Some say that vintage 1960s Tannoy Gold drivers with their alnico magnet drivers are superior to those models such as my late 1970s HP385 Berkeley's, which also feature alnico drivers. Some argue differently.
The usual reasons given in their favour I think were the surrounds used for the drivers and a better acoustic match between the drivers and the larger /huge cabinets they were used in.
If they are truly superior to the Berkeley's
then they must be truly superb loudspeakers. I, hoping that Tannoy would have learned something in the intervening years, remain somewhat sceptical and would have to hear it to believe it.
Similarly the Harbeth 30.1s seem to be the best loved Harbeths outside the M40s, with their common tweeter often sited as a main cause.
In your shoes, unless you have a very large room, I believe the Harbeth, being the newer speaker by far, would be far less of a gamble. For sure it won't have the bass of the Tannoy but being a Harbeth, it will never be difficult to move it on if you ever felt the need.
You must really listen to the Tannoy yourself if you go that way,whilst the Harbeth you could buy blind if necessary. I haven't heard the M30 but heard the SLH5s and there were no rude shocks there.
