The attacts and stops are what me listen to Totem Forest’s .
Speaker upgrade for classical music
Hi, I need recommendations for a speaker upgrade. I’m a classical violinist and listen almost exclusively to classical, opera and jazz. No movies, Atmos, etc. I have a 17x14 listening room (doubles as practice room) with acoustical treatments (phase coherent diffusers at main reflection points and regular ones elsewhere).
Half my listening is in stereo and half in multi-channel (4.0 and 5.1). All my recordings are either CDs or high-res—DSD and FLAC—audio files. I don’t have a turntable.
My current system: Marantz SR 8012 amp, Yamaha S1000 CD transport, Exasound e38 DAC and Sigma streamer (connected to the Marantz with analog 5.0 inputs). Speakers: Polk Rti A7 stereo, CSi A6 center, Rti A3 surround, and dual REL T/7i subs.
What I want: speakers with improved musical detail and clarity that really reproduces the expansiveness of the symphony hall or church. I like a warmer sound than a drier one. What’s most important to me is to hear what the recording engineer heard. Budget: say 8k or less.
Recommendations? One other thing: Can I try them out? And how? I’m in Santa Fe, not a huge metropolis with lots of audiophile shops.
Thanks very much.
Half my listening is in stereo and half in multi-channel (4.0 and 5.1). All my recordings are either CDs or high-res—DSD and FLAC—audio files. I don’t have a turntable.
My current system: Marantz SR 8012 amp, Yamaha S1000 CD transport, Exasound e38 DAC and Sigma streamer (connected to the Marantz with analog 5.0 inputs). Speakers: Polk Rti A7 stereo, CSi A6 center, Rti A3 surround, and dual REL T/7i subs.
What I want: speakers with improved musical detail and clarity that really reproduces the expansiveness of the symphony hall or church. I like a warmer sound than a drier one. What’s most important to me is to hear what the recording engineer heard. Budget: say 8k or less.
Recommendations? One other thing: Can I try them out? And how? I’m in Santa Fe, not a huge metropolis with lots of audiophile shops.
Thanks very much.
Showing 7 responses by schubert
I ’ve been playing with a Quad S5 recently , there is a Quad 4 (5 has one more) playing on You Tube . The true ribbon tweeter is something and speaker is easy to set up. NOT trying to say anything about it to anyone but with all the talent on audiogon on this post I would really be grateful if anyone would say what they think . Of course You Tube is not great. https://youtu.be/zgq2qHzdm58?t=4 .Clearer and sweeter in my room. |
OMG !!! https://youtu.be/fAONAurSySg?t=2 They are selling Hawks in VIETNAM , never saw any in my two years there. Speakers are not set up right . Dan ,being 85 years on this planet I second you on Tannoy .I thought on saying something about it but he is a long way from a dealer and the last time I looked the better ones were a lot of money.Some of the people who left Tannoy when they went Chinese are building them in Scotland under a name that starts with F and getting great reviews .I was a KEF man fior twenty years , the problem I hear with their drivers cut off without any delay which is not cool with Classical .Could be just me of course , but I hear it with Totem Forests . |
A playing review from the Totem one step below the forest from a classical music freak! https://youtu.be/GyC6OcG5DC4?t=4 The young man speaks the truth and nothing but the truth ! And if they selling the Forest in Italy you can be Sure they are top. https://youtu.be/MpoIyL5hV_E?t=4 And a fantastic salute to the Canadian speaker industry in general . https://youtu.be/2vCJ-pO3BlI |
I put my old brain in gear and found a review on the Totem Forest that is SPOT on ! I have no idea who the guy is but he does but he does have a Canadian accent . Nothing personal on anyone .But a classical player hears different from you or a listener that has been to a thousand concerts . This guy does not play them , digital on You Tube to start with . https://youtu.be/xNSQInRlTck?t=1 What I have heard off any maggy does not seem like a concert hall .But we all do not hear the same. |
I read the other posts better. I agree with the Alta Audio speakers , they are very good BUT not made in US and rare , if you have a priblem......Fritz speakers are excellent but last time I looked only small monitors. I would have to hear the soundstage Classical needs and you want . The Totem Forest Signature is the must musical Speaker I have heard with spatiality and the attact/delay a real orchestra has. Not a large speaker but your sub can handle lowest octave . It's a hot-rod version of the plain version Forest which are 3 K . Forgot what The Sig version costs but not a huge amount . I would have bought one but in your 80's and no one to give it to would be foolish.My Signature One Totem Monitor can handle Bach perfectly in a 15x13 room . .Sounders Amps are powerful and dynamic .IF the Marantz you have is a receiver , you need to lose it . |
I have thousands of records and CD ’s of Classical Music and have been to over 2,000 live concerts mostly of the great German Orchestras in Berlin and Leipzig, home of Bach . The rest mostly the Minnesota Or.and the St Paul CO . both world class or very close to it . It is not true that a good speaker will play anything . MANY are voiced for rock as that is by far the greatest market. A pro Classical string artist needs above all TONE . Followed by dynamics . The most reliable brands for that I have owned and heard are Totem out of Montreal , and Spendor out of England , which makes it cost more.I would call Totem , they will talk to and tell you what they have is best for you with you room etc and they are honest with good service . The two Totems I own are far better that the2 Polk’s I have owned and ditto for maggies. If you get what they sell at over 20K ......... P.S . Effiicenty and Tone seldom go together . |