Getting started:

• Break-in Time
  • Arro: 100-150 hours
  • Sttaf: 60-80 hours
  • Hawk: 60-80 hours
  • Forest: 100-150 hours
  • Wind: 200-250 hours
  • Mite: 70-100 hours
  • Model-1 Signature: 100-150 hours
  • Mani-2 Signature: 150-250 hours
  • Dreamcatcher Monitors: 40-50 hours
  • All sub-woofers: 60-80 hours
  • Rainmaker: 70-100 hours
  • Tribe I & II: 60-80 hours
  • Tribe III & V: 80-140 hours
  • Tribe In-Walls: 60-80 hours
  • Mask In-Walls: 40-50 hours
  • Inner Spirit: 60-80 hours
• Amplification
  • Arro: Integrate 40 watt +
  • Sttaf: Integrate 50 watt +
  • Hawk: Integrate 60 watt +
  • Forest: 60 watt +
  • Wind / Wind design: 100 watt +
  • Mite: 30 watt +
  • Model-1 Signature: 70 watt + (can work quite well with 40 watt)
  • Mani-2 Signature: 100 watt +
  • Dreamcatcher Monitors: 60 watt +
  • ALL SUBWOOFERS: Internal amplification included
  • Rainmaker: 40 watt +
  • Tribe I & II: 40 watt + (60 watts + receiver)
  • Tribe III & V: 60 watt + (100 watts + receiver)
  • Tribe In-Walls: 60 watts + (80 watts + receiver)
  • Mask In-Walls: 30 watts +
  • Inner Spirit: 60 watts + (80 watts + receiver)

  * These are just general guidelines and obviously there are exceptions to the rule where lower wattage units can be used successfully. Trial and experimentation are key in finding correct combinations. Dealers/ salesman can certainly guide you in this respect.

• Mass Loading

  All Totem floor models work very well without any type of mass loading. However if stability is an issue or if there is a particular over emphasis in the bass in the room they are used in, then mass loading can be experimented with. Variables such as electronics, wiring and room dynamics play a definite role and therefore the option is there for your experimentation.

  * If the “Totem Claws” are installed on the Sttaf and Arro then the mass loading option should definitely be experimented with.

  Arro: 10-20 lbs in each cabinet
  Sttaf: 5-10 lbs in each cabinet
  Hawk: 2-10 lbs in each cabinet
  Forest: 2-15 lbs in each cabinet

• Substances Used for Mass Loading

  One may use: clean dry sand, silica sand, dry particulate matter or non-odor kitty litter.

• Toe-in or not

  Due to the fact that all Totem speakers have great off-axis dispersion, toe-in is generally not needed. Imaging will therefore be more stable from any point in the room. If the speakers are placed very far apart (over 7 feet) then a slight toe-in may be experimented with. However if room geometry does not permit a straight-ahead aspect they will also perform very well with a slight toe-in.

• Bi-Wiring

  Bi-Wiring Advantages
  Bi-wiring obviously has a greater energetic flow and allows less saturation to occur to either the tweeter or woofer. Information to the speaker is basically an electron flow through the wire.

  If the terminals for both the tweeter and woofer have the advantage of each having a particular signal going to them (without different medium/material interference via jumper) then that signal has less interference. The signal also has a greater wire surface area to go through and the result is a greater dynamic headroom, clarity and imaging capability.

• Single Wiring

  Single-Wiring Advantages
  There are some cases where a high quality single wire allows for a better tonal balance for a particular need.

  Single Wiring is definitely a very good way to proceed as long as the four terminals are there. The user has the choice of connecting just the lower two terminals and through this obtain a certain “tone”. Reconnecting the wire to the upper two terminals gives the user more high frequency emphasis. Connecting the red positive at the bottom and the black at the top (diagonally opposite) or vice versa will give you two more “tone” options.

  In conclusion the customer/dealer has four possibilities with a high quality single wire. We recommend the diagonal connection when using the single wire to create a greater balance.

• Placement: from rear wall
  • Dreamcatcher: 6 in - 3 ft
  • Mite: 1 ft - 4 ft
  • Mite T: 1 ft - 4 ft
  • Model-1 Signature: 1 ft - 4 ft
  • Mani-2 Signature: 1 ft - 6 ft
  • Arro: 6 in - 3 ft
  • Sttaf: 1 ft - 4 ft
  • Hawk: 1 ft - 6 ft
  • Forest: 1 ft - 6 ft
  • Wind: 3 ft - 7 ft
  • Rainmaker: 1 ft - 3 ft
• Placement: distance apart
  • Dreamcatcher: 2 ft - 8 ft
  • Mite: 3 ft - 12 ft
  • Mite T: 3 ft - 8 ft
  • Model-1 Signature: 3 ft - 7 ft no toe-in, 12 ft with toe-in
  • Mani-2 Signature: 4 ft - 10 ft
  • Arro: 2 ft - 12 ft
  • Sttaf: 4 ft - 10 ft
  • Hawk: 3 ft - 8 ft
  • Forest: 4 ft - 12 ft
  • Wind: 6 ft - 14 ft
  • Rainmaker: 4 ft - 8 ft

  Totem Sub-woofers:
  Sub-woofer placement is highly dependent on room acoustics and convenience. Generally we recommend aligning the sub-woofer with the front loudspeakers. Corners will offer greater bass reinforcement while open space will grant superior imaging experimentation is the key to determining the proper placement for specific rooms.