Totems without Claws?

I had your same problem. I own Hawks and have used them with and without claws - with a fair amount of lead shot in the base, there is little difference.

However, the chrome claws were going to be a showstopper for me too but my dealer called Totem and they actually have a nice looking black claw that you can buy - I bought them and use them and they look great versus the ugly chrome ones. Give them a call.

Thanks for the input guys.

Now I simply need to decide whether to go for the Totems or a set of Thiels.

Cheers.

Chris

Lots of really good speakers in this price range other than Totems and Thiels too. I auditioned a bunch and had a hard time deciding. Totem, Thiel, Vandy, Revel, Von Schweikert, Dali, Proac, Vienna, PMC, etc. The best of the bunch I think by far are the Gallo Reference - alas they did not come close to meeting the wife acceptance factor. I settled for the Hawks and have since added a pair of inconspicuous subs to fill out the sound.

Good luck.

the thiels are goood, gut the forests are incredibly good.

>> The best of the bunch I think by far are the Gallo Reference - alas they did not come close to meeting the wife acceptance factor. <<

That's an easy problem to solve, get you a new wife! They're all over the place. If you shop real hard, you can find a nice used one in great shape. Shipping is cheap enough, but maintenance costs tend to add up over time.

On a serious note, my wife found our Gallo Ref 3s to be perfectly acceptable with the grills on. I have a black ball pair with cherry bases and they look terrific. The black balls tend to disappear inside the grills. Unless you shine a flashlight directly into 'em you can't even see the speakers inside.

And, as many have noted over the past two years, these speakers sound TERRIFIC - best audio purchase I ever made.

-RW-