Magico s3 mk1 amplifier suggestions

[Aj1735]

I recently sold my focal Electra 1038be Speakers and bought a pair of magico s3 mk1 speakers and should be getting them in about a week. I was just reading the amplifier comparison in the other thread with the McIntosh and benchmark amps and I don't really understand all the technical details like some were talking about. Since the test was done with magico s5, I figured mine will be similar to the ones in the test. Every person that I have talked to has said they aren't as easy to drive as the specs show. Everyone has told me to look for a large solid state amp to use with them. Right now I have a primaluna DiaLogue premium preamp that I probably am going to keep and I have a pair of primaluna DiaLogue premium hp amps as monos. They worked great to my ears with my focals and were probably overkill, but I really liked them. I'm using new old stock 6550 winged C power tubes (16 total) in both amps. I don't really know much about how you have to match the levels between the amp or amps and the preamp. I have had a few friends mention some pass amps and Jeff Rowland amps. They say that some of the larger solid state amps will definitely push the magicos better and really make them sound their best. I thought by the sounds of the amp comparison thread, seems like people have experience with the magicos. Budget I'm looking at is probably the amount I can get for my pair plus a little bit. So probably 6k and under. I usually look at the used market to try and get the most for my money. Thanks in advance.

 

[pierre]

Hello,

If you like the tube sound, then you should keep your amp and try with the speaker. For SS, any ncore, benchmark, purify will be excellent, plus they are well under budget. Did you estimate the power you need?

 

[Aj1735]

Hello,

If you like the tube sound, then you should keep your amp and try with the speaker. For SS, any ncore, benchmark, purify will be excellent, plus they are well under budget. Did you estimate the power you need?

I plan on trying my pair of primaluna DiaLogue premium hp amps as monos with them but I haven't had a single person say that they would keep them. They all say go with bigger more power solid state power. A couple of guys said mine would probably be ok but bigger will really help them sound closer to their best. I have read that the magicos need at least 50 watts. My amps put out around 140 watts each as monos and really should be alright at least for a while. I think that I should have at least 100 watts and probably more will be better yet.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Stereophile's measurements of the A5 show a slightly difficult impedance around the upper bass. JA suggests you'd best stay with amps happy with 2 ohm loads. Now that doesn't quite mean others won't play them, but they may not quite control or have the powerful sound they should. Your amps will likely play them pretty well. Enough power, but likely a high output impedance which might make the weakness in the 70-120 hz range noticeable on some music.

Any of the newer class D amps won't be phased by that. I'd say you may not need all that much power, probably 150 wpc and up is enough. But they rate your speakers for up to 500 wpc so they probably aren't fragile speakers if you have a bigger amp.

 

[Sal1950]

I've no direct contact with S3's but Magico design history has been one of difficult loads.
OPPS, I see 88 just posted much of what I was going to say.
The only thing I'd add is, the more power the better.
Tubes would not be a good option. JMO

 

[Aj1735]

Is there anything particular I need to look for in a solid state amp other than being 2 ohm capable and probably 150 or above? I'm thinking in most cases, more power the better with some of these nicer amps. Will I have any issues pairing with my primaluna DiaLogue premium preamp to different solid state amps. I guess I'm not too familiar with the things I've read that they need to be within a certain ratio between amp and preamp.

 

[Sal1950]

There shouldn't be any issues pairing your Primaluna preamp with any SS amp.
No other particular thing in a amp that I can think of, you about got it covered.
I believe about any modern amp that posts 2 ohm specs shall have some good muscle to it.

 

[Wolf]

The S3 MK1 were demo'd with both toobs and Pass amps at an AXPONA I attended. The tube amps were massive, and honestly- overrated. I did NOT like that setup at all. The Pass amps setup had velvet curtains all around for really good room treatment, and they sounded great!

FWIW, the genetics of the S3 are something I would like to design/build at some point. Their voicing sounds a lot like I prefer. The woofers are basically Scan Speak Revelator 22W/8857T drivers with carbon fiber dustcaps. The mids are Magico's nanotube/Rohacell cones on a Morel TSCM motor and frame, and the Beryllium tweeters are from Scan Speak origins.

It's a very good design, and I'd entertain them if I could afford them.

 

[Wolf]

It was this setup:

AXPONA 2014

www.stereophile.com

 

[Aj1735]

It was this setup:

AXPONA 2014

www.stereophile.com

That setup looks really nice but I think those pass amps are still above my budget. I bet it sounded really good. The magico Facebook group seems to suggest that devialet amps work really well with them. I have read about them but definitely take a little bit bit to get used to. I talked to a guy today that had a pair of devialet expert pro 440 duo monos that he was thinking about selling. I could possibly swing them if I sold my preamp and dac too. Those are just an all in one integrated system but so different from large separates. I have talked to another guy that has a store demo on a classe delta stereo amplifier for a really good deal. It retails for 13k and I could get it within my budget and could use my primaluna DiaLogue premium preamp with it. It looks like it would have plenty of power and current to push the magicos really well. I just need to figure out what to do next. I got one of my amps sold already and working on getting the second one sold now. So almost time to really get something figured out soon.