How Great is the Sanders Magtech?

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robertawillisjr

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For those of you that own, have owned one or listened to one extensively how great is the Sanders Magtech amp? Feel free to expound and compare to other amps.
 
Robert,

Has received great reviews. Some members, including Rich, have one in their system.

Rich can also contrast with his Pass Labs X350.5.

And you can probably get one for a 30 day audition from Roger.

GG
 
Robert,

Has received great reviews. Some members, including Rich, have one in their system.

Rich can also contrast with his Pass Labs X350.5.

And you can probably get one for a 30 day audition from Roger.

GG
And possibly the $500 MLOC members discount. I can't speak to the Magtech version, Robert, but I've used the ESL version on my Summits for about a year, now, and couldn't be happier. When I hooked it up to a friend's Prodigys, it had zero difficulty driving the passive woofs with authority.

and...Roger is a absolute pleasure to deal with.
 
I also have the ESL version of the Sanders amp. Best amp that I have heard in my system, on my CLSIIA's. I agree that Roger's a great guy. Easy to try in your own system with the 30 day trial period that Gordon mentions.
 
I wish I owned a stack of Sanders amps, and soon will.

I've auditioned the Magtech at shows, and it's a perfect amp for our ESLs.

If you'd like to learn more about why, there is a great interview with Roger in a recent online mag article: http://www.dagogo.com/View-Article.asp?hArticle=991
 
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I too own the Sanders ESL amp with a pair of Summits and a Cary SLP-03 pre-amp.
I've had it for about three years and it's great.
I have never run out of power no matter what I play and no matter how loud I play it!

I can't imagine what more the Magtech brings to the party for the extra $1,000, but there must be something to it!

Agree Roger is a pleasure to deal with.

JM
 
And possibly the $500 MLOC members discount. I can't speak to the Magtech version, Robert, but I've used the ESL version on my Summits for about a year, now, and couldn't be happier. When I hooked it up to a friend's Prodigys, it had zero difficulty driving the passive woofs with authority.

and...Roger is a absolute pleasure to deal with.
I can verify that the MLOC $500 discount still applies. I just ordered a Sanders Magtech Stereo amp 1 hour ago and got the discount. And yes, Roger is a fantastic guy.
 
I can verify that the MLOC $500 discount still applies. I just ordered a Sanders Magtech Stereo amp 1 hour ago and got the discount. And yes, Roger is a fantastic guy.

Awesome Pete! Will you be the first MLOian to drive CLXs with Magtech amplification?
 
Dont know. But Im pretty excited to try it out. If its as good as I keep hearing then It will be traded for the Mono version.
 
Got the Sanders Magtech Stereo amp today. About 5 hours of listening time at this point. First impressions are that this amp can easily drive my CLX at low and high volumes without breaking a sweat. Can only imagine what the mono version can do! Stage is huge and very 3D. Biggest thing I have noticed so far is the dynamics and extension. Very very realistic with slam and finess and all around detail. It also seems to push through the music to the very last detail which feels natural. Some other amps I have had seem to drop the sound extension before it reaches its end. Again this is only 5 hours into it. But so far I am very pleased. If I had to guess, Im sure Ill be keeping this. I will be doing doing some Ampzilla 2000 MKII mono side by side comparisons next week.
 
I apologize for my ignorance in advance but what is the MLOC discount? I am interested in Sanders amplification and a $500 always helps!
 
I apologize for my ignorance in advance but what is the MLOC discount? I am interested in Sanders amplification and a $500 always helps!

Basically call Roger at Sanders Sound Systems and tell him you want to order something and then tell him your a member on this site, he might ask you for a user name or not. If your a member here then he gives you a $500 discount!
 
Did you do the comparisons yet?

Ha! Well things have changed again. Instead of getting my Ampzilla Shipped back to me I had them ship the Carver 180 Mono block tube amps. I wanted to try something completely different. I should have those amps around May 4.
 
Basically call Roger at Sanders Sound Systems and tell him you want to order something and then tell him your a member on this site, he might ask you for a user name or not. If your a member here then he gives you a $500 discount!

Ok great! Thanks!
 
Todd, any updates? Also the carver 180's shipped today scheduled for a Thursday landing. It will be fun to A/B the magtech and carvers.....
 
Many updates... many. I'm on a low noise kick (like stealth karate I guess). I've decided no-more-noise of any kind in my system. Deep space, interstellar silence from which only golden music is allowed to flow.

Now, I know I'm changing multiple variables which means I'm all the way back to square one in terms of understanding what components are adding (or not adding) their character to the sound. That's OK... I can live with that (and I am living with that).

Anyway, starting from the wall...

- I sold my PS Audio PPP and found a great deal on an RSA Dmitri (with RSA Crown Jewel 20A PC - monstrous!). The Dmitri is DEAD quiet and gives me a pitch-black foundation from which to build.

- I recently swapped out my Oppo 93 for a 95 (primarily for SACD playback). The 95 is a stellar sounding SACD player BUT I can't believe it has a fan which activates fairly regularly - and IS audible from my listening position. Sh!t. The search for a truly silent SACD player with excellent performance continues (I've seen some Esoteric players that look interesting... maybe a MAC too... anyway, ugh - still looking).

- WRT a preamp, I'm STILL trying to find a pre-amp that suits my needs. The MW LS100 was a strong contender, but just a little too tube-ish to my ears. I hope the buyer is happy with it. It's a very nice product. I'm really in a bit of a quandary as to what to do next on a pre. I'm leaning toward either a VAC Mk3 (kinda pricey though), or maybe a Shindo (lots of people seem to love these), or maybe an Electrocompaniet EC 4.8. Doesn't have to be tube based. Just needs to sound clear and in control... and vanishing noise levels. Demoing the Sanders pre right now... very musical, but does not have the lowest noise floor. It's going back to Colorado.

- WRT amps - I was able to sell the MW KWA150SEs and convert into a pair of Magtech monos - which I love! (Justin take note of my new love affair ;)) Unlike the Sanders Pre, the Magtechs are dead quiet and have the biggest set of amp-balls I've ever had grace (if that's the right word) my system. Totally in control, crazy headroom, inaudible noisefloor... they are awesome! They will NOT be going back to Colorado.

- Still have the Olive 04HD+W4SDAC2... don't see that combo going anywhere for a while. Very happy with their performance.

- CLXs and cabling and racks all pretty much remain the same.

You asked.... I answered :)
 
My, you have been busy.:eek1:

Congratulations on the Sanders amps, Todd! Not surprised they're staying, but I have just a bit of a bias.

Are you looking for a true Uni player, or just SACD+Redbook? If the latter, you might consider the Sony 5400, which has an excellent reputation and is relatively inexpensive. Preamp-wise, I got nothing. I'm so far down my own peculiar path I don't follow anything "normal".:cool:
 
Hi Ken,

Thanks! When I spoke to Roger he mentioned that he's never had anyone return a Magtech after their 30 day trial - never. I can see why owners are "biased". His amplifiers are amazing, especially for the money. I just wished I'd gone down the Sanders path before ModWright. Oh well. BTW, The ModWrights sounded great. I really had no complaints about their sound or ability to drive the CLXes. Where they "failed" in my curious view of the world was transformer noise. I could hear them humming from my listening position. A shame really that expensive amps like that should suffer any sort of physical noise, but there you have it. I did my best to ignore it for as long as I could. In all honestly, if it weren't for that issue, I would very likely have just hung on to them. But in retrospect, had I done that, I'd not have had any "good" excuse to convert them to the Magtechs. So, at the end of the day, I'm glad to have had the time and experience with the MWs, and gladder still to be living harmoniously thus far with the Magtechs. I still haven't really put them through their paces yet across a wide variety of genres. That's coming. I just need for the rest of the system to settle into place first.

Thanks for the pointer on the 5400. I've heard a lot of good things about it (and it's various modded incarnations). I've seen a few Wadias that look interesting too, and Esoteric. I don't want to spend too much because lord knows some new DAC implementation that allows hyper-DSD-warp-drive, or whatever, is right around the corner. If the Oppo didn't have that damn fan - I'd keep it. Why do the audio Gods harbor such hatred for me? Why?

Anywho - hope all is well Ken. How's the Trinnov treating you?
 
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