I was wondering if anyone had any experience with the Magnepan MMG?  I've ordered a pair and was hoping to be able to run them a low volumes in a bedroom occasionally.  I'd like to push low volume music with which ever of the Decware amps and the CSP i currently own.  I have the Taboo and the SE84CS.  The Taboo has alittle more umph, but will the SE84CS handle the 4 ohm load better.  I was just wondering if I could use the Deware gear as an after thought.  I plan on using them mainly with a sunfire 300 watt per channel Stereo/Audio Research LS2/Ah! Tjoeb 4000 modded combo, but wonder if i have another possible option at low volumes.  Does anyone know?  

Thanks
Kelly

I have the MG20's.  My SV83 monoblocks have enough power to make sound, but its not loud enough to be considered a listening level.  

My 22 wat 845 SET is enough for bedroom level listening, but not for a big room, so I'd say that you need 25-50 watts minimum.

This is one reason that many Magnepan owners run their speakers bi amped.  2 smaller amps are often cheaper than 1 big one, and lower wattage amps have better fidelity.

John C.

Thanks all,

I'm tracking the MMG's.  I'm alittle anxious about the sound i'm going to get from the MMG's.  I've really never heard the Planar speakers.  I am going to give it a shot with both the little Decware amps, and the CSP.  But as I said, I do have a sunfire amp I know will push these planars.  I just talked to someone I work with and he's go a PS Audio HCA-2, in mint condition.  He bought 2, and liked the silver one better than the black, so he's selling the black one.   Scotty, how do you think the MMG's would sound using the SE84CSP preamp to drive the HCA-2?  I've never used the tube preamp to control a SS amplifier.  I'm wondering how it would sound.  And does anyone know why the pre-amp was discontinued?  I've had no problems with it and it sounds great with the taboo and my homemade fostex speakers.  I don't run a sub with it and don't mind not have big bass anyway, i'm really into the smoother mids and non harsh highs.  cough
Thanks for your responses.

Kelly

Pairing the CSP with a GOOD SS amp will produce some very nice results. Lon is right you will be missing some tube magic but you will be pleasantly surprised. I ran mine through a Kyocera 70 watt amp which IMHO is quite good and the sound was very good.

This would be a great amp to sit behind the CSP and in front of the Maggie's
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1182752118

I've got this thing in my brain, upgradeitis or something that's come out of remission.  I have this Audio Research LS2's.  If anyone has the time, check the reviews on the LS2 in audioreview.com. There's only 17, and it's the first 2 as you scroll down.  There's an upgrade to the capacitors in the output of the amp, just 1 in each channel in mine, at about 30 bucks each and the shipping, it's on my short to do list.  I listened to the LS2 today, and I must say, it's a much more pleasing pre to listen to in front of the Taboo.  I've been listening to it all day drifting off to sleep and then awake, back and forth.  I'm working midnight to 8 am right now, but not too much longer, and i was really asking myself why i was using the CSP.  Any buyers out there?  oops!  I think I blew that one.  Looks like i wouldn't make much of a salesman.  I ordered a new 6922 from Audio Research along with a new copy of the LS2 manual I've misplaced, or lost, who knows.  This amp requires one 6922 tube or similar, which makes tube rolling an option.   The manual has good layout drawings of the Boards and I guess could be called a schematic, but doesn't really discribe how it works just how it's wired.  I ordered the 2-4 microfarad Dynamicaps for the mod, and am just going to see what my acquaintance at work want's for that PS Audio HCA-2 and go from there.

Thanks for the replies everyone.  Nice resource of information!

Kelly

Hi,
I just received a pair of Maggie MMG's and here is my findings on amps:

The parallel strapped Decware 84's that I'm using as two monoblocks seem to drive them very well at low listening levels in my small office...solid bass and wonderful tone....they are driven by an eastern electric minimax which is a very hi-gain pre.  Hard to believe that 4-5 watts/ch works so well with the power-hungry maggies.  They work much better than my Decware Taboo driven by the same minimax.  Somewhat surprising given that the taboo has slightly higher power than the SE84's monoblocked...this might be that the mono'ed 84's may work better with the MMG's 4ohm impedance than the Taboo does.  

I also hooked the maggies up to a PS Audio Trio A-100 (around 200w/ch at 4ohms) that actually gets them to really sing and play loudly and nicely....not quite as nicely though at low volumns as the Decware 84's, but greater slam and impact.

I think you'll be fine with lower power (5w/ch) provided the amps perform well under the more difficult 4 ohm load of the maggies (decware amps do), AND you're ok w/ low listening levels AND you listen in a small room AND you have a pre-amp with hi-gain.  Otherwise, go for a more powerful amp that can drive 4ohms easily.  

Toobhed

Hi All,       Also when bridging an amp it see's half the load,  so 4 ohms becomes 2 ohms, and a Zen is happy with 2ohms.       Unless I'm wrong about this          Tish