ST70 or ST120?

I have 2 sets of speakers. One is 99 db/1 watt the other is a set of maggie MGIIIa's that I have owned forever. About 83db/1 watt on a good day. My new amp would be used with the first speakers but I would like to have the option to use them with the Maggies. I know I will need the 12au7 driver board no matter which amp I choose. I also know that the 70 is not enough power to make the Maggies happy. I have hooked an old stereo 70 to them and they wanted more power. I also know from the stereo 70 that I had that The first speakers need as low a gain as is possible otherwise I may have a volume problem. I am using a transcendent sound preamp.
Ok here is what I would like: The ST-120 with KT-120 tubes and the low gain driver board. Will it work? Is the gain higher at a given volume setting between the 70 and the 120. Also is there a gain difference at a given volume setting between EL34, KT88 and KT120's in the same amp. I'll probably buy this amp before the first of the year.

I don't have an answer for you but it would be nice to here from you if you decide to get the st-120. I just built the st-120 (kt88s) and am very pleased with it driving my Paradigm Studio 60s (89-92db). I'm currently using my preout on my receiver but am thinking about building a preamp and have been looking at Transcendent. It would be nice to know how your combination sounds if you add the st-120

I have the ST-120 with the stepped attenuator and it is awsome. If you go with a pre amp then you can just put the attenuator at the final step which is by-pass. Excellent! I love the CD player direct to the amp!!!

Bob, too simple, the perfect solution, Thanks. Is the gain, at a set volume, about the same for all of the tubes? Also I have a ladder type stepped attenuator, how much clearance is there in that area? It's probably less than an inch longer.
pmit2188, I have had the preamp for 8 years. I don't know how it compares with tubes 4 hifi's preamps. That would best be answered by them. If you go to tubes4HIFI's preamp site you will see that they will build the transcendent sound amp for you for $100, $599 total. I would also do all of the upgrades they show. They need to be done. If you build it yourself do the upgrades. Use the stepped volume. It is a no frills preamp. Not at all slow and tubbee. Sound wise, It is very very fast and detailed. It can't make a bad amp sound better. But it will let a great amp like yours sound as great as it can. Again ask tubes4hifi for there opinion, I want to buy one of there amps in the near future and want to stay on there good side.

Actually it was the output tube gain at a given input I was not sure about IE: KT88 to KT120. Now another question. I used calipers to measure the ladder stepped volume control and it measures just under 1.5 inches Will that fit in 120 chassis. I know it would be tight. Also it would be the side of the resistors [insulated] so the would not need much clearance. Also 2 inches long, but I don't think that would be the problem.

Thanks for the info Bob.

One last question. The driver boards, I assume that the low and high gain pc boards are the same. Just some of the resistors and 3 tubes are different. Is this correct?