Yes for both questions!
Marc

without question......

now I have a question.......do you really want to put a superb di-pole speaker in a 'small-ish' room ?? if you can't give then the 'room to breath' (4-5' min behind) why spend that kind of coin ???

So, what are the dimensions of your small-ish room ?

6m x 3m x 5m (whd)
only have .8m from back wall to speaker

yes the room is small for CLX's …….but your distance from the wall is totally unacceptable, at a minimum dbl it ! Regardless you will never realize the speakers potential in that room.

thanks, yes, thought as much.
clx too big for that room. happy with the vantages for now.
maybe in the future.

I started with the Vantage first. I heard the Summits, and had to have them. In 2008 I heard the CLX's in a small room and new one day I would have to have those speakers. They are that good with the proper electronics. I feel no need for any other speaker.

thank you, yes i think i see my inevitable upgrade path....
i love the sound of the vantages, they just work wonderfully with both valves and solid-state. clx must be beautiful!

I prefer ML CLX over ML Odyssey in my small room. Yes, they would perform better in a bigger room, that's for sure but they are performing totally acceptable in 5,2x3,4x2,6m "space".
However distance to front wall need to be optimized. I find 1,3-1,6m optimal when listening position is close to back wall. No need for subwoofer as room response -6dB point is at ~35Hz, unless you want it for movies or organ music. This is in solid concrete building with some acoustic treatments.

I have the CLX and have had for a long time great speaker I am using 4 Decent subs with them. Powering the Clxs with Ayre mono blocks MXRs 20s . Do you need subs no but with DVDs it is nice with some music it adds a lot most of the time it is fine with out them.

Not a easy speaker to set up add subs and not easy becomes hard. You can put some very high end gear up stream and the clxs will not be the weak link in the chain. Like all electrostatics they need power and lots of it, amps that can take low ohm loads and are clean .

As to Sound labs never heard them no dealers I know of they are big very big. People who own them and have the right room love them.

CLXs are more sound than most speakers at this price point will give you IMO not heard them all and my taste may not be yours. If you have heard the CLXs only once the set likely was the biggest pro or con.

Clxs never was as popular as the hybrids price more than sound IMO these are nice speakers not a huge foot print in a big room the clear panels tend to make them blend in some. They sound great I am surprised they did not sell better than they did I think it is ML best effort so far . The new ML super speaker only heard it once I thought the set up needed work not a great room I would want to hear it again. But it is 100 K in Canada any questions just ask.

Room is everthing
 

I had moved several times with my CLX's and find placement, room size etc. as being to some extent might be the issue for you. As for your subs M.L. subs may be the answer.