Driving Totem Forrests with 40W Tubes???

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.

Yeah, I heard the Simaudio Amber integrated driving Winds years back at my dealer and the combo was impressive. Never heard it on the Forests but I would love to hear it or get my hands on that amp. I've only seen one come up for sale here on the 'gon, but it was when I owned the Arros and it simply would have been overkill at that point.

i have owned the totem forest for 4 years and now stiil using it in my system, in the past i had tried them with tube amp with 40w and the sound is terrible, then switch back to 120w ss amp which i currently using. my guess is that because the forest sensitivity is quite low 87db and consider not a good match with low power tube amp, if you want to go with tube try one with at least 100w
good luck