Totem Element Series

MikeCh

MikeCh

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Does anyone here have experience with the Totem Element Series of loudspeakers?

In particular, the Element Earth speakers caught my attention a couple years back when I stumbled into HiFi Centre in Vancouver, BC while on vacation.

I'm interested in opinions of those that either own them or have heard them. Are they a long term listenable speaker? Any fatigue or room loading issues? Do they like a larger or smaller room?

My downstairs listening room is 17' W x 14'-8" D x 7' T with speaker placement along the 17' wide wall.

Thanks.
 
Hello MikeCh,

I haven't heard the Earth, but I did get to spend a fair amount of time with the Fire. Before I can answer your questions with any kinda authority, I have a few questions of my own:

A) Do you already have experience with Totem loudspeakers?
B) If yes, do you remember which models you heard?
C) What did you think?
D) What kind of electronics do you plan on running with the Earths?

By and large, I'm unafraid to admit that I'm a fan of Totem Acoustic. While I haven't spent a whole bunch of time with their latest products, I'm pretty familiar with most of their 'heritage' loudspeakers. Once I have some info to go by, I'll try to help you out as best as I can.
 
Zero said:
Hello MikeCh,

I haven't heard the Earth, but I did get to spend a fair amount of time with the Fire. Before I can answer your questions with any kinda authority, I have a few questions of my own:

A) Do you already have experience with Totem loudspeakers?
B) If yes, do you remember which models you heard?
C) What did you think?
D) What kind of electronics do you plan on running with the Earths?

By and large, I'm unafraid to admit that I'm a fan of Totem Acoustic. While I haven't spent a whole bunch of time with their latest products, I'm pretty familiar with most of their 'heritage' loudspeakers. Once I have some info to go by, I'll try to help you out as best as I can.
Click to expand...

Hi Zero,

The only Totem's I've heard that I recall are the Element Earth and I was real smitten with their midrange and top end extension as well as their bottom end.

I would plan on running an Aesthetix Calypso Signature into my current power amp in this setup, an ARC 100.2.



Thanks.
 
Hey Mike,


Your gear should pair up nicely with the Earths, so that's good. Anyway,since you were looking for opinions, I suppose I'll share my take on Totem Acoustic.


Along time ago, a buddy of mine said: “Sean, I don't know how he managed to pull this off, but somehow or another, Vince found a way to put back into the music what was lost in the mix-down process”.


That statement in and of itself encapsulates why I like the Totem brand. Not only are their products intensely musical, they are unique in the sense that each one possess a unique voice. For example: Their entry level Arro's are quick and snappy. The Sttafs are warmer and introspective. The Hawks are incredibly articulate and airy, while the Forests are punchy and.... well, you get the point. Each product comes with a unique set of strengths and weaknesses. I like that.


The Element series deviates from this tradition. Gone is the quirkiness. With the Hawks, I had to all but handle them with silk gloves to get great sound. They had strict demands. You needed a medium sized room, a 50-70wpc Class A amp (no more and no less), and you needed to elevate them to where the drivers sat at ear level. They were (and still are) divas. But if you treat them properly, they will spoil you with freakin' magical sound.


With the Element series, you won't need silk gloves to get good sound. That's how they are designed. The Element speakers were meant to sound good in any room, in just about any position, and across a wide variety of Hi-Fi components. Their models aren't voiced to sound different from one another. The whole setup is quite simple: The more you pay, the more (of the same) that you get.


It's almost.. boring.


Yet when you get right down to it, the Totem Elements sound good. Real good. The midrange has a quick yet weighty character to it. The treble is light, airy, articulate, yet still easy on the ears, and the bass has a slightly 'stout' character that makes for a fun listen. The imaging is great, and well.. nearly everything about them is pretty good. Objectively speaking, I honestly believe that the Fires are better than every other Totem monitor thats come before them.

They're so easy to work with. Just set them up and enjoy the music. I mean, who in their right mind wouldn't like that?! But if I were to be completely and brutally honest, I couldn't help but feel a touch of emptiness when I listened to them. Was my hollowed feeling the result of bias born from owning so many quirky Totem's throughout the years? Maybe. But to me, that quirkiness is what made Totem, Totem. You had to work to get great sound outta them. Sure, getting merely good sound was easy, but there was magic to be had if you treated them right. Try as I might, I just couldn't find that magic with the Fire. That special lit from within character that connected me to the music like so many Totems before it could – was missing.


Don't get me wrong. The Fire is a great speaker, and I'm sure the Earth's are even better. I've heard plenty of speakers at this price point, and the Fire's compete very well for the dollar. At the end of the day though, I think I'd take a pair of Mani-2 Signatures over a pair of Fire's.


Then again, what the hell do I know? Maybe I'm just crazy...
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Thanks for your thoughts Sean. I can understand what you're saying about the differences between Totem's (working for best sound and being rewarded vs. plug and play ease).

Now I have to seek out a pair of Earths for another listen!
 
RLL1 said:
Mike...I had the Element Metal, and liked them very much. I have an 18' x 16' x 7.5' room, and had them on the 18' wall. They had great bass, and were definitely not fatiguing. Here is a review of the Metal, which also makes reference to the Fire. I have never heard the Earth, which is the middle model, so I am not sure if it is closer to the Metal or the Fire.

Totem Elements Metal Floorstanding Speakers A great speaker for large scale music… and music in particular. Review By Phil Gold
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link and comments Rick. Your room is about the same size/shape as mine so perhaps the Element Earth would work better than originally anticipated. Hmmm....
 
I've been impressed with the Elements every time I've heard them as well, especially the midrange articulation and transparency. They're well designed speakers at reasonable price.
 
After enjoying a pair of Totem Fire monitors for over four years I recently received a pair of Focal Sopra No2 floor standing speakers to replace them.

I was not unhappy with the Totems, much to the contrary, just had the "hots" to have something "different". I listened to a lot of monitors from a lot of other manufacturers, yes many of them sounded "different", but not what I'd characterize as "better". These speakers have great dynamics, excellent sound stage, good range for their size (I do use sub woofers) and did not seem to be finicky about the amp driving them (NAD M3 integrated, McIntosh MAC6700 receiver, McIntosh MC452 power amp).

They were just right for my 13'x24' living room. When I decided to move the audio system down to my 26'x26' "man cave", I thought they'd "run out of gas" in the larger room, but they did not, especially when I upgraded from the MAC6700 (200 wpc) to the MC452 (450 wpc).

Over the years I've had lots of equipment, the Totem's will rank as some of the best speakers!

I am currently "up in the air" about selling them!
 
I know this is an old thread, but, for those who like the Element Metal speakers, when one adds the Thunder II Sub, this is where the organ comes alive. Also, it adds such a nice floor for almost any thing. I have had mine for about a month, they are well broken in. The driving force begins with a NAD C546BEE CD Player, Mark Levinson No.38 Pre and Mark Levinson No. 27.5 Amplifier.

These must be heard to be believed. I prefer them better than a pari of Wilson Watt Puppies with the Wilson Sus. Also, I find them more detailed than the Magicos below $50,000/pr. The sound is highly detailed, yet often very sweet. Voices are produced better than my old Quad ESL 63's.

So, if anyone can find a dealer who will demonstrate these, go for it. And, at my age, I doubt there are any other speakers which will sound better.

Be well....
 
In my attempt to get to 10 posts, LOL, I will add one more comment on the Totem Element Metal's.... they sound great even off axis by 30%
 
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