Integrated amp for Totem Sttaff

Hieule 5,

IMHO, the NAD separates and C325/C355/C372 integrated amps are very nice, but I would not put them in the same league in terms of resolution, airiness or PRAT with the Naim, Simaudio or Creek amps mentioned above, especially to drive the Totem Staff. NAD's higher end M3 is another story - but new those are nearly twice the $1500 budget discussed here.

I have recommended the the C355/C352 and C372 models to many people on here and in "real life". The idea that you can pick up a 150 wpc integrated that has a fairly natural, neutral and smooth sound with a damping factor of >150 for under $1K new is a HiFi bargain if ever there was one.

But I like listening to the other amps better, especially the Naim Nait 5i, and I think they are worth the extra $500 if you have it in your pocket and are ready to spend it.

And as for a CD player - while the Rega Apollo is a very good player for <$1K - to go with the Staff and a Naim/Simaudio/Creek or a $1500 tube integrated, I would wait and spring for a player of equal quality - Cambridge 840C, NAD M5, Simaudio Moon CD-1, Roksan - Kandy KC-1 MKIII and Naim CD5i (a great match for, guess what? the Naim Nait 5i integrated amp). The Staffs's are great speakers, and would not be embarrassed by electronics costing twice what I have recommended here. They, and you, deserve the best you can give them...

Mr. Knownothing:-))

Agreed with you on the Naim integrated. Sim and Naim are simply above NAD level period. Creek is also good.

I am a cheap guy:-)) and had good experience with NAD C352 so that was the reason I recommended NAD. I do have the C162/C270 combo and another integrated C372 at home currently. If I have the money, I would definitely step up to Sim or Naim or Classe.

Sim new entry level integrated, I forgot whether that was I1 or I3, and Naim Nait are probably the best two integrated candidates at the $1.5K mark.

Regarding CD player, Cambridge Audio sounds very good for the money but I am also told that they have lots of QC problems. But those QC problem may only exist with the entry level C640 and C740, I guess????

Kind regards

Hieule5- I no longer sell Totem because I no longer sell anything. I have a different job. But fyi, I used to sell Usher too and I wouldn't even compare better Totems to the S520's, although Usher makes great speakers too as well as Dynaudio. I've compared the Totem Sttafs directly to the high end Be-718's and it was an even tradeoff. Better midrange and imaging, vs. more dynamics and gobs of detail. The Usher Tiny Dancers are a great speaker though as well, and will provide more output if you like it loud. One of the major cost differences in a "Budget level" speaker is weather the company uses real wood veneers, or if it's lacqered or vinyl wrapped. Dynaudio makes great speakers too, but if you want to talk about expensive, they've got a small bookshelf that costs $7,000 a pair! Some people and I suspect that you are one of these people, will say that they are way too expensive for what they offer, others will say that it's the best monitor bookshelf available, the price be damned. All depends what paradigm you come from.

Anyway, the original poster was looking for Integrated suggestions for the Sttafs that he's wisely chosen, not someone to tell him that his choice is overpriced and doesn't perform as well as "such 'n such" cheap speaker. Maybe you should should start your own thread, where you discuss what people who don't like audio enough to devote much of their expendable income to it, buy!

Suggestion to you: an Ipod and headphones

Hieule 5,

HA! I bet I am even cheaper than you. I have a Cambridge Azur 640C v2 that is about 2.5 years old, and it works like a champ. When Cambridge first came out with the 640C version 1, they had some problems with noisy transformers and the left channel on some units (rushed to market?). Before I had the version 2 I owned a later model 640C version 1 for a few months and had no difficulties with that either. I haven't heard much about QA/QC problems with the brand since the first batch of bad 640C units.

The 640C version 2 is noticeably more accomplished than the first version, and the 840C is significantly more polished and analog sounding than the 640C v2.

Back to topic, I STILL think the Onkyo A-9555 would be a great match with the Totems under discussion. I have heard myriad Cambridges, some Regas, Creeks, and Musical Fidelities, and I'd take the Onkyo in a heartbeat for being better at everything--bass extension and clarity, transparency, tonal balance, smoothness, musicality, microdynamics, macrodynamics, and low level detail in proper perspective to bloom and fullness.

It's almost risk-free to try--$474-494 at Amazon.com with free shipping and a 30-day trial period.

Just give it 100 hrs to break in and hook it up with a good aftermarket power cord. The PS Audio XStream Prelude should do just fine.

What if I'm right?