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Review: Totem Beak Tweak

Category: Accessories

Anyone posted hear tweak reviews?

Let me tell you that tweak is not the simpliest component to describe especially according to the A'Gon review standards he... he...:-)

For a long time I always thought what kinda toy is always displayed above almost all Totem speakers(except Wind that has angled top) and why I should pay for that extra or even consider to acquire these "toys" other than seing that it just looks cool??? When I came to the local dealer I "touched" them, picked them up and saw only some aluminium cone shaped semi-hollow figures that weigh approximately 20g each and was even more confused having been used to believe that they should've been heavy as hell made of lead or some other heavy metal.

After I brought these "toys" home and started to place them on top of each speaker I couldn't believe my ears how wide I could play with placement of these "toys" on its top varying the stage and radiation that is very close to the performance of the room equalizer!

After experimenting with my my Totem speakers I brought them to my friend who has Tannoy R1 on the main system and some Polk monitors(don't remember what model) on the bedroom system and started to experiment on both pairs of speakers with nearly the same results or even better(probably depends on room as well)!

The downsides of Beaks that they're built mainly for flat top boxed designes and certainly will slide or more precisely will have no use against angle top or angle-positioned speakers.

The positive side is that I can't imagine my speakers without beaks right now and it's realy fun to adjust! They can eliminate many room acoustic problems if used on relatively small and boxed speakers. A truly great engineering work thanks to Vincent!
128x128marakanetz
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz OP
5,473 posts
 
As I can assume that this product somehow enters the resonance of the cabinette thus changing the angle of radiation of a certain freequencies. In my case it's highs and upper-mids.

I can also assume that the beak has certain resonance freequency range and if the cabinette is not in that range than it might not be affected. Its shape more or less defines the resulting vectors of a new re-shaped radiation.

I believe that the same product can be done for more different speaker models basing on cabinette resonance.

I just realy onto finding out that trick if Vincent would just share his secret a-bit(not to details)...
stehno
1,453 posts
 
Several years ago, I was in a listening room without the beaks in place and noticed the beaming of the highs coming from the Totems. I asked the salesman if the beaks sitting on the window ledge worked.

He placed them in position and I noticed the beaming disappeared immediately.

He explained that Totem discovered that the high frequencies like to congregate at a certain point just over the top of the speaker and then shoot forward from that point. And the beaks prevent the highs from congregating. Or something like that.

That explanation seemed to defy logic and/or physics, but the beaks worked!!

-IMO
theaudiotweak
2,774 posts
 
Peter Snell of many years ago and Brent Riehl of recent have had more effective variations of the same principles.. Tom
rbstehno
1,406 posts
 
I currently have 1 pair on top of my Totem Model 1's and I just ordered another pair. I have been told that 2 pairs at opposite corners will give you a bigger improvement over a single pair. If there isn't any noticable improvement, I will put the 2nd pair on top of my Totem Arro speakers in my den.
joshkrav's avatar
joshkrav
2 posts
 
that can of beer your collage roommate put on your speaker accomplished the same thing...he was a drunken genius.
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