The Best of the English Sound

Just to throw you on a whole different possible tangent; I was listening to small monitors (nothing extraordinary, but very good ones) in my desktop/computer/workstation system. I found it a bit distracting for some reason and I suspect it had something to do with a narrower sweet spot. I switched over to Ohm Micro Walsh shorts, which are omnidirectional speakers. I really love the vast soundstage that seems to remain unchanged no matter where I position myself at the monitor. I don't know how they'd work in your setup - I took a peak at your system (nice integration into a living space, and major WAF runaround going on there...well done!). You're listening in a very open space in nearfield when you sit at your monitor (listening to the workstation speakers), whereas I'm in a much more confined, tighter, closed space...a small basement office. Naturally, YMMV, but it's a thought anyway. I've only once heard ATC at the house of an audio engineer in his personal system. I've heard Harbeth perhaps more frequently, both at a friend's listening room and at shows. For whatever that's worth, Harbeth occurs to me as one of the most relaxed, laid back presentations I've heard, whereas the ATC's I heard were far more forward, almost to the point of aggressively so. ATC's seemed more neutral, while Harbeth's seemed to add just a touch of coloration towards warmth and were utterly non-fatiguing. They were not my taste - I prefer a more forward sound - but I certainly appreciated what they did well. I would say they are very different presentations. The ATC's were larger than what you are considering though...I believe they were the 20's. Harbeths have been various sizes (always occurring to me to have a similar presentation), but my friends were 7's (about the same size as the ATC 20's I think, but not desktop material). I'm sure folks with more exposure than me can lend more authoritative observations. The one thing that always sticks with me with the Harbeths is how laid back they sound (as in a recessed soundstage).

Jax
Looking at Spendor/Harbeth for a desktop set-up could run into some serious money. If you want to try the "British" sound how about a pair of KEF Monitors like the 101 or 102's?
They pop up often and always sell. Price is reflective of condition.
As for the other 2-4 sets for various locations there are
bookshelf,stand mount,floostanders and others to consider.
People either like or dislike the British sound. Once you get bit by the mid range and the sound of vocals,you too will be a believer! You can listen for hours and rediscover
your whole music collection.
There is a ton of history on the designs of these speakers,
most having to do with the BBC.
Also, Spendor has had a monster sized price increase so used is the way to go. Good Luck & Happy Listening.

Get Wharfedale Diamond 9.1s. Currently on Amazon direct from the company for $269. They are quite small but have had excellent reviews in the British press. I currently have 8 pairs of British speakers myself and would get a pair except that my wife would kill me. I have been both a Spendor and a Harbeth dealer, as well as B&W, Leak, Musical Fidelity etc. so I like the British sound myself.

Jax
Looking at Spendor/Harbeth for a desktop set-up could run into some serious money.

The Harbeth's he's looking at are, I assume, the new HLP3 mini-monitor. There's currently a pair right here for $ 1350.

Perhaps I'm not understanding, but I'm not in the market for a desktop setup...I was just giving CWLondon some impressions. I'm not particularly a fan of the English sound myself, nor do I dislike it...just prefer a more forward presentation than Harbeths. I'm very happy with the Ohm Micro Walsh shorts that I'm currently using for desktop/nearfield. You may be confusing me with the OP, who suggested his interest in those speakers.

Thanks everyone.

Jax2, as usual, I appreciate your analysis and comments.

What is changing from the photos you saw is that I am going from 2 to 4 or even 6 bigger (32") computer monitors, so the speakers will be even farther apart.

Re ATCs sounding forward or aggressive...as much as I like them (and also their rosewood cabinets) I would have never guessed British ATCs might sound hot, and thus, always assumed it was my cheapo Behringer amplifiers, not any forward or aggressive sound on part of the speakers.

So maybe the Harbeths would be a significant upgrade?

As I have said in other threads, I have never really loved the midrange and/or musical sound of any system or speaker to only add that I wish they had more "inner detail" or "resolution" both of which I now - after 30 years of this - believe to be synonymous with listener's fatigue.

Particularly in this nearfield, desktop configuration, I am listening to them all day, every day, at home and at the office with music, computer sounds, streaming video, and cable TV as the input.

For the dedicated rig, I am keeping the Tympani IVa's but will upgrade the electronics, bi amp, and add analogue when I have the time to enjoy.

Glad you liked the room - it is indeed a lot of fun and even my wife and her friends think it is beautiful and interesting.

cwlondon

Re ATCs sounding forward or aggressive...as much as I like them (and also their rosewood cabinets) I would have never guessed British ATCs might sound hot, and thus, always assumed it was my cheapo Behringer amplifiers, not any forward or aggressive sound on part of the speakers.

The ATC's I heard were the very expensive 20's with their own internal amplification. I don't think they're much like the model you have, but can't say for sure.

As I have said in other threads, I have never really loved the midrange and/or musical sound of any system or speaker to only add that I wish they had more "inner detail" or "resolution" both of which I now - after 30 years of this - believe to be synonymous with listener's fatigue.

I think I know what you mean, but have some contrasting experience. I'm listening to a pair Grado GS1000 headphones as I write this, on a good HP amp. Tremendous inner detail and resolution, right up to my ears...yet they are not in the least fatiguing. I have heard systems that do excel in bringing out inner detail, yet are indeed fatiguing...not sure what the key is though. Interesting subject.

Particularly in this nearfield, desktop configuration, I am listening to them all day, every day, at home and at the office with music, computer sounds, streaming video, and cable TV as the input.

A. I want your job!
B. You deserve a great system.

Glad you liked the room - it is indeed a lot of fun and even my wife and her friends think it is beautiful and interesting.

I want your wife too! :-) Really, nice integration of living/working/passion. My hat's off (doesn't fit over the headphones anyway!

Actually was thinking about the P3SER but without knowing anything about them....or the various models for Spendor...

A bit smaller is nice, if only to save space on the desktop, but then again, slightly larger might have better bass, and therefore the warmer sound I am looking for?

Any thought on various models within the Spendor and Harbeth lines would also be helpful.

JAX
Sorry I got you confused with the original poster.
The pair you pointed out are a good value but CWLONDON
say he was thinking about the P3SER which is a new model and rarely shows up used. At almost $2200 it's not a speaker to buy without a serious audition. Plenty of rewiews are out there. Placement is key.
As a Spendor S3e owner, I will say that with good electronics Cwlondon should get the warm sound he is after
and with the rear ported cabinet the bass also. They can be found for a third of the P3SER and if you don't like them
they are easy to sell.Good Luck

Given your setup I'd suggest a good subwoofer might be another angle to pursue/consider.

At the lower end , the Wharfedales are amazing. You could step up a bit to the Audioengine A5s that are powered.
ATCs need a lot of power.
The Harbeths and Spendors are the next step up and need less power. They are both less strident than the ATCs. Not English but the Reference 3As may fit the bill.

You mention that you are using cheapo Behringer amps? I think that is possibly the main problem that needs to be addressed before you even considered changing speakers. You can't get a good sound with cheap amps, at least I never have been able to. I'd look for a nice sounding amp for the money you are willing to spend and then see how you like your speakers.

Ejlif

Thanks and I have thought about that, but if you search other threads, you will see that the cheapo Behringer A500 is supposed to be a "giant killer."

I am using two of them as monoblocks and biamping, where they barely break a sweat as I use them mostly for background and TV.

This is not to say that they truly are giant killers, or suggest that a Pass or Levinson or LAMM or ARC wouldn't sound better, but under the circumstances, I thought the amps were the least likely source of an edge in the system, and that even with those components, the differences between ATC, Spendor and Harbeth would be clearly audible.