Integrated amp recommendations for harbeth 30.2 XD

I must agree with Alan Shaw and those here who have recommended the Hegel H390, or H590 (which I have) and other Hegels.

I found these the only amplifiers to allow the Harbeth M30.1 and M40.2 to achieve their optimum sound. They absolutely require a powerful SS amp to do so... but... especially Hegel amps.

They clear up the bass and mids, and add the dynamics that others can’t achieve. I would not have kept either of these fine Harbeths, had I not heard them with the Hegel amps. IMO they allow the Harbeths to compete with about any speaker available!

Though, I could also consider the McIntosh MA252 and MA352 tube / SS hybrids as a close equivalent - they may even add some pristine highs that are unrivaled.

Check out these videos - you’ll be AMAZED:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=harbeth+30.1+with+hegel+

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=harbeth+30.1+and+mcintosh+ma252

Though - I’m sure the rooms and room treatments may add a lot!

I think I posted that my KRELL k-300i would be great with a Harbeth, but I deleted that post since I was set to sell the unit. However, today those plans have changed and the KRELL is needed.

I have heard the Harbeth with Luxman c900u and m900u combo and it was great. The Harbeth are usually not the type of speaker I gravitate towards. However, with the Luxman pairing It was great, but also very expensive

My KRELL k-300i integrated sounds a lot like that Luxman sound that I heard. Very smooth, detailed, and powerful. The internal DAC is OK and is what I will use in the future for convenience. I also hooked up a Gustard X26 Pro DAC and an AudioMirror Tubadour III SE with Fibre Optical streaming into USB and it was better than the internal DAC streamed to the NETWORK (RJ45) input.

I highly recommend this unit and I think it is the best integrated in the $12K and under price range that I have heard. The CODA CSiB is also another great integrated but I think the KRELL is a bit smoother (maybe a good thing), with stronger bass, and technically very advanced (with DAC option).

AKG_CA, I broadly agree with your sentiments.

I just bought the comparatively modest strata CHORD RUMOUR speaker cables to purposely test drive Mr. Shaw’s theories / assumption in the coming weeks in a direct A-B shootout against my incumbent FREYs. (There is a BIG difference in price point deltas…)

Interested parties can PM me on the results.

Alan Shaw used to express opinionated views on amplifiers, cables and stands for his speakers. I wouldn’t want to bring it out here again but let’s just say I don’t agree with his opinions as well. Before he advocated powerful Hegel amps for Harbeth speakers, he used to say amplifiers don’t matter as any modest-powered amp would work on his speaker. This includes the Rega Brio, Elicit and Nait 5i to name a few. Of course it would work. The real question is whether music will sound good with those low powered amps..

In my experience, no.

The Rega Osiris must be something special to sound better than the LFD with the Harbeth. Is the LFD a Zero or NCSE? The Osiris has received very positive reviews by the Brits, both reviewers and users alike.

Please share your impressions on the Nordost Frey vs Chord Rumour speaker cable on this thread. Personally I don’t think the Rumour will sound better than the Frey. I used to have Chord Epic on the Harbeth SHL5+ . The Epic is a higher range cable than the Rumour and it does sound quite respectable with the Harbeth. I now use Chord Signature XL and it made the Epic sound colored and slightly congested. The higher range Signature XL’s clarity is quite a step up from the Epic. For this reason I don’t think the Rumour will surpass the performance of the Nordost Frey in your system. In short, cables do matter with the Harbeth or any other speaker in my experience.

I do not have experience with the Krell K-S300i although I briefly tried the KAV-300i in my system many years ago. I presume the signature punch and dynamic presentation of the Krell would be quite ideal for the Harbeth.

As shown in this thread, the current capability and drive of the amp is one of the single most important parameters to ensure the Harbeth will sound good, if not great.

the hegel h160 while a ’last gen’ piece at this point, would, imo, set a very high bar to beat in driving harbeths (it is last gen primarily in the dac section only, the amp section is still absolutely top notch) - this is why i am so curious to hear @whipsaw’s findings with his new gato... it would be really something of note if the gato can outperform the h160

another amp i have found to work very very well with the harbeths are the devialets (they also have a useful ’sam’ feature that enhances the bass response of the speaker while also protecting the bass driver) - truly excellent sound

finally, harbeths are a speaker that readily exposes the sq difference between really fine amps like hegel or ayre or pass vs something like a nad... this comment is borne from personal experience, not reviews, nor conjecture