakers coupled to a Linn Majik intergrated amp. it sounded great!!! that Linn is 33 watts into 8 ohms and 66 watts into 4 ohm. I always listened at levels that filled the 14 by 18 foot room. that same amp still is being used on my first generation ELAC 5 bookshelves which ate also considered power hungry. I never have had issues with the Linn My son in laws Sony 7.2 channel amp sounds like crap with the same speakers. He bought a used VTL 85 tube amp which is much better than most under 100 watt solid state amps when driving magnapan or ELAC speakers.

[@manzanaresantonio]

I bought two Harman Kardon Citation 22 power amps, I will bridge them to produce 400 watts per channel (Conservative), they are High current amps and I can't wait to hear them. The secret why some amps with low watts sound great and with authority is that they are high current amps. For instance my Harman Kardon H/K 730 receiver is just rated at 40 amps, but they can drive my Magnepans at reasonable volume, I was wondering how was this possible, until I read that these ratings are conservative and that they use 2 transformers for each channel, so they never run out of juice (High-Current)! These great Harman Kardons can dip as low as 2ohms as tested in labs!

[@1ufcfanatic795]

My Magnepans sounded best on a Bryson 4Bst. I had 1.7’s and MMG’s.

[@peng7865]

Personally I think the Electrocompaniet Eci 5 MKII makes everything on the magnepan very musical, the most old simple recording, starts to come to life, the instruments stand out, in terms of authenticity, the instruments are easy to follow, the movements on an instrument , can shift back and forth, but also in depth, the 3d feeling is amazing. (Now I have to say that I usually exchange the capacitors on the QR tweeter with oil capacitors) I can recommend everyone to try this amplifier on the Magnepan's

[@carlfuggiasco7495]

Current you hit the nail on the head. Your three amplification choices are mine as well. However out of my price range. Although the Parasound is closer. Lastly I ended up buying a Rogue Sphinx V2 and the tube preamp section makes a big difference in the sound. And yes it's class d, but really damn good sounding class D!

[@scottroberts4551]

I started out with the Rogue Sphinx V3 with my lrs+'s and liked it a lot. Ended up upgrading to the Chronus Mag3 all tube integrated, even nicer.

[@billwillard9410]

Very helpful, gives an idea of how to narrow amp choices down for these.

[@javsmith86]

It would be helpful to talk about which model you used of each manufacturer

[@flashhog01]

Great video! I have had great success powering my Maggie 1.7i with a 75w tube amp. The peachtree you mentioned giving 250w to the 1.7i sounded not so great, however it made my Maggie MMG speakers sound really good. If you have Maggies try out as many amps as feasible.

[@TombstoneTube]

Hi - what tube amp are you using? Thnaks

[@flashhog01]

@@TombstoneTube I have a McIntosh MC275.

[@victorjohnson7512]

High current class A/B with a fairly high damping factor. There are actually good amps under $500 that qualify.

[@devinwilliams4851]

Please share a few examples, if you don't mind.

[@JC-lk3oy]

@@devinwilliams4851 I would also love to hear some examples in the $500 range.

[@spudpud-T67]

I was so inspired by all the positive reviews about Magnepans so off I went to the stereo shop to audition the buy some LRS+. I listened to them with the suggested Hegel amps (as you suggested) a H390 in my case and what a disappointment. Like a tinny bookshelf speaker. The base was not reduced, it was none existent. My cello concerto was minus the cello. Why would they market a speaker without base? I was then given the Musical fidelity M5si to trial with it and it did sound better less muddy in the mid range but still no base. If people say the Hegel is a fine match with these I'm gobsmacked. You can add a subwoofer but then they say you loose the "no speaker effect" The no speaker effect and the painful treble, (painful as I had to up the volume so much to get any resolution from the mids), was the only pros with this speaker. I so wanted a special speaker and I will consider audio reviews very dubiously now (pinch of salt).

[@mrpositronia]

Which Hegel amp? The Röst is rated at 75wpc, and the H90 is 60, I believe, but I know they can give more punch than their rating.

[@kellytaylor3915]

I would suggest you try running the amps that can run on 120 volts or 240 volts and run them on 240 volts. If you can run them on 240 volts it makes a huge difference. Give it a try. Check with your amp or preamp company to make sure how to do it and if they can be switched over to 240 volts. Every time I have done it I am amazed.

[@paulkelleway8032]

A well designed amplifier will sound great at low volumes as well as when driven harder, the relationship between a given amplifier and a given speaker is complex because all speakers have differing impedance and sensitivity, so pairing well counts. I’ve always found older amplifiers seem to have more power than the same quoted amplifiers of the modern era. You only need a few watts of good quality to fill a room with most speakers.

[@rogercobb3092]

My ancient Sumo Nine class A amp has always sounded fine when used with both my Maggie IIb’s and my MMG’s. Another great design from the late James Bongiorno. “Bongo” never received the credit he deserved within the audio industry.

[@shardie78239]

Here’s another for you. Outlaw RR2260 does a great job with LRS. It’s 110 watt and 165 in 4 olm. The price is 799. Nothing out there does any better for the money.

[@alanwigodner5811]

I have a 2160 and love it.

[@mannytheseacow7381]

Interesting. I’m using the 2160 with LRS and find it a quite boring combination.

[@BigFarm_ah365]

I passed up a great deal on some PSB Gold i because I wasn't sure my if 90 watt(@8 ohm) amp would work with demanding speakers. I've since learned there is very few speakers that the Yamaha A-S2100 can't drive. Great, warm tone, fully differential circuit, it's a bit of overkill with my Forte's, so I got a 3w SET that sounds amazing, I love switching between the two, but definitely interested in trying Magnepan with the Yamaha, just waiting for the right deal to come along.

[@manzanaresantonio]

You are right, amperes(Current) is more important than watts. lots Watts+lots of amperes= lots of power! I have a Cambridge Audio CX-A80 and drives the Magnepan with Authority, due to lots of current and muscle! You can get a used Adcom GFA-555 Mrk II, Bryston, Parasound or the brilliant high current Harman Kardon amplifiers!

[@siriosstar4789]

i completely agree about " we have to listen to each amp on our short list in oder to make a decision. my situation is compounded by living in Germany where most of my short list amps are coming from america . ok, i should stop whining and research alternatives

[@austinlibby7025]

Jay, I’ll do respect I have a new 155 excess name 60 watch the side LRS pluses can’t push him sounds horrible. I don’t know what you were using for 50 watch the synonym name I have a new 60 horrible horrible no definition horrible I don’t know what you’re talking about. I believe you you have credibility. You have any here, so why I’d like to sit on across from you and really analyze at 50 watch that you were talking about through Magis which I have Totally unbelievable I can’t believe it works. I have at my house I have 60 watch LRS have a P 10 Rager I am have a high quality equipment been in this business. I’m 80 years old. I don’t know where you’re coming from with 50 whites. Question me you got my email keep up the work brother I’m still a Member.

[@grabir01]

Look. Get an old Phase Linear Laboratory Amplifier which has around 100 watts or so, hook them to any Magnepan speakers you have, and enjoy. These old Phase Linear Amps are very high current and will power your Mags with ease. The sound quality will amaze you. Get a Phase Linear while they are still around for affordable price as they are increasing in value fast as many are discovering what great engineering pioneer Bob Carver was.

[@rhotundrabunnsagger1077]

My 70 watt old Classe doesn’t like (actually sounds like crap) with more efficient Linn, or KEF’s but works well with MGIIIa or Linaeum 11,s. Spot on about trial pairing and sometimes unexpected results!!

[@AliRaza-lg8nw]

Hi Jay, this is a bit old but I wanted to get your view whether 2 Schiit Vidars (monoblocks) driving the Magnepan LRS+ is worth considering. Thanks.

[@Jayiyagi]

I've actually had that exact combo and it wasn't my fav. It was a bit dark over-all. I still think Hegel integrated amps are the way to go for maggies

[@AliRaza-lg8nw]

Thanks very much for the response. I’ve just received an email from Schiit advising me not to use two Vidars to drive the Maggie’s, because they would go into protection at higher volumes. Case closed. Thanks again.

[@KennethKlein-cr3sh]

I would also consider two mono BenchMark ABH2 amps. Read about them. They are driving my new 20.7s beautifully. Transparent, ultra low distortion, great bass and imaging@@AliRaza-lg8nw

[@AliRaza-lg8nw]

@@KennethKlein-cr3sh thanks. I’ve retired the Vidars. Now enjoying the Hegel H390!

[@scchengmus]

Great review! By chance have you compared pairing a Hegel H90 vs. H190 with the Magnepan LRS without a subwoofer? (I'm considering adding a REL sub but that's another topic)

[@robertwebster8615]

Hegel H90 replaced by H95 amp...

[@DucksDeLucks]

I prefer the darker sound with Magnepans, which tend to sound too polite. BEst sound I've heard was old Classe.

[@petersouthernboy6327]

You need a lot of clean current to drive a very low sensitivity (80 dB per Absolute Sound March 2020) 4 ohm load and make them sound good at spirited listening levels. This is where you get guys driving a $700 LRS with a $9K MC462.

[@donvittoriosierra]

The hegels shut off overheating with magnepans. How is the Naim when it comes to heating and shutting off?

[@Mik3yD]

I am wondering the same thing. My H90 overheats and shuts off with my LRS. I’m not happy about it since it was recommended to me by Audio Excellence and wasn’t cheap either.

[@thorerik678]

If the amps he's talking about are from Pyle or other low end sound re-enforcement manufacturers that are rated at 700 watts or more I can certainly understand the problem. These class D amps can produce a high current level but only for a very short period of time. Maggies need reserve power and having a well designed power amp with high current reserves is paramount to them working like they should. A well designed class D amp with a robust switching power supply can supply the current needed in a small efficient package and help keep your power bill down.

[@BattleGroundElite]

One way to look at this "50 watts and current" is kinda simple. 1 watt = 1 volt x 1 amp Simply put Volts x amp = watts. Subs love amps and tweeters and midrange kinda love volts. Current is the combo. Kinda like if you fill your car with gasoline. Amps is the diameter of the hooze the gasoline flows through and volts is how fast (pressure) the gasoline can flow through the hooze. Now you need to figure out what kind of current your speaker loves.

[@helmutgroen4129]

Your right, simply think of Stax headphones 🎧 ,even there are sure beter sounding headphones 🎧 but it's all in the 🎮 game🎯 i guess.great day to everyone!

[@stephanevanrompaey5110]

What about Atoll you show the picture? Are your comment also valid for old hybrid Martin Logan?

[@marktran630]

I have tried McIntosh, Classe Audio and Bryston amps with my maggies and I prefer the Classe Audio combination.

[@mitchellhugonnet3839]

Agreed.

[@toddmorrison7342]

Caver made an excellent high current 250 per channel amp back in the 90s, too bad his company folded, followed by Sunfire.

[@hgbucher]

Modded Carver M-1.0t. Love it!

[@epi2045]

If there’s one song that will demonstrate the bass signature of the Magnepan’s it’s “Take You There” by H.E.R. It almost sounds like there’s a sub...

[@cau8365]

Also check out the track " Thanks To You", and " On The Beach" by Boz Scaggs.

[@jeffreyepiscopo]

"Sober II (Melodrama)" by Lorde is also good

[@jimclark5617]

Bob Carver Crimson 275 tube amp runs them very well.

[@siddhantmerh592]

I think you should hear few First Watt amps :) you would also change concepts about damping factor

[@threecats8219]

Like your desktop speaker rig. (I did the same - different speakers.)

[@johnsweda2999]

Audiolab 6000a pushes 9 amps good for hard driven speakers £600 new and the 8300a model but I would go with the 6000 I don't think there's much in it. Have you tried it?

[@disorderindminor]

I’ve been running my MG-1C on an ancient Ashly Fet500 the amplifier weights like 70lbs it does 400 watts at 4ohms. It definitely passes enough current to stick weld with. That’s probably why they sound so great on the Maggie’s for an 80$ used amplifier. I replaced the old metal fan with a noctua and a 12v transformer. The MG-1c is 5ohm which is odd for Maggies. I’m thinking about picking up the 1.7s tomorrow.

[@franknelissen8041]

Did you pick 1.7s and how did it turn out?

[@disorderindminor]

@@franknelissen8041 Yes I did! brand new pair of 1.7i's from Audio Advantage in rochester hills michigan. They have exceeded my expectations in every measureable way. I've started filming the reaction of people hearing them for the first time. I gave my old MG-1C's to my buddy Justin who does sound at the Midland Center for the arts, they are at the age they need work.

[@Mkh6063]

Wait till you hear it driven by a Plinius SA-50 (50 watts only!) in pure Class A. It can deliver in a short-circuit momentarily for over 30A. Now this is high current. It has no problem even driving the bigger Maggies like the 3.7s. Unless you have a huge listening room, then you might need an SA-100. Otherwise, this baby Plinius is sufficient for pretty much any Magnepan up to the 3 series. A used one won’t cost more than $2k.

[@garyconway439]

Another classic pairing for Magnepan is Plinius

[@marcusm5127]

Do you thing the Ice power AS1200S2 would be a good fit. It's a class D 1200 W per channel at 4 Ohm.

[@erikhalle1177]

Hi Jay, thanks for the great reviews. Please make a review of matching speakers to low watt tube amplifiers like the Boyuurange A50, thanks