AudioNervosa

Systemic Development => Amplification and Preamplification => Topic started by: jessearias on January 09, 2018, 07:38:46 AM

Title: Magnepan toying with idea for their own amp
Post by: jessearias on January 09, 2018, 07:38:46 AM
I was at my local stereo shop in Madison, Wisconsin listening looking at all the goodies and the Magnepan rep happened to be there. He came in with a large box and opened up a solid state amp and mentioned that Magnepan was toying with the idea of having their own brand amp for their speakers.

He said the amp was 300 watts per channel. The amp did have name on it but I cannot remember it. It was not a familiar brand name. It looked like a small boutique manufacturer. It was made in the USA he said.

The amp needed a good warming up period. Well over 1/2 hour. Cold it sounded like crap but most amps are that way. He had a little technical difficulties in the beginning as it smelled like burning wiring. They tried another amp in its place, a 225 watt Anthem and it sounded good. Once they got their amp sorted out and warmed up, it sounded nice. It was hooked up to a set of Maggie 1.7's. They were using a Parasound P-5 as a pre for both tests. Not the best pre-amp, but ok.

Their amp might have been damaged as it sounded ok, but was outclassed by the Anthem.

The one thing I got out of this session was that you needed a pretty stout amp to drive the Maggies. The knob was twisting up to the 12 o'clock position to get them to sing. Now I see why they were trying out a 300 watt amp.

I do not know if they are going to go through with this or not. The Magnepan rep said he was asking all the dealers to comment on the idea. So if you see them come out with their own brand amp, you heard it here first.  :D
Title: Re: Magnepan toying with idea for their own amp
Post by: richidoo on January 09, 2018, 09:24:32 AM
Thanks Jesse! A little industrial espionage on AN!  :thumb:

It sounds like they're off to a rough start, and lacking an experienced SS designer.

Magnepans need high current amps because the drivers are low impedance and low sensitivity, worst case for an amp. But obviously there are amps on the market that can do it. Maybe they want to have an amp with built in EQ to further voice the speakers beyond what they can do by the traditional methods.
Title: Re: Magnepan toying with idea for their own amp
Post by: rollo on March 09, 2018, 07:58:54 AM
  How did I miss this. As a former Maggie owner [3A] current is needed. For me always 300W and up. for tubed amp only the AR DR250DR [240W/ch] servo could drive them close to the SS amp.
  The Classe DR 25, CJ, Rowland, Parasound ALL worked well.

charles