Considering Harbeth C 7ES-3

Try to audition the Spendor SP2/3R2 or Stirling Broadcast SB-88. I like both quite a lot more than the C7ES3s. The 88s can be had for a good discount since Stirling has mostly been shoved out of the U.S. market thanks to the competition's distributor and marketing. And never mind the SB-88 vs C7 claims of ToneAudio, it's hogwash. 

Also seek out an audition of the Spendor A4. $3500/pair. They have greater bass extension, less cabinet noise and superior resolution. If connected to high-quality ancillaries, they can sound as good as some $10K speakers. I could imagine them being the end-game for many listeners.  

Another speaker I'd take over the C7s at $3K/pair are the Rega RX-5s. What Hi-Fi gave them a luke-warm review, and despite usually agreeing with their assessments, I didn't hear any of the issues they noted. 

If someone likes the Harbeths, I doubt they'd really like the Spendor floor standers. They don't have that lush organic sound of the Harbeths

In my experience the new Spendor A series sounds far more organic than any Harbeth I've heard. I do know that some of the older A-series models, the A6R in particular, are not very well received but the new ones are incredibly good values. There is nothing the C7 does better than the A4s, the latter are in a whole other league. 

Hi, @helomech! You seem to be one of the few people around with direct experience with the Spendor SP2/3R2. Could you please elaborate a bit more on:
1. the difference between the SP2/3R2 and the Stirling’s?
2. the difference between the SP2/3R2 and SP100R2, if you’ve heard them (I want to know if the voicing is the same, of course the raw performance should be quite different)?
3. the difference between the SP2/3R2 and the current Spendor Classic range, if you’ve heard them (2/3, 1/2, 100)?

Thanks a lot! Oh, and apologies to the OP for hijacking the thread, an answer in a new thread or by PM would be fine with me.

The SB-88s have a sweeter treble greater bass output, and better dynamics than both the 2/3R2 and C7ES3 - why I find the ToneAudio review so confounding and assume it's really a paid advert. The 88s are equally as resolving as the 2/3R2 which makes them more resolving than the C7s. The 2/3R2s have the warmest tonal balance and biggest sound of the three so I could understand why some may prefer them to the Stirlings. The only potential advantage I heard with the C7s was overall speed, which many often assume is a strength but in IME, it actually hinders the speaker’s detail, as though its speed is damping instrument decay.

I haven’t heard the SP100R2 but I think it relevant to note that I consider the old SP100s to be superior to the 2/3R2s and any other Spendor, Stirling or Harbeth I’ve encountered. If I ever find a pair in good condition I will snatch them up even though I don’t currently have the space. I haven’t heard the most recent Classic series either, but based on my auditions of the A4, I’d bet they’re stellar with greater dynamics than any previous iteration.

Helomech... in every forum, when someone opens a thread asking about Harbeth do you have to come in and recommend Spendor or Stirling?

"nothing the C7 do that the A4 dont do better" . I mean, really dude?

Yes, that is my opinion based on my auditions. The A4s have greater resolution, they "disappear" more, plumb deeper in the bass and have a lower fatigue factor despite their greater resolution. Keep in mind I’m specifically referring to the A4s vs the C7s, not every Harbeth.

And I don't know why you put that second sentence in quotes, those are not my exact words. Please, if you're going to quote me, please copy my words verbatim. I said the A4s are in a "whole other league." It's true IME and I'm confident 90% of other listeners would agree because the difference is huge. It's not a matter of comparing the minor quirks of each, like maybe one has a sweeter treble and the other a sweeter midrange.

The OP asked for recommendations for other speakers he should consider. Do you think it unwise for him to audition any of the competition? Really, shouldn’t he listen to as many options as possible and decide for himself instead of drinking the Harbeth Kool Aid and buying "blind"/deaf?

But why do you care anyway? You claim you have no regrets going from the Super HL5+ to the much less expensive Seas A26. So should you really be surprised that I don’t consider Harbeth the best value in this price range? I mean, you went from a $6K/pair speaker to a ~$1800/pair speaker and claim "no regrets."

I truly do find the Spendors and Stirlings to offer far better performance and value. Between the Spendor SP2/3R2, Stirling SB-88 and Harbeth C7ES3s, I actually find the Stirlings are the best overall. I know where one can buy them for less than $3200, which makes them an incredible value since they happen to sound best of the three.

Both of the sales managers of my local Harbeth dealer (one of the largest in the U.S.) share my opinion. They also sell Spendor and Stirling. Guess what? They don’t have Harbeths in their home systems. Nuff said.

If your listening space is at least 200 ft sq,  jump on this incredible deal:  

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9e8b2-stirling-broadcast-ls3-6-monitors

This is a steal of a price for one of the best speakers I've heard anywhere. The midrange is incredible. 

Harbeths only lack treble compared to speakers with a tipped-up, intentionally bright response - speakers designed to impress in quick auditions, Golden Ear Tritons for example.