Totem Acoustic Forest Signatures

Short reply in brief:

FORESTs demand a lot of “grunt” to permit them to perform at their max.that means high- current and lotsa amps delivery. WPC specs by themselves mean nothing.

(1) pair them with high-current, high-end , solid-state amp only

(2) Do not pair them with tube amps

I owned TOTOTEM FORESTs before in a prior system . I simultaneously owned their ARROs, so I know their strengths and warts very well.

With the FORESTs, I had to upgrade the amp to a S/S bi-amped rig ( not bi-wire) with a high-end integrated amp paired with a matched spec stablemate power amp, just to get them to perform at their true max potential.

my BFF amigo audio friend borrowed them to test-drive them in his top strata high-end CARY tube amp system . In brief: just plain yuk! Comparatively, they were flat and lifeless until he pushed the volume knob to a 2 o’clock position on the volume knob . At which point they were quickly irritating, and predicating a dial-back to a listenable level. But alas, back to no dynamics, flat, et al and a poor match for a low(er) level listening

Choose wisely.

I had originally written a much longer, more detailed post, but the interwebs made it disappear before I finished, so here’s the slimmed down version. I’ve been running the Forest Signatures for about 7 years. I was very happy to stumble back into this thread dedicated to these under-rated masterpieces, only to find that it’s been dormant for 4 years.

I’d had previous experience with Totem (my OG model 1’s are now set up in my brother’s Philadelphia apartment), and I bought the Forest Signatures when I decided to downsize my own system in 2017. Well, the downsize didn’t last very long, but the Totems did. I can’t think of anything for less than double the price that will do what these babies can do, and therein lies the problem - I honestly don’t think they get the accolades they deserve because, at their relatively reasonable asking price ($7,400 ain’t chump change, but it’s still a bargain if you need a pair of $19k Sabrinas or the like to better them). I can’t say I’ve tried everything - but I’ve tried a lot - and I don’t think the Forest Sigs get their due simply because their not being amped properly, because who’s going to put a $7,500 amp with $7,400 speakers. Not that they sound bad with lesser amps, just that they can really sound GREAT with bigger amps (or something special, like the First Watts mentioned above). I’ve got mine hooked up to an OG (made in France) YBA Passion 600, and the pairing is nothing short of glorious.

idk if anyone else out there is still a fan, but I’d love to hear about it if you are. I’m not proud of it, but I often wrestle with the fact that after 50 years and many big speakers - Watt/Puppy, Pearl, esl-63 (loved these, hated replacing arced panels), Quatros, etc. - my ‘downsize’ speakers, the diminutive Forest Sigs turn out to be my ‘destination’ speakers yet, here we are. Anyone compare them to element metals? Am I missing something, or do I just concede that these are as great as I think they are and enjoy my ‘bargains’?

YEMV, etc.

@scthom

Think MOON by SIMAUDIO . I had FORESTS in a prior system so I know their strengths and their warts very well. They are hungry power hogs that need a lot of current (amps) to get them to open up fully. WPC are meaningless… it’s necessary grunt provided  by amps. I bi-amped mine in mine to get to their max audio performance.

TOTEM and SIMAUDIO are both resident in Montreal, and use each others units to voice their products. TOTEM frequently uses them at the audio shows,

TOTEM even had their now discontinued AMBER model (pic above) about a decade+ ago, which was their own hefty beast integrated amp, that the ideal TOTEM drive partner in its time. It was a joint venture by TOTEM with SIMAUDIO, based on the SIMAUDIO platform, that was modded to TOTEM specs

Highly recommended.

I still have the Signatures in my system and I don’t feel the need to upgrade.  I'm currently driving them with a Naim Audio Supernait 3.  

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