Totem-The One/ Harbeth 7es-3

I had the pleasure of owning both but not at the same time.
The totem has the ff traits:

Superb imaging and very holographic
bass is tighter
big sound for the size of speaker
need a good powerful amp

Harbeth:
Cabinet resonates, bigger, fuller, meatier mids and lower mids
Imaging is very good but the Totem has the edge.
More forgiving of amplification
bass is not as tight as the totem (no harbeth has tight bass)
Midrange is the "forte"

Personally, i have sold the Totem years back and have never looked back. Ive used harbeths since.

Your room might be in size with the totem , the c7es3 might be a bit big for that room.
However another option you can consider is the amazing Hrabeth p3esrs.
Good luck!!

Hi, I've heard both, love both, for different reasons. In the right setup, the Ones will give you the recording studio, and feel more 'live'. and agreed with Nolitan, the bass is tighter. The Harbeth is more forgiving, less tight, beautiful mids, and can fill a larger room.
The Ones are trickier to get right, but when they're right, they're superb. Setup how they like it, I could easily live with either. And yes, the Ones need power.
Good luck.
Chas

I can't describe it more aptly than Nolitan and Chashas1. Very good account on both speakers. Just an add-on, the C7ES-3 will be a perfect match in the 18'x12'x8' room and will have little problems fitting in the smaller 18'x10'x8' room. I have the SHL5s in a 17'x11'x8' room and experience no problems whatsoever. I have not listened to The Ones but have had the privelege to listen to the Model 1's in my system side by side with the SHL5s. The Model 1s sound a little tiny and do not possess the scale of the SHL5s in my room.

Both The Ones and C7ES-3 are great speakers. Pick the one that suits your listening taste and musical preferences.

I would also like to add that the C7es3s are very very musical!! you will often get lost in time listening to them-> hours just passes by !

Now Nolitan, don't oversell, okay? lol....we all know they're good. It's just they may not be for everyone. And the Ones are a very good alternative, and head in a different direction. I agree with Ryder, the Harbeths can play in a larger or smaller room, the Ones not so much. But I've heard a pair of the Ones set up properly, with a current-giving amp, and I could not quit listening. It was such a slice of liveness.
One thing also to consider, the Harbeths can be placed fairly far from rear wall, the Ones not so. About 17" or so for the Ones as I heard them. Great speakers for the money.

Agree Chashas---we just love the Harbeths!! what more can i say

Nolitan, since we're thread robbers all the time, what stands are you using? Well, come to think of it, the thread starter does need to think of stands whether they get Harbeth or Totem.

Chashas1,

thread robbers- good one !!
for stands, funny, harbeths are not super sensitive.
i've tried home made wooden stands, skylan stands , sound anchors & even the old atacama stands (all 20" heights), they work fine.
These speakers are quite forgiving. That's why i like them so much!!!

If I go with the Totems I will use my Dynaudio Stand 4. They are 24", which should be the proper height.

Hi Valinar
yes, 24" would be correct.
have fun!