Are Harbeth Super HL5 XD right for me?

klh vs harbeth... good vs better

enjoy!

when i heard grahams on a few occasions i felt their treble is voiced more forward than the equivalent harbeth or classic spendor

a little more of a 'modern interpretation', and yes i agree with @yogiboy - hardly a value...

@jdougs

as you said you’ll be putting the harbeths only 12 in from the wall behind them, you will be getting more than usual degree of boundary reinforcement of the bass -- the question becomes not one of ’enough bass’ but whether you will get some bass ’boom’ in the 50-90 hz range...

I am leaning towards pulling the trigger on a used set tomorrow, there is no dealer within a reasonable distance.

@jdougs

good call... i think buying a used set in excellent condition at a fair price is the smart way to learn whether the shl5 is right for you

hearing it in your own system, for an extended period, playing with placement etc etc allows you to really appreciate any high performing speaker, and fully understand whether they will meet your expectations as an end game speaker

my only other add is that you might want to try a nice solid state amp in the 75-100 wpc range... many of us harbeth owners feel that refined solid state works best with the bigger harbeths to tighten down the bass response -- the speaker itself adds a lovely dose of midrange dimensionality and treble refinement -- these traits coupled with tube amps may be somewhat duplicative

Are Harbeth Super HL5 XD right for me?

op - no one can tell you this...

but most who are knowledgeable about speakers will say that the harbeth is a superior speaker to you klh5's in most performance attributes, with the possible exception of bass response