Best Amp to drive my Apogee Stages?

It is not just about SPL. It is about headroom, dynamics, and PRAT. I have had Stages/Mini Grands for 18 years with different amps. I never heard the panels come alive until I put serious power on them. I am NOT talking about 250 watts into 4 ohms. I am talking about 500 or more. If someone has not heard Stage speakers with serious power from amplifiers that have good control I am not sure they are aware of what the speakers are capable of. That is my opinion based upon my actual experience.

Again I am not talking about SPL because the speakers do have a maximum SPL that no amount of power can exceed. In fact, it is possible to have too much power. I only listen slightly louder now than I did with lower power amps but the dynamics and realism are dramatically improved and even at low volume the detail and PRAT is improved although that may not be a function of power, just a different amp.

Please note: I am talking about SS power. I do not have enough experience to comment on tube amps and power requirements for Stage speakers.

Rrog: As sogood51 says, 50 WPCs can drive but may be not enough load and may lack dyanmics. When we says power matters (and not matters) it is all relative. The Stage is an easier load as Leo was saying but still need good enough power.

Burmester 956 MK2

With best regards,
Rocco

Gallant_diva, I'm still a little confused after reading Leo's statement again. He states a 50 watt receiver may drive the speakers well. His "so what" is in regards to quality.

"You might find a good receiver of, say, 50 watts/channel output that drives the speakers well, but so what? I think that the fine detail and the quality of the Stage really demand a truly fine quality amplifier. Power isn't the issue here. Quality is. So although the Stage is more widely compatible than previous Apogees we don't condone the use of poor-quality ancillaries anywhere in the chain."

Rrog: So my answer is even though you may have a 50 WPC amp that can drive the speaker, then so what? The fine detail and quality of the Stage requires a fine quality amp. So for a 50 WPC, numbers may not matter, quality does. And Even though the Stage is more flexible than other Apogees, it will will not work well with poor-quality 50wpc.

Hope you get the point. -)

So the best is to try it out and you be the judge. Do report it here how it went.