I own Totem Model 1 Signatures. I must confess I never listened to the Hawks. I did, however, do extensive listening of the Forest and Arro. All of them are outstanding speakers and the ultimate choice is a matter of personal taste. For me, it was the Model Ones Signatures. However, what really struck me was listening to the Totems Model 1s powered by Conrad-Johson's CAV50 45W per channel tube gear. The synergy between these 2 pieces of equipment is nothing short of breathtaking. And this came on the heels of listening to the Totem powered by the Bryston SST, not exactly a bad amp. On Jordi Salvall's soundtrack for the movie 'Tous les matins du monde', the harmonics just bloomed and the depth and speed of the bass was nothing short of astounding. I suspect this would hold true for other Totem speakers as well. Even in my loft with 15 foot high ceilings, the little Totem 1s fill the space with a big, bold sound with a wall to wall soundstage. Proper component matching can yield huge dividends.
