Harbeth HL5 vs M30

I've owned both and I would never say the HL5 is more agressive than the M30. They bear a strong sonic similarity. The M30 was build as a BBC drop in, so the cabinet size was fixed from the start. The HL5 allowed the company to build what they wanted without the constraint of a pre-set box. The HL5 is more forgiving of lower-end electronics IMO and throws a bigger soundstage, although the M30, as a true monitor, is somewhat more precise. They are both great speakers, but I would go for the HL5 if your room was on the larger side. BTW, I belive all Harbeths use metal tweeters, although the M30 uses a "better, more expensive" one. It's not about the tweeter material, it's how its utilized in the design that makes a tweeter harsh or spitty. Harbeth crosses the HL5 over at about 4K, MUCH higher than the usual 2.5K or so many designers use. This keeps the low-end grunge out of the tweeters, which the designer believes can cause problems. Anyway, that's my opinion.

Having heard the M30 extensively and owned the SHL5s, I would go for the SHL5s.
The M30 as many stated is more of a monitor speaker with a flatter frequency response.
the SHL5s are more musical to my ears.

hi,if you listen to alot of classical or rock music,then i would say HL5.Other than that i would have to go with the M30

My musical tastes lean toward "little girl w/guitar" music, some Dire Straits, but mostly female vocal. Once in awhile a Stevie Ray or even ac/dc finds it way into the cdp, but that's only for moments, not hrs.

If you are seeking higher resolution with great musicality, I would try to audition a Merlin TSM. Otherwise, I vote for the HL5 as well.