BETA
RADAR is in beta — expect errors. Accuracy and coverage improvements are shipping daily.
LIVE
Waiting for new listings…
0 other audiophiles online

Seller's Description

PREOWNED – FULLY TESTED – PRICE PER PAIR IN BLACK ASH FINISH – INCLUDES ORIGINAL BOX/PACKING, GRILLES

Defying All Expectations

The made-in-Canada Bison Monitor redefines the luxury bookshelf speaker category by defying the visual expectations associated with such a small-volume enclosure. Purposefully designed to engage the broadest music lover audience to date, the Monitor Bison marries the signature Totem characteristics of enormous imaging, phase coherence, and remarkable bass response with broad amplifier compatibility and prodigious power handling.

Experience Totem’s never-ending quest for an affordable soul mover of the highest caliber. Regardless of what other audio components you pair this speaker with – whether it’s the KIN AMP, an exotic tube amplifier or a cutting-edge Totem surround system – it will reward you with a superior listening enjoyment.

Features in Detail

Customized Drivers

Bison Monitor drivers are completely unique and proprietary in design. They are engineered by Totem and manufactured to the strictest standards to meet our parameters by the finest raw driver suppliers in the world. In some cases, where the technology is beyond the capabilities of suppliers or is wished to be kept secret, Totem can and will build our own drivers. Every driver exhibits phase linearity, speed, emotion, off axis natural presentation, and spatial articulation.

Handmade Crossovers

Bison Monitor crossovers don’t require many parts because of the synergy between our customized drivers, but the components are the world’s best. Our crossovers aren’t built on PCB’s because the laminated conductive tracks are weak and inconsistent. Instead they are secured to a thin piece of fiberboard or insulated polymers and components are mechanically crimped together because it simply sounds better. When we must solder, we choose WBT Silver Solder, the purest in the industry.

Artisanal Cabinet Construction

Meticulously hand crafted for peak performance that lasts decades. Lock-Miter assembly is an intricate woodworking procedure where edges physically interlock together. The resulting cabinet is up to 5 times stronger than conventional V Groove cabinets. Internal and external veneering resists warping, structurally fortifies, and ensures consistent peak performance. Industry unique Borosilicate damping manages dissipation, keeps the cabinet musically alive, and never deteriorates. Popular materials like poly fillers eventually decay, dramatically affecting the performance. Variable Density Fiberboard is denser at the extremities than the interior to reduce repetitive nodes and resonances.

Connectors

Two sets of high conductivity gold plated connectors efficiently capture the incoming signal for superior speaker performance and allow traditional, bi-wire, or even bi-amplification options. They accommodate a variety of connection options such as bare wire, banana plugs, and spades.

Designed + Made In Canada

Totem Bison loudspeakers are meticulously engineered and hand-built at our state-of-the-art facility in Montreal, Quebec.

Our Thoughts RADAR AI

Generating expert take…

About Totem Acoustic

Totem Acoustic, a Montreal-based Canadian hi-fi brand, was founded in 1987 by Vince Bruzzese, an Italian-born designer who established its roots in Quebec's vibrant audio scene. From its inception, the company has championed handcrafted loudspeakers, beginning with the unnamed original prototype and the iconic Model One in 1989. Over nearly four decades, Totem has remained committed to proprietary scientific formulas, prioritizing spatial accuracy, musical dynamics, and emotional engagement true to the artist's intent.

The brand focuses exclusively on loudspeakers, producing compact standmounts, minimonitors like the Skylight, and flagship models such as the Signature One, which blends heritage elements with modern integration for custom installations. All products are designed and manufactured in Canada, eschewing outsourcing to maintain uncompromising quality and timeless aesthetics. Totem avoids diversification into amplifiers, DACs, turntables, headphones, or cables, honing a pure speaker-centric philosophy.

Positioned as a niche boutique in the high-end market, Totem earns acclaim for affordable yet involving performances that deliver expansive sound fields without me-too conventions. Its made-in-Canada insistence and enduring principles appeal to discerning buyers seeking authentic, emotionally resonant hi-fi over mass-market hype.

See all Totem Acoustic listings on RADAR.

More Totem Acoustic listings