Power & Authority. The criteria was as follows...I needed an amplifier with a lot of power, The Mani-2 is not the embodiment of efficiency and it s low ohm swings required an amplifier with bass grip. As most of you already know the Mani-2 works an ISO-BARIK configuration and is world renowned for its world-class low bass from a mini-monitor. Obviously it must fit-the-bill all things being equal in what I consider good sound, and it does.
Lucid and balanced. I found that if I attempted to swap out the sinews with a more expensive exotic interconnect I would achieve certain attributes that would best the sinew, adversely it would affect the balance of the system that could never seem to be obtained like that with the sinews. Overall the sinews have been engineered with all totem products and I believe that is the clear-cut advantage in this case.
The best cable is no cable at all. Again, like the sinew, the Totem Bi-wire just seems to fit when it comes to the expressiveness of the system in its entirety. It consists of high quality WBT terminations and utilizes the same wiring used on the crossover leads on the Mani-2 ensuring perfect continuity.
Pure Musicality. That pretty much sums it up, the Mani-2 is a phenomenal speaker in all its regard. It truly is an engineered masterpiece that gives you all the qualities of a mini-monitor with the low frequency extension of (a lot of the time surpassing) a quality floor-stander. Totem uses all house products at there expositions with the exception of source & power. John Atkinson of Stereophile deemed the Mani-2 at this years CES the best sounds of the show almost NINE years after its introduction and first (glowing) review of this fantastic speaker.
Low Noise Floor. I use the Urth on both my amplifier and source which provides me with a lower noise floor and allows for the Mani-2 to communicate in all its expressiveness.
Lush. The JD-100 Tube Based CDP is a Giant-Killer in my books, In combination with the Krell I get the best of both realms, Dynamics and Bloom.
I am always open to suggestions and appreciate all comments. Lately I have been toying with the idea of doing an all-tube system which would mean selling off my Mani-2s for something more efficient, not sure if the tradeoff is worth it :) What do you guys think?
Get a Krell FPB amp, any model. It will drive the Mani2s like nothing else on the market and you will hear your JD100 for sure. But this may a little pricy since you will need a preamp.
