I would buy the Totem. You might prefer the Thiel if you prefer the sheer scale and weight and attack that they will have over the Totem.
First, I never managed to enjoy the 2.3, and even preferred listening to music through the 1.5. Something about the 2.3 was impressive, but not musical. I like acoustic music and naturally recorded vocals to sound like it is in the room with me, and the 2.3 never did that. But anything that required weight and scale was exhilarating for sure.
Second, alarm bells ring when you say you want to place them on the short wall. Eight feet apart is fine with the Totem, but the Thiel will sound better at nine feet - something that might get them too close to side walls by the sounds of it. I think you could probably put them as close as 18 inches from side walls, but their very broad radiation pattern means you will have to damp the side walls at the first reflection point at least. Secondly, firing down the room sitting 13 feet from the speakers, sounds problemmatic to me with the Thiels. Again, because they have a very broad radiation pattern, I would expect flutter echo and other echo problems that far away, and with the speakers that close to side walls - meaning the room is likely to need some wall treatment for you to get well defined imaging. I once set up a system for a friend, using Thiel 2.3s, in a room that was 14*23*8. He wanted the speakers along the short side and we found that sitting closer than 13 feet was required, to avoid the sense that the sound was coming from the walls, floors and ceilings as much as the speakers. Ten to eleven feet was best.
I have less experience with the Forest, but some, and more experience with other Totems, but I would expect them to fit your room better then the Thiel.
First, I never managed to enjoy the 2.3, and even preferred listening to music through the 1.5. Something about the 2.3 was impressive, but not musical. I like acoustic music and naturally recorded vocals to sound like it is in the room with me, and the 2.3 never did that. But anything that required weight and scale was exhilarating for sure.
Second, alarm bells ring when you say you want to place them on the short wall. Eight feet apart is fine with the Totem, but the Thiel will sound better at nine feet - something that might get them too close to side walls by the sounds of it. I think you could probably put them as close as 18 inches from side walls, but their very broad radiation pattern means you will have to damp the side walls at the first reflection point at least. Secondly, firing down the room sitting 13 feet from the speakers, sounds problemmatic to me with the Thiels. Again, because they have a very broad radiation pattern, I would expect flutter echo and other echo problems that far away, and with the speakers that close to side walls - meaning the room is likely to need some wall treatment for you to get well defined imaging. I once set up a system for a friend, using Thiel 2.3s, in a room that was 14*23*8. He wanted the speakers along the short side and we found that sitting closer than 13 feet was required, to avoid the sense that the sound was coming from the walls, floors and ceilings as much as the speakers. Ten to eleven feet was best.
I have less experience with the Forest, but some, and more experience with other Totems, but I would expect them to fit your room better then the Thiel.