Streetman, those are two wonderful amplifiers on your list there, and between them there is no wrong choice - only personal preference. I gather you want plenty of headroom, in which case the McCormack would make more sense. World-class bang-for-the-buck, though of the two I would personally take the Alephs. I am very familiar with the Newforms - you are barking up all the right trees. One other amplifier you might consider for driving the Newforms is the Clayton S-40; you can sometimes find them used for around fifteen hundred (which is an absolute steal considering how good they are). I'm saying this as a former Clayton owner, and as a dealer who sells rival products. Real-world the Claytons are more powerful than the Aleph 5's, more neutral, better nuance and microdynamics, and tighter bass. The Aleph 5's will be sweeter in the mids, for which they are justly prized. You will hear greater variation from one recording to the next with the Claytons, for better or for worse. Any one of these three amps paired with the Newforms will make the magic happen. You might also want to consider the Hovland cap upgrade for the Newforms - definitely worthwhile. I can get you details if you'd like, or you can contact John yourself.
