Recommend A More Dynamic Monitor Than Harbeth C7

Not sure where the stand height of 24" is referenced but having owned C-7s I totally agree--too high for proper treble presentation. I ran mine on 19" Sound Anchors and that was perfect for my listening position. Pani--not sure if we share the same definition of "tonal accuracy" but I've heard nearly every speaker in the Harbeth lineup and they get it (what I call tonal accuracy) more right than just about any speaker out there. I would not characterize the sound as either "dark" or "thick" but rather very open with a touch of warmth that is representative of what real acoustic instruments sound like (to my ear). Having said that, I don't think that Harbeth's are perfect or deserve the kind of over the top praise they have come in for lately, particularly given the price increases that have taken place over the past several years. They are great speakers, particularly for voice and acoustic instruments in small ensembles. But they are a bit lacking in dynamic punch, speed and the ability to project the full scale of the music into your living space. Just my two cents.....

I would also consider the Ref 3a Decapo BE. They ARE in line with what you describe you are looking for.

Sunnyjim,
I have not heard the latest HL5 Super so I cant comment on it.

However if you look at any other Harbeth apart from the original LS3/5 and to some extent the P3Es, they thicken the tonality and alter the timbre towards a darker shade, more choclatey, in a way. It possibly could be related to their driver design which get sluggish as they grow in size. The change in bass tone due to the sluggishness will ultimately affect other ranges too due to the change in harmonics.

I owned the Harbeth HL5 + at the same time I owned the JMR Bliss Silvers and I can honestly say the JMR blew the Harbeth away at a fraction of the price. I don't agree at all with Sunnyjim and his comment about the price of the JMR.

I went through a similar situation myself, except I was coming from a pair of Proac D2 (which may have a similar sonic signature to Harbeths, I can't say but maybe others can). A good pair of Proacs was always my "holy grail" and I finally got them, and they were better than anything else I'd ever owned. Living with them a while I noticed that they were very musical, but also warm and not entirely transparent. That sense of the music coming from a wooden box never left me. My listening room is also near-field, about 5-6 feet listening distance, and my budget was $3000 and I wanted more transparency, more clarity, a more dynamic sound.

I researched many of the same names mentioned on the thread so far - and there are some fantastic recommendations here - but ended up going in a different direction and trying a pair of used Wilson Benesch Arcs, with their steel & carbon fiber cabinets. I wanted to see what happens to the sound when you remove the wooden cabinet from the equation, and the answer is what I was looking for. In fact, I liked that effect, of removing the wooden box, so much that I then bought a pair of extruded-aluminum cabinet BMC Purevox for our larger living room (would have bought bigger Wilson Benesch but they too rarely come up used and I can't afford new). The Arcs are clear, transparent, dynamic, and very airy - very much a you're-in-the-studio-with-them or in-the-concert-hall type of sound. And there happens to be a pair available here now, pre-owned and mint, for under $3K.

Only warning is that transparency comes at a price. If you listen to a lot of '80s rock, especially badly-recorded content like so many of Pat Benatar's albums, Bryan Adams, hair-metal, etc., the Arcs don't hide or protect you from that like warmer, more colored speakers will. If all I were going to listen to forever was Bryan Adams' "Reckless" album, I'd stick with the Proacs. But on anything recorded well, the Arcs are in a different league. But there's no coloration to protect you from poorly-recorded material. Hope this helps.