Hello Truman,
I've owned the Gallo reference you speak of, had them for 10 years and loved them. About a year ago I replaced them with the Reference 3.1 speakers and I was never really sure I did the right thing (I had to sell the older versions before I could afford to buy the 3.1s, so it was a bit of blind(deaf) faith). I never felt the sound of 3.1s had the life/vividness my older references did. But after owning the 3.1s for a year, I was able to get them upgraded to 3.5s and I'm no longer looking back. FWIW, I still own, and enjoy, my original Gallo Nucleus Solo speakers purchased new 1994, but the aluminum sphere versions are superior to the early polyethylene versions.
Best, Barry