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Harbeth 30.1 ? The Ultimate Speaker under $5K ?

I have been on a mission lately to find the best speakers within my budget - under $5K ...I am definitely an audio freak and my sound engineer in LA told me we went to a HiFi convention of sorts in Newport and heard every high end boutique speaker there is and hands down the Harbeth 30.1 was the best...thought it was a live band as he turned the corner into room ! 


Local hiFi high end shops always push whatever they deal....guy near me recommends Paradigm Prestige 95s but the seem more for home theatre use...here's my profile: 

I listen MOSTLY to LPs (stream on occasion with Audioengine B1)
Marantz PM-11S1 Mono Block Amp
Sony STR-V7 Amp
Technics SL-15 
1 SVS SB1000 Sub (if necessary) 
My listening room : is approximately 15 feet from Hifi to sitting position, wood floors , pitched ceiling about 10-15 feet in spots ...entire room approx 30 feet across . I consider it a VERY live, reflective space. 

I am a drummer so I love fat , tight kick drum. Rock i.e.: Rush , Prince, old 70s / 80s fusion/Jazz  
I listen to all different volume levels, sometimes low, sometimes I turn up music very loud and crappy speakers always seem to lose definition at high volume . 

I currently have some NHTs 2.3 & Infinity IL60s for surround....

Is the Harbeth 30.1 too small of a speaker for my spot?  what do you guys recommend! Thank You !
128x128tommypenngotti
dodgealum's avatar
dodgealum
1,404 posts
 
@prof and @biscorbit: The Compact 7's ARE great--I owned a pair for many years. The question is whether they are the right speaker given the OPs room and listening preferences. To this I say probably not. 
audiothesis
168 posts
 
I saw someone reluctantly say and and I'll go back to it - the Tekton Double Impacts.  

Harbeth are NOT loud rock speakers, especially in a large room.  You want a large speaker with some cone surface to work with, and the efficiency of the DI will do you well too.
enginedr1960
173 posts
 

I am building a set of Klang & Ton NADA speakers with Lee Taylor cabinets . I will comment after they are complete and broken in


tommypenngotti's avatar
tommypenngotti OP
219 posts
 
Where can I demo the Tekton's in Northern CA ? Same with Klipsch Cornwall III , no one has them ...? Have to order and pay a huge return shipping if not satisfied :( 
thanks for all your help everyone 
wolf_garcia
6,696 posts
 
"It's Heresy man." I’m a kick drum tone freak to the extent that I’ve required therapy for this from time to time, and my band opened for Led Zeppelin in early ’69, a thing that takes years to recover from if you’re a Bonham fan. I’ve also jammed with Mitch Mitchell (in town for a Hendrix show also in ’69) which made most other drummers seem...well...inadequate). In any case, after decades of being a kick drum aficionado (and working as a musician and sound engineer), my recently acquired Heresy IIIs seem to provide a surprisingly great sounding kick drum experience. You do need a sub or two with these speakers as they’re very accurate down to only 58hz or so, and 2 RELs are in service for that task in my rig. Also, recent recordings of Julian Lage with Kenny Wollesen (mixed a show of theirs a couple of years ago) provides some kick therapy. Jim Campilongo's band...oh yeah...uh huh...
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