Dynaudio Focus 140 vs Totem Model 1 Signature

I have owned both the 140's and Model 1 Sigs, with different integrateds- Musical Fidelity a3.2 and a308, Simaudio I-3SE and Plinius 8200 mkii. The MF a3.2 seemed a bit weak. The MF a308 had plenty of power but lacking in detail and soundstage. The Sim I-3SE was very musical and detailed, but could use a bit more uumph. The Plinius 8200 mkii, though just a bit bloated sounding to my ears, was the best match.
I would respectfully disagree with Hieule5 in his statement that these speakers are "worth matching with amplifiers that cost as much as three times the amount that you invest into the Totem Model One or the Dyn 52 se". The cost would be in the $6000.00 area. Great sound? Absolutely. A good amp/ speaker cost ratio? My thinking is the money could be better spent elsewhere in your system or in music.

Mr. Valinar

My estimate was a little bit off but all I am saying is that if you spend less on amplification for these great monitors, the sound will be somewhat dull.

Btw, what do you Gs think of the Dynaudio Audience 72/72SE?

Thanks

"Btw, what do you Gs think of the Dynaudio Audience 72/72SE?"

Love em. Listened to these compared to similar sized and priced Triangles and Revel Speakers and found the 72's to work better and sound more balanced and "natural" with relatively modest NAD separates (C162/C272) and CD player (C542). I think if you were using significantly more revealing electronics, they may not give you every thing that say, the Focus or Contour line would, but I don't think they will sound "bad" either. Highly recommended at this price point.

Mr. Knownothing

I have listened to the old Audience 50 but was not very impressed, probably because it was driven by some AVR midgets. You are right when you give them a high current pre/pro combo, the Dynaudio really open up.

I am saving up for a pair of Dynaudio 72 and if I come across a great deal, I may step up to the 72SE.

To serve a dual purpose room (music/HT), do you think that a Denon AVR midget can provide the Dynaudio 72/72SE enough juice for a small apartment living room?

Thank you kind sir.

Totem uses dynaudio and seas drivers and not cheap chinese drivers as Ttowntony stated...
Totem’s attention to detail does not end with the cabinetry. The Model 1 Signatures use Totem-modified 5" Dynaudio woofers and 1" SEAS aluminum tweeters. The Dynaudio woofer has a 3" voice coil, and being a sadist, I drove it very hard to see how much abuse it could handle. The Model 1 Signature differs from the Model 1 in that the woofer and tweeter are connected to the crossover with shielded silver Teflon dielectric, and multi-strand oxygen-free copper wiring. The crossover uses larger and higher-grade oil-dielectric capacitors, and metalized polypropylene capacitors. Totem feels that grilles muck up the sound of the Model 1 Signatures, so they are not supplied (although you can buy them for $40 if you need them). I mention this as a warning to people with small children and pesky felines (I’m a dog lover). The tweeter is covered with a metal mesh cap, so I think that you are OK on that front. The Dynaudio woofer seems to be very strong, and I think that it would take something like a solid right from George Foreman or a thrust with a metal object from someone like O - (I’ll restrain myself at this point) to damage the woofer. The Model 1 Signatures’ frequency response is rated from 50Hz to 20kHz +/- 3dB, with a sensitivity rating of 87dB/W/m. They are also a 4-ohm load and in my experience, not the easiest speaker to drive.