avanti1960,
I use the Harbeths with the grilles off as I do with all my speakers. I know what you mean when you speak of the warmth of the cabinet. It is something I'm not familiar with because of the bamboo cabinets of my Ascend Sierra towers. As mentioned before more hours of break-in are piling up and as that is happening they are tightening up. One thing I did notice is that I have to turn up the volume because of the lower sensitivity. I can rock out and the speaker does not lose its composure. This is one thing that pleases me and will give me the patience to stick with them in the near future. I will always want a little tighter overall sound but the Ascends are leaner in the midrange and the Harbeths more than cover that aspect with a more pleasing fuller sound with vocals, etc.
I use the Harbeths with the grilles off as I do with all my speakers. I know what you mean when you speak of the warmth of the cabinet. It is something I'm not familiar with because of the bamboo cabinets of my Ascend Sierra towers. As mentioned before more hours of break-in are piling up and as that is happening they are tightening up. One thing I did notice is that I have to turn up the volume because of the lower sensitivity. I can rock out and the speaker does not lose its composure. This is one thing that pleases me and will give me the patience to stick with them in the near future. I will always want a little tighter overall sound but the Ascends are leaner in the midrange and the Harbeths more than cover that aspect with a more pleasing fuller sound with vocals, etc.