Big Step Up from Totem Hawks? 10k Speakers?

Hi Ptm, I've came from a similar place. My room is a similar size to yours and I ran Totem Forest which I really enjoyed. With two youngsters not to mention their friends the Totem's were an accident waiting to happen given their light weight.

Some budget became available and I went for Kharma (see system pgs). I was staggered at the difference, greater transparency, more lifelike tonality and most importantly sounds/instruments take on greater weight making them sound more real and obvious in their placement within a wide, deep soundstage (assuming that info is on the disc).

As my system has evolved the speakers have revealed more and more, care taken with cables, support and most importantly placement have got me to a place where I'm very satisfied. I'm as happy playing music these days as I was searching for the next upgrade in the past.

Having had some experience with the components you run I'd expect the Kharma's would work and if at all possible they'd be worth an audition.

Truth of it is if you take the care to find a speaker in this range that synergises with the rest of your system you should come out the end very happy indeed.

Very best of luck with your search.

Not sure I agree entirely with Onhwy61.

Sure, there'd be improvement with top of the line electronics but the Hawk's in that context would seriously limit the potential of the electronics (good though the speakers are).

As a final system perhaps less money allocated to speakers and some to electronics may see a better overall synergy. Ptm, I suppose the decision really comes down to whether you're looking for an end of line system or is the system a work in progress.

For me the step up to Kharma from the Totem's was a revelation. They sounded great from the off and as my system has developed they've been fully able to resolve the changes upstream.

I've heard Element floorstanders, they were driven by Moon electronics and sounded pretty good. I'd doubt they have the same potential as Verity Parsifal, Magico V3 or my Kharma's for that matter. All of which are available secondhand within the budget mentioned.

My system has been pretty settled for over a year now, unheard of for me. What the previous years taught me was get the speaker/room synergy right, then an amp to suit the speakers and you'll get enjoyable sounds pretty much whatever the source. A better source of course ices that cake very nicely.

As to class D? An earlier Bel Canto has a very different sonic signature to later models, each will suit different speakers, I know advocates for both (who don't agree!). They're no different to any other amps, one manufacturers amp can only be judged in the context of that amp. No different to the endless number of class A, tube or whatever amps from what I can see.