Harbeth 40.1 or 40.2 speaker optimization


Hi,

i was fortunate to acquire a barely used Harbeth 40.2 with Skylan 14 inch stands.

the sound is glorious but couple issues looking for help with as there is just a bit too much bass.

the stands are on long spikes and using wave kinetics footer.  Even with  these hockey puck footers and a rug in the room and acoustic bass treatment in corners of room I experience a little too much bass information.

how toed in are 40.1/40.2 speaker users placing the speakers?

my speakers are 78 inches apart tweeter wise and 28 inch from side walls and 42 inches from back wall.  I am roughly 90 inches from tweeter

the other issue is I have is Skylan stands came with long spikes so tweeter above
my ear position when using my Eames chair.

i will acquire shorter spikes but concerned that will make bass even more pronounced although might tighten it?

any thoughts advice appreciate it



michael plaut



128x128karmapolice
You might want to try moving the speakers further from the side walls. Less boundary reinforcement will reduce the bass. I use the Rule of Thirds (speaker centers at one-third room width), but that might place them too close together in your particular case.  It costs you nothing to experiment and the results may prove satisfying.
I've owned all three versions of the Monitor 40 including the 40.2. Compared to the older models, the 40.2 are not overly bassy in my room with MOST music. (Morph the Cat and a few other CD's excepted) I do have the tweeters at ear level with track audio spikes on the Skylan stands. The tweeter really needs to be at ear height for the best sound and I have the toed in so the apex crosses just in front of me. With this setup, the speakers totally disappear. 

I would ask what type of amplifier are you using because the Harbeths, although easy to drive are very sensitive to several things; too little power, underdamped tube amplifiers or output tap mismatch on some tube amps. Hope this helps.