Totem model 1 signature or Dynaudio 52

thanks both of you. i want to stay with monitors so the forests are out for me, the bass will boom too much in my room. i need to find better bass and spatial spread in monitors. the contours and revels that you mention, are they available used for under 1000 ?

i listened to the dynaudio's before and i prefer the model 1's. i also prefer the model 1's to the dynaudio special 25's and the totems are less than 1/2 the price. if you need more bass, get a little rel sub to compliment the model 1's. thats what i did in my last house. i sold my model 1's and arros and got a couple of pairs of totem mani 2's. if you want bass from a monitor speaker and you like totem speakers, the mani's are the way to go.

There are currently two listings for the Revels, both under $1k. I'm going off memory but the 1.3s usually list a tad over $1k. There were also some upgraded versions of the Dynaudio 1.3s and my experience was with the early version. Good luck with your search.

Rbstehno...

Regarding your observations on the Model 1. I use to own a pair of the original Model 1s that I paired successfully with a REL sub. I later replaced the Model 1 with a pair of JMR Trentes. As much as I like the Trente I have never got them to mate quite as seamlessly as I did with the totem. I might be interested in trying the Model 1 Sig...or even the Mani. Do you think that a model 1 sig with a good subwoofer match would be as good as the Mani alone....or the mani matched with my sub?

I know you didn't address your question to me - but I'm running Mani-2's with a Rel Storm III and it's a pretty unbeatable combination. Even though the Mani's can play quite nicely with no sub, they integrate perfectly and go to a whole 'nother level with it. I cross over at 31Hz.

I have no experience with Mod 1's, but previously had Sttaf's paired with the Rel. Integration was perfect and it was a very nice setup. Before I got the Mani's I considered the Mod 1, and in discussion with Totem was told the 1's have much tighter bass than the Staff (though not as deep - 38hz vs 50hz rolloff pt), and better mid-hi, so paired with the sub . . you can do the math. I'm not sure if this gets you to the level of the Manis with a sub or without though.