New Maggie Owner; What amp????


Dear fellow Audiots and audiomaniacs,
I just bought my first set of Magnepan/Magneplanar 1.6qr. I need to buy a good integrated amp. My budget is $1200. How much power do I need? Also, will the Audio Refinement Complete be enough power for the Maggie 1.6's. Thank you and best regards - hififile (Bennett)
hififile

Showing 1 response by docwarnock

I have SMGa's in one of my systems and with respect to the question "How much power do Maggies need?" the correct answer is always MORE. They really need as much power as you can give them to get them to "bloom." I am using separates with an amp rated at 315 wpc @4 ohms and it is definitely NOT overkill. It replaced an amp rated at 200 wpc @ 4 ohms that frequently ran out of steam at high listening levels.

Given your stated desire for an integrated and your budget, the two that come immediately to mind would be a used Krell KAV300 or Musical Fidelity A300. Either of these should have the muscle necessary to drive your Maggies. I would be hesitant to buy anything with substantially less power.