Totem Rainmaker distortion??

This will sound like I'm a Totem employee or dealer. I'm not. Just a very satisfied customer.

I can understand why you'd be frustrated, but doubt the defect you experienced is unique to Totem. It's inevitable a defective product will be shipped - this is true of all companies. I think that the fact that the dealer replaced the unit (indeed with another brand) says something about Totem and their dealer network.

My experience with Totem's products and their customer support has been excellent. No defects in the products, just state of the art sound, excellent craftsmanship. They answer their phone when you call, and return emails within a day. That's better than my experience with many of the top brands discussed on the site.

I agree with bdgregory... Totem is an excellent company and this is the exception for them. I have Rainmakers in my home theater system and they are phenomenally musical and transparent, even with suboptimal positioning. I'd like to suggest it's worthwhile giving Totem another shot, and maybe your dealer can test the next set before shipping too.

I had a similar issue with a pair of Arros and it turned out to be the woofer enclosure overlapping with the tweeter enclosure and creating a vibration around 500 Hz. I brought them to Totem (I am in Montreal) and they inserted an ultra thin gasket between both that I believe made it standard in their subsequent Arros model. Et voila.
I was a bit upset at first but things like that can happen and it is how manufacturers deal with the issue that matters more than the issue itself (unless it is a question of life and death!). Not to mention spending time with the designer himself while his guys were fixing the problem. Vince is a class act and a true passionate.

Just out of curiosity, do you like your Evo 10 better? how do they differ?
Tks