Need speaker recommendations.

Im not an expert, but 90% don't give a single reason why this and that LOL

@retiredfarmer  from everything I have read it appears that Harbeths need a fair bit of breathing room around them. So I'm not sure whether I want to take the trouble to audition them. I have never heard of Equation speakers, so lets see if I can find a dealer nearby.

@wsrrsw I'd like to start afresh with a new speaker-amp combo, whether integrated or SS/tube separates. I have a Marantz CD player from the late '90s.

@sryeager , @ecrotty it will be a lot of work to audition Ohm, Audio Note, Fritz, Tekton etc. May have to wait on them until I can go to a show?

Locally, top of my list, all of which I can easily audition are Vandies, Focal, Devore, Sonus Faber and Spendor.

I have been very frustrated with local dealers who claim to carry Revel/Dynaudio/DALI etc., but can't arrange for the distributors to ship them a model to audition. All talk, but no real follow up even though they know I could potentially buy one. Keep trying to steer me towards B&W or Focal... is this behavior something others see too?
 

@wdguru I am worried the ATCs might get costly on me quickly... but agree I should audition them.

@sandthemall OK, ok. Room is 14' wide, 18.5 deep (front to back wall), 9' ceiling height, hardwood floors but covered with a very large, plush, antique Persia rug 12'x16'. Lot of canvas art and framed photographic art on the walls. One fireplace with granite slab around it (floor to ceiling). Furniture can mostly be rearranged around what I need. I must also add that I have quality sound insulation in my walls and electrical connection and outlets separately wired for audio equipment. Two windows, both with acoustic shades. See 1 photo, with visible ledge 2.4' from floor, on left and right of fireplace... can post more later.

The bid thing with equation speakers in a they are no longer produced so don't pay much if you find a pair. They were not good on my mark Levinson 33h just not enough load for the amp. They are beautiful on tubes. They were beautiful on the moon w3 I had years ago. 

You might also want to listen to a pair of neat speakers I have a couple sets of. A home theater they are much better than my home theater system. I have the motive line the big ones out front and the small ones in the rear. The big ones are about six inches wide and three feet tall and eight inches deep. Down firing port. They were five thousand Canadian list. They are the deepest playing speaker I have ever had. They basically play flat to 27.  They better series are supposed to be in the very best made I have never heard there really high end ones. The neat speakers are so small they will not impress small boys'! Lol. 

Cructhfield>Dynaudio>60 days