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Harbeth Love and your experiences

Hi all,

I LOVE Harbeth speakers.

Some years ago I heard the 40.1s the very first time. I could tell they were special. I remember them pulling me into the music and stopped me trying to analyze how the speakers sound.

A month ago, I heard the 40.2s and they were also good but I kinda remembered the 40.1s sounding better overall.

My Harbeth hunt didn't stop. Today I heard the SLH5Plus and Compact 7es3.

First the SLH5 Plus, very good. I enjoyed them a lot for almost all sort of music type. Then I switched to Compact 7es3. WOW! I loved them. Amazing. Something very special about them. Different than SLH5 Plus. Probably the best speakers I have heard regardless of price.

What is the best Harbeth model you have heard?

I wonder if the older Harbeths sound better? I wonder how the Monitor 30s sound? Or the previous SLH5 (non Plus).

Can you please share your experiences?

Thanks.
celo
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,829 posts
 
@celo,
I have owned many speakers over the years. I have a small listening room and I own the P3ESR. All I can say is they took me off the speaker merry-go-round. IMO,Harbeth is tops!
chrisr's avatar
chrisr
543 posts
 
Yogiboy, do the p3esr provide good detail, resolution?  Would  you say they are voiced to be bright or warm, neutral?
I have never heard them, i wonder how much more they offer compared to let's say a pair of totem rainmakers.
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,829 posts
 
@chrisr
I would say they are neutral. Of course it depends on the electronics used with them. I have owned the compact 7 and preferred the P3 in my room. Here is a review of them that I totally agree with! BTW, I have never heard a Totem speaker so I can’t give you a comparison!!
http://www.hifizine.com/2011/12/harbeth-p3esr/
chrisr's avatar
chrisr
543 posts
 
I will own a pair some day.
yashu's avatar
yashu
196 posts
 
My speaker evolution;

1.  Spendor SP1.     Wonderful even today in my second system.
2.  Spendor LS35a.  Amazing little beauties.
3.  Thiel 2.4.  Grating, major listening fatigue.  Dumped fast.
4.  Dynaudio Confidence C1.  Never could get used to the look.  Sold
5.  Proac Response 2.5.  Simply wonderful.  Sold
5.  Quad esl57.  Remarkable within their limitations.  Forever!
6.  Harbeth SLH5 plus.  Forever!

My quest for wonderful is now complete after obtaining my Harbeth SLH5 plus, and also rotating my rebuilt Quad  Esl57's just for a change now and then.

My Harbeth's are beautiful to look at and even better to hear.  Never the slightest bit of listener fatigue.  They sound wonderful with all types of music, and just seem to make everything sound better.

These will get through to my final resting place.  So happy to have discovered this special brand.  Enjoying them immensely.  No wow or shock value.  Just luscious magnificent music that continues to draw me in.

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