Used Spire, Vantage, or new - Magnepan 1.7 - what should I buy?

[timm]

Awesome. Give us your impressions compared to the ML. Curious cuz I have logans but really like the maggies as well

 

[jjay]

The Magnepan 1.7 speakers haven't arrived yet but it gave me time to tweak the Martin Logan Vantage speakers for 5.1 & & blu-ray. First thing I've got to do is get a new amplifier. The Yamaha doesn't cut it with the Vantages. I am spoiled with the McIntosh MC252 that I will be using with the Magnepan 1.7 speakers. Any suggestions of a 5 channel amp at reasonable price $2000 or slightly more that has the warmth the McIntosh has? I looked at a Sunfire Cinema Grand but with a 19 "width dimension. I will need a 17" width to fit into custom cabinetry. I prefer warmth to detail but would prefer not to pay for McIntosh prices as this would be a second system. Any suggestions?
Jim

 

[robertawillisjr]

Sunfire. New or used

 

[JMAUSGP]

Sunfire TGA 5200 or 5400, used that is, will handle ML high current demands with ease, as they double down and are stable from 200 and 400 watts at 8ohms respectively all the way to 800 and 1600 watts at 2 ohms and they run cool as a cucumber.

You can run them with any number of AVR's or true preamps that can be used to give them any kind of sound you want, from warm to cold.

At the 2K price point they are hard to beat. The TGA 5400 has tons of headroom and as we all know you can never be too rich, too skinny, or have too much headroom.

 

[repman]

Sunfire TGA 5200 or 5400, used that is, will handle ML high current demands with ease, as they double down and are stable from 200 and 400 watts at 8ohms respectively all the way to 800 and 1600 watts at 2 ohms and they run cool as a cucumber.

You can run them with any number of AVR's or true preamps that can be used to give them any kind of sound you want, from warm to cold.

At the 2K price point they are hard to beat. The TGA 5400 has tons of headroom and as we all know you can never be too rich, too skinny, or have too much headroom.

I have to much Headroom bald as a cucumber

 

[JMAUSGP]

Okay, maybe it was you can never be too rich, too skinny or too sexy.......bald is sexy to someone right?

Head room just sounded better, of course I had not had coffee yet.

 

[JonFo]

... I looked at a Sunfire Cinema Grand but with a 19 "width dimension. I will need a 17" width to fit into custom cabinetry. I prefer warmth to detail but would prefer not to pay for McIntosh prices as this would be a second system. Any suggestions?
Jim

Look for an 'architectural' edition of the Sunfire Cinema Grand, they are 17" wide (but very deep, so look up the dimensions).

 

[jjay]

Look for an 'architectural' edition of the Sunfire Cinema Grand, they are 17" wide (but very deep, so look up the dimensions).

thanks for the tip Jonathan, and thanks to everybody for the Sunfire information.
Jeff, I have been waiting for your input also. You & Tone Magazine steered me toward Martin Logan and McIntosh a couple of yrs. ago and I have been extremely happy since.
Jim