Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Totem Acoustics Arro Speakers by JDT

Model:	Arro
Category:	Speakers
Suggested Retail Price:	$1200
Description:	2 way floorstanders
Manufacturer URL:	Totem Acoustics
Manufacturer URL:	Totem Acoustics

Review by jdt on March 10, 2002 at 00:41:19
IP Address: 24.165.76.106

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for the Arro

My taste and priority in speaker has usually been about transparency, resolution, coherence, imaging and speed. However, I almost felt my budget is quite a bit more humble than my taste. There is a handful of affordable speakers that perform exceptionally well in regard to the above. A few examples would be the Merlin TSM, Totem 1 Signature, ProAc Response 1 SC and Revel M20. These are all well designed small monitors that does most things well with the exceptions of large scale sonic delivery and extreme LF. Although their prices are not necessarily out of reach for most audiophiles, they do get up to $2300 or more when you add quality stands. Then you have the Arro which does all the forementioned things for about half the price. Of course there are a few shortcomings to the Arro compared to the above monitors. The Arro's midrange is "very resolved" but it is not as refined as these monitors. The Arro's high are "extremely extended" but it doesn't have that extreme delicate edge as compared to these monitors. The Arro also does not have that overwhelming bass, in fact, the Arro lacks the typical bass slam that most (but not all) people prefer. So why do I still think they are really great speakers anyway? Simple, their sound is absolutely free of box colorations of any sort. To be box coloration free and still deliver full scale bass, you may have to look at Wilson, JM Lab Utopia or the high end Revels. For budget oriented guys like myself, adding a small but quick subwoofer from Velodyne or Hsu makes more sense. I rather take the savings and invest in high quality cables and source components.

Product Weakness: Bass are extremely quick and precise but lacks the slam that most audiophiles are accustomed to.
Product Strengths: Transparency, Resolution, Coherance, Imaging and Speed. Super slim cabinet design yields zero box coloration. Unbelievable price to performance ratio.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Sim Audio I-5 Integrated Amp
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	N/A
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Rega Jupiter CDP
Speakers:	Totem Arro
Cables/Interconnects:	Homegrown Audio Silver Lace/Kimber KCAG
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Jazz, Vocals, Classical, Scores
Room Size (LxWxH):	30 x 18 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments:	None, look too ugly
Time Period/Length of Audition:	4 months
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	Bass are extremely quick and precise but lacks the slam that most audiophiles are accustomed to.
Product Strengths:	Transparency, Resolution, Coherance, Imaging and Speed. Super slim cabinet design yields zero box coloration. Unbelievable price to performance ratio.