Lets do it,add another amp and upgrade

[stonecobbler]

I use a sherbourne p-250 amp with my magnepan 1.6 , it is capable of 500 watts per channel @4ohms, I am thinking of adding a second one and upgrading to the 3.7's but really have no idea how to hook it up to my sherbourne pre-1, do I get an xlr cable that splits out to 2 to feed to one amp on the right and left channels and feed that to one of the speakers,and same for the other amp, any suggestions?

[bzr]

stonecobbler, left "out" of your pre to left amp, right "out" of your pre to right amp

[mraudio]

Unless your Sherbourne P-250 amp can be bridged, (to mono), you will not gain any extra power. You would be using them in a "vertical" bi-amp arrangement if they are stereo amps only.

You would use the left amp's, left input and output to the left speaker and the right amp's right input and output to the right speaker. This will work, but again, NO increase in power output. Also, unless the amps are biased identically, you might have a channel imbalance.

I couldn't find any info on a P-250 amp, but found a PA 2-250 amp. According to the specs, this is a stereo only amp and can't be used as a monobloc.

[Harbapapa]

If you are thinking of biamping that's not possible with 3.7 and would also need active crossover. Bridging amps is another way but depends of amp if it could be bridged.

Bummer: mraudio was faster.

[stonecobbler]

Ok, hopefully the amp will power the 3.7's on its own then , it should, it's a huge amp and lots of power at 500 watts per channel into 4 ohms or another upgrade is in order,,whatever its only money lol

[audiot servant]

Stonecobbler - It's only money... congrats your are definitely audiophile... just love the reality cheque.

Amp pairing with Maggies as I'm sure you know is the secret but that sounds like plenty of power to be getting the 3.7s going... go for it. You can chuck plenty more money at them later if you feel the need.

There is a reason reviewers often really like Maggies and may have them as reference gear as well. They make hearing changes in associated gear relatively easy without managing to seem in the least bit analytical.

I did notice in the recent Absolute Sounds Guide to Loudspeakers 2013 when asked to nominate the loudspeakers they would choose to own themselves at various price points up to $25k Neil Gader, Dick Olsher, Jonathan Valin and Robert Harley opted for 6 Magnepans out of their total of 18 individual choices from all the possible speakers to pick from out there at up to $25k... 6 out of 18 choices came in as Magnepans... that is phenomenal.

The last time I heard even the venerable Mr Technical Brain Naoto Kurosawa was using a pair of Maggies at home... $150k worth of preamp and amp driving his 1.7s and last week I listened to an ARC REF5se and Ref 150 pairing through 1.7s making some very great hi-end magic. The guys matching up REF 250s on the bigger panels must be just very happy campers so you could always go that way later... plus the free complimentary tube sauna would keep you trim all summer.

That's the great thing about the current .7s... they are comfortable working at any level of quality and make investing in better gear around them seem so worthwhile... as you say... it's only money, scary last words but maybe for the audiophile it's probably true. Just lucky the speakers themselves are always such a relative bargain.

G.