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Body for Maggies: Hegel Pass Sanders or Ncore?

I like ultimate texture, body, image density, inner detail, solid 3d imaging and still very precise timing for a pair of Magnepan Mg 1.6 or 1.7.

I am still deciding if i should go for a new 1.7 or a biamped used 1.6 or a biamped Super MMG with 2 DWM Bass Panels per side. its a 16x20 room an i listen at 80 to 85db average at 8ft from the speakers.

active biamping options with the 1.6 and Super MMG: metric halo lio 8 as DSP EQ DAC PRE

2 primaluna premium stereo amps with 2x70W from 2x 2 EL34 or
2 PASS XA30.5 or Hegel H20 or 4 tube buffered ncore nc400 monos

or just go with a 1.7 a XA 60.5 or sanders magtech and a tube pre / dac

can the mmg + dwm setup could ever be as coherent as a 1.6 / 1.7? is the 1.7 giving less body compared to a 1.6?

i only heard the mg12, have to buy used and am designing from scratch.

which way would you go for very solid, lively, fullbodied 3d images and the 1st row / instruments in the room effect?
zuio
onemug
784 posts
 
Stereo5,
I'm with you on the tube preamp. I forgot to include that in my post. I tried 2 highly regarded ss preamps with my Pass and while they sounded very nice, the tube pre gave me something more that was to my satisfaction.
zd542
5,339 posts
 
Zuio,

I know you have not bought anything yet, but have you heard a system with Magnepan speakers in it that sounds like you want it to sound? If so, what was the whole system?
cerrot's avatar
cerrot
1,606 posts
 
The new Maggies are much better than the old Maggies; I would go sanders magtech but you do need to know, Maggies, as GREAT as they are, wil not give you that inner detail your looking for. Great (GREAT) speakers but thats not what they do.
schubert
4,867 posts
 
Nor will they "breath " like an efficient speaker and acoustic music does,which is why I gave up on them after 4 pairs.
guidocorona
4,114 posts
 
Hmmm, Maggies are often shown at dealers showrooms.... Before giving up on the brand, Why don't you take along your own Ncore NC400 devices at a dealer's place, and find out what the little things can produce driving a few well broken-in Maggie panels... Just to get an idea of the Maggie family sound when driven by 400w per channel worth of Ncore technology... You can then decide on your own if you hear music or sterilia... I suspect you might be pleasingly surprised. G.
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