Magnat MA 900 hybrid Amplifier Review

The German company continues to refine the signature recipe for high-quality Hi-Fi sound at a reasonable price, where a tube pre-amp unit is combined with a transistor circuit. The latest Magnat MA 900 works in class A/B and combines sufficient power with wide connectivity and works with a variety of acoustics.

When you first get acquainted with the Magnat MA 900, a slight deja vu arises – the device deliberately uses the same stylistic and constructive solutions as the younger model MR 780, which we tested four years ago. Formally, the amplifier replaced the outwardly dissimilar MA 1000 model.

Even the front panel here differs by just a couple of buttons, and all the details seem familiar. First of all, a long plastic window, divided in the middle by a round volume knob: on the left is an LED display, and on the right is a pair of ECC 81 double triodes, which, by the way, were manually selected, tested and warmed up before installation.

Under the window with the lamps, there is still a tone block (which can be turned off with the Direct button) with three low, medium, and high frequency controls. To the left is the balance knob. From the rest of the controls, you should highlight the already familiar mono mode button and a separate 3.5 mm line input for quick connection of portable equipment.

However, noticeably widened dimensions will not confuse the MA 900 with the younger brother – with almost identical width and depth, the new amplifier turned out to be almost three centimeters higher, and now the neutral classic look has become emphatically more solid.

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Managing Director of Magnat Shandro Fischer sees devices in the hybrid line that allow, first of all, attentive and concentrated listening to music from a high-quality source, but also playing it in the background from a streaming service or a portable device. Therefore, in the MA 900, as well as in the younger model, special attention was paid to the wide connectivity options, which demonstrates the abundance of connectors on the rear panel.

You will find here two pairs of inputs of the built-in phono stage (by the way, quite a decent one) on Texas Instruments operational amplifiers: for MM and MC systems with a high output level and separately for ordinary MC pickups. Nearby are five pairs of analog RCA connectors to connect a variety of sources, from a CD player to a cassette deck. On the side is a special analog REC output for recording to a tape recorder. Speakers with an impedance of 4–8 ohms are connected via screw connectors in the center of the panel.

Enough attention is paid to digital sources that can be connected to the amplifier using two pairs of optical and coaxial connectors – then the signal goes to the DAC from Cirrus Logic (the “780th” model has a Wolfson WM8740). I would consider Qualcomm’s built-in Bluetooth 5.0 chip with aptX HD support a bonus feature that, if necessary, will help to sound quality content from a tablet or smartphone, but it is hardly suitable for serious listening.

Personally, I could use the networking and streaming features that a number of amplifiers in this price category have, but the Magnat MA 900 does not have them.

Performance of Magnat ma 900 Across Different Setups

To test the MA 900’s versatility, we paired it with three different speaker systems: the vintage-inspired Magnat Transpuls 1000, the high-fidelity Magnat Signature 905, and the British-made Q Acoustics Concept 40. Each combination revealed a different side of the amplifier’s character.

With the Transpuls 1000, the MA 900 delivered a warm, analog-like sound that felt natural and inviting. Tracks from bands like Gojira and Limp Bizkit were rendered with impressive clarity, showcasing the amplifier’s ability to handle complex guitar riffs and dynamic drum sections. However, classics like AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” and Pink Floyd’s “The Happiest Days of Our Lives” could have benefited from a bit more energy and punch.

Switching to the Q Acoustics Concept 40 brought a noticeable shift in presentation. The sound became more transparent and detailed, with a focus on midrange and treble clarity. While the bass lost some of its depth, the overall presentation gained a modern, dynamic edge that suited genres like rock and pop.

The Magnat Signature 905, however, struck the perfect balance. These speakers delivered exceptional detail in the midrange and treble while maintaining a robust low end. The MA 900 allowed the Signature 905 to shine, offering a sound that was both detailed and immersive. While some might prefer to tweak the tone controls to soften the highs, the overall presentation remained neutral and engaging.

A Balanced Performer That Enhances Without Overpowering

For those who grew up in the early ’80s, rocking out to foreign vinyl on chunky speakers like the Radio Engineering 35 AS-1, there’s an undeniable nostalgia for large cabinets with big paper drivers and front-firing phase inverters. That’s exactly the vibe the Magnat Transpuls 1000 speakers bring to the table, and paired with the MA 900 amplifier, they deliver a sound that’s both comforting and authentic.

The combination of the MA 900 and Transpuls 1000 creates a natural, analog-like sound that feels effortless. Compared to the older Transpuls 1500, these speakers feel quicker and more precise, allowing the amplifier to bring out the best in them. Take the French metal band Gojira, for example—their aggressive, intricate tracks came through with striking clarity, with every guitar riff and drum hit rendered with precision and energy.

Even with challenging genres like alternative metal, the MA 900 proves its mettle. Limp Bizkit’s dense, layered tracks, often tricky for large, inertia-heavy paper drivers, were handled with surprising control. However, classic rock anthems like AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” and Pink Floyd’s “The Happiest Days of Our Lives” could have used a bit more punch and vibrancy to truly shine.

Where this setup truly excels is with jazz. The Magnat MA 900 and Transpuls 1000 pair beautifully to deliver a rich, immersive experience. The brass section cuts through with sharpness and clarity, while the low end—especially the double bass feels deep and resonant. It’s almost as if you can feel the vibrations of the bow moving across the strings, adding a tactile dimension to the listening experience.

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Classical music lovers will enjoy the combination of Magnat Transpuls 1000 and Magnat MA 900 with the ability to present large-scale symphonic and operatic canvases, when the setup equally clearly conveys vocals, the quiet sound of a triangle somewhere on the edge of the orchestra pit and a large Turkish drum playing on the border with infrasound. Still, the size of the case and speakers matters.

The organ fugues and piano works are presented with the same power and three-dimensionality. However, I still won’t overpraise this setup – even if the Magnat MA 900 squeezed the quality close to the maximum out of these speakers, it is felt that the amplifier, having a decent margin of sharpness and detail, is capable of more.

Listening Test

One had only to connect the Q Acoustics Concept 40 speakers, and the presentation changed and became noticeably more transparent – with an emphasis on high and mid frequencies. Vocalists, regardless of the genre, seemed to move closer to the audience, acoustic and electric guitars sounded sharper and more distinct, and the losses at low frequencies are now compensated by the drive – the same AC / DC play as if they are hammering in nails.

In general, the presentation has become, if you like, more modern. For example, with the previous speakers, the ABBA group sounded very soft and authentic, but now the recording has been changed to a digital remastering – the sound has become sharper and, as it were, compressed. Jazz and classical music also added “number,s” and at the same time, there was less depth and volume.

Acoustics Magnat Signature 905, in this situation, offers a golden mean. It is transparent and detailed at medium frequencies, not to mention high frequencies, and at the same time, it works out the bottoms very well.

While listening, I deliberately did not touch the tone block knobs, but with the “905s” I always wanted to turn down the tops and conjure over the balance of mids and lows. But I emphasize that this is for my taste, appreciating softness, and many people may like the emphasized detailed and rich sound.

Perhaps a vinyl player or a CD player with a different feed would have been in place here. Again, this is a subjective question. The main thing is that the amplifier itself does not introduce gag. I got the impression that Magnat MA 900 does not impose its will on the acoustics and the source, but allows them to open up per the ideas and constructiveness embedded in them. This is exactly what distinguishes it from devices that stubbornly push through their character, regardless of the surrounding components.

Let the manufacturer himself declare that the tube preamp unit was specially installed to create those very “warm harmonics”, but, fortunately, I did not manage to feel the ostentatious vintage and emphasized “tube” sound. The presentation turned out to be quite transparent, neutral and at the same time comfortable for hearing – perhaps this is what the developers had in mind.

Conclusion

Magnat MA 900 turned out to be a truly versatile device – and not only because of the wide connectivity options but mainly due to the ability to work harmoniously with different sources and acoustics. This is just the case when you don’t have to rack your brains in search of a suitable amplifier since it ca reveal components that are different in spirit and design.

Pros

Universal, neutral, and non-dominant character. 

Sufficient power, 

good detail, 

comfortable sound without a deliberate “tube”.

Cons

Hybrid amplifiers can be bulkier and heavier compared to simple solid-state designs, which could be a concern if you have limited space or require portability.

Colors

The Magnat MA 900 hybrid amplifier comes in two colors: black and silver.

Magnat MA 900 hybrid Specification

Rated power: 20-20,000 Hz, THD <1.0%, 4 ohms, 2 x 200W; 20-20,000 Hz, THD <1.0%, 8 ohms, 2 x 130W

Pulse power: 1,000 Hz, 4 ohms, 2 x 320 W

Frequency Response: CD / Streamer / Aux / Line / Tape / Tuner – 6-100,000Hz (-3dB), 20-20,000Hz (±0.2dB); phono stage – 20–20,000 Hz (±0.3 dB); subsonic filter – 16 Hz, 18 dB / oct.

Signal-to-noise ratio: CD / Streamer / Aux / Line / Tape / Tuner / Digital inputs – 105 dB (A); Phono MM – 85dB(A); Phono MC – 74 dB(A)

Digital inputs: 2 x optical Toslink; 2 x coaxial RCA; 44.1/48/88.2/96/176.4/192 kHz; 16/24 bit

Wireless technologies: Bluetooth 5.0 / Qualcomm aptX HD, 2402-2480 MHz

Power consumption: 700W maximum, standby <0.5W

Preamp tubes: 2x ECC 81 / 12AT7

Dimensions (WxHxD): 433x162x316 mm

Weight: 11.7 kg