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***Going Insane***End Game Speakers***Harbeth Verity or Living Voice***

Had been enjoying the LSA Monitor 1’s driven by the wonderful little Quad VA-One tube amp for the last 6 months when a nice Christmas Bonus was turned into a gently used pair of Fritz Carbon 7SE’s just this week...Within 24 hours of setting them up I hit the slots for a neat chunk o change and if I moved the Carbon 7’s out I could afford either the Harbeth M30.2 Anniversary or the Living Voice Avatar R3 or a pair of Demo Verity Audio Finn’s...No way to demo either the Verity or the Living Voice...Amp likely will not change as I REALLY love the sound the little Quad amp makes so it’s 15wpc. would be absolute minimum power on the Harbeths,not to bad into the 8ohm/91 db.Finns & would probably rock the Living Voice at 94db.sensitivity..If I ever do change amps it would be for a SimAudio Moon 240i...
Room size is apx.12’x14’x8’,well treated and I value an organic,natural sound with good timbre,soundstaging & imaging..What do you guys think?
freediver
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,318 posts
 

Law of diminishing returns?

If you really are in the grip of upgraditis, why not see if Fritz will take the Carbon's back in part exchange for some Carrera BE's.  Those are superb, and they will play very well with your little Quad.

While the Quad might drive the Harbeths, they really come alive with something a good deal more powerful, like a big Rogers tube integrated.

tswisla
176 posts
 
Forget about Harbeth with the amp that you have.
ericsch
752 posts
 
@tswisla +1
I am running SHL5+ with tube amp @ 45 watts per channel and somtimes wish I had more power. With your amp look at Devore.
glennewdick's avatar
glennewdick
1,665 posts
 
I’ve been living with some Living Voice Avatar 2’s upgraded to the current drivers for about 2 years now. They are very finicky to placement and really cannot be stuck too close to the back wall, side wall or in a corner to far. But if you have the room for them they are worth every penny as they do have an outstanding soundstage in width and depth. If they get to close to the walls the bass does get a little reinforcement but you loose too much in the sound staging IMO.  

Your Quad amps will be perfect for them as well. I’ve been driving mine with a 300b SET at 8wch with very good results in a condo, so no rock parties. I’d really say they could use a little more in a larger room. your 15wpc will be great. Kevin Scott voices them with 20wpc Kondo Japan Amps. 

I’ve heard the Harbeths in Sound Hounds here in Victoria and they are very similar in many ways. I agree you need more power for them then you have.

The LV’s are very musical and none fatiguing. they are detailed and very involving. they do well in the bass with very good speed and bass note separation, well down to 35hz anyway. They are a speaker to listen to music through not to listen to your audio system if that makes sense. The LV’s will also show the differences in different equipment quite easily and only get better with better equipment.

I’ve also had the opportunity to deal with Living Voice - Definitive Audio for a driver issue (that’s why I upgraded) when I poked a hole in one by mistake moving something. Lynn Scott offered to upgrade the drivers to the current model at the same price as the NOS driver or just the NOS driver. Of course I had to buy 4 instead of 1 when I upgraded. She sent them to me next day and they arrived three days later from the UK. Very good people to deal with if I do say so.


If you want more information message me.


mountainsong's avatar
mountainsong
422 posts
 
Harbeth need power regardless what owners or dealer say.
The only way i was able to see what harbeth 30.1 do was powering them with Hegel H30. The C7es3 they are more efficient that can be drive with Luxamn class A etc.
The 40.2 i am powering them with luxman 900u monos.
Harbeth need power period, otherwise roll off sound will follow you.
Enjoy the music
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