- These Totems -like many of the TOTEM higher end lines - are power hogs, so unless you have the amp with the sufficient grunt (amps and watts) to drive them properly, look elsewhere . I would be very wary of using a tube amp with them. I had the FORESTS and borrowed a buddy's top-end CARY amp just to experiment, with really crappy results .
- First the FORESTS would not perform to their max with tubes until you cranked the volume past 2pm, Listening fatigue hit home very quickly.
- At lower "normal" listening levels with tubes, they disappointed mightily . I normally ran them with a pair of high-end high-current 100wpc solid state units bi-amped.
- The MANI-2s are even more inefficient then the FORESTS - the MANI-2s are only a very inefficient 85db. I would DEFINITELY personally audition them at home with your existing gear before I even remotely considered using with your current gear. (Footnote: I sold the Forests with no regrets)
Proac D2/D18 vs Totem Mani 2
Hello good people of the 'gon-shire
I have the opportunity to purchase a pair of Totem Mani 2 in good shape or try and audition a pair of new ProAc D2 and D18 at a local store. I have heard the Mani 2 driven by a Macintosh amp and I have a reasonable idea of what they sound like. The Mani 2 is available on the store here and I will likely have to give the buyer my answer soon on whether I intend to purchase. The ProAc I will likely not have a chance to audition for another week at least. My room is roughly 13' x 13' and my current amplification is a 40w/ch tube integrated (which I plan to upgrade to either the Ayre V-5xe or Hegel h-20).
Can someone here give me a quick rundown on what I can expect from the ProAc speakers as compared to the Mani? Where are their relative strengths and weaknesses in terms of sound?
I have the opportunity to purchase a pair of Totem Mani 2 in good shape or try and audition a pair of new ProAc D2 and D18 at a local store. I have heard the Mani 2 driven by a Macintosh amp and I have a reasonable idea of what they sound like. The Mani 2 is available on the store here and I will likely have to give the buyer my answer soon on whether I intend to purchase. The ProAc I will likely not have a chance to audition for another week at least. My room is roughly 13' x 13' and my current amplification is a 40w/ch tube integrated (which I plan to upgrade to either the Ayre V-5xe or Hegel h-20).
Can someone here give me a quick rundown on what I can expect from the ProAc speakers as compared to the Mani? Where are their relative strengths and weaknesses in terms of sound?