What Is So Special About Harbeth?

Have both the 30.1’s and 40.2’s and they do sound great in all respects... when... driven by the right amplifiers - especially, the Hegel’s, which Alan Shaw demos his speakers with.

The SS Hegel amps control the woofers and mids properly, which adds clarity, detail and dynamics. Makes all the difference in the quality of their sound and elevates them more to a sound similar to Quad ESL57’s, or even close to ATC’s.

They also sound great with the Mac MA252, or MA352 tube / SS hybrids.

Though, I’d prolly still prefer the ATC’s - they’re harder to find at a reasonable price.

And... if you want something that’s much easier to drive, which can rival the sound of the Harbeths - the Klipsch Heritage line is a great option - which can sound great with some great tube amps (e.g. Line Magnetic LM 219ia, etc.). And... you can likely find them at a better price.

I agreed with many of the comments of how the Harbeth sound lacked clarity, detail and dynamics... UNTIL... I found the right electronics to drive them - which are the amps the designer demos them with - the Hegel amps.  

They are a totally different speaker with the right electronics that match their impedance and power requirements with sufficient damping to properly control their drivers.  I would not have kept them, otherwise.

If you haven't heard them with the Hegel amps, or others similar (such as the Mac MA252 SS / tube hybrid) - you haven't really heard the Harbeths.  

Well… with the right electronics there is very little that come close to the sound quality of the 30.1/2 and 40.1/2.  The rich sound is almost unmatched except for the Quad ESL57s.

But… “the right electronics” are the key words (eg. Hegel and Mac MA252 MA452.

I should clarify - they are superb for discerning "audiophile sound" (e.g. jazz, classical, country, acoustic, vocals, etc.).  For this type of music, they are almost unmatched.    

Any old speaker is fine for rock and hip hop, etc. - better off with JBL or Klipsch.  

I have the 30.1’s and the 40.2’s driven by the Hegel H590 integrated DAC/Preamp/Amp... and... they are superb for classical, jazz, country... all things acoustic. You will find very few speakers that can match them when driven by matching electronics - which means Hegel, or McIntosh MA252 or MA352, or similar high current SS amps with high damping factors. Their bass and lower mids need the control provided by a high current SS amp.

They sound very similar to the Quad ESL57’s - the best speaker there is for that type of music. When I first got them, I was not impressed and would not have kept them had I not purchased the Hegel integrated - which is the amplification Harbeth demos them with at shows. It makes a noticeable difference - in their resolution, clarity, dynamics and detail. I also supplement them with the Townshend Super Tweeters, which I think helps them a bit with detail resolution, clarity and air.

They’re mids and lower mids / upper bass are superb - very rich with wonderful presence. Some call it "warm." They will not give you the ear piercing highs of a BE or Diamond tweeter - they have more natural highs. And... though they do sound fine at low volumes, they really need to be driven to produce their best clarity, dynamics and detail. Unless you really are a basshead... you will find their bass very good - so long as driven with a high current SS amp. They’re best with other components that are not voiced with a "warm" sound.

Though - if you are a "rocker" you will want JBL or Klipsch - which will provide you greater impact and a bit faster, cooler bass and mids, while still sounding great with the types of music noted here.

While the SHL5+ will have greater treble emphasis and maybe a bit faster bass, the 30.1’s, 40.2’s and P3ESR all have a very simiar sound, with the P3ESR being superb for nearfield listening in small rooms. The others have a bit too much bass for smaller rooms. If you are wanting to try them... you might start with the P3ESR’s in a smaller room (e.g. say 10x12, or so), though they will sound great in a bit larger rooms. The key is the matching electronics.

This will give you a great idea of the sound that we’re describing - mine sound very much like these:

Well... If I were going to spend as much as some of you have suggested for the 40.3's... I probably would go for the ATC-100's... because they are so transparent, and the clarity is superb.  I'm uncertain, if they have as much "magic" (rich, weighty sound) as the 40.2's / 40.3's... 

Although, as I sit here and listen to the 40.3's just now... they do have a very real tone, timbre and texture with strings, and horns - it is difficult to imagine much better.  

Something I've noticed today as I've tried my AR 5SE preamp and AR 150SE amp class A tube amps with my Harbeth 30.1's is that they seem to drive the 30.1's better on the 16 ohm speaker taps, than on the 8ohm speaker taps.  They seem to have a bit faster sound with greater clarity on the 16ohm taps, and a bit slower, thicker, muddy sound on the 8ohm taps.  

Don't know why that would be?  

That was the primary reason I got the Hegel H590 to drive the Harbeths - because it had so much greater clarity with them, than with the AR tube amps, when I first tried them.  But, using the 16ohm taps seems to clear them up - more like the H590, but with a bit of tube air.  

That was my one issue with the Harbeth 30.1's and 40.2's I have - until I got the H590... and... now having discovered their sound using the 16ohm taps of the AR tubes amps.  

jjss49

03-09-2022 at 10:31pm 

"according to harbeth/alan shaw, the xd models are supposed to give a very slight treble lift and midbass lean-out compared to each respective models' prior versions (mon 30, 40, super 5 and compact 7)"

That is why I got the Hegel H590 to drive my 30.1's and 40.2's - because I wanted more of a treble balance and leaner mid-bass sound, as the new models seem to have.  The H590 cleared them right up, as does the 16ohm taps on my AR tube amps seem to.