Driving Totem Forrests with 40W Tubes???

OK, so the winner (for me) is the Simaudio i-5 with the Forests.

Both sound great and the Prima is a little sweeter in the midrange and adds a nice juiciness to the female vocals that's hard to give up, but overall the Sim just offers a little more. A little more transparency, a little tighter imaging and focus and more accurate tonal representation. Many of the things that I found the Krell to add, but without the nasties in the highs - which to me are unforgivable.

The Sim actually attempts what seems to be some tube like qualities, but when pairing it head-to-head with the same thing, tubes do add a little more 'magic'. Although both sound great, the decision was pretty easy for me. The Sim just controls the Forests better.

While I prefer the Sim i-5, I still question if that could be the final pairing with the Forests. I think the 'perfect' pairing may lie along the lines of a PrimaLuna Prologue Three Preamp with a Simaudio i-3/5 power amp, or perhaps the BAT vk300? I think a hybrid system could be just the ticket for the Forests? The i-5 is nice, but I think a little more power could onyl go in a positive direction.

Very interesting...thanks for the verdict on this...It does not seem like you've had any concerns about the ability of the I-5 to drive the Forests...

- walkman

Jh2os: it seems we have had some similar audio tastes in the recent past, I noticed you mentioned that both 2ch and HT were merged now? If this is the case, do not buy any SS amp for the Forest without first auditioning the Linar 10 5.1 integrated,. It is SS power with tube transparency and there are so many ways you can use it, it is scary (!): regular 2ch, 2*2ch (two rooms), regular 5.1 and, my favorite these days: bi-amping with ability to adjust the relative volume of one 2ch amp vs. the other...extremely useful to "tune" your speakers as a function of source, room, music, etc. I have had mine for about 9 months now and I cannot think of going anywhere else as I am about to buy some big floorstanders that will need power and also ability to "tame" down bass relative to their placement. Victor Sima was who started Simaudio, father of the I5 predecessor (a pale copy of the Sim at the time some say) and he knows what he is doing. The Linar 10 is one of those jewel that go below the radar because it is a newer brand. A bit pricey but 3 amps in one!

Beheme, that is a very interesting product, I never heard of ti before - must have skipped over the stereophile review back in January?

My combined HT is strickly 2-channel now, and I don't forsee adding anything else. Going back to 5.1 just doesn't appeal to me now, or as far as I can see anytime in the near future. I think with the Linar, I may be paying for more than what I need, but if I do find myself craving 5.1 again in the future I'll put it at the top of my list to audition. It sounds like a very interesting and great product!

It would be nice if they made a strickly 2-channel integrated at a lower price point!

I agree that if you only use 2ch you may think you are paying say 60% too much for what you use...it happened to me until I started bi-amping with variable SPL (almost as tone control). My Yaras just opened up even more and became near perfect..until i sold them for smaller first but now much bigger (!). Despite the price, it competes with the very best (read the review in Secret of HT...compared to ARC for $15,000!!!)and is not overpriced as a 2ch only. I bought it for sound (fell in love with it at a trade show) and flexibility, hoping this will be the last amp.... Anyway, you cannot go wrong with I5.

FYI, check with Totem if they still have a few units of that custom integrated made by Simaudio I believe...they use it in their office to drive Forest...

Good luck.