I am not gonna make this a long boring review.

I bought these used, brought them home, all excited for it has many many positive reviews, here and by many major audio publications.

Nothing was great about it when the music came on. The fact is that I found it to have a highly fatigue sound, which was making very difficult concentrate on music, it was horrible, one of the worst sounding high-end audio component, that is what it is, in my opinion.

Stay away,or at least make sure to listen to it in your own set up, and avoid your purchase decision, based on the first WOW factor.

Unfortunately, it did not do it for me.

Imaging, dynamics, and clear sound.

Can be a bit to clear without the right electronics. Those Dynaudio drivers. would be fair value if drivers didn't need replacing.

I have owned the Totem Model One for about 9 years, so I know them very well. Actually, this speaker started my interest in hi-end audio. I think it is a beautiful looking speaker - I have mahogany - , especially when used with the Target stands. As for the sound, It is the small size of these speakers that makes them seem so impressive; it is hard to believe that the sound comes from them. However, they will expose poor electronics, and it is critical to have a good 100 watt amp. It blew my Cyrus One amp. twice. I found the Classe CA 100 to be the best within its group. The Bryston 3B-ST kept clipping during the audition, and it caused the drivers to flap around. Because of this, I had to replace the mid/bass drivers. Overall, it is a good speaker, and it seemed a fair price when I brought them. However, I do not know whether that is the case now. The only problem I have had has been with the mid/bass drivers, which have torn again. I do listen to music loud, but I have a pair of $200 Mission speakers that have never torn under the same conditions. If I remember correctly, these famed Dynaudio drivers are going to cost me $250 each compared to my $5 Mission drivers. You have been warned!

Similar Products Used:

To long ago. However, I listened to the B & W N801's, and they are impressive, but they need good electronics - I heard an all Krell setup. My musical taste is certain pop, dance, and soul, so if yours is the same, go and listen. I will have to make do with the Model One until I can afford these. The N801 are clearly better than the Dunlavy IV and the Wilson WITT II, both of which are no longer made.

Had my Totems with Audio Innovations 25W valves (bi-wired) ; have switched to Linn LK1 pre and power, with Rotel CD and Linn LP12/Ittok/Karma. Bictchin' bass for such small speakers...try Sly & Robbie/Massive Attack oreven Cowboy Junkies and you will know what I mean. You do need good stands
(Now if only I could afford to upgrade my amps...)

I have lived with the Totem Model 1's for 2 years and have nothing but high praises in regard to their performance. In my listening room, they actually have much better bass than the Vandersteen 2Ci's that they booted out. Imaging is superb, the sound is liquid and dynamic. I use the Quicksilver GLA 40 watt tube amp which is plenty of power for these small speakers. Use good stands, and take the money you save on speakers and put tubes in front of the Totems. Happy listening.

The size of the speakers is never near its performance. For the price of just a pair GUCCI boots, it really worth more than the price itself. The soundstaging is very close to perfection. Never can a speaker this size can bring out the sound of very orchestral like. Don't let the size and the price decieve your eyes. Worth to give them a try.

Presence. Presence. And more presence. Who cares exactly what they do well-- they just often sound live.

Perhaps quantity of bass, but what do you want at this size?

I have heard "live" music coming from speakers about twice in my 10 yrs. of audio hounding. Once from Quad 63's in a used high-end store in NY partnered with some absurdly expensive cd player/dac whatever and an Audio Research Classic 60 and the other memorable time at a shop on Long Island in front of a pair of Totem Model Ones (which I at first told the dealer I did not want to hear as they were too small!). I heard these with a Mcormack amp and pre-amp and a Micromega cd player. I was about 20 yrs old and impressionable then and I bounced a cheque (unintentionally as my dad said he'd buy me some passive preamp or whatever it was I lusted after at the time and then renegged-- I had to scrounge the funds on my own and it took some doing!) and thus have not been back to the shop (Ears Nova) since, for fear he'll remember the incident in a dour light. Too bad, cause what happened there that day was life-altering. The owner though, (Josh, I think, who was there with his lovely wife), was a great guy as I remember, telling me the Totems were "the new Quads" and he let me listen to this system for hours. I was absolutely flabbergasted and I am rarely as such. The speakers were in free space in his main listening room and when he put on some kind of jazz recording of Miles Davis (excuse the vagueness; I'm an opera guy not too into jazz) it was simply ridiculous. No terminology folks. No audio speak. Just scary. I actually stood up from the chair and walked over to the speakers-- in between them-- to see just what kind of Devil's own tom-foolery was going on here. The damned trumpet was as I live and breathe RIGHT IN THE FRIGGIN'room! Not sort of. Absolutely there. The owner acted as if this sort of thing happens all the time. He told me to let him know if I needed help and then left me alone. I must have listened to the whole cd and i hate jazz! I just could not believe the sound. I was no beginner even at that tender age in the way of the audio money-suck either. I just had never heard such reality-- not from Spendors/sound Labs/ Logans/ Alons whatever. All the others "sounded wonderfully smooth and natural and veils were blah blah.." but I never heard any of them actually fool me into thinking it was real. In the 9 yrs. since i have never heard this sound duplicated anywhere and I sold high-end audio in NY for 7 months or so to boot. The room? The planets in sync? The sun high in the noonday sky? I think not. Why not one of these? Because I bought those tiny speakers when i could afford them years later and I have many times duplicated that performance in my own living room. With many types of music (and many types of amps etc.). Try Guns N' Roses "Patience" on them for scariness. I have sold my entire audio set up as I am out of the country for a while, but when i return-- Totem ones shall be mine again. Oh yes-- they shall be mine. Along with perhaps some Naim amplification. The scariness shall return. To be continued... I hope.

Similar Products Used:

ProAc Response 1sc, Spendor 1/2, Martin Logan Aeriusi, Sound Dynamics 300Ti etc. ad nauseum

I owned this speaker about three years ago and am now kicking myself for selling it. For a small room, I don't know if you can do much better. It made a synergistic combination with the McCormack DNA-1--although small in size, the model 1 is relatively inefficient and really becomes dynamic and alive with a high-quality solid state amp that can deliver current. I later tried the Mani-2 and was not as impressed. Although it had terrific bass for its size, it had a persistent annoying steeliness or hardness that swapping cables, amps, etc., couldn't rectify.

Heard these speakers 97.10.21.. they are smooth, soundstage is excellent (probably due to the very narrow front (6.5") dimens 12.5 X 6.5X 9 in., mids &highs Great, lows very good considering a 5" Dynaudio driver (tweeter SEAS?).
BUT BIG BUCKS, the shop was asking $2000 cdn. For the money they'd better be
OUTSTANDING.. Just a little more bass please.

Details, Details, Details! Superb Imaging. Dynamic and Exciting. Coherence. Huge soundstage.

Some hardness. Can be a little bright in some systems.

I'm a certified audionut and one of those people who has gear continually moving in out of his listening room. That is, with the exception of the Model 1's which I've had for around 6 years (Amps and front ends have changed 3 times each over this period). These speakers do most things unbelievably well. They present a huge, clear, detailed soundstage. They are dynamic, musical, exciting, fun speakers. The bass is amazing, but don't expect tons of low bass, these babies are small after all. Very revealing of electronics. I find them a bit hard in the treble/upper mids, and overall a bit bright. Nothing really touches 'em in their price range. I'm currently using a YBA integre, which has a very similar sonic personality (+ amazing bass slam), this is not a match made in heaven, bit too much of a good thing. I would strongly suggest something a bit warmer and smoother in the amplification department. I've heard better speakers, B&W Silver Sigs for example, but they've all been a helluva lot more cash. Worth using with serious front ends (my Wadia's great a great match). Five minus for performance.

Similar Products Used:

Monitors from B& W, Celestion, Rogers, Mission, PSB, Paradigm. Floorstanders from Thiel, Vandersteen, Mirage, Maggie...

speed,dynamics,detail,ability to sound emotional!

slight mid bass prominance.

I have had my model ones for 4 months now and they never stop fail too impress me, they are a very musical speaker
with very few faults. In a small room with the right electronics they are boardering on perfection! I would reccomend that you pick the standard model one over the sig
version and spend every penny you have on cables in my view
they need speaker cables which cost at least as much as they do!"nordost spm" or "goertz ag2" work well,also I don't agree with totem reguarding stands ie I think high mass stands clog up the mids and give you one note bass, but
lets be honest put them in the bath and they would still wipe the floor with speakers costing thousands more.

Similar Products Used:

dynaudio contour 1.1,ARS acoustic divas,thiel 1.5s,audio physic steps.