Dynaudio, Devore Orangutan, or Harbeth

I like (and own) some of the equipment you're considering. I own the Harbeth SHL5s and they're wonderful and well-suited to your room. Probably won't need the REL sub (although I do have a T9 and, well, it helps). I power them through my Luxman 505-ux and it's great too--very synergistic, better than the Ayre AX-7e I tried. Luxman does make a great CD/SACD player but I might point you to a different option--the Line Magnetic 515 CD player and DAC. I just ordered the LM 502CA DAC since I'm NOT a big CD listener--I prefer ripping my CDs and playing them through my Bryston BDP1 into a DAC for both convenience and sound quality. I do own an Oppo BDP 105 and it's a fine transport--heck it's a good player! I have been dealing with Tim at Tone of Audio in San Francisco. I suggest you call him and tell him what you're considering. He carries many of the products you like and he's very upright and candid.

Thanks for your responses! Peter S, I especially appreciate your response since you have listened to both the Dyn and the Harbeth -- what electronics did you use? what kind of music do you like? I very much understand your comparison. I've found the Dyn as having a certain kind of emotional intimacy (at least with Naim) that I'm not sure Harbeth, despite the beauty they show can convey -- Peter what do you think?

Zd -- Of course I have and will listen -- the challenge is that all the equipment that interest me can't be heard in one location at the same time. I am considering the entire system Naim and Luxman are prime Harbeth candidates and Naim is at least for Dyn.

Austinbob. I know Tim quite well. Thanks for that suggestion. I don't have the time to rip my cds -- I have thousands of them. Knowing that and being most interested in sound quality, would you suggest using the Oppo and hooking it up with the luxman DAC or simply getting the luxman CD player -- I think I'm going to stick with all Luxman if I go Luxman for one component.

I have owned the Dynaudio C1 and also several pairs of Harbeths. One comment I will make is that Dynaudio need a fair bit of power (more than either Harbeth and especially DeVore) and tend to not really come alive until you turn them up a bit. Over time, I found the excellent C1 "neutral" to a fault; I got bored. YMMV.

If I had the bucks, I would have bought the Luxman DA-06. List is $5000, probably find it for $4000. The DA-200 is a fine DAC as well I'm sure (never heard it). And the D-05 and 06 CD players are reported to be superb as well. But...damn it's a lot of money to spend on a CD player! I understand that source is everything, but digital playback seems to be improving and changing monthly. I currently use an NAD-M51 and either feed it with my Bryston BDP-1 or my Oppo. The neat trick there is that the Oppo can output HDMI to the NAD so I can play SACD and DVDA as well through the NAD. And it sounds great. I'm trying the Line Magnetic DAC with the hop that it will be even better and by that I mean more liquid, holographic, less fatiguing sense of digitalness (the hardness or glare that certain recordings seem to have). Will it be more accurate or simply more forgiving? Don't know, but I'm seeking to replicate the best of analog in the digital domain--that's the holy grail! And, by the way, while I didn't own C1s, my previous speakers were the Contour 1.4s, no slouches. However, I did feel the Harbeth SHL5s were a major upgrade, not minor. And I like the fact the Luxman--a relatively inexpensive integrated--mates so well with them. Before the Ayre, I had Bryson 4BSST2 and the BP-26, very powerful and accurate and I don't miss them with the Luxman--high praise. The Harbeths are not as demanding of power as the Dynaudios, but they do like a little juice, don't be misled by the Harbeth "any quality 50-watt amp will suffice." And the Luxman does have a decent phono stage, quality remote, and even, gasp, a loudness control that is very nice with low volume listening.

I would highly recommend contacting Tim at 'Tone of music' because synergy is so much of what you need to consider. Tim's a great and honest guy, and he will help steer you in the right direction. He's certainly helped me with my system, and I am enjoying music all the more.