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Power Amp for Magnepan MG 20.1's

I recently purchased a used pair of Magnepan MG 20.1's and I am looking to add a power amp to drive them that will cost under $2,000 either new or used.

I use my 20.1's as part of my home theater set up which includes the Magnepan CC2 center channel speaker, Magnepan MG MC1's for the surround speakers and an active powered subwoofer. I watch Blu-Ray and DVD video discs and also listen to music SACD, DTS, DVD-Audio, Dual-Disc and CD's in both 2-channel and 5.1 channel formats.

I'm looking for a power amp that will allow me to bi-amp the 20.1's in addition to powering the center channel as well as the left and right surround channels so I will need an 7-channel power amp.

I am using an Oppo BDP-93 Blu-ray player which plays all of the disc formats that I named above including the 5.1 material so I need to integrate a 7-channel power amp with my current A/V receiver so that the receiver can continue to decode the high-definition audio being received via the HDMI output from the Oppo BDP-93 player such as Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio.

Can anyone recommend a high quality 7-channel power amp that will fit my needs that will allow me to continue to play all of the audio and video formats I mentioned and bi-amp the 20.1s all for under $2,000?
southernphoenix

Showing 4 responses by macdadtexas

macdadtexas
1,794 posts
 
The only amps in that price range I can think of that can drive that very tough load are a used Innersound ESL, if you can find one or a Wyred4Sound amp.

20.1's are some of the finest speakers ever made, period. But one of the problems with that, is that they reveal the limitations of the equipment upstream of the speakers like few other speaker in the world. You will usually see someone spend, estimated, quite a bit more on the amplificatoin with Magnepans (especially the 20.1's) than they do on the speakers, usually by a multiple.

I have never heard the big Maggies with anything less than about 800 clean, clear expensive watts in a 4 ohm load. They usuallly match really well with the big Bryston Amps (7b sst2, or better the 28's), or big Pass amps (sweet). You need a lot of current to move the bass panels on those speakers.

Good luck, great speakers.
macdadtexas
1,794 posts
 
I'd be interested to hear what that would sound like. I have not liked many of the ICE amps that I have heard with Maggies, with Wyred being an exception, the BelCanto's were pretty good, but niether was in the same league as a good high powered amp. As I've said, I like Bryston, as does Magnepan obviously, with Maggies. Pass to my ear is the best match, but not cheap.

For my rig, my Cary's are the best I have tried, followed by the Bryston 7sst2.

Good luck, let us know how it sounds.
macdadtexas
1,794 posts
 
You know, the really big older Parasound, I think it's a 3500, might fit the bill. I agree with Magfan, you won't get what you want from the amp you are contemplating.
macdadtexas
1,794 posts
 
I think we are on the wrong topic here. Let's look at the front end, especially if you play softly: You are NEVER going to get full sound from 20.1's without a ton of current. They don't work that way, and it's got to be clean current.

Since you have about $9000 worth of front end (20.1's are approx $7k in the secondary market, and you said you had $2k to spend on an amp), I would suggest you sell the 20.1's and your amp, buy some 3.6R's($3k) with Mye Stands ($500) and a Bryston 7 Bsst monoblocks ($5K) and you will get a much better, richer fuller sound than you will ever get from the 20.1's with an amp that does not match their capability.
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