Budget AV Receiver with Magnepan

"...I *am* unfortunately severely budget limited, $500 or maaybe stretch to $800. So I'll always be compromised in some way" (BFrank1972)

Yep, I recommend this route EVERY TIME, BTW, over an all-in-one receiver route for your maggies: Some $400-$600 range newer Denon, Yamaha, Harmon Kardon receiver on the net at slashed rates in the $400 price range - THEN ADD A 5 CHANNEL USED HIGH CURRENT OUTBOARD AMP!!
Several amps come to mind on the used market. However, you can probably find a great deal on some a Beefy Parasound HCA-1205/1206 for $500 range. Cheeper option would be Some Adcom or Rotel piece for $400-$500.
Either way, this option would be a much better combo approach than simply the receiver, IMO.
Old school tech, used would be to at least recommend an older Acurus Act 3 at $300, and adding an amp to that.
I like either of these older and newer tech routes over what you are attempting. (I speak from 20 years of pro and hobby experience in this)
Of all the receivers you mentioned, I like the B&K option the best with your maggies (but it has no newere codecs, Room DSP, EQ, limited bass mgmnt, likely, etc). Still, I could NEVER get my self to drive any Maggie (I've sold em in two high end stores, thus far) with a reciver - NO!

Hah well I was actually looking at the option of my Denon with the Parasound 1205 (a couple on Audiogon for sale), but then I stumbled across a Rotel RSX-1065:

http://www.technofile.com/articles/rotel_1065_receiver.html

at a price I couldn't turn down (<$300). It's a receiver yes, but this thing looks more like Rotel crammed one of their preamps and amplifiers in one box - I'm sure there are plenty of compromises but it does everything I need and has plenty of power (peering through the top grille I see the thing has a good size toroidal transformer sitting in the middle)... all in one tidy and inexpensive box.

Right now I'm going with the MMG-W setup, which are small and hopefully easier to drive than the full Maggies - and I've always liked Rotel equipment. So we'll see how this setup works and if I'll feel the need for a seperate amp down the road.

Holy you-know-what. If you found a Rotel RSX-1065 for less than $300, you got the bargain of the century. You do realize that a new one was over $2,000, right? Anyway, I'd say your done shopping. The 1065 is actually overkill for your setup. Enjoy it.

Yeah I know! It looks brand new and I felt like a thief walking out of the store with it - it's a local hi-fi shop as well who said they'd give me 14 days if anything went wrong with it. Mission accomplished ;) Thanks for your help!

I think you can find a Denon AVR 3806 (which does have HDMI switching) in your price range, and it will definitely drive the Maggies. I owned this reciever, and loved it. I have had some very serious problems with NAD recievers and would never buy one again.

I have never owned one, but have heard and been impressed by the Marantz recievers over the past few years.

Good luck.