Harbeth speakers ? - Seeking opinions and recommendations ....

The Harbeth presents music in a wholly natural way without any listening fatigue. The midrange has a nice warmish feel and the highs are sweet, smooth and extended. Although there lies a super-tweeter in the SHL-5 that in the mind of some folks would extend the high frequencies in having more clarity and detail, the speaker is not the last word in transparency. The treble does not sound as airy or extended as some other high-end speakers with ultra-revealing tweeters constructed from exotic materials, nor do they impose an intimidating stature compared to other physically large speakers with high-quality gloss finish standing over 6 feet tall. This is neither a disparaging comment nor criticism towards the SHL-5 as the sound it produces is what that matters. The lack of transparency and detail can be seen as a favorable trait that may appeal to listeners with specific listening preferences. This particular inherent characteristic of Harbeth speakers, I believe, has been fundamental in creating a zero listening fatigue which in my opinion is vital in contributing towards the musical enjoyment with many hours of listening pleasure.
This sums up my impression of them as well. Although, it may be too much of a good thing with your GAT+ART combo...
 
This sums up my impression of them as well. Although, it may be too much of a good thing with your GAT+ART combo...

Thanks Mike,

I have a feeling a neutral SS amp might be a better balance (read Job 225) but I feel my GAT/ART combo might actually be outstanding.
 
Joe,

For what (little) it's worth, I've been running a set of P3ESR's on my desktop for the past couple years - and have had zero desire to replace them. What they lack in terms of dynamic range, finesse, and the kinda glossy adjectives that we usually use to describe the performance of high-end loudspeakers, they make up for by offering a very pleasant tonal palette. If you have the opportunity to bring home a pair, then I'd encourage ya to do so! 'Tis the kinda speaker that every music lover/audiophile should spend quality time with.

Oh, and for what it's worth, I've paired my Harbeth's with a wide array of electronics in the two-year span that I've owned em'. From 'tell it like it is' gear to warm-sounding EL-84 based integrated amps. So far, the little P3ESR's have no issues accommodating either types of electronics. I'd imagine all of the other transducers in the Harbeth line would share this attribute.
 
I really appreciate your experience. These are the kind of speakers I've wanted for so long and for whatever reason, never pulled the trigger. I will at some point fulfill that desire. I don't enjoy the absolute truth but a little warmth and musicality goes a long way for me.
 
I really appreciate your experience. These are the kind of speakers I've wanted for so long and for whatever reason, never pulled the trigger. I will at some point fulfill that desire. I don't enjoy the absolute truth but a little warmth and musicality goes a long way for me.

Joe
You will not regret it:hi:
 
Bob

I trust you and Paul on the Harbeth speakers. I am starting a process to sell the TADs and Evos and even some gear to consolidate my system and thin the heard. I hope to sell quickly.

Joe
You will not regret it:hi:
 
Joe,

I just glanced at your staggering list of components and.... Chyeahhh... I don't think you'll have to worry about finding a good 'match' for whatever set of Harbeth's you end up with.
 
Which model(s) are you looking at Joe? And where will these be going?

What model Harbeth? Not sure, but knowing there is a 40.1 model it's hard to think about anything else.

Joe,

I just glanced at your staggering list of components and.... Chyeahhh... I don't think you'll have to worry about finding a good 'match' for whatever set of Harbeth's you end up with.

:blush:
 
What model Harbeth? Not sure, but knowing there is a 40.1 model it's hard to think about anything else.



:blush:

Joe....My M40.1 is almost sold condition and waiting for my buyer to pick up and thinking to re-purchase the SHL5 again :disbelief:
 
Joe....My M40.1 is almost sold condition and waiting for my buyer to pick up and thinking to re-purchase the SHL5 again :disbelief:

Wow! Really?! That's very interesting. I am going to have to hear them.
 
Thanks Paul. I know how important it is to match the speaker to the room.
 
I owned the little Harbeth P3ESR's for a awhile and really loved them. Wish I still had them. They wouldn't replace my Spendor's but I could always find a place for them.
 
Thanks Art,

I will have to get a pair (not sure what model) someday.
 
Hello all

I am new to this forum but noticed this Harbeth thread and thought I would chime in as a long time, satisfied Harbeth owner.

These discussions always require the caveat of the impact of room and system matching effects, but I have found the Harbeths to be relatively forgiving of matching electronics and relatively easy to place compared with other speakers.

I have heard all of the Harbeth models with the exception of the newest 30.1 and have owned the Harbeth C7ES3 on Skylan stands for some time (currently used in my office 2 ch system). I personally think the C7ES3 and the HLS 5 are the sweet spots of the range (may include the new 30.1 as well but I have no personal experience). The smaller P series are very nice but limited in range without the use of sub(s) and the 40.1 flagships are excellent as well but IMO need a bit more care in room matching to avoid some potential boomy bass.

I have heard the Harbeths match very well with Herron, Leben, Naim, Red Wine Audio, VAC, ARC, Luxman and CJ, so Joe's current equipment selection would be ideal.

My thoughts on strengths of these speakers corroborate previous comments regarding their beguiling, smooth sound and lack of grain to provide unintterupted hours of musical enjoyment without fatigue. When I play music such as Andres Segovia or Ottmar Liebert classical acoustic guitar or listen to premier vocalists like Ella and others, or jazz like Ben Webster as another poster mentioned, I find the Harbeths to be the match of most any speaker I have heard, with an especially compelling midrange.

I find them to be less successful as the music becomes more complex (massed orchestral strings or brass) or bombastic (many larger symphonic works and such). That is not to say they sound bad, just not their forte, again in my subjective opinion (and again acknowledging the impact of electronics on this point). For me, they do not scale as well as some other speakers. They also do not have the visceral bass, extreme leading edge of the note attack or exceedingly high resolution in the higher frequencies that some in our hobby prefer.

To my ears, though, they have a natural sound that more closely conjures the live, un-amplified acoustic music that I perceive when I visit live venues. They seem more normal and realistic, as opposed to exaggerated or artificial as I perceive in some other brands and sizes of speakers - sort of more "human scaled" for typical, residential environments.

My Harbeths will remain for use in my smaller system and for the large portion of my musical tastes exemplified above for the foreseeable future, even if they are no longer resident in my main 2 ch system. They are more of a "keeper" than a flavor of the month sort of speaker for me, and I like to have some variety in any case.

Hope this helps to describe their appeal.

Jim
 
Jim, I agree! I own the C7's in tiger ebony and love them. I switched to an all Shindo system using a 10wpc amp that just does not have the power for them. I have hung on to them in a back bedroom for two years thinking I'll have a second system one day... Just can not bring myself to part with them.
 
Back
Top