Harbeth speakers vs Audionote

Wellington Audio in Florida carry both. I have had a pair of AN-J's for a little while, but they did not work in the very small room I had them in. At that point, I sold off the (2nd) system they were in, but have kept the AN's. They have been sitting looking gorgeous in Makassar finish, but I have yet to set them back up. I was driving them with an LM 211, budget SS phono, and a WT Amadeus/ DV20X-L. My feeling is they may have deserved better all around, perhaps an SET or an OTO sig.... I can't seem to bring myself to sell them!

it is very funny, but the same choice is now in front of me. Harbeth or Audio Note - this is a question worthy of Hamlet

I heard both lines recently at Deja Vu Audio in Northern Virginia. Not an apples to apples total system comparison but The larger more costly Harbeth 20.2 with CJ amp demo left an impression on me while smaller AN system was fine but nothing special especially for the price.  The sound was somewhat muddled in comparison. 

Heard both at Deja Vu a couple of years ago, systems undoubtedly somewhat different.  The 40.2's completely blew me away--all I could say was Wow.  I liked the Audio Note: I found they had an unequalled purity of timbre, i.e. a particular instrument through them sounded more like that instrument in real life than any other speaker.  It was a truly natural, organic sound.  What I couldn't get over is the lack of soundstage depth, because of the necessary close-corner positioning.  AN may really be designed for countries where most people's listening rooms are smaller than those in the US.