Honing down the speaker shortlist ~$5K


After 20+ years, it's time to replace my restored and very we'll-loved pair of Snell Type Es with something new. Aiming for a budget cap of ~$5k (likely used) I've narrowed it down to a short-list:

Harbeth Super HL5
Harbeth M30.1
Acoustic Zen Adagio
Vandersten 2ce signature

I've been able to audition the Harbeths at a dealer, but haven't heard them yet at home.
As for the others, I'll need to travel a bit to hear them so any input would be welcome.

My room is woody and old. It's 12x16x9 but opens through large archways on three sides to other rooms, each about 12' across. The speakers are currently at the closed end of the room, 3' from the side walls, 4' out from the back walls and 8' feet from the seating position. I listen to jazz, folk, alternative and a little classical. Primarily vinyl. Nothing that requires floor shaking bass. I live in a multi-family building and try to keep the neighbors happy.

For power I'm using a Creek 5350se integrated at 80w per channel. This is prime for a future upgrade, but one thing at a time. The rest of my system should be visible in my profile. 

I'm looking for something that resolves well without being overly analytical, yet retains the openness that I've always enjoyed with the Snells. The Harbeths seem to fit that bill, though the 30.1s sounded a little closed-in at the dealer audition. The 5s were much better in that regard, though struck me as a bit recessed.

Thanks for the advice.
It's a wonderful resource to have the collected wisdom exhibited on this forum!






krabbypantz
I owned the M30.1s and found them ok.  I get the attraction but there's way too much emphasis on the high mid to treble which results in a distracting attention to detail.

I went back to my first love, Quads.  You can get a fully rebuilt set of quads from Quads Unlimited for less than 5k.  Or get a pair of 63s for even less.  The sound is so much more balanced and just right compared to box speakers.
I’m with malthuse on that. My first love was also the Quads - ESL 63.
Particularly for the type of music you listen to. They don’t blow you away with huge dynamics or etched in glass detail, they just present a very wide and deep stage of convincingly real music - strings, horns, vocals and piano just sound right. After many very nice box speakers, I’ve settled, for now, on a pr. of Magnapan 1.7s driven by a Rouge integrated tube amp. Like with the Quads, I find myself, once again, just enjoying the music. Hopefully I will some day upgrade to the Maggie 3.7is, or another set of Quads but for now am very happy with the little 1.7s with a sub.
Good luck with your quest.
After the fact... but...if you insist on spending $5000+/-...

Must agree with these last posts.

The Quads are very special for acoustic music - very real, live Sound - especially, the recent, modified 57's.

And... very little, if anything, sounds better than the Linkwitz LS521's or Orion's... at any price.

But, if not... then the Wavetouch Audio Grand Teton's / Antero's are the "giant killers."

In my experience Harbeth 7-3ES conected to Croft amp with Magnan signature is a match made in heaven.
I have a nice set of Thiel SC6's for sale with a Bryston 4BST amp. I also have three Tannoy S6LCR's to complete a surround system if it's your goal to have a dual role system, Velodyne sub also if you want it. $5,000 for all. Can deliver in New England, NY, NJ or PA. (I'm new here, apologies if this is in the wrong section)