Hi Unsound,
I have listened to Vandersteen 3A's with Conrad Johnson amplification and thought that they sounded very good, if a bit polite.
I felt the same way about the Pass X350 with the Thiel CS5.
So while I very much understand your comment about McCormack's with Thiels, I wonder if your "bit shouty" could be my desire for "more presence"?
Gosh this is hard when you cannot listen to an amp before purchasing it!
Dsper