Totem Hawk vs. Forest

Thanks to all for your comments and advice. Unfortunately I am unable to listen to the Forest since the local dealer does not have them in stock. Your advice has helped me get a better idea of what I can expect to hear.

For those who chose Forest over Hawk, can you tell the reasons for your choice?

Forest because of base response, power handling ability and overall just more musical, I will never look back on this one. I challenge you to contact a dealer and ask them directly even if they are not in your area. Simply call Totem directly and they will give you dealers in your part of the country. I realize that some dealers may direct you to the more expensive unit, however, once a relationship is established, I believe a good dealer will direct you to what's best for you. Bottom line, dealer input, Audiogon message boards and personal auditions are the three areas to gain info on such an important decision. Good luck!

I suggest you call Vince at Totem and ask him. Seriously, that is what I did and I was surprised that he took the time to go over the differences between the two speakers and discuss the suitability of each with my components and my musical preferences. Given my situation and components he recommeded the Hawks, however it is most likely your situation is entirely different. It is somewhat reassuring to discuss the differences of the two with the person who designed them. No matter which one you choose you will be very happy but I think you will feel much more confident that you made the right decision after talking to Vince first.

Thanks. I spoke with Vince since my last post and he recommended the Forest given my mix of equipment and music preferences. Based on his recommendation combined with the advice from other Totem owners in this forum, I ordered the Forest. Thanks to everyone for your recommendations and advice.

Assuming you go with the Totem Forest speakers, what amplifier will you be using? Is there a high quality integrated amplifier that you would recommend with the Totem Forest Speaker? Thanks..