Pros and cons for loading Totem Forest

First, I got just the opposite feedback from Totem when I owned my Forrests and Arros (no longer own either). FYI - they stated that kitty litter was a good alternative to sand and or shot, or kitty litter/sand combo. I ran both pair unloaded for a couple of months and then loaded both. Both models improved by being loaded. Primarily the result was in better bass impact and possibly a couple of hz. in frequency range - thought this aspect is debatable. I can tell you the difference between being loaded or not was a significantly bigger difference than having the beaks on or not!

As for resale value? I don't see how this would impact that at all. It can easily be removed upon time of sale. If the buyer is picking them up, he/she will probably want them emptied, but will gladly take the expensive shot (by the way, I did not use lead, but a substitute that I purchased at Gander Mountain for safety reasons - moderately expensive though).

Of the speakers I sold, one was a pick-up and the other shipped. I did not have too difficult of a time "getting the lead out". The pair that was picked up was seen by the buyer as having added value in that the shot came with the speakers. The other buyer stated he had every intention of adding shot as he was moving up the Totem line and agreed that loading them is prefered!

Just out of curiosity - how and why does lead affect resale if it is removed?

Incidentally, on someone's suggestion, rather than sand (which tends to attract moisture) I used kitty litter to load my Forests. Don't laugh - it smells nice, does not contain or attract moisture, and can easily be poured/ vacuumed out at sale time. I was able to get maybe 7-8 pounds in each speaker. It did tighten the bass.

Jswarncke, How does sand attract moisture? Sand is relatively inert silica. Moisture adheres to the surface of the grains and (if saturated) fills the void spaces between the grains. But the individual sand grains do not absorb moisture and they certainly are NOT deliquescent. Deliquescent is the property of absorbing moisture from the air. That is the property that makes salt and sugar cake.

On the other hand some clays have a remarkable ability to absorb moisture and are used as liners for landfills and for slurry walls to prevent flooding or water intrusion. Another name for clay is "kitty litter". What does kitty litter do? It absorbs moisture. I don't have cats but I imagine the litter swells as it absorbs water.

Lead Fans: What part of the "get the lead out" message is not getting through? Laws have been passed to get the lead out of many things to the maximum extent possible. That includes electronic equipment. Yet audiophiles insist on buying many pounds of lead to put into their speakers and stands.

This is not my first post on the subject and unfortunately will probably not be my last post because some people are not getting the message. Mining and smelting lead has a much larger environmental impact than mining sand. When lead has to be disposed of it is a hazardous waste. Sand is not. Lead is soft and leaves a HAZARDOUS residue in whatever it is placed in. I would never buy any equipment that was filled with lead.

Please just use sand or kitty litter. I used sand for my speakers. Cheap (and dry) at Home Depot and easy to get rid of (in my garden or concrete project) when the time comes.

The reason for me asking is because I just got a new amp/pre combo and it took me to another level. I really like the forest and have been looking to upgrade them but only a few of the more pricey speakers catch my fancy. So I was just trying to improve on what I have, not destoy the world

catula bill....i suspect you're enjoying your system as is. the forests are one of the great all rounders. even if you paid 10k or more, you could do alot worse...