Are Harbeths really "all that?"


Hi,

I am not actually in the market for new speakers (heck, I just GOT new speakers) but I am intrigued, lately, reading about the Harbeth line on this forum. Are those little Harbeths (their "entry level," can't remember the model number right now) as fabulous as most reviewers seem to suggest? What kinds of music do they excel at? What kind of power do they need?
rebbi

Showing 1 response by petek


To answer Rebbi's question, "yes they are".

I owned the M30s for 3 years. They were recently sold as I upgraded to my first full range, the Verity's Parsifals (used).

Their strengths lie in the midrange and voicing. All I can say is that my wife really enjoyed listening to Maria Callas or Diana Krall on the M30s (btw, she's not so convinced that the Parsifals are better at voicing). Also, the Harbeths are no slouch in presenting fast and well defined lower notes.

Are they expensive for what they appear? Perhaps. I think in part because of unfavorable exchange rates (saw this with Spendor prices over the last 5-8 years). Despite the "cheapy" appearance of their cabinets, Harbeth uses high end drivers/components and are still hand made in the UK. The drivers used are either internally developed (radial cone technology) or externally sourced (e.g. high end SEAS tweeters or Audax). I bet if Harbeth licensed out it's radial technology or mid-bass driver, you would see this driver taken up by other manufacturers. It's that good.

Anyway, that was my experience with Harbeth. ............

If you have an opportunity to audition them, your ears and mind are the best judge. btw, yes they look "retro", which does not appeal to everyone........

happy listening!