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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
celo OP
158 posts
 
No offense to people who spend big bucks on "ultra high-end" expensive speakers. Really, Harbeth is the only speaker you need. I have heard and owned many speakers. Some cheap, some expensive. I owned from Sonus Faber Extrema to Elac, Magnepan to PSBs. I heard from JM Labs to Martin Logan, Dynaudio to Vienna Acoustics.

I have always thought price/performance ratio is very important. Sometimes you get very good performance spending little, sometimes big money does not get you anywhere. I think most speakers sound pretty much the same (I say most). Detailed, good bass, neutral, big soundstage, good imaging, etc. etc. I got really tired of trying to figure out how to get better sound. Let me change the cable, let me change the amp, etc. I believe once I purchase the Harbeths which I will very soon and whatever model I purchase, it will be my last speakers. I truly believe that.
celo OP
158 posts
 
I should also add that (obviously) above is my opinion. Everyone is different. No, Harbeth will not rock the house, no they are not party speakers. So, I guess there will be people who even hate Harbeths:)
pdreher's avatar
pdreher
1,196 posts
 
I'm on my second pair of 40.1's and had an 18 month stint with SHL5's.    While I like the SHL5, the 40.1's are special and I have no plans to try anything else.

helomech
1,535 posts
 
I recently picked up some C7ES3s. They're still in the break-in period but I'm not terribly impressed so far. Tone of the midrange is the only immediate   improvement over my previous speakers. The bass is definitely lacking in my somewhat large 25'×15×8 room. Unfortunately, the SHL5 is beyond my budget.

I've been told that the Spendor SP2/3R2 Classic is a better all around speaker, including bass response, but many claim Harbeth is the better brand.
 I also wonder if the Spendor cabinet quality is on par with Harbeth.
nycjlee
286 posts
 
@helomech, couldn't agree with you more. Either you'll need to get subs or go higher up in the line.  I'm not even sure if SHL5 will give you enough bass in your room.  I owned a pair of C7s and ended up selling and getting full range floor speaker. 
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