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AUDIO FORUMS >> General Discussion and Support >> Magneplanars and the ZMA?
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Message started by minnesotafats on 02/14/20 at 05:04:19

Title: Magneplanars and the ZMA?
Post by minnesotafats on 02/14/20 at 05:04:19

I have a pair of Maggie 20.7s that are currently driven by hybrid tube mosfet designed PS Audio 300 BHK monoblocks. Has anybody used the Decware ZMA to drive a pair of Maggie’s? Interested in opinions on this potential match.

Title: Re: Magneplanars and the ZMA?
Post by Lonely Raven on 02/14/20 at 18:09:43

I actually used a Mystery amp to drive an early pair of Magnepan IIa from 1980 or 81. They were picked up at an estate sale and were surprisingly still running fine, though the typical corrosion of the copper was happening.

They sounded pretty amazing, but due to their inefficiency didn't get much above low level listening. The ZMA had the grunt to get them to move, which really surprised me, and the speed was fantastic, just not enough overall horsepower to drive such inefficient Maggies from the early 80s.

I would really love to hear the ZMA on something newer that would hopefully be more efficient! I love fast speakers, I just find the old Maggies and the like to be too inefficient for a fine tube amp.

I bet your speakers sound pretty amazing with those BHK. I'm hoping to get a chance to listen to them in the next few months now that I live 45 minutes away from PS Audio.

Title: Re: Magneplanars and the ZMA?
Post by minnesotafats on 02/14/20 at 20:02:22

Thank you for the feedback. I am very happy with the sound of the Maggie 20.7's with the BHK 300's. I also have a couple of Rel Carbon Ltd subs to add a little kick on the bottom. Always tempted to try other things to see if I can improve the sound. Might need to step back and say, jeez maybe I am alright. I have heard that some tube set ups can work well with Maggies and I really like the approach Decware takes. I just bought some L15's from Caintuck in the baby baffle design for kicks. Master Steve has given me some good ideas and I would like to find a way to do business with him. Definitely going to buy some room treatments.

Title: Re: Magneplanars and the ZMA?
Post by Jeff of Arabica on 02/15/20 at 00:10:54

LR, do you happen to recall what efficiency (or inefficiency) rating your Magnepan IIa's were? I think @minnesotafats speakers are 86dB.

Title: Re: Magneplanars and the ZMA?
Post by Lonely Raven on 02/18/20 at 01:16:23

I'm pretty sure they were 85-86db, and that's when they were new. I'm sure it was less with the copper starting to corrode.