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It’s not often that we get to test a manufacturer’s top model but when it happens it’s party time. We receive from (Belgium) importer Joenit the special Totem Acoustics Element Fire V2 standmount speaker to play with. I love my job! In the meantime we have tested a number of Totem speakers and each time we liked them very much. More than that, the Totem Signature One is a personal favorite. Will the Totem Element Fire V2 be one of our favorites as well?
The Canadian company Totem Acoustics is a bit of an outsider in the hi-fi world. They have a somewhat lifestyle-oriented website and present themselves somewhat differently than most brands. Yet Totem convinces time and time again with its excellent speakers and over the years they have built up a very loyal customer base. Eccentric owner Vince Bruzzese designs each speaker himself, putting experience first. Whether we also hear this in the Element Fire V2 we will find out soon enough.
The Totem Acoustics Element Fire V2 is, as the name suggests, the second version of the original Fire from 2013. This standmount is quite large (22.3x 42.2x 29.7cm) and has a distinctive design. Their atypical shape is also the first thing we notice when we take them out of the box. We think it has something to it.
At first it reminded us a bit of a parallelepiped but that is not entirely correct. In any case, there are a lot of angled surfaces that are supposed to reduce standing waves. The front end is very plain, no bling bling, with a 2.5 cm titanium tweeter and an 18 cm redesigned Torrent mid-driver. The tweeter is protected by a metal grille and sits in an aluminum chamber. The handmade Torrent mid-driver is patented and is constantly being developed. Especially the magnets used and the lack of a crossover arouse our interest.
At the back we see two pairs of WBT connectors and a small bass port. Main specs are the 88db sensitivity in 8ohm which suggest an easy drive. And that is actually the case. Special mention goes to the paintwork which is truly flawless. Unfortunately, it is also very finger- and dust- and scratch sensitive. A set of gloves won’t hurt when installing and polishing will have to be done carefully. There is also a white version available that will be a lot less sensitive. The rather limited choice is yours. A matching stand is part of the possibilities.
