2. amps-preamps
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Okay I Bought the Magnepan 3.6's

Okay, I actually purchased the Magnepan 3.6's; now it's amp research time! Temporarily running them with my 22 year old NAD 2200PE (don't laugh, it still works!)...and they sound decent in my 17 x 26 room. However as it has been said before, 'Scotty, I need MORE POWER!'...

After some feedback on the Parasound and big Macs, I have been leaning more towards one of the Pass Labs. (Good deals abound on used ones)... So, which way to go? These look very promising:

X250.5
X350.5
or even the XA60.5 (Pricey!!!)...

Thoughts and recommendations? Also, safe to run a tube preamp in front of these?
stickman451

Showing 3 responses by macdadtexas

macdadtexas
1,794 posts
 
Wyred4Sound SX 1000's

Bryston 7Bsst or 14Bsst

Parasound JC-1's

Cary Audio CAD 500 MB's (best, but nearly impossible to find used)

Sanders Sound Monoblocks
macdadtexas
1,794 posts
 
I had the McIntosh 501's with my Maggies and I changed them out for Innersound ESL's. I thought with my Maggies the Mac's were slow and muddy in comparison to the Parasound JC-1's they replaced. The Mac's are great amps, and sound great at my buddies house with his big B & W's, but I did not like them with the Maggies.

I still think the best amps I have heard with Maggies are the very hard to find Cary CAD 500 MB's. I like them better than the Pass X350.5 that I recently borrowed, and that is high praise, because the Pass did sound very good.
macdadtexas
1,794 posts
 
I recently used a Pass X350.5 with my Maggies, and the sound was great, but it did strain a little at volume, and was not quite on the same level overall with Maggies as the best amps I have used with them: Cary CAD 500 MB's, SandersSound Mono's, Brystons.

I think that next level up on the Pass (X600's) are probably better than any of these, from what I heard on my days with the X350.5's, but I would take any of these over the 350.5's right now.
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