Which integrated amp with Harbeths?

What did you think of the Ayre?

I suppose the integrated that Fidelis has to demo with Harbeth is the Lavardin. Did you hear it? I've been very curious about that product.

Drubin - you are correct, I listened to the Lavardin IT. Actually, they also had the Cambridge integrated that sells for around $1,300. I thought the Cambridge was very good for the money but left me wanting more. It's been too many months for me to remember all the details of my opinion of the Lavardin IT, but overall it produced a very nice presentation of the music. The soundstage was a bit 'between the speakers' confined. Not as broad or deep as I'm hoping to find in an integrated I can afford. The big negative for me was that it was too expensive new, and Lavardin doesn't offer a remote. Sorry, but at 55 I've earned the right to sit on my arse and adjust the volume without jumpin' up and down out of my listening chair. Fidelis claims to have asked Lavardin for a remote for the US market but they refuse.

Choosing to live in a remote location has many benefits, but it sure makes it hard to buy audio gear. Impossible to demo the products I'm interested in in my system, and can't find a dealer who has the same product lines to demo. I'll probably buy something used here on A'gon knowing that I can always turn it around if I don't like it.

Have you run across the Sonics speakers? I demo'd them at Singers in NYC. Fairly new to the market from an established designer. Apparently they have very limited distribution at this time. I listened to the small floorstander pushed by the Pathos Logos and was blown away by the soundstage. A bit beyond my price range but very impressive.

Harbeths are fairly easy to drive and they are very forgivable speakers.

I've listened to them with a wide array of gears: Krell, Levinsons, Plinius, Bat, Mccormacks, Naim, Manley, and others. They all sound very good. What it boils down to is personal taste.

Nolitan - I agree, but I've just not been able to find a dealer that had the Harbeth Super 5s AND an integrated in the $2.5 - $3K range in stock to demo. I listen to jazz/standards/blues and, most importantly, female vocals. I'll keep looking in my travels but will probably end up just buying something here, knowing that if I don't like the synergy I can turn around and resell for a relatively small loss.

Northwoods_maine

You can purchase the SHL5 first & try to see if you can home audition some of your nearby dealers amps. Am sure some dealers will allow it while others wont. But one thing for sure, the Harbeths are forgiving enough that whatever you put in there it will have the Harbeth charm. Its really hard to make the Harbeths sound bad.