My local high end store hosts a manufacturers's open house annually. One year B&W demo'd the PM1/PV1D combination and I was stunned by how good it was. The electronics were all Classe, which had a 2.1 arrangement to send all the LF content to the sub, freeing up the PM1s for better clarity and dynamics.
Classe is part of the "B&W Group." They were probably running something like the CP800 pre/pro, which has bass management, along with one of their 2-channel power amps.
Rotel is also part of the B&W group. They offer a 120 wpc integrated amp. It doesn't have bass management, but it has pre-out jacks that could go to an outboard electronic crossover to send a high pass signal to the PM1s if desired.
My own experience with a Marantz PM8004 was very positive, where it was driving a pair of Sonus Faber Cremona Ms with clarity, authority, and musicality. But I've never heard it driving the PM1, so I'll happily take your word for it that it's not a good match.
Classe is part of the "B&W Group." They were probably running something like the CP800 pre/pro, which has bass management, along with one of their 2-channel power amps.
Rotel is also part of the B&W group. They offer a 120 wpc integrated amp. It doesn't have bass management, but it has pre-out jacks that could go to an outboard electronic crossover to send a high pass signal to the PM1s if desired.
My own experience with a Marantz PM8004 was very positive, where it was driving a pair of Sonus Faber Cremona Ms with clarity, authority, and musicality. But I've never heard it driving the PM1, so I'll happily take your word for it that it's not a good match.