Sweet! I hope you enjoy yours as much as I have mine.
Help me complete my stereo system (Harbeth, ClearAudio Concept).
Hello Everyone,
I would like your help in completing my new 2 channel audio system. My room is approximately (11ft X 14ft X 9ft ceiling) or about 42 square meters.
I value good vinyl playback over streaming and CDs and listen mostly to small group jazz.
I want to stay within a reasonable budget, so I'm focused on entry level components from high quality companies. To give you an indication, I own a ClearAudio Concept with the Satisfy arm and MM cartridge.
As far as speakers are concerned, it will be either the Harbeth P3ESR or Compact 7s. I have auditioned both with expensive Accuphase amps and was blown away by the P3ESR, especially their natural, open sound and ability to fill a decent size room. C7s struck me as less dynamic ... but let me know if those would be preferable considering my space and listening tastes.
I am fairly certain that I will be favouring Solid State to drive the little Harbeth, and car analogy, realistically a well-tuned 4 cylinder turbo rather than a V8 with power to spare. I plan to add a DAC for streaming and radio, more as a convenience than anything else (serious listening is always vinyl). An onboard phono is preferred but not a deal breaker. Speakers and stands to be considered separately.
Thanking everyone for their help and comments.
I would like your help in completing my new 2 channel audio system. My room is approximately (11ft X 14ft X 9ft ceiling) or about 42 square meters.
I value good vinyl playback over streaming and CDs and listen mostly to small group jazz.
I want to stay within a reasonable budget, so I'm focused on entry level components from high quality companies. To give you an indication, I own a ClearAudio Concept with the Satisfy arm and MM cartridge.
As far as speakers are concerned, it will be either the Harbeth P3ESR or Compact 7s. I have auditioned both with expensive Accuphase amps and was blown away by the P3ESR, especially their natural, open sound and ability to fill a decent size room. C7s struck me as less dynamic ... but let me know if those would be preferable considering my space and listening tastes.
I am fairly certain that I will be favouring Solid State to drive the little Harbeth, and car analogy, realistically a well-tuned 4 cylinder turbo rather than a V8 with power to spare. I plan to add a DAC for streaming and radio, more as a convenience than anything else (serious listening is always vinyl). An onboard phono is preferred but not a deal breaker. Speakers and stands to be considered separately.
Thanking everyone for their help and comments.
- ...
- 70 posts total
| Post removed |
The rogue Sphinx v3 would drive those harbeths nicely. It has both a great mc/mm phono stage built in, as well as a very good headphone amp. Hybrid tube/class d. A herb Reichert favorite. $1500 bucks, but I can get one cheaper, but I cannot tell 😁 Here is Herb’s review: https://www.stereophile.com/content/rogue-sphinx-v3-integrated-amplifier Add a musical fidelity v90 dac $299, if you can still find one, and then a Grace Digital link internet radio/streamer with digital and analog out $159 on sale. Two great pieces. All the above for under $2k. Acoustic sounds sells the harbeth p3esr, they are good to deal with. The cherry and the rosewood are in stock. |
Deja Vu Audio has the full line of Harbeth and they sell ClearAudio turntables. Where they depart from the advice given above is that they exclusively deal in tube amplifiers. I have heard all of the Harbeth lineup there, and I like the P3's more than the 7's. The P3's sound quite good with even lower powered tube gear, so I would not automatically scratch tube gear off the list. Deja Vu has a Parasound Halo amp in the store to do demonstrations against their various tube amplifier offerings, and that is always an entertaining demonstration (typically, even a cheap tube amp will sound significantly better). |
- 70 posts total