they are amazingly underwhelming aesthetically. (ugly in my opinion)
I am pretty sure they sound incredible from what I read, I have yet to hear them in person.
What Is So Special About Harbeth?
SLike probably all of you, I just received notice from Audiogon of a 20% discount on Harbeth XD. I clicked on the tab and found that the sale price is about $2700. I have read so many glowing comments here about Harbeth — as if just saying the name is the password for entering aural nirvana. I admit, I haven’t listened to Harbeth speakers. But looking at these, they just look like smallish bookshelf speakers. I’m not questioning how good others say these speakers are, but HOW do they do it out of an ordinary-looking box?
Is it the wood? Is it the bracing? Is it the crossover components? Is it the cone material? What is the reason why these Harbeth’s are such gems compared to other bookshelf speakers? What is it about the construction or technology that makes these speakers a deal at $2700 on sale versus the $800, 900 or $1,000 that others normally cost? What is the secret that makes audiophiles thrill to get such a costly bargain?
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It does appear that Harbeth may be in need of cash. They are discounting models on the TMR website and now this. The 30.2 XDs at $7k can be made to sound very good. What is special about them? The cabinet is tuned to be part of the listening experience. The British way. Works nicely for some music. People seem to enjoy the special status awarded a Harbeth owner. My MSRP of Harbeth would be about 50% of their mark.
Recently the Crossovers were examined at GR Research and found to be composed of lower grade components as well as hopelessly complex. I do hope the next time Harbeth orders more of the metal screws they love to use on the faceplate they will consider splurging on some that match the wood finish.
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It's dreadfully difficult to design dynamic speakers. Specifically the cross overs. I pretty much listen to classical exclusively, so for me Quad electrostatics are best. I think it's safe to say, that designing electrostatic speakers is much less of an accomplishment to designing a great sounding pair of dynamic speakers. |
During the lock down I saw a special offer from the local dealer for the 40.2. Because of the Harbeth hype, I spent 12K without auditioning them as they were sealed / new pair. At home, I discovered it was very limited in its abilities no matter the electronics or the set up. For some types of music they excel and for some others, is difficult to endure. Make sure you audition with all types of music and various volume levels. No experience with other Harbeth models. |
I love my Harbeth’s, but would not recommend them for hard rock, they are in my opinion, not ‘fast’, they do not “rock”, by which I mean AC/DC sounds polite. Amazing for vocal, acoustic, classical, blues, jazz, but if Pantera or Ghost is your cup of tea, I’d suggest other speakers. They don’t sound bad with hard rock, but I have heard much better with other speakers for that type of music. |
I was enchanted by the Harbeth sound after hearing the P3ESR and Super HL5 Plus at a friend's house. The detail and soundstaging were amazing, and as others have said, the midrange. It was easy to close your eyes and imagine Jennifer Warnes a few feet away and hearing every breath as she sang. My friend went on to the 40.2s, which were incredible. I ended up buying both for my home. I'm still in love with the P3ESR which are set up in a small system near field with a small sub. The Super HL5 Plus don't hold up (in my room, with my gear) when pushed to loud volumes. I usually listen at moderate volumes but like to rock out once in a while, and that's when things get a little bright. I also have a pair of Stirling LS3/6 which are based on the same design as the Super HL5 Plus. They are not quite as detailed but are a little easier to listen to at higher volumes and are soundstage champs. You have to hear them to appreciate them. |
Years ago at RMAF I heard a Bricasti Design DAC and (?amp, not his) power a large three-way pair of Harbeths (ported as I recall) that looked like big monitors. Classical music is okay and I own some (not enough) and work at it but hearing that setup with classical music made me want to stay for hours. It was stunning sound due in no part to those speakers as well as electronics. It was one of a very few show moments (over a dozen years) that I never forget.... |
I have heard a few Harbeths (and Grahams ... same BBC lineage). They are sweet on the right music, as stated here, The competition is tough in that price range, which for me is expensive for a stand mounted speaker with limited bottom end. I have read that they still have to pay a royalty to the BBC for the design, though I don't know that is true. If yes, it adds to the price without direct benefit. |
That's a straw man, as I don't recall anyone raving about the great value of Harbeths, though they certainly can represent good value on the secondary market. As to the allure, well, that's well known. A gorgeous midrange, and very accurate tones and timbre, especially with human voices and acoustic instruments. The smaller models are bass deficient, but for those who don't listen to head-banging material, it is a flaw that can be overlooked, or repaired with a subwoofer.
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Quite a lot of self promotion, and dare I say self aggrandizement in that video ( this one Watch this. ). At the 14:10 mark I heard that injection molded cones are "a unique thing". Careful, umm, marketing is a significant part of any consumer electronics firm's success. Now that's not unique. |
I had Harbeth Super HL-5's for about 7 or 8 years; they are wonderful speakers with a great mid-range and treble; if you want bass, a sub-woofer would be recommended. I think they're best for jazz, classical, and more acoustic music. I'm a rocker, and while I enjoyed my time with them, I'm enjoying my KLH Model 5's a lot more, and my Fritz Carerra BE's before those, as well. |
Watch this. Harbeth feels the design and engineering of the cone is the most important piece. Plus everything is handmade with intense quality control, you end up with something special that absolutely nails natural timbre with beautiful details. But is it worth that price tag? I think it depends how you intend use them and your room. I have ProAc Tab 10s, which I think play in the same arena with Harbeth. They definitely slay any speaker of comparable size. It's near-field nirvana. But for a living room space they just don't fill out the bottom end as much as I like. It's just physics of small diameter woofers. |
