Power for Thiel 7.2

Hello all.

This is exactly my question in fact... Recently purchased a pair of 7.2 to replace my Maggie 3.6

My ML 27 suddenly blew one channel.

Desperate to replace with a new amp, budget will only allow me either MC402 or Pass X250.5.

What's the experience with either please? Would MC402 be too slow if run with Cardas Golden reference (DV50s & ML26)? And is 250W just not enough? The anaemic 100W ML27 certainly pumped out no bass what so ever... It also lacked depth.

Sounds silly, but I won't get a chance to audition the MC402, so your input will be very much apreciated, have only heard MC402 with JMLab 927Be special edition.

Small group jazz, vocal.

Many many thanks

Thanks for the reply. Guess problem is there's usually not a prompt and I have left it at that, it's been two months afterall!
The dealer said no, and rep said no, and a few goners said no too - and I went X250.5. Couldnt afford an x350.5.
In a nutshell, I am baffled.
Have had it for almost 5 weeks now.
Mated to a ML26 preamp and Esoteric/Teac DV50s. ML 26 doesn't have XLR input and this seems to be the achilles heel. In short, at the moment, system sounds bright at times.

Compared with my old ML 27 100 watter, I honestly think the X250.5 doesn't mate well with the preamp. The improvement from the X250.5 is manifold - depth, transparency, detail, soundstage, air, holographic presentation. Dynamics is improved the nth degree.

But it may be too revealing and bright - could it be the DV50s? The warmth with the ML27 is now gone completely.

In any case, I had demo x350.5/JR synergy IIi/Metronome CD3/Avalon speakers - it was a beautiful combination. That's why I bought the X250.5.

Mr. Pass has been exceptionally helpful in my little journey and I cannot wait to pair up my Pass with the JR preamp. I very much suspect that as the signal is convereted from comac/single ended input to XLR output in the ML26 it is degraded, essentially asking the preamp to do the amp's job...

Ain't gonna work...

Hopeful, and appreciative of all well intentioned advice, and will certainly post my little review once I get everything on board...

Been real busy, squeezing in an Eva Cassidy and Wynton Marsalis here and there only.

Lez, many thanks. Really appreciate it.

I honestly think Thiels deserve a much higher profile that it currently has, be it here in Australia, or Asia where I bough them...

Been listening to music and haven't worried about how they match. True, I think the X250.5 isn't quite enough. But the effort, financially & everything else, to upgrade, deters me a little. Will need to be truly convinced to up the next step. Always keen, not as much as before before of work and career. Other half smiling...

Thanks guys. Lez your comments truly awesome.

Thank you Rtnl for your kind advice.

Have had my X250.5 for months now with fairly intense twigging.

Agree with you entirely. I think the weakest link for a pair of speakers like these is certainly the amps. Do plan to try either the 600.5 or the XA100 maybe in a few months.

Biggest improvement was a harmonic tech fantasy AC to tame the esoteric which perahps mated with the metal diaphragms of the Thiels were a bit bright sounding.

O, forgot, also changed to Synergy IIi in the meantime, and this is a much better mate with the X250.5.

I am reasonably happy right now with this combination. Need another power cord for the Synergy, currently using Zu Cable Mother PC.

Thus far, I must say the musicality from using Maggies previously is almost there (yes... hard to believe isn't it...). The Harmonic Tech pushed the highs, improved transients and squeezed even more air around instruments. I hardly listened to music loud and almost always run the X.5 in pure Class A power. But the well intentioned advice on this forum is much heeded and I guess Thiels do need all the juice you can throw at them. Gryphon Encore & XA100 & X600.5 are all the next affordable price range and will try them out hopefully xmas.

Many thanks again, happy listening