Harbeth - Audio Research?

You know, the thing is, I really love the Harbeths but if you haven't heard a lot of comparisons then your upgrade bug talks to you. "Wonder how those Thiels would sound" "Wonder how those B@W's would sound" It's definately an affliction!!!!! Wish there was a speaker borrowing company like the cable company.

any product that makes one listen more is worthy

The Harbeth is more "natural" and "musical" and will be enjoyable on a wider range of recrodings. You don't find many Harbeth owners unhappy with their speakers. I would love to have a room big enough for the M40s, but the HL5s are proabably perfect for most normal size rooms (12x18 or 20). Will you loose out? Doubtful you'll feel that way - though the HL5 proabably don't go as deep as the Thiel. A more "musical" and "natural" option while maintaining the phase coherency and time alignment you are use to (these type of speakers seem to soundstage differently) are a pair of the Vandersteen 3A Sig, which will indeed be as full-range as what you are accustomed to, and very frequyently matched up with 100 watt Audio Research amps. Add a pair of 2Wq subwoofers and you have one hell of a good speaker system.

I was having a problem similar to yours (reported in other threads)...I was using Vandersteen 3A sigs, which are very nice speakers, but they tell you everything that is wrong with the recording, and I just became terribly fatigued by it. I bought some Harbeth M30's and was greatly relieved. The midrange was much richer than the Vandersteens, which, because I listen to a fair bit of classical music, was quite wonderful. And voices...uhmm, very lovely. However, they are monitor speakers, and are, themselves fairly revealing. I eventually switched to Compact 7's, which are probably a bit more pleasant all around--BUT, I would read the series of reviews of 4 of the Harbeth speakers by Paul Szabady w/ Stereo Times online. In the end, he preferred the HL5, and I think that's probably the way to go.

As it happens, I used an ARC VT100 mkiii with both pairs of Harbeths. It was a fine combination.

As always, if you can try beforehand, do. But I think it is rather rare that someone doesn't like the HL5's. I should add that, with the M30's and the C7's, I concluded that I liked having a modest subwoofer. (I just use a single Essex.) I don't think you'd need that with the HL5's

I do think the HL5 is a wonderful, easy-to-listen to speaker, but I'm very suprised to hear you had listener fatigue with the Vandersteen, not a typical reaction IMHO, but that's what you heard, so can't argue with that.