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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
digsmithd
913 posts
 
i think you cant go wrong with sim or naim!
soulbrass
246 posts
 
Naim + Totem = : )
Ag insider logo xs@2x
knownothing
1,579 posts
 
This is a terrific list of amps to choose from - you don't need to look any further.

I would look first at Naim Nait 5i and the Sim Moon i-1. Next I would look at the Creek Classic 5350 SE. I think the Arcam and Cambridge units in this price range are good, but the Naim and Sim are class leaders, and the Naim has a presentation that just sucks you in when paired with the Totems.

Good luck.
brian27b
93 posts
 
Plinius is also another nice choice with your speakers
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.
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