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The Harbeth phenomenon

In my search for a new pair of speakers, I've gone through many threads here and noticed that many owners or fans of Harbeth have almost a love-like connection with Harbeth speakers. It is almost as if the speakers cast a spell upon them. I know many audiophiles love their speakers but Harbeth owners seem especially enamored with theirs. I am extremely puzzled by this phenomenon because on paper Harbeth speakers look average at best and lack many of the attributes that generally make a great speaker.

Their sensitivity of generally around the 86dB mark makes them rather inefficient and therefore, at least in theory, not a good match for many lower powered tube amps, or any amps below 100wpc. Their frequency range is simply inferior to most high-end speakers since they don't go below 40 Hz. This alone should, again at least in theory, disqualify Harbeth speakers from consideration as top high end speakers. And yet I've never heard anyone complain about their bass, while people complain about lack of bass in the Gibbon Nines from DeVore, which is a fantastic speaker. Their cabinets look like a cheap DIY enclosure (disclaimer: I've never seen a Harbeth up close, only pictures). The 7ES-3 is rated B-Restricted, while the smaller and cheaper Usher Be-718 A-Restricted in Stereophile but garners nowhere near the same amount of admiration, praise and following among audiophiles.

So what's going on here? Is this a big conspiracy plot by the company that paid off a few hundred of people to infiltrate audiophile internet forums and a few reviewers? I am of course joking here, but the question is serious. How can speakers so average on paper be so good in real life? I know the opposite is often true, but you rarely see this phenomenon.

Please speak up.
actusreus

Showing 3 responses by shadorne

shadorne's avatar
shadorne
7,477 posts
 
It is called mid range. Some people hear it and some don't. Those who love mid range will hold dear the qualities of a speaker like Harbeth. Soundlabs are another example and Quad ESL 57's are an extreme example ( precious little else is good on these speakers but the mid range is exceptional ).

Unfortunately in all the pizazz and boom boom tizz of speaker performance, many people have lost the ability to hear timbre and a good mid range. Like an action movie junkie that lives for the next car chase or explosion, most audiophiles are chasing these extremes rather than paying attention to the quality and detail expressed in the cinematography.

If you have an ear for mid range quality then you cannot help but admire Harbeth. If you are unable to appreciate this then they are rather boring speakers...
shadorne's avatar
shadorne
7,477 posts
 
Tvad,

Sorry I did not see your post.

FWIW the M40.1 is really rather uninspiring - even Stereophile did not take much of a shine to it. The compact 7 and SHL5 are way better in the mids - these are the models that people seem to get excited about.

Harbeths need to be brought forward and listened to from near field. The radial driver is very clean with great clarity in the mid range. I think pretty much everyone agrees on that.
shadorne's avatar
shadorne
7,477 posts
 
Pdreher,

Agreed. It is primarily the dispersion that JA is uncomofortable with and the "untidiness at 800 Hz". (I think he is perhaps suggesting woofer breakup might be occuring at audible levels arpund 800 Hz - only down 24 db - a more aggresive x-over slope could eliminate that - although this may give added warmth particularly on male vocals)
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