Best setup for Totem Arros...

Should be great with what you are figuring. If you can audition an integrated tube amp it is worth your while. Whatever amplification you choose keep the Apollo. Phil Brady.

The Rega would be great.
If you are willing to go used, I would try to find a Naim Nait 5i to go with the Appolo, or possibly a CD5i.

I recently auditioned the Arros with the Rega electronics. The combination was very nice. I also listened to a pair of Rega speakers which were similarly priced to Totems. It was my first experience with Rega speakers and although the Regas were nice, I did prefer the Totems.

I've had some people recommend tube amps to go with these speakers. Any advice on that?

If you are willing to buy used you could get either a Cairn Fog v2 CDP or Naim CD5i CDP w/ PrimaLuna PrologueII in front of your Arros - in a small room, this was a magical system for me. One I regret selling to upgrade my main system, and will return to as a secondary system when funds allow!

I will definitely look into that combo. I've heard so many great things about those tube amps but then I've heard negative as well. It scares me! For example, how hot they run to their lack of bass. I think that it's a done deal that I have to buy the Rega Apollo as the CD player because everything I've read says that's the best (at the $1000 price point), as for the amp I'm hearing good things about the Rega Mira (From Totem directly) but reading a lot of good things about the PrimaLuna and Jolida. Any tips? Decsions, Decisions!!

I use a Mccormack DNA-1 Deluxe and a Sonic frontiers tube pre with excellent success. I also have a VTL IT-85 that I use, however I think the Arros are better with the solid state amplification. Although, my Hawks sound better with the VTL.

I'm using Totem Staff match with Rega Mira 3, the only thing I complain is brass is not fast and tight enough

PrimaLuna make's a solid unit. Thats a viable option.

The Rega Mira 3 and the Apollo is a flat out horrid match with the Staff / Arro. The Mira 3 doesn't have the cajones to control either speaker, and the Apollo will sound flat and lifeless on both. This is not a complete knock to Rega... they sound fine on other pieces of electronics (eg; Spendor). I would also stay clear of Jolida (sans the SJ-202) for similar reasons.

The NAIM suggests are solid. The CD5i is a wicked player for the money. I'd consider teaming up that player (or an afforcable Arcam unit) with the Vista Audio i84 tube integrated.

Other affordable solid matches include; The Blue Circle CS integrated, Red Wine Audio Signature 30 integrated, Unison Research Unico P integrated and the Manley Labs Stingray integrated.

Good luck!

Try these combinations:

Shanling CD-T80, and
Used Musical Fidelity A3.2 integrated amplifier (A3.5 if you can find it in your budget, or add used MF CDP too)
-spatial resolution will make Totem Arros disappear, among other good things

or

used Naim CD5(i), and
used Naim Nait integrated amp (any model you can find)
-boogie the night away

or

Marantz - SA8001 Super Audio CD Player
NAD C372 integrated amplifier
-plenty of resolution and power but still your friend, best all "new" gear combo within your budget

Demar, I've had the opposite experience as you. I preferred tubes with the Arro's, and solid state with the Hawks. Interesting.

The best system I put together with Arro's was with a Jolida 302b tube amp and a Music Hall CD25 CD player. You can get both of those used for $1000 total. The imaging is spectacular.

I also second Knownothing's list of high-value integrated amps and CD players that would combine well with the Arro's.

Good luck!

Michael

i usr electrocompaniet 120wpc ss amp with tad 150 sig tube preamp. i would get some juice with them and a cdp with variable output as a intermeddiate step so you can afford the tube preamp later as an upgrade path.