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How does Totem do it ???

Category: Speakers

Long story short...after several years of playing the field I've found my field of dreams...in the Forest! Totem Forest's that is. They love Krell amplification and a good CD player, but other than that and decent cables you got yourself a slice of heaven! How much heaven can be had for a system price of $6000...try comparing this system to what I've owned over the years:

Dunlavy SC-V's
Wilson watt/puppy 6's (twice)
B&W 801N
Totem Wind
Maggie 3.6
ML Prodigy

driven by:

Krell FPB 600 and 400CX with arc ls25 or refIImkII

Mark Levinson 334 and 336 with 380S, 32ref and 390S

BAT vkd5, vk5i

ARC VT200

Wadia 860SE

Jinky's...I can't remmember all the gear. What I do know however is just how right the Totem speakers are with Krell driving them. I'm only using a Sony DVP999ES player and all Totem wires!! It's addictive the way Boston Symphony Hall is...simply beautifull to hear!

Anyone else have a similiar epiphany? By the way, the Krell400cxi is mind boggling...all the typical audiophile attributes with clarity and musicality beyond reproach! A steal at $2500 list!
128x128dave_b

Showing 5 responses by madfloyd

madfloyd
411 posts
 
No, Dave, I didn't. I had some other business with them and casually asked about it - and after a bit of conversation told them I would be by to listen to them soon.

But Saturday aft, I got a call on my cell phone from them stating that a customer had just heard them and wanted to audition them at home... and that they would refuse if I was planning to show up that day. Unfortunately I was out of town and couldn't. Found out yesteray that the customer decided to buy/keep them. :-(
madfloyd
411 posts
 
Don't you miss the fact that there is very little low end in Totems... or is that why the Krell mates so well?
madfloyd
411 posts
 
I've listened to the Hawk and Forest. I found the low end very anemic. Everything comes down to personal preference, but when it comes to a floor standing speaker, I expect it to produce a realistic soundstage where the bass sounds like it's being played live (in front of me), with a little bit of punch and not sound like it's being reproduced through small speakers, which is the feeling I got with Totem. I loved everything else though.
madfloyd
411 posts
 
I listened to them at a Canadian dealer early in 2004. I honestly don't recall what electronics were used (the amp could have been a Simaudio Moon W5 as a few months later I bought that amp from the same dealer, but that's just a guess).

I'm certainly no seasoned audiophile... it's only in the past year I've had the chance to listen to different gear (especially in my own home) and learned what a difference other components can make.

Based on the comments here, I'd like to go back and audition them again. I'm in Boston now and I see that one of the local dealers has a pair of Winds for sale here on Audiogon. Hmmm...

Anyway, didn't mean to come off as stubborn or anything... I was just remembering my perception (and disapointment) at the time I auditioned them.
madfloyd
411 posts
 
Just curious, Rbstehno, how you would describe realistic bass. You can get articulate bass out of a clock radio (as far as distinguishing notes), sometimes more so than a boomy speaker.

But when it comes to clean, 'realistic' bass, I expect the same frequencies that come out of a typical bass player's amp (or in the case of acoustic bass, his bass) to be reproduced by the speaker. The speaker has to be able to reproduce the tones and notes with articulation, but with some weight as well. Do you agree?
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