Airegin - what are saying as I am not in a position to read what Allan Shaw has said about the 40.1's.....please let us / me know |
.....okay, would like to use this opportunity to follow up on my original post. I have now owned the Harbeth 40.1's for a month and they were bought demo so they were broken in. I asked if these speakers can '' boogie'' and without any hesitation I can now say ...NO. They do have their moments but are few and far between but for the most part I find them very un-involving, flat and I guess just plain....blahhhhhhh. I bought them with only a quick listen and also used reviews and also the great members here on Audiogon. My electronics are top of the line Classe' Delta series, Esoteric P-05 and D-05 and all Pursit Audio 2Oth Anniversary Cables ...all equipment is on HRS Platforms and the room has been ASC treated......I guess they are now like a pregnant girlfiend. They are mine for awhile as I have three more big monthly payments to make on them. I should have kept my old 2-way Avalon Eclipse's that were 12 years old as they can run circles around the Harbeth's.....big mistake and like the proverbial pregnant girlfriend - I'm stuck with them for now |
......the room is 14' x 28' with 7 1/2' celings...and treated by ASC |
Thanks Nolitan.....well I'm close - but there is still something very uninvolving about them. |
....at 53, I don't need the SPL levels of a rock concert in my home. The Tannoy's are a very reputable company and make great speakers. The Harbeth's are not a bad speaker...I guess that I just expected more for the cost, the reveiws and the hype associated with them. Art Dudley loved them..... |
...thank you for all of your responses. However, we are at a slippery slope in thinking that the best equipment for the 50% of the music I play needs to come from the era that this music was conceived. Does that mean I should have a Victrola for my older Big Band Music....I think not. I guess what was I was looking for by using those particular bands as an example, was can these speakers get out of their way ?...the answer is No. I wish that I could have listened to them more, but what dealer has a pair of Harbeth 40.1s hanging around to loan out - and believe me they are big and heavy. I am not about to at 53, scleep these things around.....switching cables is out as it took me about three years to put the Purist together and pay for them ..The 20th Anniversary's are not dark by any means but are more nuetral and natural sounding and did you look at the price of the 20th Anniversary's .....they are not cheap and once again getting too old to take a loss and start over. Moving the ASC's around does make the most sense...as the room could be over-damped as the Avalon's were soo fast - and ariculate. Now, the Harbeth 40.1's are detailed and quick ''in their own way ''.....they are a good speaker - they are just different. Maybe Paullb said it the best - they are British and they do emote that stiff upper lip in the way they present their music.....they to me are an enigma at this point in time. Now for a spot of tea...thanks again everyone. |
Airegin...good point made. However, my systems have chnaged as well but the pursuit of trying to re-create the artist's emotional performance has never changed. I agree that some of the music I listen to now is different from what I listened to 25 years ago.....better, that would be subjective and only up to the listener. I have now had the Harbeth 40.1's for almost 2 months now.....and your ears do adjust to the changes that you make in your system. I will say it again....they are different and they can play beautiful music that is one thing for sure. |
TVAD - that's '' boogie '' as you so nicely poined out. |
....thanks Mike and as we discussed, you have the room for the Harbeth 40.1's.....they are truly something special. I ended up after extensive evalution, with the Sonus Faber Cremona M's in maple.....I found them to be more tonally coherent, very musical and they seem fit in my room much better. They also seem to mate well with my current equipment, cables and musical tastes....see it all worked out and now to pay Audiogon there portion of the sale.....TVAD - seeing how you must have allot of time - please check for any spelling %rrors and let me know !!!! |
......the Sonus Faber Cremona M's to me, are more tonally correct. The Harbeth's mid range is very good but I found the upper range ( tweeter ) not involving at all and at times, to me, lacked any sort of detail. It was like the speaker has been dampened for a lack of any better word. Again, not to start any arguments, it is a terrific speaker, however, I tend to enjoy a more open, dynamic sound. I realized when I purchased the Harbeth's what I was getting into from a sonic standpoint, but because of my room, they just were not a good fit. The Sonus Faber Cremona M's are not dark in any way and even after only 30 hours are really starting to open up. |
Fujindemon - thanks but I live in home - ATC's are not real living room friendly - |
Gltan - good point. I am the original poster of this thread and I to, do attend a good number of concerts per year. I just saw Jackson Browne acoustic - just him and 14 guitars. Nice.....the Harbeth 40.1's are a good speaker, but they were not my cup of tea. At, that price range, I choose the Sonus Faber Cremona M's. I owned and really enjoyed the Avalon's - but in their line you would have to spend allot more to get that ''next step up ''in performance. Also, at 54 I do not want to be lugging big speakers around. The SF's were just right. The Harbeth's as I stated just didn't sound right to my ears......the things that they did well, they did well....and things that they did not do well......they did not do well. What really was the deal breaker for me was the tweeter - and the high end performance on this speaker. It was just not right.....I don't care how many concerts you attend and if you do attend at least one, you can't help but come to the conclusion that these speakers do not reproduce that sprectrum / presentation very well. Again - to some people and their ears - they are the cat's meow....great enjoy the music !!!! If I just listened to vocals or acoustic guitar work ...the Harbeth 40.1's were / are very good. I have the Allman Brothers on right now and Gregg's voice is spot on with the SF's......the Harbeth's ..not soo much. But it does seem thag anything stated negative about the Harbeth's that you should be watching out for the public stonning. It's all about the music and enjoying it ....okay TVAD please proof read this memo and let me know my mistakes |
