People That Have Upgraded From Harbeth 30.1s....

04-21-2019 3:52amUpdate: I just spent a week with ATC SCM19 v2s in the house and I can say that for me, they aren't even close to the 30.1s. Very sterile, way more "pro" sounding than I expected. Really no sense of musicians playing in a room with fingers on instruments.

Interesting @dhcod. I didn't find the SCM19 V2s sterile at all - in fact they amazed me with their robust sound and realism. Less warm and lush sounding than the M30.1s for sure, but still beautiful IMO. Wonderful with acoustic instruments and voice - piano was outstanding.
They had the same dynamic engaging sound at the dealers and in my own system.
Guess everyone's different. What did you drive them with?

I didn’t like the M30, 30.1 and 30.2 as the sound is too dark in the treble. The sound is slightly restrained and closed-in to give it the monitor quality where it excels in jazz and small ensembles. Play some dynamic music and you can sense something is amiss. Music doesn’t have the air as if it is held back. This is the trait of the Monitor series with Harbeth.

Try the Super HL5 Plus. I find this speaker to be more balanced in presentation than any of the M30.1 or 30.2 iterations. The midrange is almost the same and the biggest difference is the Super HL5 Plus sounds much more open especially in the treble. You can hear the decay of notes linger in the air unlike the notes being cut short with the M30.1. Also, the bass of the Super HL5 Plus goes deeper as you get more slam and texture in the bass.

In summary, I find the M30.1 to sound too warm and shut-in, lacking the air and dynamics of the Super HL5 Plus. Nevertheless, if you like a warm and intimate sound, the sound of a small jazz club and ensemble performing in the front row live, the M30.1 will work out better.

For a wider music genre which include pop, rock and jazz fusion, the Super HL5 Plus is a better choice.

ryder,
I heard exactly what you heard when comparing the M30.1 to the SuperHL5plus, which is why I went with the latter speaker.The HL5 kept all the good things about the M30, but expanded upon them and sounded more realistic.