speaker upgrade fever

for example my comments about the KEF R1 were in a reasonable sized room w a lot of bric a brac diffusion… a very well sorted high quality SWARM and a chain : SOTA > Jelco > Dyna XV-1S > Cary top of line tube phono > Herron line stage and monoblocks… the Digital side 100 % Rockna….

a major dude music lover…. he did trade the for a Gershman..

maybe he will weigh in here…

I don't have any experience with the speakers you mentioned, other than the KEF Reference 1s, which I thought were going to be my forever speakers. 

A few comments - the Ref 1s are anything but "bright".  Not in my system, or in two other friend's systems.  I'm quite sensitive to anything bright.  They are very neutral, and if anything, on the warm side. 

I know the person mentioned in the PS Audio forums that went from the Ref 1 and the FR5s and have listened to their system with both speakers.  The FR5s are more "lively", which for me would have probably translated to "bright" over time.  The ribbon tweeter created a really large soundstage, which is something the KEFs also excel at.  My friend likes them better, I probably would have stuck with the KEFs.  A matter of taste.  The cool thing is that PS Audio has a generous return policy, so you could try them for up to 30 days and return them.

The only speakers in that range that made me want them over the Ref 1s (besides my Gershman Studio XD) were Joseph Audio Pulsar Graphenes.  I'm sure there are other speakers that I haven't heard that are "better" also.  

As much as I love the Gershman Studio XD, I'm not sure I'd recommend them with the Mimas.  They have a similar sensitivity rating to the Ref 1, but are much harder to drive. I had 160 watt monoblocks and they couldn't quite wring out the best from the Gershmans. I replaced them with the PS Audio M1200 Stellar 600 watt monoblocks and am now a happy camper.  The JA Pulsars are easier to drive.

Harbeth and Joseph Audio speakers share some similarities, but are also very different in some ways.

They both do imaging and soundstage very well and are fairly neutral.  Harbeths are less detailed.  Your KEF Ref 1 speakers have more detail than any Harbeth I've owned (I have not had the 30.1, which I think is what you meant you are considering).  The Kefs are also a little bit warmer, Harbeths (depending on the model) can get a little hot at the top end when pushed.

The Joseph Audio speakers will be more detailed than the KEFs or Harbeths, and will have better imaging, to the point where it is almost clinical, as in the instruments and vocals are very defined in space.  I really like this, but there's the possibility of being drawn into the presentation versus being drawn into the music, which is where I think the Harbeths excel.  

I have listened extensively to a friend's system with the JA Pulsar Graphenes and would take those over KEF Referency 1 or any Harbeth speaker I've heard.  I have owned Harbeth Super HL5 Plus, Compact 7, and P3ESR.  I loved them all, with the last two being my favorites.  The same friend that has the JA Pulsar Graphenes also had the Harbeth 40.2.  I remember when he told me had moved on from those, I thought he was nuts.  Until I heard the JA Pulsar Graphenes in his system.

I think you'll love the JA's!  Let us know.