"Speaking of...any suggestions on a "something else"."
Out of curiosity, a bought a 1.7's to see what they sound like. I was never able to hear a good demo of Magnepan speakers. I had them for about a year and put them next to my Vandersteen Model 2's, and swapped them back and forth for comparison. I tried them with a verity of electronics, as well. The Vandersteens beat them in just about any way I could think of. I was kind of surprised because I was expecting the Magnepan's to be better in some areas, and the Vandersteen's would have its strengths. I had several friends listen to both pairs also, any they all came to the same conclusion that I did. The 1.7's were very disappointing. You may want to consider other options.
Out of curiosity, a bought a 1.7's to see what they sound like. I was never able to hear a good demo of Magnepan speakers. I had them for about a year and put them next to my Vandersteen Model 2's, and swapped them back and forth for comparison. I tried them with a verity of electronics, as well. The Vandersteens beat them in just about any way I could think of. I was kind of surprised because I was expecting the Magnepan's to be better in some areas, and the Vandersteen's would have its strengths. I had several friends listen to both pairs also, any they all came to the same conclusion that I did. The 1.7's were very disappointing. You may want to consider other options.