Harbeth vs. Tyler

I wish Muzikat had provided a really specific description of the tonal and resolution qualities of the Tylers and the Harbeths - especially since he has owned and heard them both.

I've owned other British Speakers, Rogers LS35A's and Studio 1A, as well as Quad 63's. If these represent 'British sound', and Harbeth represents British sound, I doubt that Tyler's speakers will sound much like them based on my experience with the Linbrooke Signature Systems that I presently use.

In comparison I would expect the Tyler's to have a warmer sound, both in the upper bass, and a little less high end energy (not resolution - I think the Tylers resolution using the millenium tweeter is outstanding). From all I've read about Harbeths (I've never heard a pair, but I'd like to hear one of the larger models) I would expect a very high quality/resolution speaker, tonally neutral, perhaps without the typical upper mid range dip that appears in a lot. They certainly are not some POS speakers that out VI seems to think they are!

Personally I really like the Tylers.

Just a WAG FWIW

Some Harbeth models do have a slight midrange dip.

I'd love a serious audition of Tyler speakers because many people, not just Bartokfan, are enthusiastic about them. Maybe designing speakers is made out to be more difficult than it really is, but I always wonder how Tyler can offer a choice of drivers in a product. It seems to me the crossover would need to be redesigned to accomodate a Seas vs. a Scan-Speak or whatever. Maybe he does change some values, but it is as easy as all that? Seems like the Madisound DIY school of speaker design. I get the same hit from Silverline (perhaps unfairly): throw them in a box -- how many drivers you want...3? 4? 5? -- wire 'em up, and voila! Which is counter to many other manufacturers' claims about searching long and hard to find "just the right tweeter," having to modify it to "our exacting specifications," blah blah.

I have heard both Tylers and Harbeths. The Tylers have many very good qualities. They are very fast and clean but do not have the natural tonal qualities and musicality of the Harbeths. The Harbeths sound more like music to me.

Drubin: I have to agree--I've never seriously considered the Tyler's because it seems like Ty either stuffs the same drivers into different size boxes or, as you say, rotates different drivers into the same boxes with what seems to be little regard for their inherent performance characteristics. I'm no expert here but just my hunch that each of his many models does not get individualized attention in the design phase.

On the issue of cabinet materials I second what has been said here--the Harbeth "lossy" cabinet is a clever and time tested approach to dealing with resonances and, in my view, it works. Harbeth's simply disappear for large boxes and are very low in coloration. The veneer applied to the outside of the lossy cabinet is first rate, however, and doesn't look at all "cheap" to me. The Daedalus, which I currently own, use solid hardwoods in constructing the cabinets. The goal here is rigidity, not flex. Lou feels that hardwood is pound for pound much stronger that MDF and resonates far less and what does move happens within a more favorable frequency range. In my experience I think he is right. My DA-1's sound fabulous and very organic--like real music itself.

Mark S's "dis-information" comment that the Tyler's "Lack natural tonal qualities and musicalities". Mark your opinion goes totally against everything Sally Renolyds wrote in Oct issue of Absolute Sound. Also go to audioreview.com. Every review gives Tyu 5 stars, not one negative comment. Look at the comments here on audiogon feedback, read the happy owners opinions. Then go to his web site where anyone can freely chime in whatever they feel.
Now read what you just wrote. Don't worry, its only your opinion, no harm done.