Integrated amp with phono section for Totem Arro


Hello, gang,

I've been doing research on the following topic already, and I beg your indulgence if this topic has been beaten to death! :-)

In about a week, I should be the proud owner of a brand-new pair of Totem Arro speakers! :-)

Most of the rest of my system comes from the mid-1980s. This includes my amplifier, a PS Audio Elite Plus integrated amp, solid-state, of course, with 70 W per channel. I have assurances from PS Audio that this amplifier should, in theory, have no trouble driving the Arro, which presents a load of 4 ohms. What I'm wondering, however, it is since the Arro is, from everything I've heard, a VERY revealing little speaker, I'm concerned in advance what I ought to do for amplification if the Elite Plus turns out to sound harsh when paired with the Arro.

What I need, then, would be a much more modern, integrated amplifier, including a phono stage, because my main analog source is a SOTA Sapphire turntable.

I'd be looking at something that I could pick up for, say, $700 or less. Something used would be okay.

All suggestions welcome! :-)
rebbi

Showing 4 responses by dcstep

Congrats on your new speakers.

Give your new speakers at least 60-hours of burn-in before concerning yourself with the amp. Better yet, if possible, put 200-hours on the by running them constantly, then start considering the system.

What cables and interconnects are you using? As your speakers get more revealing, this is a place to focus first. Don't get suckered into getting a soft-edge amp to compensate for the "accuracy" of the new speakers. Really fine speakers will show weaknesses in your sources, cabling and, yes, your amp. However, PS makes good stuff, in general, and is probably superior in quality to your CDP, TT and cables.

$700 amps aren't any more "modern" than your PS. I suspect the money will be better spent on cables and ICs, if at all. (Remember, don't do anything until the speakers are fully burned-in).

Dave
Yeah, shorten up those Monsters first and get good ICs for the CDP and TT next. I prefer Anaylsis Plus for great performance vs. value. If you can't spend that much, then Kimber or Audioquest are good compromises. (Forget about Monster).

Down the road you'll probably be amazed if you'd spend as much on speaker cable as you spent on the amp. Really, the improvement would be huge, but save that for down the road.

Dave
Rebbi, only consider the NAD when you're certain that you need more power. Moving from PS Audio to NAD at the same power levels is generally NOT considered an upgrade. Going from 70 to 150 watts is significant, but not a big jump. If it becomes apparent that you need more power, then a jump to 250 is likely to be more appropriate and you should be looking to upgrade quality at the same time or at least staying at the same quality level. That puts you looking at a bigger PS or a Bel Canto or something along those lines. Since you've gotten into more revealing speakers, the quality of the integrated amp is way more important than it used to be.

Dave