2022 Golden Ear: Totem Acoustic Element Fire V2 Loudspeaker

Totem Acoustic Element Fire V2 Loudspeaker

$7500/pair

For a modest-sized monitor that plays much bigger than it looks, it’s hard to do better than the second generation of Totem Acoustic’s Element Fire stand-mount. Though the enclosure measures only 8.8″ x 16.6″ x 11.7″, the Fire’s given LF specification is a quite believable 30Hz. Plus, the speaker packs considerable dynamic punch. This may relate to the robust 7″ Torrent driver in this 2-way ported design. The woofer’s motor structure is machined from a single piece of aluminum alloy with the finished device weighing in at close to 10 pounds—Totem proudly notes a 17Hz free-air resonance with the potential for a 1″ cone excursion. The tweeter is a 1″ titanium dome. The two drivers are coupled via a simple first-order high-pass filter. No low-pass filter is required, and the Torrent woofer operates full-range. With rock and pop recordings played at enthusiastic levels, with symphonic music, and even with pipe organ spectaculars, the diminutive Fires will satisfy most over the long haul, though the judicious integration of a good subwoofer can further increase the enjoyment of these genres. The Fire V2s deliver the goods expected from a smaller loudspeaker—detail, spatial expansiveness, and tonal accuracy. A real overachiever.