Harbeth SHL5 compared to Merlin VSM ?

between the 2, harbeth. add atc, spendor, ohm and a few other (now gone)classics such as dunlavy, hales to the short list

What surprises me is that all the comments so far don't mention anything about what gear you will be using it with. This stuff needs to be paired with appropriate electronics, and without knowing what you've got, and if you plan to making other changes to suit your chosen speaker or not, makes a big difference.

FWIW, IME The Merlins can provide a level of transparency in the mids and treble that will let you hear more of what's in your recordings, and prove more satisfying over the long run.
I've always found the Harbeths pleasant but lacking. Yeah that will make some crappy recordings more tolerable, but in general that kind of thinking is not how you want to build your system.

Disclaimer: Merlin owner. That's because I think they are one of the best values in all of audio and can be the centerpiece of your rig up through very high levels of performance. Cheers,
Spencer

About ATC, my configuration leads me to use passive, not active speakers. (Longish speaker cables, short, Stealth Indra
ICs.) How are ATC passives or in passive mode, if they do that? Which models? Thank you.

IMHO Sbank has it right but I'd re-state it differently.

The Merlin is more revealing, slightly leaner in the mid bass, and more
extended in the deep bass.

The Harbeth is warmer and more forgiving.

I own Merlins and have auditioned the Harbeths extensively. IMHO, both are
excellent in their own way, but their ways are sufficiently different that a
choice should be straightforward on audition. I prefer the Merlin, but from
your list of issues my guess is you might go the other way.

Good Luck

Marty

Rgs92,

In passive, I'd suggest SCM19 or SCM20 used (try to get the SL version). The bigger models are better active - so I wouldn't go passive with any of them.