Can the Harbeth 40.1's boggie ?????

IME the soft dome tweeters sound easy on the ears, but they don't boogie. The metal dome tweeters have come a long way, and the newest Beryllium tweeters don't sound harsh like older Aluminum and Titanium tweeters. They completely get out of their way in the music while providing fast and articulate sound. IMHO.

Garbear: it's really a matter of system synergy. You system was setup to sound good with the equipment you have. The harbeths are not optimized to the rest of the room and gear. The purists are great cables bit not with the harbeths. You proved that. Want to try a cheap experiment... buy some radio shack 14 gauge speaker wire try it.. I think you'll be surprised. .

Garbear, I tend to agree with Onhwy61. Its hard to get the ideal sound from one system on all genre's and I run 4 systems, mind you with budget equipment. Perhaps a set of Wilson Audio speakers might whn well matched.

I own a 40.1 and they do have endearing qualities but sadly they do not rock. A change out on cables and equipment helps but still.....not quite there. Very noticeable when you listen to a drum kit playing through them, a tad slower than i'd like them to be.

Alan Shaw said once they dont rock but I am not sure whether he means they cant develop the required spls or they are just not cut out to deliver the ideal rock sound.I think the latter. Drop him a line at the Harbeth user forum. I am told he used to be a bit of a rocker himself!!!

If you do find the equipment which can deliver a healthy boost of steroids to the 40.1,please do share. I'd be keen to know.

My music tastes and system are quite different from what I enjoyed in the 60's & 70's when I had a full head of hair but an empty appreciation of better music.

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.