Forgot to say I'm going w the totem rainmakers
advice needed on 1st real stereo system
Hi everyone,
I am a 1st time "real" stereo buyer and would really appreciate some advice from a community of experts. I am looking for a system for my living room (about 20x20), for a wide range of music (jazz, classical, rock) and tv/movies etc.
1. I am looking at the Peachtree Decco/Nova amps. I get that the Nova has more power, but will the Decco suffice at 65 w per channel? I will not be blasting music at full volume, but does wattage also improve sound at low/moderate levels?
2. I am looking at a pair of Totem Rainmaker speakers, any thoughts on these or others?
3. Do expensive speaker cables make a difference?
Thanks so much in advance for your advice!
I am a 1st time "real" stereo buyer and would really appreciate some advice from a community of experts. I am looking for a system for my living room (about 20x20), for a wide range of music (jazz, classical, rock) and tv/movies etc.
1. I am looking at the Peachtree Decco/Nova amps. I get that the Nova has more power, but will the Decco suffice at 65 w per channel? I will not be blasting music at full volume, but does wattage also improve sound at low/moderate levels?
2. I am looking at a pair of Totem Rainmaker speakers, any thoughts on these or others?
3. Do expensive speaker cables make a difference?
Thanks so much in advance for your advice!
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- 30 posts total
The Naim probably won't be able to drive the rainmakers to satisfying levels. Rather than getting an "all in one" dac and integrated lifestyle combo, I would recommend purchasing the dac separately. This will open up many more options for integrated amps at your price point which are made with fewer compromises to the amplification section. Digital technology is also evolving much faster than amplifier technology which means you can upgrade the dac in the future without throwing the baby out with the bathwater (I know, it's a terrible cliche but it seemed to fit here). |
I don't have the unitiqute, but I do have the 5i. Power ratings are very misleading. The 5i is (conservatively) rated at 50 watts, but it punches well above its rating Best thing to do is try to get a dealer that has the amp and speaker combo you desire to allow you to audition them or buy the speakers and take them to the dealer to audition. Couple of things with naim... 1. Use naim speaker cable or a brand like Van den Hul - the amps like low capacitance speaker cables - others may make the amp sound less than optimal 2. Any non-naim source connected to them should have a grounded power lead OR you may have to ground the case/chassis of the source component yourself, otherwise a hum may result On the good side - these amps are fantastic and tend to have more power than required. They are incredibly dynamic, detailed and smooth. My listening tastes are quite diverse and this little amp delivers every time without fatigue, no matter what genre I'm listening to They do respond very well to good leads - like - stagger silver solid interconnects - furitech or DH labs power cables + Vanguard plugs/iec gold on copper For more details see http://www.image99.net/blog/ With the right components and cables they present a very spacious sound stage that exceeds the physical limits of the room. Probably be the last amp I'll ever buy :-) |
I've only heard the Totem Rainmakers briefly at shows, I can't really comment on them, but these measurements from Stereophile: http://www.stereophile.com/content/totem-acoustic-rainmaker-loudspeaker-measurements should offer some insight. I have to wonder if they're big enough for your room, and if a low/medium powered tube integrated is the way to go with them? |
- 30 posts total