Question Advice on good Amp for Totem Sttaf w/- or w/o digital connectivity

marco oderzo

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Hi all,

I am new to the forum and I came here to ask for guidance to chose a good amp that can do justice to a pair of Sttaf, given the set-up mentioned below. I am happy to consider second-hand equipment. My budget is 700-800 euro.

System set-up: Macbook Air (early 2015) as audio source + ChromeCast Audio to be connected to the amp (ideally via toslink, if the amp offers digital connectivity and a better DAC than the ChromeCast Audio). The intention is to stream good audio quality.

So far, I have been advised to focus on a good amp like the Cambridge 840 (hard to find in the sh market) or the NAD 3020 (no in-built DAC). As I know very little about amps, I still don't know whether i) to focus on a Toslink IN-enabled amp (with better DAC than the ChromeCast Audio) or, ii) to compromise on the DAC conversion offered by the Google streamer and focus on the overall quality of the stereo amplification.

So, it would be great if you could give me your opinion and a list of amps to seek in the second hand market :)
 
I would save up a little longer and look at a Hegel H80 if you want digital inputs. I think the staffs deserve good quality power at around 80 watt minimum. Rega Elex-r would be a good match but no digital inputs so you would need to buy a dac.
 
I would save up a little longer and look at a Hegel H80 if you want digital inputs. I think the staffs deserve good quality power at around 80 watt minimum. Rega Elex-r would be a good match but no digital inputs so you would need to buy a dac.
Thanks a lot for the pointers! I am going to have a look in hifi-shark if I can find any around here :)
 
You might be saving for a while. New, the Hegel is well over twice your stated budget.
Looks like an excellent amp though, with all of the digital inputs you are looking for.

Hegel H80 - £1,350 - Integrated amplifiers

I suspect there may be other possibilities that might be easier to pick up 2nd hand and less expensive.
 
Lejonklou Tundra stereo power amplifier? Used, around £1200
 
Hey All! I’m new here, but have been listening for many years. Finally building up a new proper audiophile setup at home. I too, I have just acquired a pair of Totem Sttafs. Spent the pandemic Spring listening to a pair with an old high-power NAD setup and I love them.

I’m currently searching for an amp. I’ll do mostly streaming (Tidal, perhaps Roon) and some CDs at some point (although this will be later). I’ve got a BlueSound Node 2 for the streamer, and I’m looking for an integrated amp that can delivery decent power and has a high quality onboard DAC. I’m not ready to look around and trial DACs, etc. at this point so an integrated amp should do just fine - provide it does the Totems justice. I have found a sweet used deal on the Hegel H80. I’ve just spent some time listening to the H90, and it’s an amazing piece of kit. It could be slightly warmer, but it isn’t so laser-sharp that it makes a mess of poorly mastered recordings (I put it through the paces with good and bad quality stuff). Has anyone listened to the H80 and H90 side by side? Are they similar? There are good deals on the H90 right now and I’m wondering if I need to spend the extra cash to get the newer one.

Some other amps I have seen around that would fit the bill are:

Primare I30 - doesn’t have an onboard DAC but the design is amazing, and it performs. Could use the DAC in the BlueSound but it’s not that great...

Cambridge Audio CXA61 - listened to this and it was very pleasing. Not as sharp as the Hegel but very easy to listen to.

NADC368 - nice, but not in comparison to the CA and the Hegel.

A little bit lower down, these two seem to be good bets:

Rotel A11 Tribute
Audiolab 6000A

Any thoughts on the above would be helpful - I’m leaning strongly toward the Hegel at this point, so I can get listening!
Many thanks.
 
Hi Marco.

You might consider an Arcam SR250.

A veritable mega bargain in the UK at the moment.

If you know someone who could forward it to you in Amsterdam I’d snatch one up.

A top class amp and the Dirac live is a worthy bonus.


A review here.

 
Thanks very much Paul! I ended up picking up a used Hegel H80. Seems to fit the bill for the moment and I'm not needing all of the home theatre inputs at the moment, just one digital source in.
Many thanks,

Alex
 

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