Harbeth Compact 7ES vs Tyler Acoustics Taylo Refs?

At an auction here at a'gon, I picked up a pair of the Taylo ref monitors (glossy red for $1680) to replace a 13-yrs old pair of proac studio-2 monitors, oh about 3 years ago. I drove them with a Graaf GM20 OTL amp & a Graaf 13.B preamp. For me, the taylos were a serious step downwards compared to my old proacs. The Taylos sounded muffled or veiled in all frequencies. Mind you, the studio-2 boxes were couple inches taller and deeper. I sold the taylos for $1100 within a couple of months. Some months later, I had a chance to listen to a pair of Harbeth's at a stereo shop. Although a bit clinical, I found harbeth's sonics to be way superior. I ultimately went for full range speaker...just my 2 cents.

Wow! I wonder if there was something wrong with the particular pair you had. I can't imagine how a speaker with drivers found in speakers costing upto $20,000 can sound muffled and veiled. My own experience suggests the exact opposite - I've had Vandersteen 2CE sigs, PSB Stratus Bronze, ACI Sapphire LE - the Taylos trounced them all on practically every relevant parameter.

Perhaps design execution and other aspects, rather than specific drivers used up to K point speaker system does not really matter. Some designs, designers and lines have become classic as the ProAcs and also the Harbeth lines, something which the Taylors have yet to achieve. The only noticable review on any sort of magazine or Webzine for the Taylor speakers was about 3 years ago on Soundstage.

Your comments on the Taylor suprises me as well. Like Srama stated the tweeter and midbass are found in speakers costing over 20k and the crossover points are all top shelf.

I remember a 1999 review of the Tyler being compared to the highly respected ACI Sapphire at Soundstage. Other then conceeding a few hz in the lowest bass, the reviewer felt the Tylers "Dusted" his own pair of ACI Sapphires in every area. And I know the Tylers have been refined a couple of times since then while still retaining the same moniker.

So I would also have to wonder if something wasn't wrong with the pair if they sounded as a serious step downward from some Proac monitors from the late 80's