Replaced the REF 500s with my Exposure amp much more suited power-wise to the totems. The REF500S could lose subtlety and just be very Brash with some music. The match was not perfect. Would definitely recommend Exposure with Totem thinking again about it. Particularly the xxv rc Integrated. plenty of power and not overkill like the ref500s... I do however love the Bel Canto 2.7 DAC hooked up to anything.. In fixed mode it just gets out of the way. Now listening to properly paired gear I can hear the quality difference between the cheaper focals and the Totems. The Totems win by miles.
Totem and Bel Canto?
Right now I have a NAD T747 and a pair of Rainmakers on Atacama stands and I would like to upgrade my sound. I am leaning towards either buy a NAD 275 power amp and running the speakers through that or a Bel Canto Integrated (either the S300iu or C5i). Anyone have experience with either of these? Not sure if it matters but I only have digital material(no cd or vinyl) so I was thinking that the Bel Canto might have the better DAC.