Leben CS 600 and Harbeth vs Audio Note vs ATC vs JM Reynaud

I posted a while ago on an auditioning of Audio Note and Harbeth, and elsewhere on Spendor.

AN have a wonderfully natural timbre.  But to get the best bass, they do need to be wall-adjacent, and that compromises sound-stage depth.  Trade-offs.

I've heard 40.2 several times and are very good all-rounders.  Very good.  Close runner-up to this model is the Spendor Classic 100.

I saw your post.  Interestingly I am trying to upgrade my Spendor SP-1s from 1988.  I heard the A7 but found it a little sparse, though more dynamic than the SP1s.  It did not have the magical mid range.  I would be interested in the Classic 100, but cannot find a place to audition them.  Found the Harbeth SHL 5 a little edgy.  Also trying to find Graham to audition- the distributer is trying to set up a local demo for me.
Anyway thanks for your insightMP

@mpomerantz I too found the SHL5 bright, though I gather many people do not.  However, it is voiced differently from the 30.2 and 40.2, both of which I've heard and liked a lot.  The only dealer I know of that has Classic 100s on the floor is David Lewis in Philadelphia.  There must be a couple of others, somewhere.  I've never heard the LS5/8, but would have liked to have done.

Wow, my SHL5 plus are anything but bright.  Very interesting... I will continue to repeat though, that Harbeths need power to sound their best.

I found the SHL5's (non-plus version) to be a bit sharp / bright as well.  Glad to know I'm not alone in that assessment.