ConradJohnson: Tubes or S/State for Maggies.

PETER IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU SHOULD GO SHOPPING FOR AN AMP. GO AND LISTEN TO SOME MAGGIES AT A LOCAL DEALER EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT THE SAME MODEL. MAGGIES NEED ALOT OF POWER TO DRIVE THEM AT FULL RANGE AND AT LOW LISTING LEVELS TO ACHIVE GOOD DYNAMICS. A TUBE PREAMP AND A SOLID STATE COMBO MAKE FOR A GREAT SOUNDING SYSTEM. I HAVE A PAIR OF MAGGIES . I AM USING THE PLINIUS SA2501V TO DRIVE THEM AS THEY ARE POWER HUNGRY. I HAVE AN AUDIO RESEARCH PREAMP AND A CARY PREAMP TUBES OF COURSE. SOUNDS GREAT. I WOULD NOT GET LESS THAN A 100 WATT AMP FOR THESE BABIES. IF THERE IS NO LOCAL DEALER. GIVE A CALL TO JOHN RUTAN AT AUDIO CONNECTION 973 239-1799 OR VISIT HIM ON THE WEB AT WWW.AUDIOCONNECT.COM HE WILL GUIDE YOU IN THE BEST DIRECTION AS HE IS A MAGGIE DEALER. HAPPY HUNTING FOR AN AMP. PAT

I originally owned Mag IIIA's for a whole bunch of years. It will take many hours to break them in again after the servicing. Also I ran them with a Music Reference RM9 100watts with 6550 (el34's wouldn't control the panels enough). The Conrad Premier 11s is a wonderful amp but you will be wanting more current since IIIA's are 84db sentitive. Two Premier 12's or Premier 11a on top with SS on the bottom... but for simplicity and you love of your spouse get Solid State, and spend the savings on your front end!

I later purchased an ARC D400 MkII and used my friends CJ2500 solid state, both do an excellent job and I would highly recommend either or amplifiers. Especially since you have a tube pre-amp. I used an Audible Illusions L1 at the time. It was a wonderful setup for jazz/blues/female vocals.

Also try switching the mags with the ribbons tweeters on the inside instead of the outside!

Enjoy... I'm still kicking myself for letting mine go.

The more power the better. And the inside-outside ribbon controversy is endless. Trust your ears.