Totem speakers and others that I should consider?

Mjm6...go audition some more speakers. Totem's are awesome, but it doesn't sound like you've spent a lot of time with others. If you don't audition others, you'll be very unhappy in the future. This will also give you a basis of what you might like in the future. Being a new kit, I would purchase brand new from a local dealer and NOT used on Agon. Reason being is that you need a good starting point. Your local dealer should carry lines that work well with each other. You will also help out your community, but most importantly you will have access to a lot more than your purchase. My local shares all his 24 bit, sells cable at cost, invites me to dinner etc. I can go there any time to shoot the bull about music etc. It's the greatest.

Greetings,
I would agree with the last poster regarding working with a dealer. Especially since you are starting from scratch, work with somebody who knows which audio components play well together. Listen with your own ears... this audio thing is so very subjective. Find a SYSTEM that you find immensely pleasing.

If you work with a dealer, he/she should let you demo the system in your own listening room. I think this is critical.

Do you have an overall budget for your new system? What are your listening tastes? Can you describe your room?

BTW, I've enjoyed my Totem speakers for several years now. Be sure to give them a good listen. Many folks agree that each model has a different personality.

Let us know how you make out!

If you like Totem, you might also like Dynaudio or PSB.

Merlin would be another more esoteric line to consider.

I like Totems and Dynaudio also but OHM Walsh speakers are my choice in general at similar price points. These are omni directional and present music differently, so most have to get used to that. Many who do never look back.

Thanks for all the feedback everyone... I am quite experienced with audio, just not in the past 8-10 years, as I had a system that I was very satisfied with, and happily listened to it without feeling the need to change.

That system is gone now, and it's time to build a new one, but I want it to be simpler than last time if possible (maybe a high quality integrated, smaller speakers, etc.).

I agree that I need to listen to more speakers, including the Totem's so my query was mostly about trying to find speakers that sound as good or better with similar characteristics (not huge cabinets, reasonably easy to drive, great imaging, comfortable sound that can be listened to long-term, etc.)

Sleepless, I appreciate your candor, and do not consider your opinion inappropriate. In fact, me asking the question is ultimately trying to get to the heart of people's opinions about speakers that are 'better' sounding but comparable such that they could be reasonably compared. Ultimately, you have decided that the Totems couldn't work for you, and offered several alternates that you feel sound better. That's exactly the kind of information I'm looking for.

I do feel that there used to be somewhat of a 'house sound' to the Totem line, even though each had it's own characteristics, but the new Element speakers are so substantially different (not radically so, but nonetheless substantially) that I feel they have departed from their 'sound' somewhat. Ultimately, whether it is good or not is up to the beholder, but I feel they are a considerable improvement in many ways, with the one possible exception being listener fatigue, which may have increased due to the slightly forward presentation now.

---Michael