Amp upgrade time!!! What’s the most badass amp I can get for $6000 New or used. I’m currently bi amping my Martin Logan’s with an old mc7106. I want to move up. I’m not glued to biamping this time around, I just do it now because my gear is my gear, ya know?
I would like fully balanced. So please help me pick my next big boy amp. Treated room. Speaker: martin Logan esl x , rel t7i pair Preamp: t+a P3000hv dac / phono t+a DAC 8 DSD / nova phenomena 2+ streamer, tuner, Tt metrum Ambre , marantz 20b, marantz tt15s1 ic and power synergistic.
These mono blocks are right at $6K and I am sure they will take the Mac in on trade. In home audition for a couple weeks I believe. They gave me good money for an old Rotel amp when I bought my Steller 300. Interesting custom ICe Edge/ Tube hybrid design. Might be worth the effort/trial if the specs meet your requirements.
@andrewkellley A few of things to consider with ML speakers. The ESL X’s dip to 1.6 ohms at higher frequencies. Also the bigger the panel the more soundstage. The highs tend to roll of a bit so warm amps don’t always work well for certain types of music.
High current, preferably powerful enough to double going from 8 to 2 ohm would be ideal. I personally didn’t like McIntosh amps with autoformers paired with ML. I had the mc452 paired with my 11As and the sound lacked sparkle and clarity. You may want to consider a Vitus amp (preowned older models), from personal experience they pair well with ML. If you go tube make sure it’s powerful enough. Power isn’t necessarily only for playing louder, it may let you hear more at lower volumes as well. Another thing to consider, if you love soundstage maybe upgrade the speakers first then the amp. Montis and 11As can be found a good deals preowned.
@soix take meds? Your attitude is arrogant, I’m a good person!and don’t deserve the sarcasm.
@arctikdeth — Aw. You sound annoyed. Let’s call it even. As for being arrogant...
@soix McCormack is some mighty fine gear, serviceable, reliable, mable to call,and talk with the Steve himself! But he Sanders Magtech is beyond even Steve’s amps.
When was the last time you heard any McCormack amp much less monoblocks with Ultra Platinum upgrades? Yet you somehow boldly proclaim the Magtech is “beyond Steve’s amps.” How’s that for arrogant? Like I said, let’s just call it even.
andrewkelley OP architikdeth, I think I’m gonna skip on the Magtech. I have no doubt it can drive the snot out of my Martin Logan’s... and I bet it can play loud as all get out, but I’m not going for crazy loud, and I don’t want to blow my speakers.
arctikdeth not just playing loud! Sounds amazing, and you need the power and headroom for music. Plus the warranty is top. Don’t say you weren’t warned down the road mate.
I think we all knew that answer was coming asap.
soix Hey @arctikdeth, I think we got it. The horse is dead already. You had me at...
Sounds amazing, and you need the power and headroom for music. Plus the warranty is top.
Don’t say you weren’t warned down the road mate.
The amps, your looking at are very nice, kudos! enjoy the music.
You should audition the Magtech, she is a beauty. One don’t need to play so loud, it’s having the headroom when the music needs it.
As mentioned my speakers are rated at 250W peak, my amplifiers are 650-700 W rms in 8 Ohm, and well over 1000W into,4. no worries ever about any damage. , You owe yourself the 30 day in home trial. When you get the amps your looking at,try the Magtech 30 day trial and compare.
arctikdeth I think I’m gonna skip on the Magtech. I have no doubt it can drive the snot out of my Martin Logan’s... and I bet it can play loud as all get out, but I’m not going for crazy loud, and I don’t want to blow my speakers.
I’ve got an opportunity to get a pair of t+a amp8 for just under $5500. Same as a Magtech price wise. They also are a high voltage designed circuit so they should do well with the panels, I already have invested in speaker cables and ic for my current bi amp setup so I can bi amp again plus there’s a synergy w my DAC and preamp.
The Arion Audio HS-500 is in your price range. Very powerful and clean sounding Class D with a tube input stage. I own the S-500 and love it. I have heard the HS-500s numerous times in several different system contexts, and IMHO are tough to beat for the money. Plus, most people can carry one under each arm. Not ugly, but not audio jewelry, either.
There is a McIntosh MC 452 for sale on this site that’s just a little over your budget, but it’s an auction so you might be able to get it for less. It’s an outstanding amo.
I am 2/3 of my way in buying an all Benchmark electronics chain for 1 of my systems. Still need to get the AHB2 at $3K each. Two AHB2’s running in mono block format gives you 380 watts at 8 Ohms and have been demoed with Martin Logan at shows.
I inquired with Benchmark whether the sound is degraded when switching from stereo to mono block. They said it sounds even better in mono, but then they sell 2 units. However, I tend to believe the statements from Benchmark.
The AHB2 is a completely different sound than anything I have heard and my not be agreeable to you. So Benchmark offers a 30 day home trial. I bought Benchmark gear from a dealer. This was at a discount since I did not require a home trial. So possible to get these great amps at $6K or under.
I must say that no matter how good the Magtech amp may be, I would be inclined to choose something else solely on the basis of @arctikdeth ’s over-the-top shilling.
Be wary of the Magtech with ML’s, they may be alright with Sanders own ESL’s they have a different impedance loading to the Martin Logan ESL. As this owner found, that had ML Summits, the fuses kept blowing on the Magtech, even with a different Magtech. Then on the Martin Logan forums some are using them without trouble. 🤷♂️
500WPC 8OHM, 900WPC @4OHM.WILL DRIVE ANYTHING, literally anything to good levels, clean, fast,accurate, headroom galore!
Nothing compares! Pass, levinson, etc etc, will be shadowed by the Magtech!
Try the 30 day in home trial!
you will buy her, and live happily ever after!
or get the gusto, Roger makes Magtech. MONOBLOCKS, , They are known to drive those radiosthraler speakers, which are known to destroy Carver sunfire 600 watt amps!!
Magtech will solve all your problems, drive anything, and give you piece of mind, knowing your amp will drive any speaker you hook up to her!
As soon as I get the coin, I’m buying one for sure!
Hello!! After reading through your likes and dislikes I think the best thing for you to do is look into the DAC company Lampizator. Idk if you use digital files a lot or not, but they make tube dacs with incredible amplification and power supplies. Really great stuff
You might want to look into the Anthem STR Power amp, they are on sale now for $4800.00 or you could even go for the Anthem P2 for $4500.00The P2 will drive any load down to 1ohm or even 0 (shorted) and will do it all day and not get hot.Both of these amps are well within your price range and are built to last.
I have Janszen zA2.1 hybrid electrostats and after many amps nothing makes them sing like my Linear Tube Audio ZOTL40. This amp has power seemingly far beyond its 40 watts.
if your want SS then I can wholeheartedly recommend the Coda #8.
No tubes for this kind of impedance curve, unless they have a 2ohm speaker tap, common complaint with tubes is there are no extended highs, this is the reason why, a downward sliding impedance to 1ohm from 3khz.
Then there may not be enough wattage with a 2ohm tap. And the only tube amp I know of with 2ohm speaker taps, is the Roger Mojeski's (rip) RM200's This is a similar load for the Electromotion ESLx https://www.stereophile.com/images/912Montisfig1.jpg
Take a look at McIntosh Mc501s. I bought mine used and they are amazing. You seem to like the Mac sound and there are built like a tank. I run 3.6 Maggies and they drive them easily!
I would stick with biamping the MLs and suggest a tube amp for the electrostatic panels and as big and mean a SS amp for the bass unit as you can afford. Subtlety doesn't matter with the bass, go with as much power as you can get. Maybe a big 2nd hand Perreaux would do the trick.
andrewkelley What’s the most badass amp I can get for $6000 New or used. my Martin Logan’s
From experience nothing for the money will touch these on ML ESL's A used pair of Parasound John Curl Halo JC1’s run in high bias mode, for serious listening, low bias mode for non serious. here are just 4 pairs in the US.
When I spend that kind of dough, I won’t do it without a home audition and right of return. That lets out most used gear. I am using Janszen hybrid electrostatics, and I don't want a harsh amp to take away from their beauty.
If you can take the copious heat, a Pass Labs X250.8 would meet your sound profile. Pass recommended (to me) the X series as better suited than the XA for electrostats. Reno HiFi often has demo units at about 20% above your price point, and they will take it back if you don’t like it.
I auditioned that amp, enjoyed the slightly lush and very atmospheric sound, and sent it back because the heat was too much for my small room. As @asa said, Pass Labs amps are widely loved and hold value.
I auditioned the Magtech, too, which to my ears had a chillier sound profile. (I know many hear perfection in it; and I agree Mr Sanders is a genius and great to do business with.) I decided on a Bryston 4B3, with sound somewhere in between the two. I am very happy with that, so I should include it in my list, though it has less snob appeal than Pass. Bryston these days has a far less up-front sound than previously.
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