conrad Johnson 350se and Magnepan 20 speaker

I have some experience with C-J gear but not the C-J 350SE. However, I think there would be a good chance that amp would work very well with big Maggies. Reviews say it has a bit of C-J sound signature and that means it does sound less like dry solid state amps. I'd definitely try it. 

Had a CJ MF2550 250wpc amp.  One of the worst sounding solid state amps I ever had in the living room.  The words slow, thick and syrupy comes to mind.  Love their tube gear, not so much their solid state. 

stereo5,
This is not the first time you are saying this, but... something must have been incompatible in your system. I have a CJ MF2550 and it does not sound like that. I use it with Klyne System 7 and NAT Plasma pre-amps and ProAc Response 3.8 speakers and I love it.
However, I don't know how it would sound with Magnepan 20.

Hi. I think it always a good idea to answer the person who is posting with a correct and relevant answer. Otherwise, we are not helping, which which is what this site is supposed to do. Once we do that, we can layer in other information.

I have heard Magnepans with CJ amps (MF2250SE, Premier 350, Classic 120SE, Premier 140, and LP 270SEM). For that matter I have heard them with VAC, Herron, Pass, and even a Fisher SA 1000.

As a disclaimer, I am a former speaker manufacturer and now provide concierge service for several companies, helping people build systems.
  
First the CJ MF 2550SE and Premier 350 may be two of the best amps CJ has ever made and may be two of the best sounding SS amps ever made. The standard MF2550 is a slight bit less detailed than the SE version, but still a lovely, musical amp. I could never use the words used above to describe it. Those words simply do not fit and mean that there was something else at play.

Read the reviews on the MF2550SE, there is a good comparison to the 350. The 350 simply engages you at a different level than the 2250SE. The 350 has power to spare and is a hair warmer than the 2250SE so it would mate well with the Magnepans. Speaker wire will matter.

I have a customer with Manegpan 20.7 who uses a CJ MF2275SE and it is a lovely system. I can list to it for hours. The 2275SE is a hair less detailed than the 2250SE. But as I said, we are "splitting hairs."

Yes, I think the 350 would work well with the 20.7s. Sorry for the long reply. Enjoy!

Correction:

I can

listen to

it for hours.

@lectronjh50,

I can’t explain it but that is what I heard.  The guy that bought the amp off me called and thanked me, saying it was the best amp he ever possessed. I was using a Rogue RP-5 tube preamp, an Esoteric X-3 SACD player and GE Triton Ref speakers.  I really wanted to like it but it just didn’t have any jump factor.  It was like driving behind a person doing 15mph in a 60mph zone.  Because I thought there may be something wrong with it, I practically gave it away.  

@stereo5 

Thanks for the additional information.  We all run into these hiccups. Sounds like you preamp and the amp did not work well together. Hope all is now sounding well.

Just wanted to thank everyone for all their input.  Will keep my eyes open for the amps.

When my Rotel rb1090 failed, I was given 2 amps , 1 per week, on my choice, and the approval of my dealer, known them for years.

 First was the Sunfire regular 300WPC amp, loved her, power seemed unlimited, with the great voltage or current speaker taps, one sounded like SS, other through a 1 ohm thingy to sound like a tube amp, great amp! (I now own the Sunfire Sig 600) love her.


2nd week conrad Johnson MF-200, aging but upgraded by factory, 
loved this amp, not quite the power of the Sunfire, but very, very smooth sounding, I almost bought this amp, but, her age kept me from buying.
I loved this amp, warm, rich, detailed, some might say it’s slow,....
naahh,  very nice sound, relaxed, and accurate.


 If you locate the 350 CJ amp, drive it to CJ, for a look-C, upgrade, test, replace parts as needed.

   I’m still looking for one in MY PRICE RANGE. not yet, soon, I’ll find one.