Cable Comparisons
I compared the Totem with other cables to see how it stacks up against some serious competition.
Penon ASOS+X (USD $319)
ASOS+X boasts a taller soundstage but it’s also narrower, vocals are more prominent but bass isn’t as elevated and feels slightly mushier, which surprises me.
The background isn’t as black and resolution is a step down with instruments feeling less defined. Note weight is similar, but treble is more accentuated with Totem.
ASOS+ lacks Totem’s precision and feels shakier & more indistinct, definitely not in the same class.
Penon Pyramid 8 Wire (USD $499)
Pyramid’s stage feels wider & taller but not as three dimensional, perhaps due to vaguer imaging.
The background is not as black, resolution isn’t quite as high but instruments seem larger and tonality is a little smoother with more emphasised lower midrange.
Totem emphasises the lower frequencies more and feels more v-shaped, and also improves note weight. Whereas Pyramid projects instruments over a larger area but without the same precision.
Effect Audio Code 24 (USD $799)
I first notice the differences in staging, Code 24 pushes instruments further away with vocals in particular more distant. The stage is wider & flatter, but imaging is much less defined.
Code24 lacks Totem’s background blackness and does not separate instruments terribly well, but does have a much warmer tonality.
I appreciate Code24’s smoother tonality that’s a bit less sharp by comparison, but its’ note weight is also a step down and overall there’s less excitement for energetic music genres.
I was also fortunate enough compare Totem to other cables loaned to me by Head-Fi poster Tanalasta.
Eletech Enigma (USD $999)
Enigma is a downgrade in many technical areas, though its’ tonality reminds me of Totem’s.
The stage is shallower though slightly wider, dynamics are weaker and bass doesn’t hit quite as hard.
Note weight is also down, but Enigma does sound slightly more cohesive with a bit more vocal emphasis.
Norne Silvergarde 8 Wire (USD $999)
This custom-built pure silver cable with a Furutech 4.4mm plug is extremely tough competition.
Silvergarde emphasises bass, and particularly sub bass with improved note weight & overall lower frequency emphasis. The background is blacker -to an outstanding extent- with an even deeper more 3D stage, though it is slightly narrower.
Treble is more refined & less brittle, the midrange is also smoother with less upper midrange presence, though Totem does project vocals further forward with a more energetic v-shaped tonality.
Eletech Sonnet of Adam (USD $2799)
Sonnet of Adam delivers similar levels of technical performance with only 4 relatively thin wires.
Similarly dynamic, note weight is down slightly and bass isn’t quite as dominant. However it boasts a blacker background and greater overall coherency with some of Totem sharper edges removed.
Stage dimensions are similar though instruments feel a touch further away, there’s less treble sparkle and a greater feeling of overall refinement with individual notes more distinctly separate & whole.
Page 1 – Introduction, Packaging, Ergonomics & Build Quality
Page 2 – Sound Impressions, Technical Performance & Tuning Plugs
Page 3 – IEM Comparisons
Page 4 – Cable Comparisons
Page 5 – Conclusion
Anybody who would pay thousands of dollars for a pair of interconnect audio cables of any type has more money than sense!!!!! A cable is not an active device so it will have no more action on an audio signal than a paperclip unless it is grossly deteriorated or you are trying to run really long runs with high impedance equipment. Wearing comfort is the only measurable property and that is totally subjective, People like you keep these modern “Snake Oil Salesmen” in business.
Total BS.
I made three RCA connector interconnect cables using RG6 coax one 4 feet long, one 6 feet long and one 8 feet long using 100% Belfoil shield. The 8 foot cable sounder more full with deeper bass than the 4 foot cable even though they all showed a good frequency sweep to over 500 Mhz.