Amp help for the Maggies?

Well, Eric, now you've heard from both sides of the camp. You'll want to audition (at home, if you can) an amp with lower watts/power and one with more. Let your own ears decide.
I fully agree that CJ makes a higher end product. However, you won't get the same presentation as with an amp with more power. Sorry, it's true. Unless it's some "high current" design, which you'll pay for too. I would ideally like an amp the quality of CJ, but with the power of the Outlaw. Can't afford it. Maybe someday.
I also own a Threshold T-50; in it's day a very respectable 50wpc class A amp. No slouch. But there was no comparison between it and the Outlaw biamped. Let's put it this way; if the Outlaw wasn't as "pure" a sound as the Threshold, the additional power and what it did for the Magnepans more than made up for it. I once went back and hooked up the Threshold again, just to make sure I wasn't overlooking anything. Couldn't stand it. Removed it immediately - it sounded too "small" and without gravitas.
You're not going to have your cake and eat it too at $1,000 for an amp. If you go low watts, sure, you might get higher quaility, but don't expect the expansive sound stage. Won't happen.
As I said, listen to both kinds of amps and you'll know what's right for you.
One last thought. In keeping with the car analogy Gregadd used, the CJ or similar amp is like a two seat sports car - very refined, but SMALL. You'll never get big sound out of it. The Outlaw is more like the Nissan Maxima (Gregadd might suggest more like a Chevy), not as sporty as the two seater, but very nice. It is larger.Performance not up to the two seater, but much more size.
That's pretty much what you're facing regarding amps and the power issue. Smaller (power) and (possibly) technically more perfect, or larger and expansive (with possibly less precision).
So, what's going to fit you? Listen to the Maggies both ways, and you'll know what you like.
Now, if anyone knows of a $1,000 amp which does BOTH the things the CJ does and the Outlaw does PLEASE TELL ME!!
By the way, just saw an article in Stereophile where Sam Tellig reviewed the Harbeth Super HL5 loudspeakers (bookshelves) into which he ran Parasound Halo JC1 mono amps, of which he commented, "Overkill perhaps- but the sense of control and dynamic ease was wonderful."
That perhaps is what appealed to me so much about larger watts. The sense of "control and dynamic ease."
Have fun with the choice!

Because most music is handled by about <1 watt what we are realy talking about is dynamic headroom. The necessary dynamic head room is about 3db. A cursory explanation is given at:http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/34579/109459.htm

My summary observation is that your low power amp will never sound better than when it drives Maggies. Depending on musical tastes, and listening environment (eg: apartment) the low power amp may be the best choice. However, the Maggies can do more. Lots more.

Within your Budget, an Aragon amp would be the ticket. I've heard many Maggie setups, and bang-for-buck-wise, they are tough to beat.
FWIW, agree with much of what Gregadd said about folks being too focused on power ratings, but when it comes to current production Maggies, the current and power both matter a lot. As much a I love tube amps, this is the last place I'd recommend them to someone on a budget! Cheers,
Spencer

NO, NO, NO...you are ALL wrong!!! (just kidding :) ) let me chime in as having owned SMG "A"'s 1.5, 1.6 ,2.7's and 3.3's( formerly Jafox's own beloved 3.3's!!) As many of you may know, I have indeed left the Maggie camp( for now anyway) and here's why. Yes, I agree with both camps to some degree. Indeed Maggies will sound good with lower power amps, especially triode tubes as long as you dont ask the amp to do more than is expected.Please dont waste your time with low power designs or most SS amps in the 100W range, and try to get the BEST sound out of them, no matter what front end stuff you have. I also have used Hi power SS amps in the 300W range with decent headroom that makes them come alive, but at the expense of revealing the short commings of the upstream components and the amp itself. The Maggie 3 series are that good at letting you know where your problems are. I really think that if your going to run Maggies full range and expect to have a world class speaker capable of high resolution, detail, stunning dynamics and play real world music, you better have not just power and current from an amp...but the BEST amp to do the job AND sound good doing it wheather it be tube OR SS. The likes of the Wolcotts, ARC Ref 600, VTL 450's, Plinius SA 250's, new McIntosh 6 chassis monoblocks,CAT JL3 Sigs Monoblocks would be what Id want for my next pair of Maggies. OR... I could be satisfied returning to my 1.6QR's and Quicksilver 60's, place them 12-15 feet apart and listen in the near field and low to moderate volume. For sweet sound, imaging and depth, especially vocals, it didn't get much better than this! Perspective is the key and knowing what sound your trying to achieve, and how you'll drive them makes all the difference...BTW...FWIW, I will never forget how good my lowly pair of SMG A's sounded with vocals and light jazz..In some respects, the best Maggie of all.