Best Amp for Magnepan 1.7?


What would be the best amp out of the following four brands to power the new 1.7s? Also, would a monoblock setup be worth the extra money? I like McIntosh; however, I'm not sure if the detail and speed will be up to what the 1.7 would want.

Krell
Mark Levinson
McIntosh
Bryston

Thanks guys
techguy0192
I have traded in my Maggie 1.2's and now run 1.7's with Wyred4Sound SX 1000 amp and STP SE preamp.

Check it out before you spend the really big bucks, you just might be surprised.

According to the folks at W4S they are going to be listening to a customer's 3.6's to see how compatable they are with the W4S products.

I can tell that the sound is very palpable and on good recordings it sounds like you are right next to the real instrument.

Good soundstage depth and width, lots of detail, and dynamic. You can pick individual voices out of harmonies and specific instruments out of the mix.
You can't go seriously wrong with ANY of the ICE based 'd' amps. They all have more in common with one another than BIG differences....this is true of all of 'em....W4S, BelCanto and all the rest.

My PSAudio is a.....well, since it came first, the W4S is a CLONE of the PSAudio offering, right down to backpanel detail / arrangement and were built by the same folks in the same plant.

PLEASE take the time to read ALL the specs for ICE amps. The RMS power is NOT by the FTC method. The max power output is strictly time-limited for all ICE amps due to cooling issues. YES, I know they are mid-80s% efficient, but that is only at full power. So, you've still got a couple hundred watts of HEAT to deal with.

The W4S 'test' with 3.6s? Window dressing. The compatibility is a foregone conclusion and it'll work FINE...and than some.
Magfan, the insinuation was about what speakers to use when displaying amps at shows.

Just my take.
Insinuation:
An unpleasant hint or suggestion of something bad
Who insinuated anything? Are my (factual) remarks about ICE amp time/power limits considered a 'dis'? With most a good rule of thumb being peak / continueous power needed of about 1:10, I'd say that you'd never touch an ICE amps time/power limits with real music.
Sorry, Dsper, I don't get your drift: at SHOWS? The OP wanted to know what to power his new 1.7s with. You are having good results with W4S and I with PSAudio.....amps which are at worst, close cousins.
I was mainly addressing your remarks about ICE amps....with some general comments about the real power output of those amps. They DO power the panels well, since the only way to dip into the power time limits would be to play sine waves.

As for recommending an amp for the OP? Any amp run within its electrical limits will probably be fine. Louder requires more power....sometimes LOTS more if in a larger room at the same time. As for what sounds best? the OP should try some stuff out or maybe take home a dealer demo for a weekend. The ONLY amp from his list which I've heard mixed reviews about with panels is the Mac. I'd scratch the Mac and Levinson from the list and add Pass and W4S.....but that's just an opinion and the OP needs to test for himself.

Enjoy your W4S with your 1.7s as I enjoy my PSAudio with my 1.6s
Sorry Magfan,

I meant to say that the W4S person with whom I spoke insinuated that they were considering pairing their products with Maggies to help sell their W4S products.

Your comment about running an amp within its limits is right on. My personal opinion is that there are many listeners who are used to hearing distortion and think that is good sound.