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Which to Upgrade first? My Amplifier or Speakers?

I have owned a nice system for years, but I am hardly an audiophile. You people impress me with your depth of knowledge of audio. I've been following this site for some time. This is my first post.
From time to time I replace or upgrade components. I've got a tricked out Linn Sondek LP 12 turntable. I recently acquired a McIntosh MP 100 phono amp and am hearing LP's now that exceed anything I've heard on CD's and equal if not exceed the output of my SACD's. I bring this up only to give a flavor of what I listen to.
The issue is as follows: I have a McIntosh MC 206 Amp that I bought in 2003 that puts out 200 watts per channel. I have no issues with it, although I've never had anything to compare it with. I've read some impressive reviews of how much of a difference an amplifier can make to the quality of sound output. For speakers I have Magnepan 3.6R's that I also bought in 2003. I love them. I can only afford to upgrade one at a time - let's say in the neighborhood of 10 - 12K. So, I'd like to hear what this august body has to say about which I should upgrade first and why? The amp or the speakers? Thank you.
normantaylor
lhasaguy's avatar
lhasaguy
336 posts
 
I would upgrade your amp.  I also have 3.6 Maggie’s and you would do well to acquire a pair of MC501 mono block amps.  The difference will blow your mind in the difference.  I say this from experience.

The good thing is that if you but a pair of 501s and for some reason decide they are not for you, you can resell them at no loss easily.  The run about 5500 to 6000 pair in the used market.

Maggies crave current and headroom.  While advertised at 500 wpc, they bench test at about 750 wpc.


erik_squires
16,056 posts
 
The room.
marklawrence
1 posts
 
I can't imagine getting speakers that are a serious upgrade on the 3.6Rs. Watt 5s? 30.7s? Chronosonics? (those will get likely you divorced, maybe that's a plus. . .) Nothing else really comes to mind.

The idea of getting some powered subs an crossing over at like maybe 80 hz, that's a pretty decent idea. 

The 3.6Rs are a rather difficult load, it's possible your Mac isn't handling the high current demands very well. But I'm not a big fan of this idea that different high quality amps sound completely different, anymore than I think $10,000 speaker cables sound better than OFC 12 gauge.

Although my fave upgrade is the $3,000 power cable - you have like 100 foot of junky 12 gauge romex between the wall socket and the power company, but that last three feet to the amp, that's where the power signal gets wrecked. Yup. Actually a really close second is the $8,000 digital cable, 'cause those 1s and 0s, it's not enough that they get through, they also have to be happy 1s and 0s. Maybe I should invent a split digital cable, so the 1s can flow through blue wire, what with the 1s are obviously male, and the 0s, the female bits, can flow through pink wire. And the pink wire would say "PINK PINK PINK" along the insulator.
lukaske
307 posts
 
First,you buy the speakers: listening (at the store or wherever) on different amps. You take speakers you can afford, listen to it, read reviews. Than you can find out with kind of amp is the best in that system: tubes or transitor. The reason why I say this , is because : you will change your amp.more than your speakers. ( normally) Do you want optimal music sound (for you) : you also have to take into account the source, wiring... Don’t let the big brands influence you!
lukaske
307 posts
 
First,you buy the speakers: listening (at the store or wherever) on different amps. You take speakers you can afford, listen to it, read reviews. Than you can find out with kind of amp is the best in that system: tubes or transitor. The reason why I say this , is because : you will change your amp.more than your speakers. ( normally) Do you want optimal music sound (for you) : you also have to take into account the source, wiring... Don’t let the big brands influence you!
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