Are Harbeth the only warm and euphonic speakers in town ?
I've looked far and wide especially for bookshelf speakers with prominent full mids and a lush sound. So far the only name that comes up is harbeth. Maybe Sonus faber but are there other speakers that have similar tone but are made by a different company?
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While I have Harbeth 30.2 XDs, I have to agree with the earlier posts that so much of the sound depends on the other elements of your system. When I upgraded to my Koetsu, the experience changed. Same thing happened when I changed my phono stage and once again with a recent amplifier and preamp switch.
At each stage, the Harbeths have been up to the task and continue to bring me a great deal of pleasure with each LP I play. |
@thr1961 you have a wonderful selection of gear. I’m looking for ARC Ref 160M’s because I think they’d do well with my Wilson Sasha’s and my other room with Harbeth. Hoping to score a preowned pair. |
“ ….Harbeths...Dull as a a dishwasher. With what amp….” AMP? - how about the REGA OSIRIS integrated amp , a killer upstream powerhouse. Or the Luxman L-590AX Mkii amplifier, or Hegel H390 Integrated Amplifier. - if you pair them with crummy upstream components, their transparency will religiously expose all those warts and deficiencies.( and dullness …) BUT …..Drive them with quality build hefty options, and they excel in the extreme.
DULL? - Hardly. You are in the very distinct minority, sir. …. there’s a big army out there that will immediately oppose your opinion. - sample reviews: https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2021/10/26/au41h1kkayv2m6xyjff3svgy8clt6n “ … I’ve owned a lot of speakers, both big and small, and it’s rare that I find one so engaging and musical, so at home with all types of music. This is a speaker that makes you excited about listening to music, makes you want to hear as much as possible and offers a connection to the artist that you don’t always find easily. The 30.2 XD is not just a speaker that I want to listen to music on, it’s a speaker that I want to live with, so much so, I put my money where my editorial mouth is and sent the distributor a check. Hats off to Shaw and co for producing a world class musical product.… https://www.stereonet.com/au/reviews/harbeth-m30-2-xd-loudspeakers-review ” ….Not having the pre-XD version of the Monitor M30.2 XD to compare the new model with, I cannot comment on the improvements. Yet I’m well able to applaud what’s now on sale. Certainly, this Xtended Definition edition is easily the best Harbeth I’ve heard so far – to me, it sounds very special, especially when playing through a serious amplifier. It may not offer any particular technological frills, but this is still one of the finest speakers around at its price and will put a smile on many faces. ..” Stereophile: Herb’s verdict: "the most tuneful, accurate, neutral, fun, and music-loving stand-mounted two-way speaker I’ve heard."
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- 102 posts total