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A move from Harbeth to... Wilson?

Hi gang, hoping for some thoughts. 

I'm very happy at the moment with my system, but getting a slight itch for an upgrade. So many options and directions I could go, but the one I'm pondering at the moment is moving from my Harbeth C7ES-3 speakers to Wilson Sabrinas. (The Sabrina X is now out, which may bring the Sabrina down to my budget... maybe.)

My room is approx. 10'6" x 15'6" with the speakers along the short wall and my listening chair is about 2/3 back from said wall. The C7s plus their stands are just about the right size for this room, and the Sabrinas on their floor spikes are similar in "overall" size, though obviously the speakers themselves are bigger.

Current amp is a Pass Labs XA30.5 which doubles down at 4Ohms (plus lots of headroom) and comes just within Wilson's "recommended" amplifier power. The room is on the smaller side, and I don't listen loud; I've never "wanted" for more power with the C7s. (Though every once in a while I wonder what a pair of XA60.5s would sound like in here, but that's an entirely different thread.)

Eh? Any thoughts?
don_chisholm

Showing 2 responses by mlsstl

mlsstl
1,481 posts
 
I've always found the Wilsons I've heard over the years to be very forward, "hi-fi" sounding speakers. Conversely, I've found Harbeths to be a very neutral and more accurate presentation of unprocessed vocals and unamplified acoustic instruments (my personal reference point) -- in other words, more natural.  

As such, I'm a little surprised that Harbeth --> Wilson is your flight path. But, speakers are a very personal choice and Wilson certainly has its followers and advocates, so maybe Harbeth was never the best choice for you in the first place. All one can do is listen (ideally in your own home) and then go with the one that best suits you. Forget what impresses anyone else. 
mlsstl
1,481 posts
 
"Anyone who thinks they are HiFi sounding has not listened to current models..."

I can't tell you how many times I've heard this about several brands of speakers over the years.  Basically, it boils down to "THIS TIME we got it right."  ;-)

I begrudge no one for whatever preferences they have. We all have different priorities concerning what we value when we listen to music. That's fine. It's a big world and there are options for everyone. 

(And, BTW, I do listen to live music regularly -- Powell Symphony Hall, Cathedral Basilica and similar venues these days and years ago spent time in the music industry as a sound engineer before switching careers. I'm confident of my own preferences.)
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