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Totem Winds are Too Bright

I'm trying to figure out why my Winds are always too bright. I'm not getting the bass balance I want, which in this case would be more bass. Could it be that having a copper connector to connect the biwire posts on the speakers could cause this (not seperate bi-wired cabled)? Could it be that powering with a 45 watt/channel tube amp might not be giving enough power to adequatly run the full sound stage?

Your thoughts please.
128x128jcbach
gaudio_eek
312 posts
 
They need much more juice than your 45WPC tube amp provides. Sorry to say. I heard the Totem Winds in a Boulder Preamp and Amp system. It was a match made in heaven. The trebble was extended but NOT bright. We played everything from jazz vocals to big symphonic works (Mahler). On one disc (Susan Graham's C'est Ca La Vie), it was as if Susan Graham was walking around within the center stage. I had goose bumps all over.
Good luck.
robm321
932 posts
 
My guess is its the room as well. Don't bame the speakers just yet.

You probably have flutter echo. Do you have bare walls facing each other? If so hang a blanket on 1 wall and see if it helps.

Rob
rbstehno
1,401 posts
 
a 45 watt amp wouldn't do justice to the totem arros let alone the winds. i have the smaller totem mani 2's and they need 200+ watts plus 'powerful' amp. if you like your tube amp, biamp the speakers using your tube amp for the top end and a solid state 200+ watt amp for the bottom. the winds are not shy in the bass department if driven properly.
2chnlben
595 posts
 
Bi-wiring will with good cables will help with the bass response. However, I would guess you are under-powering your Totems. I auditioned the Forest's and found that 120/per side(SS)was about the minimum. I'm not that familiar with tube power amps, as I have only used tube pre-amps in conjunction with SS power amps. Replacing an amp is usually easier said than done, unless money is not an issue. You should try to audition your Totems with something quite a bit beefier (SS or Tube) then make your decision. Perhaps you can get a decent trade at the dealer you purchased your amp through. I'd try that before making any online transactions.

Good Luck

2chnlben
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
2chnlben,
I found very pleasant to run my Forets with above 300Wpc per side.
I guess to realy feel Winds it has to be in 500Wpc range.
Biamping with 45Wpc tube amp may lead the system out of tonal balance.
I currently biamp with VTL MB100 on the top and Sunfire Symphonic Reference in the bottom. Whenever I use VTL in triode mode(55Wpc) I can't reach a desired tonal balance while in tetrode mode(110Wpc) it sounds terrific.
I would recommend Sunfire 600-II amplifier that would make these speakers sing for very moderate used price(in $1500 range). It blasts 600W onto 8Ohms and doubles to 4 if I remember correctly using only 50W of idle power!
I heard this monster with JM Lab Electra 926 and it was very impressive.
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