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Which Harbeths?

Trying to decide between the the M30.1/2 and the C7es3/XD. I’ve researched it a fair amount and I’m coming up a bid confused. Like most things it seems people have conflicting opinions. I’m coming from using various Totems for the last decade. I also just had a pair of Dynaudio special 40s for a short time before selling. I found the 40s were better at playing louder and had a bit softer top end, but overall just lacked that something special, ironically. What I’m really after is that just rightness I get with Totems. While I find there top end a bit much I’ve been willing to work with it because of the just rightness I personally get from them. My wife likes to say they sing which I think gets the just of it as well. Harbeth has sounded very attractive to me for a while and hope to find another version of a special speaker in them.  One that hopefully is a bit smoother in the presence and treble areas while also being very engaging and musical. I use a McIntosh mc302 and C46, so plenty of power for any of the Harbeths I’d think.  Anyways, I’d appreciate any feedback in these two models I can get. Anybody who has experience with both Harbeth and Toen I would have particular interest in your take. I live about 4 hours from any dealer and I don’t like to waste their time since I will inevitably buy used anyways.  
brylandgoodman

Showing 1 response by cd318

cd318
2,636 posts
 
From what I’ve heard of either I’d say they’re quite different. The Totems were quite agile and dynamic, but the Harbeths seemed better balanced.

I also found the Totems a bit sharp up top too, but this was about 10 years ago, the Forests I think, tall and quite slim.

As for the Harbeths, the M30s were said to have the best treble as they shared the same tweeter as the M40s. You should check to see if this still remains the case.
If you’re sensitive to treble issues, you’re quite right to be careful. For some of us, they’re a real deal breaker.
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