July 28, 2014

  • Totem Element Fire, Part 9

    Let's go back to that wonderful 5/15/93 day, when KJ came down to visit me at UC Santa Cruz. When we were at the Metro Center and Pacific Avenue mall, we passed a book/record store, whose windows were covered with those 12"x12" album cover artwork promos. One of the albums being advertised was Winger's Pull. Back in the late 80s, KJ and I had enjoyed Winger's debut album. But with the early-90s grunge revolution, Winger were dead in the water. The generic and anonymous Pull artwork on the storefront window had a different logo, and no photos or depictions of the band. Thus, KJ and I were not sure if that really was the Winger of yore.
    Winger-Pull.jpg
    Before the school year ended, KJ would indeed (bless her soul) buy Pull, which didn't actually hit records stores for a few more days after 5/13/93. I especially loved the acoustic "Who's The One." As I would go to the Crown College mailroom, I would have this song in my head. I saw a wooden stool in one corner of the mailroom, and could picture Kip Winger and Reb Beach sitting on stools, performing "Who's The One." For me, nothing spells the end of my college career (the Spring '93 quarter was my last) like Winger's "Who's The One."

    On the morning of 5/13/93, as KJ and I were in bed, no, we were not thinking about Winger. We opened the curtains, and found that the morning fog had burned off, leaving a beautiful, warm, and sunny day. We made the decision to go to the Boardwalk. KJ stood up, put on some panties, and wore shorts. She complained that these lousy female shorts didn't have any pockets. Without any pockets, KJ used a fanny pack.

    Since the weather was warm, KJ donned just a loose-fitting tank top with large sleeve holes. If she raised her arms, you could see her armpit hair and boobs. I asked her if she wanted to wear a bra, and she declined. While we were at the Boardwalk, I was fearful that people could see the side of her boobs.
    IMG_8264
    When we left the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, and made our way back to my on-campus apartment, we were salty and grungy. After we got out of the shower, KJ assertively threw open the bathroom windows. In the process, she flashed two girls who happened to be walking by.
    IMG_0941
    The Totem Element Fire is such a resolving speaker, it can help you dig out and delve into those obscure little musical gems, such as Winger's "Who's The One." I've lived with Totem's stand-mounted Mite, Rokk, Model 1 Signature, The One, Element Ember, and Mani-2 Signature. None was so transparent and acute, that it could definitively resolve tweaks to the speaker stand itself. With the Element Fire, placing a Beak on the speaker stand's base alters the sound. Not only that, the Element Fire lets you hear additional changes, as you move the Beak around the baseplate!
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    Now place the Beak towards the rear of the speaker stand. Now there is very slight emphasis or spotlight on the upper midrange. For a lot of normally shut-in recordings, this more open upper midrange is a good thing. This does leave the footwork of the midbass (where kickdrums and snares enter) slightly behind, so it does alter PRAT. It's kind of like KJ's loose and wide-open tank top, allowing you to see her armpit hair and boobs. Or, with certain clean recordings (e.g., Winger's "Who's The One"), it's like KJ's completely exposed breasts flashing passers-by. As tantalizing and jolly as that is, alas, with the midbass not as punchy and present, you do not get to see KJ's lower half.
    CMA Shower
    I know a number of audiophiles who are used to, and would like, this type of sound. Some of them utilize electrostatic/cone hybrids. There's nothing slow or plodding about the bass. It's just that the upper mids are even faster. So if you want an electrostatic speaker, but cannot accommodate its demands, you can get the Totem Element Fire. Tweak it so that it becomes an alternative, the next-best thing, to an electrostatic speaker.

    It's becoming clear to me that the Element Fire is one accurate, honest, self-effacing speaker. Other than deep bass, it faithfully lets you hear what lies upstream, and what you are doing to, for, and with it. I think back to my college days, and picture loudspeakers on shelves, cabinets, hutches, plastic milk crates, floors, and cinder blocks. Hell, during my senior year, I placed my Pinnacle PN-5+ on top of the end/lamp tables. While the Element Fire is super-resolving, its very same cleanliness means it won't sound half bad, even if you don't have dedicated filled speaker stands, or foo-foo tweaks, like the Beak.