Throughout Totem Acoustic’s 38 year storied history, the 2-way monitor loudspeaker has played a very significant role. Think highly musical, accurate, perfect phase coherency and three-dimensional expansiveness, all the while, yielding performance that defies their size. This company has been a world leader in embodying these attributes into a smaller chassis design as proven throughout their storied history. Enter the new KIN ONE, a completely redesigned entry level model residing in Totem’s KIN “companion-brand” lineup and representing a true “gateway” to High-Performance Audio.
Through the use of “trickle-down” technology with respect to (i) driver technology, (ii) cabinet design and (iii) crossover circuitry, the KIN ONE performs far beyond both its price point and physical stature. In essence, a great deal of technical know-how learned from Totem products, including the legendary “Model One” and “Element FIRE v2”, was applied to the KIN ONE design. Further, thanks to 5 different satin finishes and unprecedented flexibility of placement for a Totem loudspeaker, experiencing music on the KIN ONE is an absolutely fun endeavour.
On a more technical level, the KIN ONE uses specific custom proprietary drivers. The MHEX woofer (Multiple Strata Hex Cone) is stiffer than metal but reacts very fast and sounds like paper. The titanium infused soft dome tweeter is harmoniously matched to both this woofer and the cabinet, resulting in perfect phase response. Next, upon a first look at the KIN ONE you can’t help but notice they appear to be a much smaller version of the “Element Fire v2” (which has an MSRP that is 14 times more expensive). This specific cabinet geometry assists with the precise base tuning of the KIN ONE in conjunction with the crossover. Using just seven high quality precision components, the 2nd order crossover is minimalist but a remarkably effective design to achieve maximum performance from the two aforementioned drivers and the custom cabinet. Finally, there’s an “L shaped” port to achieve a much longer length in a small cabinet to virtually eliminate cabinet resonances. This port design allows information to exist below 65Hz (i.e. 40Hz @ -12dB).
KIN ONE Significant Facts and Features:
● Ported 2-way design.
● 1” Titanium Infused Soft Dome tweeter and 4” MHEX Cone Woofer.
● Nominal Impedance 6 ohms / Sensitivity 89dB @ 1watt /
● Crossover Frequency 2.5kHz (second order).
● Frequency Response 65 Hz to 22 kHz ± 3 dB and recommended power 20 – 100W.
● Dimensions (H x W x D): 5” x 9.5” x 6.25” (bottom) x 5.25”(top) / 12.7 x 24.3 x 15.9 (bottom) x 13.3cm (top).
● Weight: 6.25 lbs each.
● Available satin finishes: Pink, Blue, Orange, Black and White.
● Matching magnetic grills included.
● Recommended placement: 3” – 2’ from rear wall; 3’ – 12’ apart.
● Wallmount Thread: ¼”–20 allowing the speakers to be mounted directly on the wall.
Trickle-down technology has helped create the KIN ONE, which
represents a genuine introduction to High-Performance Audio.
What is it about experiencing music on a pair of KIN ONE’s that’s so inherently unique, especially when powered by Totem‘s integrated “KIN AMP” (with Bluetooth aptX™ HD, 100 wpc, analog & digital inputs), a cost-effective pairing and an excellent match for sonic performance? For starters, they are easy to listen to over extended periods of time as they effortlessly and gradually draw you into your music. There are a multitude of reasons for this. It becomes immediately apparent that the soundscape is full-bodied, non-fatiguing and uncongested, featuring lots of spatial cues, exceptional phase linearity and plenty of mid-bass authority.
All genres of music sound realistic and lifelike, thanks to a very open sound signature that creates good space with separation between instruments and voices. The KIN ONE has great voicing as the portrayal of instruments is highly accurate along with honest scaling, especially for vocals. Of equal importance, just like all other Totem loudspeakers, the transients across different frequencies are effortless, producing honest harmonic decay for a very realistic sound. Finally, they can play loud while remaining musically clear.
Ultimately, the Totem Acoustic KIN ONE exudes much of what High-Performance Audio brings to a musical experience.
The KIN ONE has an MSRP of $599.00 USD and is shipping now.
The History of Totem Loudspeakers
Totem Acoustic, better known in audiophile circles simply as Totem, is one of those rare loudspeaker brands that has carved out a distinctive identity without relying on legacy, celebrity designers, or massive product lines. Founded in Montreal, Canada in 1987 by Vince Bruzzese, Totem entered the market with a specific vision—build loudspeakers that were compact, musical, emotionally engaging, and deeply connected to the experience of live music. That goal hasn’t changed much in the decades since, which is part of what makes Totem stand out in a very crowded high-end audio landscape.
Totem’s early days were humble, but Bruzzese—who remains the brand’s guiding force to this day—brought both passion and a unique design philosophy to the table. From the start, he was less interested in technical showboating and more focused on how speakers made people feel when they listened. This emphasis on musicality, coherence, and imaging would go on to define the Totem sound.
The company’s first major product—and still its most iconic—is the Model One. Released in the late ’80s, it was a compact two-way bookshelf speaker that somehow defied expectations for what small enclosures could do. It produced a big, spacious soundstage with pinpoint imaging, along with surprisingly deep bass for its size. The Model One didn’t look like a statement piece, but it performed like one. It became a benchmark for the company and is still referenced today as one of the standout compact monitors of its era.
From there, Totem continued to expand its lineup methodically, never flooding the market with dozens of models. The Arro, a slim floorstanding speaker, became another hit. It was small enough to disappear into a room, but its dynamic output and tight bass performance made it a favorite in apartments and small listening spaces. Totem didn’t try to emulate British mini-monitor voicing or chase the ultra-revealing presentation of some American designs. Instead, they found a middle ground—musical realism with warmth and spatial precision.
One of the things that sets Totem apart, even today, is their attention to voicing. Every speaker is tuned by ear, often with long sessions of real-world music playback, not just sine waves or test tones. Bruzzese has long said that he wants Totem speakers to recreate the emotion of live performance, not just the technical details. That philosophy sometimes puts them at odds with the measurement-obsessed crowd, but it’s earned the brand a loyal following among those who just want to enjoy their music.
Cabinet design is another hallmark of the Totem approach. The enclosures are compact, heavily braced, and often filled with proprietary borosilicate damping material instead of more typical polyfill or fiberglass. This keeps the internal resonance low and the midrange clean. Totem also favors long break-in periods, which they acknowledge openly. These speakers evolve over time, and the company isn’t shy about saying so.
Over the years, Totem has released several well-regarded series, including the Signature One (a tribute to the original Model One), the Forest and Hawk floorstanders, and more recently, the Element series, which took a more modern, technical approach with custom-designed Torrent drivers that eliminate passive crossovers in certain configurations. These speakers were a clear step into higher-end territory and showed that Totem could push boundaries while keeping its core identity intact.
Totem also embraced home theater and custom installation, with on-wall speakers, in-ceiling models, and soundbars that borrow design elements from their two-channel offerings. But unlike many speaker companies that dilute their brand with lifestyle gear, Totem has kept even their non-audiophile products rooted in the same principles: musicality, imaging, and emotional connection.
Internationally, Totem has found success thanks in part to its consistent house sound and its dealer relationships. They’re not a mass-market brand, but they’ve cultivated enough visibility and credibility that serious listeners take them seriously. They don’t advertise aggressively, and you’re unlikely to see them chasing trends. But when you walk into a room at an audio show and a pair of small Totems are throwing a giant soundstage, you remember it.
