Harbeth - Compact 7 ES-2 used OR P3-ESR new ?

I read your post and one line stuck out in my mind, "I don't want to excessively limit myself based on room dimensions." I personally have not heard these two spks. but I did own the P3-ES2's which I thought were very nice sounding spks. but overpriced. I personally would buy the used 7ES-2's.

I agree. The new P3's can produce great bass and volume, for their size. They're meant for small rooms.
The 7's can fill a bigger room and go lower.
There's no arguing with it. Alan Shaw explains this in great length( as is his usual) on the user forum.

And I also agree with Kotta, as much as I love the Harbeths, they are overpriced. On the other hand, (quoting the great LD) if you love their sound they're worth it.

I'd buy the 7's.

First of all, the Harbeths are not overpriced. The Dollar is loosing value. Even at poor exchange rates the Harbeths are a great value.
The HL5s were one of the top 5 sounds at RMAF. The P3s were comparable to Joseph Audios new monitors at 1/3 the price. That's value.
Have the 7es2, larger, richer, fuller and deeper sound than the 3s. The Harbeth midrange is hard to compete with a any price. The 7s integrated very well in a poor listening enviroment.

I saw your thread on the user forum. I wasn't surprised Alan pushed the new 3's, he being the supreme marketer.
If I remember right he earlier chose an older version of the 5's over the newer 7's, due to woofer size.

My contention was that a small speaker still sounds small.
I had the Kudos C-10's here for a while, more open and clearer than the Harbeths, but still, a small sounding speaker.

I love the Harbeth sound, I own a pair. I still consider, as do many of the British users over there even, that they are still over priced, i.e they have a decent veneer, not beautiful veneers that some in their price range have.
Value is what you make of it.

I was a little sad for you that you chose the 3's, only because if you move to a bigger room, which sounds like you'll eventually be doing, you'll need a bigger speaker.

Have fun regardless!

Thanks for the feedback.

Yes, I eventually decided on the P3-ESR. Here was my reasoning (do let me know if you agree):

1) Only the P3-ESR would work properly in my existing space. While it's important to plan for the future, one cannot disregard the present.

2) The P3-ESR came with full warranty coverage/dealer support, whereas the C7s came with none.

3) I listen to music at low to moderate volume levels (even in large rooms). I doubt I would make use of the extra oomph that the C7s provide.

4) I prefer an organic or natural presentation that is not bass heavy (which reflects the kind of music I listen to). Although the C7s would probably excel in the low-end, this isn't a major concern based on my music preference and listening habits.

5) I managed to squeak out a deal on the P3-ESRs (less than MSRP and no tax). This made the financial decision a bit easier to swallow.

6) I'm always moving (5 times in the past 6 years). I can't be certain where I'll end up, so I really value the versatility of a small speaker.

For the record, Alan's comments had absolutely no bearing on my decision. I expected him to push for the P3-ESRs... he won't make any profit on a used pair of speakers!

Now, please provide some reassurance that I made the correct decision! Seriously, though, let me know what you would have done in my situation.

Thanks again!