Why are Harbeth speakers expensive while its drivers are not.

I recently finished building the Linkwitz design, LX minis, and put together the "cabinets" for about $200 by purchasing the flatpack from Madisound. The dipole designs are much easier to get right than the fancy boxes, and these also use an active crossover and seas drivers. The sound is certainly different than the Harbeths. The stereo imaging is about the best I have heard.  Seigfried  has certainly spent the time to improve on his earlier designs, and charges only $100 to allow you to reproduce them. Give them a listen  and a look on the internet.

I bought a pair of dealer demo P3’s around 6 mos ago. Started them off in my main room, driven by Croft phono Int, I bought for them shortly after. In that room I ran a Tsd-15, Amadeus, A23 SUT. They were clearly able to show the potential of that front end...very detailed, and spacious. I have heard people describe them as warm and fuzzy, but not IMHO. Then I chose to set them up in the bedroom, so I can enjoy them more often. Currently have the Croft and Sony PS1 on the top shelf of an Ikea Besta TV stand, which is about 22" high with legs. Stays well below the drivers, and allows them to image nicely. Very enjoyable, but a turntable is in the works. Also thinking about getting back in to digital, since it’s a bedroom system, and I don’t wake up to my cartridge spinning in the dead wax (-: Wonderful speakers!

When a OLD speaker from the 70’s (JBL Century 100) can sound close too or every bit as enthralling as a pair of these Harbeths it really makes one think ... Do I want to spend thousands of dollars to upgrade...NOT! I think these are the most over priced speakers in todays market, all these costs mentioned above have been in place for decades with this company, they should be making speakers in the 3k to 7k range ...NO more for what they are offering! IMHO that is. Also, there are many companys (besides Harbeth) out there charging way too much for their products ...but like someone already said " Its what the market will bear".

Matt M

Ain’t nothin’ like dem JBL’s for playin’ Donna Summer at full throttle! 

Why single out Harbeth?  Like every other speaker out there, price is set by what the consumer is willing to pay, not the cost of manufacture.  People have money to burn and these guys cater to them.