Harbeth C7ES vs Maggie 1.6 QR

You are going to have a very tough time excepting the differnces in presentation if you go to the Harbeths. The Maggie's are very cohesive with a very big and expansive stage. You will not get anything like that with the Harbeths.

Jtinn thank you for taking the time to respond.

I know the Maggies have terrific soundstage and a very cohesive sound but I sometimes wish they had more air and I also think their midrange is a little lightweight. Actually I think Jonathon Valin's review of the 1.6s is spot on: The Maggies 1.6s have a little extra bass, a small suckout near the crossover range, a little blare in the upper mids and are slightly soft in the high end.

I recently heard a pair of 1.6s compared with a pair of ProAc Studio 125s and (even though the Maggies had not been broken in) in some ways the Studios were better with a more immediate and dynamic sound. I noted the smaller soundstage but the Studios conveyed a nice sense of emotion where the Maggies just kind of sat there. I know this is a slam on Maggies, and after all they were not broken in, but I have noticed this same thing in my home system.

I am under the impression the Harbeths are better than the ProAcs and again are a very good match with the 8200 so I ask:

what can I expect with a pair of Harbeths?

My local retailer has the Harbeth sitting right next to the Maggies, literally linked to the same system. (BAT 300x, Primare 30.1CD, Nordost RedDawn) I can tell you that the Harbeth are as close as any box speaker I've come across at retaining most of the virtues of the 1.6 while adding some of their own. The highs are nearly as detailed and open with the Harbeth. But the mids are so very inviting. The Bass is simply a compenent of Amp control. In this comparison, dont even bother with the maggies unless you have at least 150W of high current.
But the kicker is this, BOTH speakers are very critical of the room they are in. If it were me, I'd take the Harbeth simply because it is easier to deal with according to size and power. The things it lacks compared to the Maggies are minimal.