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Integrated amp for Totem Sttaff

Hello all. I am new to the site but have been ravenously reading reviews and posts the last few weeks. I am in the proccess of replacing my 20 year old Boston A 400's with the Sttafs....Now my dilemma.I am currently running a Denon 2106 and have found a helpful dealer selling...Naim, Creek, Sim, Cambridge, Arcam. I am seriously considering jumping in the deep end of the audio pool and get a new power source as well to match....My problem..The dealer is a 3 hr drive away so auditioning the Totems and the matching amps is possible, im hoping your experince may help me have a better starting point if im to drive that far....I know other brands are out there, but I dont have access to viewing them, let alone buying them. Im hoping $ 1,500 cdn will put me in a good spot to get the most from the Totems...Thanks in advance.
mxwizard
mingles
796 posts
 
I asked Totem to recommend an amp for the Sttaf, but apparently they don't like to name specific brands. Here's their reply:
We recommend a minimum of 50 watts SS and 20 watts TUBE. We obtain numerous inquiries about amplifier recommendations, and although superior combinations do exist personal taste does plays a large role in determining the perfect match. We recommend contacting your local Totem dealer to arrange for a personal audition of various electronics paired to our loudspeakers.
Personally, I'm a fan of tubes. To my ears, they sound more realistic and tend to be smoother and less fatiguing. At 88 dB efficiency, I really think the Sttaf need more power than 20 tube watts. 50 watts is a better baseline. There are plenty of options in your price range.

Do you know what tube products your dealer carries? Primaluna? Rogue? Jolida? Cayin? Even if you decide to go with SS, I strongly recommend listening to the Sttaf with tubes. I also recommend bringing your own music to the audition. Bring something that you know intimately.
mordante
511 posts
 
I know someone who use a Symphonic Line RG10 mk4 for his mani 2-sig. A RG9 or 10 should also work for the sttaff I guess the RG14 maybe underpowered.
bdgregory
1,712 posts
 
Sttafs are really nice with Tubes. I had a pair and for a while drove them on a 20w/c vintage Fisher X202. That was fun. They'd be nicer with more like 30-40 w Tube amps.

The again, they're really nice with SS amps too . . .
rumadian
152 posts
 
Mxwizard,

What type of music do you listen to? What size of room are you trying to fill? How loud do you like to take things?

I've owned the Sttaf for 5 years. In this time, I've matched the little speakers with at least three dozen or so integrated and pre/amp combos - ranging anywhere from a few hundred bucks, to twenty thousand dollars. Give us a little bit of a lead and we can suggest a better fit.
mxwizard OP
5 posts
 
My music tastes have changed a little,maybe not so much changed but expanded..Jazz has been the choice of late but rock, and metal can still draw my attention.As far as volume..im on the high side of 40 and we live in a condo so i dont need to take things to 150db...Our living room and dining room are open and in line so the space is 16'X 25' with 9 ft ceiling and hardwood flooring which does make the room a little "lively"....hanging sound deadening is not an option....Its a decor thing. I have also concidered the Rainmakers to the sttafs and am still looking at both...I just refuse to spend thousands and thousands on this hobby----ive been down this road before.....Thanks again...
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