It's not 2-way vs. 3-way but rather different "families" within the Harbeth line-up. 40.2 and 30.2 are essentially cut from the same cloth. Although it appears to slot in between them, the SHL5 is really the top of the line of a different family. I'm sure there are family resemblances between it and smaller speakers in the lineup, but not sure exactly which.
Why do Harbeth speakers have such a cult following
Let me start by saying I'm not here to bash Harbeth speakers.I have actually listened to 3 different pairs before I bought my current speakers.I thought they sounded good but I don't understand all the hype around them.They seem to have a cult following like Linn and Naim. What is creating the cult following among Harbeth speakers?