The Short Form

$7,000 (as tested) / TOTEMACOUSTIC.COM / 514-259-1062

Snapshot

A dynamic-sounding on-wall speaker system that artfully straddles the line between domestic acceptability and audiophile-grade performance

Plus

• Big, powerful sound for slim, wall- hugging speakers • Compact but potent subwoofer • Exceptional construction quality  • Tribe speakers sized to match flat- panel TVs

Minus

• Requires a powerful amp for best results

Key Features

• Tribe III ($1,500 each): ¼-in dome tweeter, (2) 4 ½-in “Torrent” woofers; 36 in high, 30 lb • Tribe I ($750 each): ¼-in dome tweeter, (2) 4 ½-in woofers; 14 in high, 26 lb • Storm ($1,000): 8-in woofer, (2) 8-in passive radiators, 300-watt amplifier; 11 x 12 x 13 3⁄8 in, 35 lb

Just a few years ago, people seemed much more willing to surrender their living space to bulky audio and video gear. But when TVs began to morph from huge boxes into wall-hugging visions of sleekness, most people’s tolerance for floor-space-robbing speakers waned.

Almost every custom-installed home theater uses in-wall or ceiling speakers that all but disappear from view. But the acoustic performance of in-walls is unpredictable at best, and in some rooms, the location of wall studs makes it impossible to place them for optimal performance. For many situations, on-wall speakers are a better option because they provide consistent audio performance along with good placement flexibility. The main catch is that the slender and inconspicuous design of most on-walls means they have to be partnered with a subwoofer to deliver full-range performance.

Canada’s Totem Acoustic has gained an enviable reputation for making speakers that can conjure huge bass from tiny enclosures, so if anyone should be capable of delivering satisfying sound from a slim, wall-mounted model, it’s them. The company’s Tribe series is made up of three models — Tribe I, II, and III — that vary primarily in cabinet height, with the taller Tribe II and III models providing additional bass extension.

All three Tribes share the same driver lineup: a pair of 4½-inch long-throw woofers closely flanking a 1¼-inch soft-dome tweeter. While the tweeter remains constant across the range, the Tribe III model steps up to a pair of “Torrent” extra-heavy-duty woofers that nearly double the speaker’s power-handling ability. Unusual for on-walls, the Tribes have dual pairs of high-quality binding posts neatly recessed into the cabinet’s back, allowing you to biwire or biamp them. Each speaker comes with a simple wall-mounting plate, along with a color-coordinated grille that attaches to it using hidden magnets.

The Tribes have been designed to sonically match each other, so you can combine models to create a multichannel system that fits your needs. I used the top-of-the-line Tribe III across the front three channels and assigned a pair of Tribe I speakers for the less taxing surround-channel duties. Rounding out the bass was Totem’s tiny Storm, a subwoofer that packs an 8-inch driver along with a pair of similar-sized passive radiators and a 300-watt amp into just over 1 cubic foot.

SETUP

The Tribe I, II, and III have been proportioned to match 42-, 50-, and 60-inch flat-panel TVs, respectively, and each is available in black, silver, or white. Still, I’d fight the temptation to mount the left and right speakers directly flanking the TV, since keeping them spread farther apart will usually result in a much more spacious sound. I ended up with two Tribe IIIs mounted on the wall about 8 feet apart, with the third placed on its side directly under my projection screen’s midpoint to serve as the center speaker. I positioned the Tribe I pair against the side walls about a foot behind my listening chair, but because of their tall cabinets, I set them about 4 feet off the floor — a little lower than normal. All Tribes have ports on both end panels; care should be taken to ensure that these aren’t blocked.

The Storm sub comes in black ash, gloss white, or mahogany finish (there’s also cherry or maple for $100 more). The Storm worked well in the front left corner of my room when turned to 45° so that the active driver faced into the room while the passive radiators fired along the front and left sidewalls. A crossover bypass is provided, along with a continuously variable phase control and an input-level adjustment. With an Integra DTR-8.8 receiver handling the bass management, I set up a 60-Hz crossover point for the three front speakers, and 80 Hz for the surrounds. If your processor doesn’t provide this same level of flexibility, I would try 80 Hz for all channels.

The most prominent characteristic of the Tribe III’s measurements is a wide swallow from 150 Hz to 1.3 kHz that is 6 dB down at its deepest point. When measured in a horizontal array, it delivered similar results, albeit with an additional narrow 5 dB notch centered at 3.8 kHz. The Tribe I’s measured frequency response proved to be nearly identical to the vertically arrayed Tribe III.

Storm displayed limited low-frequency dynamic capability, and its response has nowhere near the higher frequency bandwidth suggested by the crossover frequency dial. Also, the sub’s protective circuitry announces itself with both a ‘clank’ and an obvious lowering of loudness when driven into overload. However, SPL capability is reasonably well balanced over the Storm’s bandwidth. — Tom Nousaine

MUSIC & MOVIE PERFORMANCE

Unlike most speakers that you mount on or in a wall, the Tribe IIIs managed to create a wide and well-defined soundstage, delivering a healthy dose of apparent depth with the right music. The title track from Bruce Springsteen’s The Ghost of Tom Joad is a good example. Bruce’s vocal really jumped to life when I listened to this excellent, mostly acoustic recording. In addition, Garry Tallent’s plummeting bass line, drummer Gary Mallaber’s subtle brushwork, and the distinctive twang of Marty Rifkin’s Dobro all sounded clear and transparent. The system’s overall balance was warm and inviting, and once relative levels were properly tweaked, the blend between the Tribe speakers and the Storm subwoofer was practically seamless. The Storm acquitted itself well overall, remaining tuneful and tight while adding a welcome measure of heft.

Next up, I loaded the DVD-Audio version of the Beatles’ Love, a remarkable disc that brings fresh insight to recordings that most people think they know like the back of their hand. “Get Back” opens with a snippet of the drum solo from Abbey Road’s “The End,” and then launches into a great surround mix. Billy Preston’s Fender Rhodes piano sounded particularly rich, with none of the clanginess you sometimes hear from speakers that fall on the bright side of neutral. Listening to this track also clearly highlighted the close timbral match between the Tribe III speakers and the smaller Tribe I pair.

Totem built its reputation by creating speakers for music lovers, so I was eager to see how well these diminutive on-walls would hold up under the all-out assault of a dynamic movie soundtrack. The airport fuel-tanker fight scene from Casino Royale (2006) is especially demanding, with gunshots, explosions, vehicle crashes, and a jetliner go-around keeping the sound mix loud and busy.

I first started watching Casino Royale using a 65-watt-per-channel Outlaw Audio 1070 receiver but quickly switched it out for the more powerful Integra DTR-8.8. Continuing with the movie, I was truly impressed by just how loud the Totems could go without apparent distress. At one point, I attempted to push their limits, achieving 105-dB peaks from 14 feet away before backing the volume down to avoid hearing damage. (For those not fully up to speed with SPL readings, that’s really, really loud.) But even at those silly levels, the Totems’ slightly warmish sound kept things from becoming painful. At a more reasonable volume, the sound remained dynamic and engaging, with the Storm sub offering plenty of impact, even if it couldn’t quite match the ultimate air-moving abilities you get with some larger models.

As I noted when listening to surround music, the mixed Tribe models showed an ability with movies to blend as if they were five completely identical speakers, with pans sounding seamless across the front three channels and from front to back. Vince Bruzzese’s design for the Tribes keeps all three drivers in each speaker grouped closely together, so the sound remains consistent whether they’re positioned vertically or horizontally. This attention to detail proved especially beneficial when listening to dialogue over the Tribe III that I used as a center speaker, which remained full and clear even when I listened from well off axis.

BOTTOM LINE

With its Tribe on-wall system, Totem manages to elicit big sound from inconspicuous speakers. The Tribes can disappear into a room, keeping all but the most persnickety homeowners placated. Yet their big and inviting sound and excellent imaging capabilities are well suited to movie soundtracks and music alike.