Stereophile.....The more you spend on advertising...the better the reviews.. .....The X-3's have a very Modern look.....It's not as Warm looking as a double the price wooden box. The X-3 is not only a beautiful speaker to look at, but a beautiful speaker to Listen to....it's warm and tight....a unique sound . Mine needed 300 hrs. to really Bloom !
Borresen X3 vs Harbeth 40.2 -- my impressions
After reading so many glowing reviews of the Borresen X3 speaker, I decided to go and audition them at a local dealer who was gracious enough to let me stay there for over 4 hours. I went there with the intention of buying the X3 if they appealed to me. I thought I’d share my impressions here for those who are interested, especially in comparison to my Harbeth 40.2 speakers that I adore.
The dealer at first hooked them up to the Axxess Forte 1 integrated amp. To be brutally honest, I was about ready to bolt in the first 10 minutes. I just don’t understand why Axxess is getting so much praise. It was the most flat, dry, and boring sound I’ve heard. Luckily, the dealer had some very high end Burmester amp, preamp, and music server (close to $100K retail for the three pieces), which he agreed to use instead. Huuuuuge difference! The Burmester really made those Borresens come alive and sing. IMO, AGD is really doing a disservice to the X line by pairing them with the Axxess in audio shows. They are capable of scaling with much better gear. Shame!
If a massive, immersive, and holographic soundstage is your primary criteria and your budget is $11k max, you should stop reading at this point. Run and get these speakers before AGD decides to raise the price. I have yet to hear a speaker in this price range with this kind of soundstage. But if you value other aspects of music reproduction, keep on reading ...
Soundstage Width, Depth, and Height:
No contest. Borresen is noticeably better. The soundstage is as tall as it is deep. I heard sounds coming from besides me and behind me. Depth, while not outstanding, is there for sure. Just not as impressive as the height and width relatively speaking. I still can’t get that immersive feeling out of my head.
Ability to disappear:
This is one area where Harbeth always struggles. Owing to the thin walls of its cabinets, one is always aware of the big box the sound emanates from. The X3s totally disappeared. Again, very impressive for a speaker in this price range.
Vocals:
Sorry, but the X3 is simply not in the same league as the 40.2 when it comes to vocals. There’s this little extra, lifelike quality to vocals in most Harbeth speakers that is hard to beat. I listened to some very familiar songs on the X3, and it became clear why I fell in love with the Harbeth sound many years ago. Female voices are more ethereal and nuanced, male voices have more chestiness. You hear the emotions and every little inflection in the singers’ voice. It simply gives more of the ‘singer in the room’ feeling.
Instrument Separation:
This is a tough one. Both are excellent in this regard. But I will give a very slight edge to 40.2s here. Or maybe not. I don’t know. Let’s call it evens.
Transparency and Realism:
This is where Harbeth pulled ahead of the X3s in a major way. I’m not saying that the X3s are deficient by any means, but the 40.2s just give you a lot more of it. You really have to live with them for a while to truly understand and appreciate what this speaker brings to the table. It’s truly addictive. The only other speakers I’ve heard that are better in this regard are the Quads or other electrostatics.
Midrange and Lushness:
My impression of Borresen speakers prior to this was that they were very fast, neutral, and quiet. But, much to my surprise, the X3s (or perhaps the X line itself) has been voiced to be more on the warm side of things. Sound was warm and had body. Unfortunately, this is being achieved by adding a bit of a mid bass bump. While it gives the speaker an overall warm predisposition, I felt it came at the expense of hiding details in the mid bass region. Harbeth is also known for a lush midrange but it doesn’t get here by sacrificing detail or exaggerating the sound. Another side effect of this characteristic was that acoustic instruments felt bigger than life. Guitars felt like they were 10 foot long. Piano strokes lacked the bite and immediacy that I get with 40.2s – and by the way this is not a particularly strong point of Harbeth either.
Tone and Timbre:
Harbeth to the front of the line, please. The timbre and tonal accuracy of the 40.2s is on another level. X3s are also very good in this regard but are somewhat outclassed by Harbeth.
Overall Refinement:
I apologize in advance if this is going ruffle some feathers, but the 40.2s are overall much more refined sounding than the Borresen X series. Again, this is only in comparison. On its own, I would never label the X3s as unrefined. The Harbeth just has this extra layer of refinement that you come to appreciate the more time you spend with it.
Bass:
As they say, there’s no replacement for displacement. The 4.5” drivers on X3 produce a prodigious amount of bass which is hard to believe considering the size of the drivers. Yet, the 12” woofer on 40.2s gives you more of that deep and tuneful bass. It just sounds more satisfying and fuller.
Look and Feel:
This is very subjective, of course, so please feel free to take it with a grain of salt. But I was not impressed by how the X3s looked in person, they lacked elegance. It kind of reminded me of Tekton – okay, maybe that’s too harsh, I take it back. But I was a little disappointed as they looked really nice in pictures. Wish they would lose the carbon fiber touch and the checkered driver patterns. The Harbeths, on the other hand, don’t look as impressive and nice in pictures. I mean what do you expect from an oversized shoebox on stands. But, the quality and craftsmanship of hand-built cabinets has a more timeless and elegant feel to it that has to be seen and felt to be appreciated. I just feel this style, boring as it is, just ages more gracefully.
Long story short, I have decided to stay with my 40.2s. They have many quirks, as pointed out by several members on this forum. But what they do, they do it exceedingly well. I found the Harbeth 40.x to be overall more transparent, lifelike, refined, and balanced. They don’t do dynamics as good as other speakers or disappear as much as other speakers in this price range, but they more than make up for it in other ways. I’ve heard people claim that the X3 are twice (or even thrice!) as good as their asking price. If soundstage is your primary criteria for judging speakers, then I wholeheartedly agree. But if you value transparency, vocals, timbre, tonal accuracy, and overall refinement ... the Harbeth 40.x series justifies its higher price, despite the shortcomings.
Having said that, I was still very impressed by Borresen X3 and won’t mind having it as a second pair once they hit the used market. But I feel the hype doesn’t quite align with what I actually heard during the audition. In this price range, I find Audio Vector to be a better value.
Please note that these are my opinions based on a ‘mere’ 4-hour demo, and only in comparison to my favorite speakers. It’s totally fine if someone draws a completely opposite conclusion, or tells me that I’m biased. My taste, my preferences, IMO, IHMO, etc. etc. etc.
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@kennymacc - Makes one curious as to how much or how little advertising Borresen does with Stereophile. |
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Thanks for taking the time to write this up and providing me with confirmation bias about how great my 40.3's are (just kidding, well maybe not) . I disagree that the 40's cannot disappear. It is largely dependent on the recording but when dialed in you can hear the placement of the instruments/vocalists not the speakers. There is a visual bias as you are probably aware, so eyes closed works best. Not saying other speakers might not do this better/easier. |
OP, thank you for this very interesting and informative thread. I am a fan of both the Harbeth sound and of the Borresen sound. I have also listened extensively to both the speakers in your thread. I basically agree with everything you state about both speakers. The X3’s are a good value, although as you go up the Borresen line, you do get more accuracy and better refinement, micro detail, accuracy etc., The problem is that once you get to the ability to reproduce these things in the manner you describe, you have spent some very serious money. The Harbeth’s are also, at least IMO, pretty much exactly as you describe, with their strengths and weaknesses well pointed out. One thing that you did not mention about the comparison is the room size required. I believe that the X3’s will most likely sing in a much smaller sized room than the 40’s. One thing that does amuse me in this hobby is the so called rule that a newer design and tech has to be better than a proven older design. I’m not a believer in this, certainly not in all circumstances. One has to really listen for oneself to know if the newer design really is superior, or if the newer design is simply enjoying a lot of marketing hype.
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To those of you questioning why I compared speakers in two very different price categories, let me explain ... It has been repeated ad nauseam, on these forums and several youtube commentaries, that the X3s easily compete with speakers twice (or even thrice) as expensive. It was also suggested that the BBC speakers, specifically Harbeth 40.x series, are old tech and really not deserving of their asking price. Basically, the implication was that there’s nothing special about the vocals, midrange, etc. that the Harbeths are known for. It was implied that the Borresen X series will simply outperform Harbeth. Instead of relying on anecdotal evidence, I thought why not seek out an audition and find out myself. But to set the record straight, I still maintain that for the asking price the X3s are an amazing proposition. I honestly don’t think there’s any ’mainstream’ speaker that provides as much value at this price point. The sound staging was as good as I’ve heard at any price point. Where it lacks is in refinement, micro details, tonality, etc. ... but that too is ONLY in the context of comparing it to something like the Harbeth 40.x. I would take the X3 over a Focal Sopra 2, KEF Reference 3, etc. in a heartbeat. Like I said, once the X3s start showing up in the used market, I will pick them up in a jiffy. They are very very very good for their asking price. |
Arafiq I did not feel the Axxes cable are flat sounding at Axpona 2024 ,When I listen to the C1 Borensen speakers.Maybe different set up , different results.This set put me to a place to buy Borensen x1 speakers.They are arriving tommorow.Harbeth are amazing speakers but they are not for me. We all have different taste though. Good thread OP. |
The top-of-the-line Harbeth is in a completely different price range (double), so it would not be a fair buyer's comparison. To compare apples, one might consider the Daedalus Muse Studio. Its tonal quality is striking, along with a good soundstage and detail. I've had both the Harbeth and the Daedalus and the latter won out. It is in the same price range as the Borreson X3. |
@arafiq nice comparison. I heard the X3 at Axpona and initially thought they sounded very good. Went back 3 or 4 times but after careful listening they just weren't "refined" sounding exactly like you stated. Also after awhile I didn't feel I could listen long time. Yes initially they grab you but not for long. |
Borresen sounds very impressive first. After a short while it sounds very digital and mechanic. No musicality. It feels like you are listening each individual note instead of a song. Not my cup of tea. I rather prefer a lush sound of musical speaker, I would stick to Harbeth, or consider Audio Note which will be similar sound signature but better. |
Did you hear the Harbeths at the same store and exact same set up ? if not the cables alone can make a big difference. in TAS magazine Borrensen was mentioned and on you tube .many accolades. I have heard them with AGD amps and they sounded great that ribbon tweeter and wave guide Harbeth can’t match the Big sound stage . I find the Axxess cables they use too neutral. For my taste and Borresen like tubes, as well as Pass labs amps ,and Accuphase . Having owned a Audio store , system synergy is most important , the forte amps no way , T+A was great with them I do agree that the 12 inch Bass produces more impact , Borresen New series coming out in Sept use 8 inch woofers and much more refined if you have $25k to spend . the Harbeths the 40.2 are very good especially midrange , what’s the price difference today ?
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