upgrade path from my current speakers? (Dynaudio Special Forty)

The Special 40 is unique in the lineup.  If you liked the HS you should enjoy the new Confidence floor standing models as they share the same tweeter.  I’m a huge fan of the Esotar3, it strikes the perfect balance of being detailed while never getting shrill or bright. The S40 uses a modified version of the older Esotar2 so perhaps the Contour i series would be a better fit. Either way I’d stick within the Dynaudio family if that’s the sound you prefer.  

Or do what I did and move the S40 to the bedroom and go with an entirely different type of floor stander for some variety. I went Klipsch Forte since nothing fills a big room like horns. If I had the space I would have went with La Scalas + subs. 

@kb54 your question seems like a separate topic but I think the reason Buchardt isn’t heavily mentioned on Audiogon is that they are a newer manufacturer and Audiogon’s members are older and tend to focus on more established brands. Most of the Buchardt hype is coming from the youtube reviewer community, which draws newer audiophiles.

Personally I’m not a fan of investing in companies that are quick to revise or push out new models. It's bad for resale. Their lineup is a bit of a mess, just looking at passive models they went from S300>S400>S300mk2>S400mk2 and then a low cost P300 which I’m assuming will retire the S300 series altogether. All in under 10 years. And I’m not including SE versions with custom finishes & wiring. To me that feels like they are taking their customers for a ride.