System synergy is everything..... You know when you find it .
There are a buzzilion choices out there but narrowing down to those select few requires some patience and personal auditions.
I've owned both the Totem Arros and Forests simultaneously in prior systems. I've auditioned many contenders and pretenders with them.
For my select coin .... SIMAUDIO integrated amp .... Full stop.
These are frequently paired up with Totems at audio expos, and since both hail from Montreal, they are frequently voiced with each other's kit .
Totem's own (discontinued) AMBER integrated amp was a joint development with SIMAUDIO based on the matters design.
To raise it up another notch, slide in a matched SIMAUDIO Cdp and DAC.
But don't scrimp and nickel-n-dime the ICs with any SIMAUDIO product ... They are very revealing and using crap cables with them will create a predictable matched result accordingly.
Last point....
The ARROs perform at their max using Totems own TRESS speaker cable which is a near clone of CHORD's Rumour or Oddysey ( all are silver plated copper). I used both with the Arros with a slight personal slant toward the TRESS (that's what the Arros are apparently internally wired with)
There are a buzzilion choices out there but narrowing down to those select few requires some patience and personal auditions.
I've owned both the Totem Arros and Forests simultaneously in prior systems. I've auditioned many contenders and pretenders with them.
For my select coin .... SIMAUDIO integrated amp .... Full stop.
These are frequently paired up with Totems at audio expos, and since both hail from Montreal, they are frequently voiced with each other's kit .
Totem's own (discontinued) AMBER integrated amp was a joint development with SIMAUDIO based on the matters design.
To raise it up another notch, slide in a matched SIMAUDIO Cdp and DAC.
But don't scrimp and nickel-n-dime the ICs with any SIMAUDIO product ... They are very revealing and using crap cables with them will create a predictable matched result accordingly.
Last point....
The ARROs perform at their max using Totems own TRESS speaker cable which is a near clone of CHORD's Rumour or Oddysey ( all are silver plated copper). I used both with the Arros with a slight personal slant toward the TRESS (that's what the Arros are apparently internally wired with)