Totem Element Fire bookshelves
Upstatemax
Posts: 2,670
So I spent the evening with my father hooking up and testing his new Totem Element Fire speakers.
https://totemacoustic.com/en/element-fire
These are replacing his Totem Aero speakers in his main system. I brought over my Oppo BDP-103 and we hooked it up to his NAD T787 via an Audioquest Cinnamon HDMI cable. We also used his Totem Storm sub connected by an Audioquest Irish Red interconnect. The two main speaker cables we used were his now old Signal Cable Ultra Bi-Wires and Audioquest Rocket 33 Bi-Wires. I brought over my Sanus 26" Ultimate Foundation stands for the listening test last night as his new Target Audio stands were delayed.
First impressions, these are the type of speakers I should not listen to. They make me want to go out and spend A LOT of money that I just can't. My only other option would be to set up an accident for my dad. being the executor of his will has its perks...
The midrange was lush, yet natural. Acoustic guitars carried a weight and forward presentation that just made you feel like you were getting a private show. We started with Nils Lofgren "Acoustic Live". The guitar work and presence just cut through the air life a hot knife through butter.
Next, time to spin Muddy Waters "Folk Singer" on SACD. This is one of my favorite albums of all time. Once again the gritty and amazing guitar work from Buddy was just amazing. But Waters' powerhouse vocals just shot out of the Fire's. I was amazed with how effortless it was for them to go from low volume detail to a full on vocal assault from Waters and not skip a beat.
After that we decided to switch it up and throw in some classical. Now, classical is not my fathers favorite stuff. So I decided to spin Janine Jansen's take on "Four Seasons" on Blu-Ray. This is a stripped down version of four seasons. Only a handful of artists, not a full blown orchestra. I find this recording to have a lot of speed and intensity, yet a lot of detail and dynamics. In the beginning I could tell my father was kind of annoyed that I was "wasting our time" with classical. Yet, halfway through the album he was ordering his own copy. Once again, the dynamics from the Fire's was amazing, low and slow detail to a full sensory assault with out even flinching. The Fire's presented the building and struggling to be contained energy and tension with unflinching detail. The separation between instruments was fantastic and I could place individual instruments in the room with great clarity.
After that we just plowed through Otis Redding, Gary Moore, Last of the Mohicans soundtrack, Gregory Porter, and Mark Knopfler.
Each track and each album were glued to the rock solid imaging, detail and soundstage.
We are still getting to learn them, but I'm personally blown away by what these speakers are capable of.
Luckily for me and not my father, they have to go out of town for the weekend. Guess I'm just going to have to "keep an eye on things" for them while they are out of town! After all, I do have a much younger brother that is almost 19 and has a history of trying to throw parties when left alone.
I've informed my father that he should not be surprised if he comes home to see some hastily thrown together plywood replicas of the fires sitting on the stands...
Isn't that what insurance is for?
https://totemacoustic.com/en/element-fire
These are replacing his Totem Aero speakers in his main system. I brought over my Oppo BDP-103 and we hooked it up to his NAD T787 via an Audioquest Cinnamon HDMI cable. We also used his Totem Storm sub connected by an Audioquest Irish Red interconnect. The two main speaker cables we used were his now old Signal Cable Ultra Bi-Wires and Audioquest Rocket 33 Bi-Wires. I brought over my Sanus 26" Ultimate Foundation stands for the listening test last night as his new Target Audio stands were delayed.
First impressions, these are the type of speakers I should not listen to. They make me want to go out and spend A LOT of money that I just can't. My only other option would be to set up an accident for my dad. being the executor of his will has its perks...
The midrange was lush, yet natural. Acoustic guitars carried a weight and forward presentation that just made you feel like you were getting a private show. We started with Nils Lofgren "Acoustic Live". The guitar work and presence just cut through the air life a hot knife through butter.
Next, time to spin Muddy Waters "Folk Singer" on SACD. This is one of my favorite albums of all time. Once again the gritty and amazing guitar work from Buddy was just amazing. But Waters' powerhouse vocals just shot out of the Fire's. I was amazed with how effortless it was for them to go from low volume detail to a full on vocal assault from Waters and not skip a beat.
After that we decided to switch it up and throw in some classical. Now, classical is not my fathers favorite stuff. So I decided to spin Janine Jansen's take on "Four Seasons" on Blu-Ray. This is a stripped down version of four seasons. Only a handful of artists, not a full blown orchestra. I find this recording to have a lot of speed and intensity, yet a lot of detail and dynamics. In the beginning I could tell my father was kind of annoyed that I was "wasting our time" with classical. Yet, halfway through the album he was ordering his own copy. Once again, the dynamics from the Fire's was amazing, low and slow detail to a full sensory assault with out even flinching. The Fire's presented the building and struggling to be contained energy and tension with unflinching detail. The separation between instruments was fantastic and I could place individual instruments in the room with great clarity.
After that we just plowed through Otis Redding, Gary Moore, Last of the Mohicans soundtrack, Gregory Porter, and Mark Knopfler.
Each track and each album were glued to the rock solid imaging, detail and soundstage.
We are still getting to learn them, but I'm personally blown away by what these speakers are capable of.
Luckily for me and not my father, they have to go out of town for the weekend. Guess I'm just going to have to "keep an eye on things" for them while they are out of town! After all, I do have a much younger brother that is almost 19 and has a history of trying to throw parties when left alone.
I've informed my father that he should not be surprised if he comes home to see some hastily thrown together plywood replicas of the fires sitting on the stands...
Isn't that what insurance is for?
Comments
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In another listening session with the Fire's. Put Gregory Porter's "Liquid Spirit" back in.
Been playing around with crossover settings, personally I like crossovers set lower. I want the main speakers to handle all they can as I notice a lot less bass localization and overall better soundstage.
With the Aero's we had them set to 80hz and that seemed about right. The Fire's are currently at 60hz, sounds good. I'll keep pushing it lower though! -
I'm having a great time here...
In real life, and this thread.
Mark Knopfler, take it away!! -
50hz seems to the magic #...
"Bothers in Arms" on the MoFi SACD, that's also magic. -
Frank... I'm liking the fact that you're loving your Dads system.
Must be really nice to be able to share something like that with pops.
Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
Thanks for that mention. This was new to me. Excellent writing, execution, and sonics.Upstatemax wrote: »In another listening session with the Fire's. Put Gregory Porter's "Liquid Spirit" back in.
b]Beach Audio[/b]: Rega RP6 (mods) - AT33PTG/II - Parks Budgie SUT - PSAudio NPC * Eversolo DMP-A6 * Topping D90iii * Joule-Electra LA-100 mkIII * Pass Aleph 30 * MIT S3 * Polk SRS 2.3tl (mods) * PSAudio PPP3
Beach Study: Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra & Pre Box S2 * Pass ACA * DH Labs SS Q10 * Brines Folded ML-TQWT RS 40-1354 * PSA Dectet
Beach Master: WiiM Pro * Dayens Menuetto * Zu Libtec * Dynaudio Audience 50
Beach Den: Bluesound Powernode 2i * DH Labs SS Q10 * Zu Omen DWII * Richard Gray RGPC
Town Study: WiiM Pro * Chord Qute (Pardo) * Elekit TU-8600 * MIT S3 * Revel M22 * Beyer DT-990 * Shunyata Hydra 2
Town Den: Music Hall mm5.1se - Denon DL-103r - Jolida JD9ii (mods) * WiiM Pro * Cary xCiter * Rogue 99 Magnum * Schiit Aegir * MIT S3 * Polk SRS 1.2tl (mods) * Dectet * Bottlehead Crack - Senn 600
Town Porch: WiiM Pro Plus * Sunfire Sig II * Canare 4S11 * Magnepan 1.6 * Dectet -
Frank... I'm liking the fact that you're loving your Dads system.
Must be really nice to be able to share something like that with pops.
Pops and I have a great time.
We drive my mother and my wife nuts, but we have a great time! We have always had a good relationship, but music and audio is certainly something that has made us much closer. -
Thanks for that mention. This was new to me. Excellent writing, execution, and sonics.Upstatemax wrote: »In another listening session with the Fire's. Put Gregory Porter's "Liquid Spirit" back in.
It's a great album. Gregory has one of the best voices I've heard in a long time.
