Graham ls5/9 vs Harbeth M30.1

@mcanaday 

May I ask which dealer?

David Michael Audio in Royal Oak, MI.
Really good guys!

I heard the Grahams up there in Michigan, too. Heard the 40.2 and the LS5/9... the Grahams did have that boost around the 5 to 6khz region that is mentioned in one of the reviews—and mentioned as a purposeful design aspect. This def made the speakers seem more detailed and with more presence. Acoustic guitar had a more close-up and in the room feel. But I wondered if that sorta signal boost there would get to someone over time. 

Jriggy, yes. my measurements showed a peak exactly at 5-6 khz.
to my ears, that made the graham bit tiresome to listen to and eventually bothersome 

my measurements also showed a BBC 4db dip between 1.7khz to 3khz.

I still liked the graham ls5/9, but the shl5plus are more align with my preference. but I could have been very happy with the graham as well

Murphycat, guess what. I switched from Harbeth SHL5+ to Graham LS5/9. Both good and rather close in sound signature with BBC heritage, but they sound different.

I listened to both M30.1 and LS5/9 separately in different systems, and I now own the latter. I felt the M30.1 is a warmer sounding speaker with a fuller and thicker midrange. Generally the sound with the Harbeth is warmer and less airier with a in-the-room feel. Dynamics leap out from a blacker background with the Harbeth. The treble with the 30.1 is slightly rolled off. The Graham LS5/9 sounds less restrained, airier and more open. To me, the Graham is less colored than the Harbeth.

In my experience, the Harbeth pre-XD models have a warm sound signature. I was told that the XD series although a bit brighter still have the warm "Harbeth sound".