proac d25 vs totem Mani 2


Hello,
I am looking for a pair of musical speakers for a small room. My budget is around $1800, I have looked around and found there is a very good candidate: Totem Mani 2. This pair has already got a lot of rave reviews on Internet. However, recently, I found another candidate, that is Proac D25, which I can get with much lower price than the Mani 2. I wonder if the Proac is much sonically and musically inferior to the Mani? Anyone happen to hear both of the speakers please share some of your experience.
Thank you.
Huy.
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quanghuy147--

+1 on akg_ca's comment.

The Mani-2s demand power and will not perform up to their potential without it. You didn't say what you are using to drive them (nor what kinds of music you listen to), but if it's a relatively low power tube amp, I recommend that you do not do it. IMO you will not get enough low end control of the bass heavy Mani-2s. I finally ran mine with a pair of Rogue M-180's with KT-120's and they really sang, but that was the only tubed amp out of the 4 or 5 I auditioned that worked for me. They also sounded beautiful with both of my Class-D amps, a Bel Canto 300u, and a W4S-500, both of which have enough power as well as excellent tight bass control.

I ran my Mani-2s in a relative small room, but be prepared to do some experimentation with placement. They are a difficult speaker to tame, but when you get there the sound is fantastic for a speaker of this size.

I have heard the Proacs, but not in my space. I liked them, found them musical and not fatiguing, but overall they did not excite me.

That said, I've recently replaced my single-owner Mani-2s with a pair of Harbeths, and it's been on my list of things to do to get them up for sale here. Let me know if you have an interest and I'll move getting them listed to the top of my long to-do list.

Happy listening,
Jerry
I have owned a lot of Proac speakers. If you are looking for floorstanding Proac speakers in that size my preference on their models in the Response range would be as shown below:

Proac D 30r (this may be outside of your budget
Proac D 28
Proac D 2.5 
Proac D 25

The Studio 140 II is is about the same size and is also a good sounding speaker, but not as refined.
To my ears Totem's are a little more clinical compared to the Pro Ac.

But that could just be my ears 😊


Thank you very much for all of your replies, they are valuable to me.I have just been in hi end audio for some years and don’t have chance to listen to many speakers. I have always wish to have a pair of small speakers, which is small to medium size (because my room is small: 10ft x 10ft) , what I look for in the speaker is musicality and neutrality. I usually listen to low volume. I am now having a pair of Kef 101, very musical but the seperation in instruments seems not to be good.

Because you say Totem Mani 2 is difficult to drive and there are better ones for the range of $2000, could you please suggest some pairs for me?

Is Harbeth C7es3 a good candidate?


To Jerry:My taste of music is vocal, jazz and classical. I have just sold my tube amp Cayin A50T so right now I don't have any amp. Thank you for your offer, I will contact you when I decide to go with Mani 2.

Thank you!
Huy.

its a good price for the Mani's if in good condition and you have the amp and room to handle them.   One of my favorite smaller monitors.