Best Amp for Magnepan 1.7?

I would say:

Spectron
Bryston
Pass Labs

Best regards

I would still choose the Moscode 600 or 401 or the newest version. IMO there is something magical with those amps and Maggies. Don't forget McCormack amps.

I think the Bryston will be the best value per dollar and you can mate it well with a good tube preamp as well as the McIntosh and the Levinson. I think the Krell is a little more finicky using some tube preamps with it.

It depends on which McIntosh you choose and tube or solid state. All will control the bass for sure. All will give you a very solid sound presentation.

You have your job really cut out for you on those choices. I'd look at the McCormack or Moscode for my listening pleasure. Good Luck

IF you decide on the Mac, I have a friend with an MA-6900 on the block.
He went with a MC-401 for his Gallo's

Doesn't Magnepan use Bryston at shows?

In all fairness, I've never heard Mac/Maggie but have heard both good and bad comments. Mainly from people who I don't know......

You don't state what your budget is for an amp. You should consider the Magtech amp by Sanders Sound Systems. An incredible amp that will drive any speaker with incredible power and purity of sound that you have to hear to believe. Check it out on their website.

Pass seems like a great match.
1.7 review

The Emotiva XPA 5, XPA 2 do a great job on the 1.6's/1.7's. Maybe try them out before trying more expensive amps. The Magnepan/Emotiva combo makes a first rate system at a very afordable price.

Door #1 Bryston.Door #2 Bryston.Door #3 Bryston.Been there, done that, got the T-Shirt.

Did anyone here it with the parasound Halo A23? It is not too expensive?

I meant A 21 with more power and amperage.

Bel Canto Int amp or the higher powered bel canto power amps.

I'm using an Odyssey Stratos Dual Mono amplifier with Odyssey Candela Preamp for the Magnepan MMG's. I'm very pleased with this setup. I have 1.7's and can only imagine how amazing it will be.

The Odyssey gear is of great quality and offers amazing bang for the buck.

Any chance that Quicksilver mono 88's would work with Magneplanar 1.7's

For what it is worth, I run MG1.2's wth a McIntosh MA 6300 integrated at 160 wpc into 4 ohms. Sounds good to me.

The efficiency of both speakers is about the same.

Magnepan's like a lot of current. I would choose between McCormack DNA-500, Clayton 100 watt or 200 watt Class A amps, or Modwright KWA 150. All these amps are superior to the Krells, Levinsons, Brystons, etc.

In Germany the Magnepans are distributed and often demoed with Jeff Rowland.
But i would second the Roger Sanders / Innersound amps!

The best match that I have heard is what I am using now, a pair of Cary 500 mono blocks. What pre amp are you using?

Every so often a good pair of Cary 500's show up for sale on Audiogon.

From your list I would go with the Pass.

I have traded in my Maggie 1.2's and now run 1.7's with Wyred4Sound SX 1000 amp and STP SE preamp.

Check it out before you spend the really big bucks, you just might be surprised.

According to the folks at W4S they are going to be listening to a customer's 3.6's to see how compatable they are with the W4S products.

I can tell that the sound is very palpable and on good recordings it sounds like you are right next to the real instrument.

Good soundstage depth and width, lots of detail, and dynamic. You can pick individual voices out of harmonies and specific instruments out of the mix.

You can't go seriously wrong with ANY of the ICE based 'd' amps. They all have more in common with one another than BIG differences....this is true of all of 'em....W4S, BelCanto and all the rest.

My PSAudio is a.....well, since it came first, the W4S is a CLONE of the PSAudio offering, right down to backpanel detail / arrangement and were built by the same folks in the same plant.

PLEASE take the time to read ALL the specs for ICE amps. The RMS power is NOT by the FTC method. The max power output is strictly time-limited for all ICE amps due to cooling issues. YES, I know they are mid-80s% efficient, but that is only at full power. So, you've still got a couple hundred watts of HEAT to deal with.

The W4S 'test' with 3.6s? Window dressing. The compatibility is a foregone conclusion and it'll work FINE...and than some.

Magfan, the insinuation was about what speakers to use when displaying amps at shows.

Just my take.

Insinuation:
An unpleasant hint or suggestion of something bad
Who insinuated anything? Are my (factual) remarks about ICE amp time/power limits considered a 'dis'? With most a good rule of thumb being peak / continueous power needed of about 1:10, I'd say that you'd never touch an ICE amps time/power limits with real music.
Sorry, Dsper, I don't get your drift: at SHOWS? The OP wanted to know what to power his new 1.7s with. You are having good results with W4S and I with PSAudio.....amps which are at worst, close cousins.
I was mainly addressing your remarks about ICE amps....with some general comments about the real power output of those amps. They DO power the panels well, since the only way to dip into the power time limits would be to play sine waves.

As for recommending an amp for the OP? Any amp run within its electrical limits will probably be fine. Louder requires more power....sometimes LOTS more if in a larger room at the same time. As for what sounds best? the OP should try some stuff out or maybe take home a dealer demo for a weekend. The ONLY amp from his list which I've heard mixed reviews about with panels is the Mac. I'd scratch the Mac and Levinson from the list and add Pass and W4S.....but that's just an opinion and the OP needs to test for himself.

Enjoy your W4S with your 1.7s as I enjoy my PSAudio with my 1.6s

Sorry Magfan,

I meant to say that the W4S person with whom I spoke insinuated that they were considering pairing their products with Maggies to help sell their W4S products.

Your comment about running an amp within its limits is right on. My personal opinion is that there are many listeners who are used to hearing distortion and think that is good sound.

In Germany the Magnepans are distributed and often demoed with Jeff Rowland.

I have heard the 1,7 just unpacked and switched on

Jeff Rowland 312 + Corus
dCS Puccini + clock

I was shocked how good it was! ... on CDs I know perfectly well I discovered the space in which they have been recorded !! I couldn't believe my ears
more details somewhere here on this forum, just put Magnepan 1,7 in the searching engine

so for lower budget, there is no reason that Wired 4S shouldn't be a good match as Jeff Rowland's 312 is also a class D

then of course you need a top source

I have a pair of 1.7's....for what it's worth I have used a Mac 2105 and a super tricked out Musical Concepts Hafler dh-500.

Both sound excellent, the Hafler is more neutral. Neither can handle more than 30 minutes of high volume listening before shutting down. I think the weakness of my system is the Dynaco PAS 3x pre-amp.

It would seem that more power would help if the amps are shutting down after 30 minutes.

I had the same problem with a Krell S300i integrated at 300 wpc/4 ohms.

More power will open up the Maggies and give the low end a boost.

Clavil, having owned DCS equipment, as well as Jeff Rowland equipment, several Class D amps and many brands of speakers (including maggies, but not at the same time), I can confidently say that the DCS equipment was very likely a strong contributor to that set-up!

As somebody who has been pretty much across the board unimpressed with class D amps (versus my class A amps running box speakers - Wilson, Thiel, VS, Gemme, B&W, Totem and others), I can say I think they are a much better match for the maggies than everything else I have ever heard them with. But then, I am no magnepan expert, having just picked up a pair because they were so cheap.

Maybe in the next week or two I'll get around to hooking them up to a Class A amp and see the comparison. But my initial thought is that they make my class D amps sound better than they ever have before (which admittedly isn't that tough to do).

I drive my new 1.7 with Spectral DMA 150S2 directly coupled to a Berkeley Alpha. MIT Magnum M1 (interconnect and speaker) as cables. The result is fantastic. I compared it to ASR Emitter I, the Spectral is better in all the spectrum. Spectral are great machine and is curious which Are not so well considered in USA.

I have been using the Wyred 4 Sound STI-500 with the Magnepans for about 6 months. Initially, I would have agreed with some who shun the Class D amps. I was not initially getting the sound out of my system. It was a little off, not as detailed as expected, and diffuse imaging. So much so, that I was about to contact Wyred 4 Sound to see what could be done.

Then, I started making small changes. Changed the Digital cable from the W4S DAC2 from the inexpensive Better Cables Silver Serpent to a pair of Xindak cables. Big difference. Instruments came into better focus.

I then unplugged my STI-500 from a large UPS backup and filter and plugged it into a $50 simple unit, filter only. Another big change with detail improving and now, for the first time, I was getting a sense of depth.

Placed all equipment on rubber absorber feet with some weight on top of each piece of equipment (W4S StI-500, W4S DAC2 and Netgear 9150 music server). The ever so slight splassy sound in the highs was now eliminated.

Finally, I tested an inexpensive, but well made TOSLINK cable with the W4S DAC2 and a final change occurred. The clarity took another slight move forward and a sense of real performers increased significantly.

The point of all this is that the Class D amps get dumped on in these threads and it could be for one or more of these very simple reasons. They do seem to be sensitive to many changes, but you don't have to feed them megabuck cables, power supplies, etc. to make them sound fantastic.

They seem to mate with the Magnepan 1.7s in a way I have not heard before. Loud music is not strained, but I find due to the immense detail that you get from these amps that you get amazing satisfaction at low levels. It really is incredible. All that for only $2K for the STI-500 integrated! A terrific deal to try out before you decide on going more expensive.

i use two bat vk-55 tube amps all this talk about watts is only part of the solution current matters more i use to drive them with one bat vk-55 sounded great however i use a rel t1 sub the combination sounded detailed smooth and musical airy with my 450 watt solid state sounded harsh dry thin with good bass after 10 minutes had to turn it off was going to sell the maggies until i tried the bat now i'm in tube and maggie heaven.

Then, I started making small changes. Changed the Digital cable from the W4S DAC2 from the inexpensive Better Cables Silver Serpent to a pair of Xindak cables. Big difference. Instruments came into better focus.

class D are extremely sensitive to power cables ... that's also why Jeff Rowland developped the Power Factor devices

I heard the 1,7 with Jeff Rowland's 312 ... I couldn't believe my ears, how good it was (huge & deep soundstage, hearing things out of my Cds I had never heard before !!! ... even on 50'000 $ speakers !

In fact I want to hear the 3,7 which is said to be even better than the 1,7 and then ...

I have heard the following combos as far as Maggies are concerned. Not heard the 1.7 though:

- 2.7R with Perreaux 3150B (Fantastic sound, the best combo perhaps)

- 1.6R with VTL mono blocks (tube)

- 1.6R Quad 405/606 (excellent sound per pound - great sonics)

Dear: guys,

I have heard the 1.7 through fm acoustics pre and esoteric pwr amp, it was the demo set up at the absolute sound Singapore, they really sing...at least to my ears, details, ambience and naturalism or should I say realism were all at present. Happy trying..

I have heard the 1.7 through fm acoustics pre

which one ?

Wyred 4 Sound ST-500, Wyred 4 Sound ST-1000 the best amp ever, the world's best amp for Magnepan? Please let me laugh..

I just need few seconds in a A/B comparison to know that I had to resell my Wyred for sound and keep my old vintage integrated amp Akaï UO1 (40$ on Ebay)!

http://www.iavscanada.com/1107%20InventoryPics/1107-5229/Innovative%20Audio%20Akai%20AM-U01_f_l.jpg

If the Wyred 4 sound seems to be a little more powerfull than my 2x25 W Akaï, it is also drier, unmusical, flat. In one word, totally uninteresting..

Winsome Labs mouse is also more intersting than a Wyred for sound! (200 $ - 15 x 10 cm!)

If you buy Wyred for sound for sono purposes, don't forget that sono amp are way better..

If this can help you to save money..

your 2 x 25 Akai with the MG 1,7 it's somehow like a mosquito trying to copulate with an elephant ;-)

I used have a pair of MG1.6's and I drove them with a Krell KAV-250a, which is a very clean and neutral amp. Worked amazing with the Maggie's! Since replaced the speakers with Thiels (lack of ceiling height in the new basement) and the Krell drove them just fine, just too neutral (just replaced the Krell with a Mark Levinson, which I'm pretty certain wouldn't beat out the Krell if I still used the Maggie's).

I will sell the Krell if you are interested.

I own Magnepan MG1.7 and Primaluna Prologue premium preamp. Any suggestion for power amp model in order to drive this maggie better and more dynamic.

I drive my Maggie 1.7i's with CJ MF2275SE amp, I love how the CJ's voice these speakers. sublime.

I used a Parasound Integrated with my 1.7i with a sub and the sound was phenomenal. The Parasound can be found used in the $1500 range and has everything and plenty of current for those Maggie's.

Here is a different option for you, and for panel fans...

Read my review of the  Redgum Audio Articulata Integrated. One of the most unusual products I have encountered in terms of design, but the manufacturer is uniquely skilled. This integrated drives the Kingsound King III ESL speakers better than any monster mono amps I have reviewed. Freakish ability to wake up a panel speaker. 

I very much enjoy the Benchmark AHB2 amplifier in Mono (2) mode, but they do not have the capacity of the Articulata to drive a panel so powerfully. I have not found amp(s), tube or SS, up to $25K that outdo the Articulata with the panel speakers. 

I own Maggie’s (3.6) and I went through a number of amps and once I put Mac 501s in the system the search was over for me.

I will not disparage the other amps as I believe in synergy between the components and Maggie’s, Mac SS amp and a tube pre amp are the sweet spot for me.

I recommend trying McIntosh.  FYI, I bought my 501s 10 years ago and can still get all my money back in a sale, not that you could pry them loose from me, LOL.

If you have the scratch get Pass monos that fit your budget and power requirements!

I ran my 1.7s for years with a Krell 2ch power amp, then I bought a Bryston 4BSST cause at the time that’s what Magnepan was using in their demo rooms. There will come a day when I’ll most likely upgrade to a Bryston Cubed amp.

Fully modded 1.7 with external crossover from the good guys at humble hifi, birch wood frame with rear braces and swapped rear panel to front.

Had the luxman 100ux, conrad johnson ca200 and recently a mint ML 23.5 with #26 pre and except the more ballsy bass of the latter after warm up, the wyre4sound sti1000v1 sounded the best of the lot from cold start and runs 24/7.

Think 725w at operating 4ohm of the 1.7 and up to 40A instantaneous of the sti1000 helps a lot.

Hope this helps anyone looking for a cost effective single box integrated amp.

Cheers

Richard
Singapore

ronwillis +1. Same here. I might have sld my Emerald Physics 100.2SEs prematurely for the exact same reasons- cables. I now have Audio Alchemy DPA-1 and PS Audio M700s, both of which are matched with better cables. I went from toslink to coax and was blown away. I then upgraded my XLR to WireWorld Series 8 and was similarly blown away

I had maggies with a Parasound A23 but the resultant amp heat drove me nuts. One would think heat would be true no matter the class A amp combined with 1.7 inefficiency . 

I would think 1.7s driven by either Audio Alchemy DPA-1 or PS Audio M700s would both be excellent choices. I own both but sold my 3.5Rs some time ago. I wanted an easier load which I found in Emerald Physics KCIIs with Clarity caps and WireWorld XO wiring. IMHO, the EPs outperformed the 3.5s and are half the size but throw every bit as big a sound stage