Looking for biggest bang for the buck!

[Peter Anderson]

I'm looking to upgrade my speakers and would love some helpful advice. I currently have a pair of Totem Accoustic Arro's. I love these speakers but am ready for a slightly larger speaker that moves more air...I wanna feel more viceral impact, but with the same kind of resolution of detail that the Arro's can muster. My budget is not more than $1,500.00. Any advice?
Thanks,
Peter

[dingus]

... biggest bang for the buck!
if this is the first priority they you should look at vintage first.



... am ready for a slightly larger speaker that moves more air...I wanna feel more viceral impact,
Klipsch should be on your short list. while slightly less refined than Klipsch, vintage Altec's fill the bill with impact as will any quality high efficiency speaker. for slightly less vintage i would give the larger Wharfedale Pacific Series a listen. a sweet combo with the larger horns is to bi-amp with tubes on the top and ss on the bottom.

[PeruvianSkies]

I'm looking to upgrade my speakers and would love some helpful advice. I currently have a pair of Totem Accoustic Arro's. I love these speakers but am ready for a slightly larger speaker that moves more air...I wanna feel more viceral impact, but with the same kind of resolution of detail that the Arro's can muster. My budget is not more than $1,500.00. Any advice?
Thanks,
Peter

I love when someone asks this question...gives me the opportunity to respond with...

...buy a civil war canon.

Those Totems are quite nice and I am not suprised that you love them, but with $1500 I don't know how much difference you are going to get over what you currently have, although what are your driving these speakers with? What is the size of your room? Do you have acoustic treatments? I am sure there is a solution, but we need a bit more information first.

[Mtbrider]

Have you considered adding a sub? You might also consider Quad 22L or L2.

[anamorphic96]

You also might want to consider a sub. Something from Marting Logan like the Dynamo should work well with the Arros. You may want to look at HSU and SVS as well.

[jrhymeammo]

He is the list of gears he owns...

Totem Accoustic Arro speakers
ClearAudio Emotion turntable
Denon 1650 cd player
Dynaco Pas 4 tube preamp
Onkyo Receiver
Kimber Cable pbj interconnects
Monster Cable speaker cable
Marantz Home Theater Receiver
Sony DVD/SACD 5 disc player
Monster Cable Line Conditioner
Definitive Technology Pro Monitor 100 series surround system
HSU 10" subwoofer
Aperion Audio 8" subwoofer

Since you own 2 subs, can we assume that you've at least tried integrating them into your Arros?

I've never played with hi-end subs so I cannot tell you how they'll work for you. I wouldnt go that route, but at your budget that maybe your only solution. I think you know this more than anyone else, but I'm not quite sure if you can achieve much improvement with your budget. Also, I'm a bit confused with your equip list......

JRA

[PeruvianSkies]

He is the list of gears he owns...

Totem Accoustic Arro speakers
ClearAudio Emotion turntable
Denon 1650 cd player
Dynaco Pas 4 tube preamp
Onkyo Receiver
Kimber Cable pbj interconnects
Monster Cable speaker cable
Marantz Home Theater Receiver
Sony DVD/SACD 5 disc player
Monster Cable Line Conditioner
Definitive Technology Pro Monitor 100 series surround system
HSU 10" subwoofer
Aperion Audio 8" subwoofer

Since you own 2 subs, can we assume that you've at least tried integrating them into your Arros?

I've never played with hi-end subs so I cannot tell you how they'll work for you. I wouldnt go that route, but at your budget that maybe your only solution. I think you know this more than anyone else, but I'm not quite sure if you can achieve much improvement with your budget. Also, I'm a bit confused with your equip list......

JRA

In keeping with the Totem family there really isn't much above the Arro that is within the budget suggested, aside from the Signature Model 1 or the Sttaf, which would be upgrades, but would it be that noticeable...probably not nearly as much as selling the current set of speakers and doubling the budget and getting something like the Tabu, which is no longer in production. That's if you stick with Totem. ProAc might be another company along the similar lines.

[musicman1999]

He is the list of gears he owns...

Totem Accoustic Arro speakers
ClearAudio Emotion turntable
Denon 1650 cd player
Dynaco Pas 4 tube preamp
Onkyo Receiver
Kimber Cable pbj interconnects
Monster Cable speaker cable
Marantz Home Theater Receiver
Sony DVD/SACD 5 disc player
Monster Cable Line Conditioner
Definitive Technology Pro Monitor 100 series surround system
HSU 10" subwoofer
Aperion Audio 8" subwoofer

Since you own 2 subs, can we assume that you've at least tried integrating them into your Arros?

I've never played with hi-end subs so I cannot tell you how they'll work for you. I wouldnt go that route, but at your budget that maybe your only solution. I think you know this more than anyone else, but I'm not quite sure if you can achieve much improvement with your budget. Also, I'm a bit confused with your equip list......

JRA
I think he has two different rooms.

bill

[Peter Anderson]

The Arro's are currently on Craig's List for sale right now. Music Direct is blowing out their last supply of Mobile Fidelity OML 1 & 2 speakers right now for less than half what they originally retailed for. I've read a few positive reviews but am unsure whether this would be $ well spent. I'm also considering sticking with my Totem's and upgrading my amp which is currently only a Onkyo receiver played through a Dynaco Pas 4 preamp.

[PeruvianSkies]

I think he has two different rooms.

bill


I was wondering about that...the equipment didn't add up right.

[Peter Anderson]

I use my living room for all my two channel listening and a seperate Definitive Tech home theater system for watching movies.

[PeruvianSkies]

I use my living room for all my two channel listening and a seperate Definitive Tech home theater system for watching movies.

Can you give us more info..size of room, etc etc.

[Peter Anderson]

Ok, I think I just lost that last quick reply. Anyway, my listening room is 14x16. I'm also using the Aperion 8" sub with the Arro's

[PeruvianSkies]

Ok, I think I just lost that last quick reply. Anyway, my listening room is 14x16. I'm also using the Aperion 8" sub with the Arro's

any room treatments? Is it a live room or fairly dead?

[jrhymeammo]

I figured he had two separate systems, but I was wondering what he was using to drive him Totoem. I just didnt know he was using his Onkyo as an amp.

Maybe you'll get more slam by combining your amp and speaker budget for a great amp. MF looks very tempting but can you live with its sensitivity? Of top of my head, I think it's rated at 84dB... You'll need more than your Onkyo to get more 'Slam'.


We would love to hear about your room first though...

JRA

[PeruvianSkies]

When I saw the Totem Acoustics booth at a convention they were driving them with Naim products....it was a nice combination.

[Peter Anderson]

My living room is fairly well damped with wall to wall carpeting and two sofas, as well as wooden window blinds. I don't have any room treatments other than my wife's fairly tasteful decor. As far as my Onkyo goes, I always knew it wasn't doing the Totem's justice, If they were a more efficient speaker I'd go with a nice tubed integrated and a better phono stage than my Dynaco. Or, a better, more powerful solid state amp mated to the Dynaco tubed preamp??

[RGA]

Firstly I understand the desire for visceral impact and the Totem line is not great in this regard. You really need to listen to High efficiency loudspeakers and BIGGER loudspeakers and it is really that simple. This does not have to be horns but in your budget you would be probably of with used horn designs. Horns are tempermental when it comes to sources - they are very clear and can be unruly with poor recordings and show up more of SS equipment weaknesses. Tannoy makes some interesting speakers which offer easy to drive dynamic loudspeakers and some of them sound very very good.

Listening to some of the older bigger loudspeakers and it will be next to impossible to listen to speakers like those from Totem again because the openess in the midrange, and impact is just so vastly better than speakers like the Arro and Mani-2s out there that despite some of the frequency response foibles of the big dynamic speakers will more easily be forgiven. Especially if rock and music in the rock family are important. Totem is primarily a style system -- it is designed for nice looking furntiture and wife factor appeal and they squeeze the best sound they can get out of the compromise -- and Totem does an excellent job of this -- but for truly serious music they are well below average at their price points IMO. However the alternative is usually much Bigger and much Uglier. Always something to sacrifice.

Go to the High Efficiency forum at Audio Asylum and ask for a suggestion with your budget. Remember it never hurts to try it out -- no one says you have to buy. Bring some AC/DC or whatever rock and roll you like of any recordings and play it to good drive levels that get your toes tapping -- I doubt you'll miss the Totems.

[jrhymeammo]

Well, I thought Arro had sensitivty of around 88, but at 86 with it inability to take massive power, I dont think you have any other choice but to get a differnt pair.

Maybe if enough patience, you can snag a pair of Living Voice Auditorium. Everyone talks about deciding on a pair of speakers then choice amps accordingly. But, maybe it's time you decide what you plan to swap your Onkyo with.. Decide whether you wanna go with tube/ss, then choose your speakers.

JRA

[PeruvianSkies]

I'm looking to upgrade my speakers and would love some helpful advice. I currently have a pair of Totem Accoustic Arro's. I love these speakers but am ready for a slightly larger speaker that moves more air...I wanna feel more viceral impact, but with the same kind of resolution of detail that the Arro's can muster. My budget is not more than $1,500.00. Any advice?
Thanks,
Peter

Any chance you could sell your current Arro's and use that money to lift your budget?

[dexfx69]

Agreed.