KEF LS50 or Harbeth P3ESR for desktop system?

LS50 sounds OK on the desktop (58" wide) but it is no where close to the sound quality on stands and about 7-8+ feet apart. I have the LS50 for years now and have listened both ways. The LS50 on stands is something I plan to keep until it falls apart.

The new KEF replacement for the XA300A is a better candidate for the desktop over the bigger LS50.

https://www.kefdirect.com/speakers/computer-speakers/digital-hifi-speakers-lsx-wireless-speakers.htm...

@bilitz I listen to the KEF LS50 all day in my home office with a Peachtree Nova 150 class D integrated. I have no fatigue and I am easily susceptible to fatigue from bad sound. I need to acoustically treat my room, because it is small, but any speaker would have been fatiguing without the treatment.

On Wed I had some time to kill in Los Angeles so I went to hear some gear I am about to buy, specifically Luxman m900u amp and I was deciding on the c900u amp.

First thing I did was wait for the dealer to finish with another customer. So he gave me the controls to a $16K speaker driven by brand a brand new tube integrated. It sounded good and I am not a tube fan.

When the dealer was free we went to the all Luxman gear and hooked up a $5K Harbeth Anniversary edition speaker that is suitable for a small room (we were in a large room). I was shocked at how the $40K in electronics made the $5K Harbeth sound. It sounded way better to me than the $16K speaker I had just listened too. I played the same tracks on both systems.

So my mind was rather blown and my idea of choosing speakers first before the electronics was changed, especially for my small room. So now I have decided to buy the m900u and c900u and buy whatever speaker will fit into my treated room WITHOUT room correction. The small Harbeth showed me that FOR MY NEEDS the electronics trumped the speaker.

The dealer mentioned that there were a few folks like me that decided to buy the Luxman first and figure out the speakers later. One of his customers uses the KEF LS50 with the $30K amp + preamp. I may do the same since I have a LS50. Though I have some other more expensive speakers in mind. A lot of his customers buy the bigger Harbeth's with Luxman.

The Harbeth was really good with the Luxman but I like the clarity I get with the LS50 a little more. I especially liked how the Harbeth speaker cabinet vibrated with the tunes. Consider me a fan of the Harbeth and it is also not fatiguing.