Had class D bested class A or A/B?

TigerAway

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Anecdotal "data:"

There's a Hypex NC502MP-based amp (from Buckeye Amps, to offer an unsolicited plug) driving my home system. It provides +/-270wpc unless you're wiling to accept SINAD greater than "barely measurable," in which case there's more. I'm driving it balanced from the pre, meaning I can fully volt the amp and potentially use all it can offer. It would shatter my R3's on what the amp can feed at 1%THD. It cost me $700, and if it has sonic faults I sure can't hear them.

A cheap Chinese Aiyima T9 with a tube front end and Class D amplification drives the LS50's on my desktop; it's a little warmer-sounding than the Hypex (I've A/B'd both speakers on both amps) but has all the power the Metas need in nearfield, I <3 the sound and have a little over $100 in the amp.

Mind, if I win the lottery I'm going to buy a Benchmark ABH2 and a pair of Maggies, but as long as I have normal human finances I can't justify Class A/B cost for the power when Class D is now this_good_for_this_cheap.

But this is an anecdote, and take it that way.

If you want something even better, Bruno Putzeys moved on from Hypex to found Purifi and his newest designs are that, somehow, statistically. Just be aware, certain "slap your brand on the board" resellers (especially ones with recognizable brand names) are greatly inflating the actual cost of offering boards from either source without adding operational value. Good stereo amplification isn't expensive any more because of easy availability of commercial board-based amps enabling Average Joe tinkerers to produce stuff 100% competitive with the "names."

Like my amp(s).

Do you think your Buckeye Hypex NC502MP can fully drive a LRS+ pair? That’s my dream speaker setup, but apparently one needs a McIntosh MA6700 to drive them? Not sure what class that amplifier is, but it costs like $6k.
 

yd

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Do you think your Buckeye Hypex NC502MP can fully drive a LRS+ pair? That’s my dream speaker setup, but apparently one needs a McIntosh MA6700 to drive them? Not sure what class that amplifier is, but it costs like $6k.
Maggies, notoriously difficult to drive with impedances that dip (potentially) down into the high 1s if memory serves correct. Fun times for any amp! Low volumes, anything will do the job, crank it up and that is where things would get more interesting. I don't think you would need MA6700s not that they are made anymore (but hey, might be a couple grand used but then that makes them 2x the price of your speakers.
 

continuum

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Do you think your Buckeye Hypex NC502MP can fully drive a LRS+ pair? That’s my dream speaker setup, but apparently one needs a McIntosh MA6700 to drive them? Not sure what class that amplifier is, but it costs like $6k.
I would say yes, easily. A MA6700 is 200wpc, the Hypex NC502MP-based amp described by @SuperDave is 270wpc.
 

SuperDave

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Do you think your Buckeye Hypex NC502MP can fully drive a LRS+ pair? That’s my dream speaker setup, but apparently one needs a McIntosh MA6700 to drive them? Not sure what class that amplifier is, but it costs like $6k.
There is much FUD in the space about what it takes to drive Maggies, and I hope not to contribute to it now, as my personal "dream speakers" are 2.7's or 3.6's. I_want_Maggies.

There are plenty of Class A-only amps which will drive Maggies beautifully, if you're not looking for concert-level sound. More important, as a generality, is the ability of the amp to significantly increase the power output from 8 ohms - 4 ohms, along with a specified 2 ohm rating. I bought the amp I'm using with my personal long-term goal in mind, whenever that happens, and if/when I finally own Maggies I won't upgrade the amp. Yes, it's enough for Maggies, even with my hearing loss. :)
 

yd

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There is much FUD in the space about what it takes to drive Maggies, and I hope not to contribute to it now, as my personal "dream speakers" are 2.7's or 3.6's. I_want_Maggies.

There are plenty of Class A-only amps which will drive Maggies beautifully, if you're not looking for concert-level sound. More important, as a generality, is the ability of the amp to significantly increase the power output from 8 ohms - 4 ohms, along with a specified 2 ohm rating. I bought the amp I'm using with my personal long-term goal in mind, whenever that happens, and if/when I finally own Maggies I won't upgrade the amp. Yes, it's enough for Maggies, even with my hearing loss. :)
Here is what I was thinking about...

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That is rough looking to my understanding.

In a small room, you can get away with pretty much anything - you and I both have Kef LS50s - in my office a Micromega integrated that is 60 watts is vast amounts of power. In my living room, I'd start to wonder. Stick me with 25 watts and I think that would be a nope. A friend had a dealer recommend a system for him and in a, frankly, huge room recommended and lent out a 25-30w class A amp driving Focals (iirc) - not a chance. No idea what the guy was thinking.

For myself, no way would I do anything less than what I have had for coming on 30 years; 250 watts. My candidates at the moment range from 260-1000.
 
A friend had a dealer recommend a system for him and in a, frankly, huge room recommended and lent out a 25-30w class A amp driving Focals (iirc) - not a chance. No idea what the guy was thinking.
Have you actually listened to the specified amp in that room? You really can get away with surprisingly little, especially if you have a self-powered sub. Bass takes up almost all the power, so you truly don't need much wattage for non-full-range mains.
 

yd

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Have you actually listened to the specified amp in that room? You really can get away with surprisingly little, especially if you have a self-powered sub. Bass takes up almost all the power, so you truly don't need much wattage for non-full-range mains.
Yup, it was not a good combo. The room was too large and it was way underpowered for the space. These were full range speakers with a 25-30 watt - I really can't remember what brand it was. I am in the wrong time zone to ask my friend right now but his living room is around 1100 square feet with 12 foot ceilings.
 

AndrewZ

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I just made an appt to buy a NAD 7240 Power Envelope receiver. I still have the one I bought in 1989, but it might not last forever...I use it as a preamp to drive a Rotel amp into B&W 603 speakers. In a pinch the NAD amp is not bad.

I see all sorts of classic gear for sale. Magnapan speakers. Macintosh amps, carver amps. Not sure what has aged well and what needs new capacitors, foam, etc.