Both excellent choices. I’d like to try some Spendors in the future. Meanwhile, check out the Triangle Signature Thetas just to compare. I believe Triangle is going to be back in the game here sooner than later. The Thetas are unbelievable. I have a pair, and I’m using a Belles Aria integrated. The soundstage and imaging are truly amazing. They do scale quite well so they fill a larger listening area? Great base too for a standmount. The “brightness” they have been associated with in the past; I don’t hear it. Good luck with your journey.
Harbeth 40.2 OR Spendor Classic 100 OR ??
I'm midway through the quest for the next set of speakers, and the purpose of this thread is just to check if there are any makes/models out there that I should be taking into consideration, but are not currently on my radar.
My current two finalists are as above, Harbeth 40.2 and Spendor Classic 100.
Both of these have displaced my previous "fav", the Vienna Acoustics Liszt.
In various auditionings, I've also been impressed by Audio Note AN-E and Shahinian Oberlisk. I know both of these models are "divergent", but I mention them not because they're also real contenders, but because I was really impressed by the timbral presentation of the AN--as natural as I've heard, and the spatial presentation of the Shahinian--as, well, spacious as I've heard.. At the same time, they both have drawbacks that rule them out for me.
I hope this list gives some idea of where my acoustic tastes align. Is there anything else out there I should listen to? I have heard Spendor D7 and ProAc D30, and extrapolating from them, ruled out their corresponding larger models. I've also heard Devore O/93, and again preferred Harbeth, Spendor, as well as AN (his inspiration).
I'm not really interested in suggestions from the "usual suspects" pool--you know, Vandersteen, Magico, Focal, Revel, B&W, PSB, Monitor Audio, Dynaudio, etc.
BTW, to be driven by Belles Aria monoblocks in what I would describe as a medium-sized room wherein placement would allow for a good 3' away from front and both side walls.