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Harbeth vs Graham audio

A question for connoisseurs of English sound. as known, the best speakers reproducing perfect vocals were Harbeth. The m30 and hl5 became the idols of many audiophiles. but not so long ago, a new Graham audio player entered the market. Rumor has it that Graham's midrange is just superb. but still. which company is better? who can not be distinguished from real vocals? Who is more faithful to the traditions of bbc monitors?
128x128capitanblood
vivek_r
3 posts
 
Hi wanted to add one other point since we seem to be looking at things across price ranges. I got to hear the 40.2 and Super HL5 plus. 
I absolutely loved the 40.2. It is all that midrange and added gorgeous bass. Full and natural sounding across genres. I can imagine the 5/9 or 30.2 sounding less satisfying when you listen alongside that. Perhaps that is what jriggy heard? 

The Super was not my cup of tea in both the situations that I heard them. Yes more bass than 5/9 series (a rose by any other name?), and had more punch, but did not sound as beguiling in the midrange. However, admittedly there were variables, and they are really nice speakers - to summarise, not on my wish list even if there was a sale. 
40.2 or do I need that extra kidney?

The Graham series is indeed expanding as captainblood said. 5/9f 5/5 Etc.
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,318 posts
 

This is Graham's latest. https://www.grahamaudio.co.uk/products/ls55/

Clearly built to compete with Spendor Classic 100 and Harbeth 40.2.

@vivek_r  A while ago I listened to the SHL5+ and was quite put off.  In the room/system it was in, it was quite bright and not that involving.  Obviously, there are a lot of other people who have had very different reactions.

Then I got to hear 40.2's in a very different room/system, and was completely wowed.  Absolutely fabulous!

Heard Classic 100's in yet another environment and also very, very good, hard to compare to the Harbeths (different rooms/systems) but factoring that in as much as possible I still preferred the Harbeths.

The new LS5/5's are taking forever to reach the US, though they are in other parts of world. The current situation is obviously not helping.  Would love to hear them when and if.

If you google them, there's quite a lot on their development and the original BBC design on which they're based.

vivek_r
3 posts
 
@twoleftears, thank you.  Hope it never comes to India. I like the extra kidney and lung! 
I did google. It seems brilliant.  
yunie_'s avatar
yunie_
6 posts
 
@rossb  when you keep the ls6, does it mean you prefer it better than all the others that you've owned, including the harbeth 30.2? I heard it is much more neutral than the overly rich and even nasal 30.1.

And your preference of ls6 over ls5/9 is because of the tweeter is it? 
leonarend
10 posts
 
Hello, I’m new on this forum. Funny that so many people owning the same sort of speakers. I also own(ed) Harbeth p3esr, 30.1, hl5 , falcon acoustics, spendor A1 , and Graham Ls6. To me of all my small speakers the falcon has the sweetest and luciuous sound. The Harbeth 30.1 is very fine but indeed a bit nasal in its sound and lacks dynamics ( even driven on my accuphase e370) . I traded it in for the ls6 which indeed sounds much more open and dynamic. Only drawdown on Graham is the veneer which is not at par with the Harbeths .
by the way I run the ls6 Sometimes on My Audio Note oto signature amplifier (normally connected to my AN-Espeakers)  I know the 10 watts should not be sufficient, but man it sounds fantastic .  Cheers Leon 
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