I am not surprised at some of your negative experiences. The "natural" voicing I commented on is not for everyone. With so many speakers that have a "forward" flavoring in use today, the initial impression can be that this sound is a bit dead, flat, or leaving detail behind. (I never found my C7ES that way, even right out of the box.) It may take several days of listening to really appreciate what is happening with the BBC monitors. This sound is not for everyone...say if, during a concerto, it is really fun for you to hear someone in the third row break wind, there are better choices. With the Harbeth C7ES, I giggle because I can smell it, it becomes that real. [:)]
I'm sure plenty of people who don't like this style speaker have built some wonderful sytems that I would enjoy. To each his own.
Take care,
Charlie