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Harbeth Love and your experiences

Hi all,

I LOVE Harbeth speakers.

Some years ago I heard the 40.1s the very first time. I could tell they were special. I remember them pulling me into the music and stopped me trying to analyze how the speakers sound.

A month ago, I heard the 40.2s and they were also good but I kinda remembered the 40.1s sounding better overall.

My Harbeth hunt didn't stop. Today I heard the SLH5Plus and Compact 7es3.

First the SLH5 Plus, very good. I enjoyed them a lot for almost all sort of music type. Then I switched to Compact 7es3. WOW! I loved them. Amazing. Something very special about them. Different than SLH5 Plus. Probably the best speakers I have heard regardless of price.

What is the best Harbeth model you have heard?

I wonder if the older Harbeths sound better? I wonder how the Monitor 30s sound? Or the previous SLH5 (non Plus).

Can you please share your experiences?

Thanks.
celo
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,504 posts
 
@chrisr
I would say they are neutral. Of course it depends on the electronics used with them. I have owned the compact 7 and preferred the P3 in my room. Here is a review of them that I totally agree with! BTW, I have never heard a Totem speaker so I can’t give you a comparison!!
http://www.hifizine.com/2011/12/harbeth-p3esr/
chrisr's avatar
chrisr
542 posts
 
I will own a pair some day.
yashu
195 posts
 
My speaker evolution;

1.  Spendor SP1.     Wonderful even today in my second system.
2.  Spendor LS35a.  Amazing little beauties.
3.  Thiel 2.4.  Grating, major listening fatigue.  Dumped fast.
4.  Dynaudio Confidence C1.  Never could get used to the look.  Sold
5.  Proac Response 2.5.  Simply wonderful.  Sold
5.  Quad esl57.  Remarkable within their limitations.  Forever!
6.  Harbeth SLH5 plus.  Forever!

My quest for wonderful is now complete after obtaining my Harbeth SLH5 plus, and also rotating my rebuilt Quad  Esl57's just for a change now and then.

My Harbeth's are beautiful to look at and even better to hear.  Never the slightest bit of listener fatigue.  They sound wonderful with all types of music, and just seem to make everything sound better.

These will get through to my final resting place.  So happy to have discovered this special brand.  Enjoying them immensely.  No wow or shock value.  Just luscious magnificent music that continues to draw me in.

celo OP
158 posts
 
No offense to people who spend big bucks on "ultra high-end" expensive speakers. Really, Harbeth is the only speaker you need. I have heard and owned many speakers. Some cheap, some expensive. I owned from Sonus Faber Extrema to Elac, Magnepan to PSBs. I heard from JM Labs to Martin Logan, Dynaudio to Vienna Acoustics.

I have always thought price/performance ratio is very important. Sometimes you get very good performance spending little, sometimes big money does not get you anywhere. I think most speakers sound pretty much the same (I say most). Detailed, good bass, neutral, big soundstage, good imaging, etc. etc. I got really tired of trying to figure out how to get better sound. Let me change the cable, let me change the amp, etc. I believe once I purchase the Harbeths which I will very soon and whatever model I purchase, it will be my last speakers. I truly believe that.
celo OP
158 posts
 
I should also add that (obviously) above is my opinion. Everyone is different. No, Harbeth will not rock the house, no they are not party speakers. So, I guess there will be people who even hate Harbeths:)
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