I have just purchased the latest Sound Lab M1

I'll chime in here with another view. I own a pair of Soundlab A3's and use BAT VK 55 monoblocks. I never listen above 85 db and these amps have proven to be very capable. In the summer I use an Innersound ESL 300 MKII. I prefer the 55's midrange over the 300's transparency, both have their strengths and weakness, neither lack detail. Once again, your ears are the final judge.

Hello,
In answer to the questions concerning my M1's. They did have the updated backplates, and they were the latest panels. They came directly from soundlab to me in June 2006. I have the MA-2 MK III's and the speakers clipped at a volume level that was not all that high. I still have the Atma-Spheres and they are functioning flawlessly, so the amps were not in any way defective. I too like the Soundlabs, but I would certainly want a lot of power to drive them.
Best of luck,
Dennis

I think the pair of mfa 200d's on audiogon would drive the soundlab's fine as I was looking at them for my m2's. I talked with scott franklin in san jose ca to get his opinion and he said they would do a excellant job in controlling the panels.
If you go the OTL route I would invest in a pair of autoformers.

I own older M1's.

I owned a Levinson 336, but simultaneously home auditioned CAT JL-1's, and Parasound JC1's.

I tried the CAT JL-1's first. It would be an understatement to advise that I was astonished by what they were doing.

I then inserted the JC1's. Needless to say they weren't the CAT's. So, I didn't leave them connected for more than a brief period.

Without directly A/B'ing the JC1’s to the Levinson, my sense was that they equaled or even exceeded the Levinson. For less expense, I thought the Parasounds represented a good deal. But the CAT's -- older models and albeit used -- haven't left my listening room.

I've not tried Atma-sphere or Wolcott amps which have been used quite successfully with S/L’s, but based on lots of research (but no personal experience), I believe the former as a power source for the M1’s, would rival the CAT's -- different, but still superlative.

Something else to consider, if you like OTL-type sound, David Berning's new Quadrature Z. It extends the technology used in his ZH270 to much higher power applications--specifically 200 wpc into 8 ohm, 270 wpc into 4, with 'burst' of 300 wpc. Never heard them with Soundlabs, but sure sound awesome with what I have.