I tried out quite a variety of speakers and amps in my small room over the last couple of years, and ended up with the Reference 3a Dulcets partnered with the Naim Nait 5i. I am delighted with this happy combination. It sings for me. For my taste, the bass is plenty robust in a small room context, but I haven't had the chance to hear Harbeths. Much of my taste runs towards quiet listening, and to me this partnership opens up beautifully at modest volume. |
Damn! Everything you have seems Excellent! I would hate to have this problem! |
Timf:
This is almost a straight end to end system - Naim CD, Naim / Chord cables, Dragon tape deck, and Naim speaker wire.
The Naim amp has always powered the Harbeth speakers. |
Maxxc:
The original reason why I purchased the Harbeths was that they "were supposed to be some of the best under $2500 monitors available."
The Harbeths are great speakers, truly. While the bass is accurate, I would like a speaker with fuller bass. Also, much of my listening is done at low volume levels. The Harbeths need a bit of volume behind them to optimize their true capabilities. |
Just out of curiosity- and really for my own information, do you mind stating what cables and source you are using? Have you always had the Naim amp with the Harbeths or did you have another amp before? |
Why do you want to change speakers? The Harbeths are suppose to be some of the best under $2500 monitors available.
You probably need to state what you are looking to improve or what you don't like about the Harbeths. Perty much anything in the under $2500 price range is going to be more of a lateral move or different flavor then a actual upgrade.
BW MaxxC |
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Oz |
My friend and I have just come home from attending CES . He was researching speakers in this price range. After 4 days of listening he and I reached the same conclusion. That is that the new speakers introduced at the show by Acoustic Zen ARE A HOME RUN. They feature a ribbon for high end and a transmission line bass. Robert Lee is well known for his cable designs and has spent two+ years on the development of his new speaker line. Check them out. His cousin has been a furniture maker for many years and provides all enclosures. Wife factor on these is no problem, They look as good as they sound. The sound for the $ is amazing.Great size for a small area. You can contact Paul at his Acoustic Zen web site. |
You sound like a canidate for JM Lab speakers go take a look at them they are very awsome. |
Carolina Audio JTMs. One of the few single driver speakers that shine with solid state. Works exceptionally well in small spaces and close to the wall. Surprising bass. The most natural sounding speaker I have owned. Currently also own Harbeth SHL5s and Audio Note AN-Ks, and still prefer the JTMs. I am using them with Plinius solid state gear and a tubed CDP. They are that good. The Harbeths are smoother and more laid back, but the JTMs are faster, cleaner, more dynamic, and soundstage much, much better. |
Don't buy anything without at least checking these out. They're from one of the most honourable men in Hi-fi:
http://www.avahifi.com/root/equipment/speaker/biro_l1.htm
Best of luck in your search,
Ed |
Reference 3A MM DeCapo is great for your needs. Very easy to drive and will sing with your amp. This monitor does bass right. It goes down into the 30s and the bass definition is excellent. You can follow bass lines very easily.
The only possible issue might be the fact that they are rear ported. If you have the ability to give them 12"-18" from the wall, they should be just fine.
You can't buy them for $2000 new, but you can get a gently used pair for $1200-$1800.
Enjoy,
TIC |
used galante rhapsody for about 1200..lovely looking and lovely sounding and very efficient at 8 ohms/96db resistance |
Green Mountain Europas will fit the bill. Way under your budget and with all the qualities you are seeking. They beat Totem Forests in my livingroom. Don't under estimate these gems. Do a search here under "Europa" to see what people say about them. |
You have a very easy problem to solve here!
I highly recommend Soliloquy 5.0 monitors or 5.3 floor standing speakers, they are very efficient,, 92 db i believe and have great tonality, depending on your associated gear, you may or may not need a sub for increased bass. you could add a REL Strata and still be under budget!
I sincerely hope this helps. |
Totem Arro.
My obervations are based on my Simaudio Moon i-5 with DH Labs Q-10 speaker cables. Room is about 11'x12'
The thing that I like the best are the Soundstage. I can move all around my room (which is my office) and they still sound good. Placement is also not very important. I actually move mine several times a day to access some storage.
Bass and bass definition is fairly good, excellent for a small speaker. I wouldn't count on much below 40Hz. I listen to mainly rock music, and they are the best speakers I have found in a small size for that.
I run them at low to moderate volumes. |
