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Building a Magnepan System, Please Help...

Hello everyone,

I am going to be shortly building an audio system, my first high end set up ever. I have decided on Magneplanar 1.7 speakers. The reason is that everything I have read seems to indicate that they are the best deal in audiophile speakers and the sound signature appeals to me. But since I have never built a high end sound sytem before, I need some help in picking components that match up well with the Magnepan speakers.

I am on a budget here. I want to get the best quality I can for the lowest price. I will even get the Magnepan speakers used if I can find them. I would like to be up and running for somewhere in the $3000 range but I can stretch that if need be.

I have all but decided on an Emotiva amp as they seem like a good deal and others have said they match up well and have enough power to drive these speakers.

So lets start out with saying that I bought a used but good condition Magneplanar 1.7 speakers for under $1500.

Then I bought an Emotiva XPA2 for around $700.

What else do I need to have a good startin system?

I have no intention of buying a subwoofer at this time. Maybe I'll add that later.

Do I need a pre amp to pair with the XPA2? I don't know too much about high end audio. What is the precise function of a pre amp and do I need one? Please recommend one for this set up.

As for the source, I would like to get into vinyl but I will hold off on that for the present. But bear in mind that I would like to be able to incorporate a record player into this system without much trouble in the future.

Instead of purchasing a high end CD player or SACD player, I though it would make sense to get a high end DAC for a computer source like a laptop so I can store my audio on my computer.

Can you recommend a good DAC that would be not too expensive but good enough to get the most out of the rest of the components I have selected?

So far I have, Magneplanar 1.7 speakers, Emotiva XPA2, maybe a pre amp and a DAC for running digital audio from a computer source. Not counting the cables to hook everything up, this is basically what I need right?

One final question. Should I also get a power conditioner to protect my components from surges and also to "clean" the power from my home outlets? I don't want to spend this much money and have my components damaged. If I should get one, please recommend one that is inexpensive.

Thanks for the help.
jrodefeld

Showing 3 responses by brownsfan

brownsfan
1,508 posts
 
Jrodefeld, Welcome to the society of obsessive compulsive Maggie owners. I started off with a pair of SMGa's driven by a small adcom amp decades ago. Take a look at my system page to see where this all leads.
You can certainly get a start down this road and put together a nice system based on used 1.7s(or 1.6s) for 3K. Think about one of the old McCormack amps- DNA 0.5 or 1.0, or a 125-- as an alternative to the Emotiva. The McCormacks mate well with Magnepans, and have a high input impedance which permits use of a TVC passive, like a Promethius Ref 4. Throw in a used Oppo95 to use as a source, and you probably can squeak in under 3K. I ran a system like that for almost a decade (using MG 1.6QRs) and it delivered very nicely for the limited investment.
brownsfan
1,508 posts
 
Jrodefeld, You are correct. Listening to equipment prior to purchase is always good advise but it isn't always possible. There are people who don't like Maggies. If you are just getting started and haven't formed a strong set of preferences, it may be low risk for you to give the 1.7;s a try. If you are buying used, you should be able to bring a pair in, use them for a period, then resell without too much loss. The same is true of other pieces. So, you may want to stick with used and think about resale value.
Frogman's idea about tube amps is good, but may be hard to pull off with your budget. Take a look at some of the virtual systems built around 1.6s and 1.7s. You may get some ideas there.
brownsfan
1,508 posts
 
What Frogman is saying should not be dismissed. However, The difference between a McCormack DNA 0.5 deluxe and a high powered Adcom is also laughable. Forget Adcom. It is not necessary to have 1000 WPC to get decent sound from Maggies. I drove my 1.6's for a long time with the 100 WPC McCormack DNA 0.5. They sounded a lot better with 300 WPC McCormack DNA 1.0 monoblocks.
Also not to be dismissed is the room placement issues to get the best sound. But---- Maggies not optimally placed, not optimally driven, maybe doing 85% of what they are capable of, can still sound better than most other speakers in a comparable price range.

All speakers, planars or not, dipoles or not, boxes or not, rear vented, bottom vented, transmission line, accoustic suspension, horns, you name it--- respond favorably to careful system matching and room placement. Things get blown way out of proportion with maggies.

Start somewhere then tweak, adjust, experiment-- it's what we all do, and what can make this hobby rewarding. My current set up with my MG 3.7R's is heavenly. But it didn't happen in a day.
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