totem arro or rainmaker or von schweikert vr1

My dealer has the VR-1, Arro, and Rainmakers. The Arro are the most impressive of the three IMO (with Kora electronics and Thule CDP). The C320Bee has gotten universally great reviews although I am not familiar with it. Also, I just got a Myryad Z-140 and it is AWESOME for the money ($500 used). All Cambridge stuff also have great reviews so it could be a good and cheap first step.

There are zillions of options - it is best to just start with something and then "buy and try" to find what you really want. If you have a local 2-channel dealer, I would start there - seriously. Good luck! Arthur

I'd also go for the Arro's. I don't love NHTs, and while I like the Rainmaker's and VR-1s, I think the Arro is the is most impressive. The comment above that their narrowness could make them easy to tip over is applicable to many speakers (and those on stands) and while I don't believe these can be mass loaded (like many stands can) I've used them and as long as you're not careless, you should be fine (if you have a big dog or kids, then maybe you'd want to rethink these speakers, or just close the door).

In terms of an amp, I think the nad is fine, but there are other units which would match better with the Arros.

My bets would be a used Musical Fidelity A300 (should set you back about 7-800), a Music Hall Mambo (there's one for 750 right now) which also gives you the added bonus of an upsampling DAC, or this lovely YBA Integre Initial, which would be a super mate for the Arros (but is pricy at 920):

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?intatran&1126417835

While I'm at it, there's a Simaudio celeste someone has up, and I love the Sim-Totem combo:

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?intatran&1125424222

Maybe a Classe?:

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?intatran&1123788062

Happy hunting

I would say the Arros, but in the tradition of multiple choice thread suggestions, I'll mention something not on your list: Ohm MicroWalsh Talls. They're about 1K, but I'm sure you can find a great used Integrated for $500 and you'll have an outstanding system. I like the Arros, but I prefer the Ohms.

I was considering perhaps a jolida tube amp to go with the arros but i was a bit leary because i had heard that sometimes they can be very system specific. How much 'tube power' would the arros want? I really wish i had the ability to go to a local 'two channel' audio store but every store in my area is only interested in million channel systems, there is not a single store that even sells two channel amps, so that is why i have taken my search to the internet, at this point i think i am going to stick with the arros, i have had the opportunity to hear all three speakers but at different stores and also with a 7 channel amp pushing in 2 channel mode so it is very difficult to make my decision as conditions are not ideal. I apreciate all posts and would be happy to hear any other inputs concerning mentioned items
Thank you

I had great sucess with 22wpc triode with Arros in a room 11*13, so much that I almost popped the woofer out! As a rule of thumb, tube power is as efficient as solid state power divided 2 to 2.5 (this is not universal but pretty close). So, if I were you, given the outstanding ability of Arros to pass the quality (and defetcs) of upstream components, I would go quality watts vs. quantity. Find a strong clean 30wpc tube integrated and you will be set.