2. amps-preamps
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Sanders magtech or odyssey kismet

I am looking for a "last amp purchase" one I can keep for 20+ years and pass down to my son someday.
This probably won't happen, but it is a very good possibility.

I have gone through numerous over the years, with fairly bad luck with them, UNRELIABILITY!

I have narrowed it to these two amps. I know they are both very good.

I would like thoughts on them from other audio people as yourselves.
Before you say these speakers suck, I wanted to say I auditioned A LOT of different ones before settling on these. I use energy rc-70's, only about 45-50 hours on them, nowhere near broken in yet. I LOVE their sound, period.

People say these amps are too good for the speaks, I think not.
Maybe sanders preamp.

I have heard magtech sounds thin, and others say it's amazing.

Anyway, what's your thoughts on odyssey kismet monos or sanders magtech. Thanks
arcticdeth

Showing 6 responses by bdp24

bdp24's avatar
bdp24
10,096 posts
 
Bombaywalla---Does the voltage-centric nature of the Sanders design make it a less-than-optimum match for the current-hungry Magneplanar speakers?
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
10,096 posts
 
Thanks, I believe I'll do that. I'm about to set up a pair of Tympani IV's, and am gonna need more amp! Only for the two bass panels, so the amp doesn't need a great midrange and high end. Maybe a Pro amp like a Crown will do. They're cheap. 
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
10,096 posts
 

That’s the kind of thing I’m wondering about Rodman. I have a PS Audio 200C that’s okay, but it’s "only" 200w/ch @ 8 ohms and 400 @ 4. I’ll try it first, but have been warned the Tympani’s can use and may require a lot more than that. Tympani aficionado Satie over at Planar Speaker Asylum uses a 2500w/ch @ 4 ohms (!) Crown on his (with a tube amp on the M/T panels), and says it sometimes clips! The bass panels will be used up to only about 250Hz, so I don’t need (or want to pay for!) great sound above bass frequencies. I’d love a Sanders amp, but don’t have an extra five grand laying around just for a woofer amp.

I haven’t heard the current Crown amps, or any since the DC-300/A and D-150, a long time ago. I know the Current Crowns aren’t audiophile approved, and for good reason. But why would a current one (no pun intended ;-) "lose" the low frequency ambiance in a recording?

bdp24's avatar
bdp24
10,096 posts
 
All right, thanks. I've done some more digging, and it looks like there are different levels of Crowns these days, with different designs, power supplies, etc. The fan noise the Pro amps are notorious for possessing would rule one out for me anyway, so I'll just hafta find a brute amp from a Hi-Fi company at a bargain price, something like a Parasound A21.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
10,096 posts
 
Bombay, Satie uses resistors to correct for power amp voltage gain differences. I still have my Dahlquist DQ-LP1, which I use for the bass leg only. Brooks Berdan tried to get me to sell it to him for the longest time, but I knew I'd need it eventually.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
10,096 posts
 
Right you are Bombay, the high end powerhouse amps cost as much as my whole system. Plus, I really don’t need a well-rounded amp with great sound in all octaves (I have a real nice amp for the Tympani's M/T drivers), just a great low end brute---muscular and tight-assed! The DIY subwoofer crowd guys all use Pro amps, but they aren’t audiophiles, with our cultured, refined tastes, and discriminating audio palates ;-). Satie IS an audiophile (purist analog lover, with a tube amp on the M/T panels of his Tympani’s), and the Crown he has on his T-IV bass panels is the discontinued Macrotech 5002VZ. He advises against the cheap and popular XLS line, so maybe I can find a 5002VZ used.
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