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Opinions: Joseph Audio Pulsar vs Dynaudio Conficence C1 vs Totem Element Fire vs ?????

Seeking opinions on these speakers or suggestions for others....  Recently moved, likely for the long term (down sized) and my previous floor standers just overloaded my new, smaller room despite trying some bass traps, positioning, etc.  The room is  11 X 14 X 8 with a cement floor.  As much as I would like to listen to each of them it is not likely to happen.  I live in west Texas and the nearest dealers are 350 miles away.  Joseph Audio doesn't have a dealer in Texas,  they Dynaudio dealer doesn't stock the C1, and the Totem dealer is a home theatre place that doesn't have anything to demo and doesn't seem to have any real interest in 2 channel audio.Given these obstacles, I am looking for your comments and advice on these or other speakers.  I am in my mid 50s and listen mostly to 70s rock, singer/songwriter acoustic stuff,some  blues, some big band music, but very little classical music (mostly small ensemble type stuff, no orchestral). My equipment is a Hegel H360 integrated, a Pro-ject 9.2 table with Grace F9E ruby, and a Berkeley Audio Design Alpha USB/Alpha DAC s2 driven by a PC based server using JRiver.  I don't need huge bass, but it's important to me that voices are right and acoustic guitars and cymbals sound right.  I like the presentation a little more front and center, but not fatiguing.  If you can give me any help that would be great.    Once I get enough info maybe I can make a trip somewhere that has a couple of things to listen to.  Oh, and budget is up to $7500.  Thanks in advance
julian
ebm
9,311 posts
 
Pulsar will give wonderful sound in your room.

jackmonster
24 posts
 
A couple years back at Axpona , the Pulsars were teamed with a Hegel H20 amp.  Very, very nice sounding.  Very open sound.The H20 Hegel is not an integrated like the H360.  It's a  very underrated amp.
julian OP
3 posts
 
Thanks for all the responses thus far.  Sounds for sure like I will have to find somewhere to hear the JA Pulsars.  Still very curious about the Dynaudio and Totem Element Fires as well.  Many of the other brands are even smaller dealer network, may be hard to hear, but maybe I will get lucky.  Can anyone recommend a dealer that may have more than one of the models we are discussing in the same place?  Would really save me time and money.   I don't really have much vacation with my new job and my daughter is going back to college so I really have to watch the budget.  Thanks again for your opinions, keep 'em coming.

Julian

jbrrp1
423 posts
 
They aren't on your list, but I would encourage you to consider Vandersteen Quatro's.  My room is 15' x 11.25' x 8' and I used them for six years very happily, because I took some well-spent time tuning them into the room via their 11 band bass equilizer capability in their self-powered subwoofers.  They were not too powerful for the room, and I was able to smooth them out beautifully.  They do just disappear as a sound source, and I found them to deliver the right harmonic richness and timbre of live instruments, as well as rock out nicely.  Just a suggestion that certainly fits within your budget when purchased used.
ejr1953
911 posts
 
I own a pair of Totem Fire monitors and compared them to the Dynaudio C1's, liked the C1's a lot, but in the end felt that they sounded "different" than the Fire's, but not "better".  Same result from comparing them to the Sonus Faber Guarneri monitors.  I have not had the pleasure of auditioning any of the Joseph Audio models (no dealer near me).

My Totems have been boxed up for several months, since moving my system to a much larger room and buying a set of large floor standing units.  I have them for sale now on Audiogon.  They are in excellent condition.
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