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Totem speakers and others that I should consider?

I've liked the Totem speakers for a while, they image very nicely, and while somewhat laid back, not too much so...

I'm looking to put together a new system (starting from scratch), and was thinking about the Totem line (Forests, at first). I listened to Totem at RMAF, and was very impressed with the new Element line, so that has me thinking of those instead. They are a bit more forward compared to the older speakers, but not terribly so, and I think they will not be fatiguing to listen to long-term. I'll have to do a bit more listening to be sure of that.

They image better, and the bass is very deep and controlled.

Anyway, I was thinking about the Totems Fire or Earth speakers (probably the Fire), and I was wondering what other speakers people feel will match up favorably to the Fire? They must be similarly priced, and ultimately similar in size or form-factor (I don't want large cabinets).

My exposure to speakers in the last decade is somewhat limited, but I have heard Sonus Faber, and while I find them very musical, I don't think they match up at the price point, but I don't think I've heard the most recent models.

Recommendations for other speakers I should audition in the $6000 dollar range are appreciated.

---Michael
mjm6

Showing 3 responses by mapman

mapman's avatar
mapman
21,825 posts
 
If you like Totem, you might also like Dynaudio or PSB.

Merlin would be another more esoteric line to consider.

I like Totems and Dynaudio also but OHM Walsh speakers are my choice in general at similar price points. These are omni directional and present music differently, so most have to get used to that. Many who do never look back.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,825 posts
 
I run 2 pair of OHM Walsh, a pair of Dynaudio monitors, and a pair of small Triangle monitors in different rooms off my central system using a speaker switch and in-wall wiring from when the house was built.

Each of the three lines have a very distinctive sound running off my main system.

The Dynaudios most resemble the Totem Elements I heard just recently. They deliver a significantly hotter presentation than the OHMs, which are more relaxed and laid back. Some may find that more fatiguing over long listening sessions.

The Triangles are somewhere in between and sound competitive at low to moderate volumes but their small size handicaps them in terms of delivering a lot of punch at higher volumes compared to the others.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,825 posts
 
I heard a few Tidal speakers at Capital Audiofest recently among many others.

WHen I heard Totem Elements at a local dealer shortly after, I found the sound overall reminded me most of the Tidals of the speakers I had heard at CAF but of course much different looking and lower cost.

I also found the newer Totem Elements sound leaning more towards the Focal type sound. Older model Totems I have heard did not so much and were more like somewhere between Focals and some PSBs I have heard, which tend to be a bit more laid back. Focal and Triangle are both French companies that I have found to have some similarities in sound.

My audition was not long enough but I did have some concerns about potential fatigue factor over longer listening periods with the Totem Elements. I suspect though that things could be done with teh rest of the system to relieve that concern. The source gear when I heard the Totem elements was all Mark Levinson.
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