Big Step Up from Totem Hawks? 10k Speakers?

Vapor Audio Joule would be a great choice, one of the best at RMAF this year and offers the best quality of components and construction of anything in that price range. I also like the used Acoustic Zen Crescendo suggestion, those have been enjoyable everytime I've heard them.

I wish there was a place where I could hear all these great suggestions. Even though I'm in a major metropolitan area, most of these speakers are hard to track down for a listen. Since I have totem, and like them, anyone heard the new totem element series? What makes a speaker match well with class d amps? I appreciate the feedback, please keep the suggestions coming.

While there are clearly better speakers than the Totem Hawks finding one that can just be dropped into your current system may not be an easy task. One of the knocks against class D amps is that they can be finicky about speaker matching. The only way to really find out what excels, as opposed to what just works, is trail and error.

Looking at your system page I think you would get a more bang for the buck by upgrading your source components.

Not sure I agree entirely with Onhwy61.

Sure, there'd be improvement with top of the line electronics but the Hawk's in that context would seriously limit the potential of the electronics (good though the speakers are).

As a final system perhaps less money allocated to speakers and some to electronics may see a better overall synergy. Ptm, I suppose the decision really comes down to whether you're looking for an end of line system or is the system a work in progress.

For me the step up to Kharma from the Totem's was a revelation. They sounded great from the off and as my system has developed they've been fully able to resolve the changes upstream.

I've heard Element floorstanders, they were driven by Moon electronics and sounded pretty good. I'd doubt they have the same potential as Verity Parsifal, Magico V3 or my Kharma's for that matter. All of which are available secondhand within the budget mentioned.

My system has been pretty settled for over a year now, unheard of for me. What the previous years taught me was get the speaker/room synergy right, then an amp to suit the speakers and you'll get enjoyable sounds pretty much whatever the source. A better source of course ices that cake very nicely.

As to class D? An earlier Bel Canto has a very different sonic signature to later models, each will suit different speakers, I know advocates for both (who don't agree!). They're no different to any other amps, one manufacturers amp can only be judged in the context of that amp. No different to the endless number of class A, tube or whatever amps from what I can see.

Do you have to base your choice on price? I have spent a bunch of money, which I will never get back when I finally sell my bunch of previous speakers, on various types of speakers. All very nice in their own right. I finally became very satisfied with my recent purchase of used Zu Audio Essence, and I only paid $2400, current drivers and custom color, on Audiogon. But, I know from experience that spending a ton of money may not get you where you want to go. I used to base my lust on $$$, but I had to learn what I like the old fashioned way.