Totem Forest Signature -or- Spendor D7


I have my list narrowed to these two speakers, but I'm feeling conflicted. Which way do I go?? And fyi, I'm not interested in any others right now, only choice is between the two listed above please.

I know these questions will be asked so I'll answer them right now.
Room size- 11x22x7.6 feet. Highly treated with absorption and diffusion. Even the ceiling has both.
Source- Clearaudio Concept TT, MC cart
Phono pre- Jolida JD9 II, modded
Pre amp- Decware CSP3 with factory upgrades
Power amp- Moon W5
Power cables- Acoustic Zen Gargantua II's
Interconnects- Acoustic Zen Silver Reference II
Speaker cables- Acoustic Zen Hologram II Bi-wire (I know the D7's are single input)
Subs- pair of REL T5s
Power isolation- BPT 3.5 Signature
Musical taste, 70s-80s rock, Adult contemporary, some alternative stuff, a little jazz. Not into classical or blues very much. Usually lots of instruments playing at the same time. It can get congested, so need a speaker that can deliver individual instruments in a busy environment.
Another fyi, I will be changing all cabling to Acoustic Zen Absolute as I feel this system will benefit from as much silver cabling as I can give it without be harsh on the top end.

So, "Totem Forest Signatures" or "Spendor D7s"??
128x128shawnlh

Showing 1 response by kenschmader

I own the Hawks in cherry finish. I listened to demo Forest Signatures in the same room as with demo Hawks at a local dealership before purchase. To me, the Signatures sounded too bright. After buying and living with the Hawks for a few months I tried a dealer loaned demo set of Beaks. It was a learning experience. I had not realized how much treble energy is flowing around and atop the cabinet. The Beaks help bring it together so that there is less high frequency smearing (which I thought was sibilance). In retrospect the brightness I heard from the Signatures may have been that smearing. However, beside Beaks there is another way... Go to Lowes and spend $4 for a package of two 4.5 inch by 6 inch brown felt pads. Just lay (leave the backing on) a pad on top of each cabinet with the 4.5 inch dimension centered across the width and the front of the pad just back from the rounded front top of the cabinet. (I really like the workmanship of the cabinets!) The pad absorbs some of the high frequency energy and that smearing/sibilance is gone without damping out any airiness from the sound. Suggest you bring the pads to the dealership and listen with them laying atop the demo Signatures. (Oh, and my new Hawks took about 200 hours of playing to break in...)