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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
tobes's avatar
tobes
436 posts
 
Wow - at 125lbs that 4 way tower with it's polygon 7 tweeter array is about as far from the Harbeth m30.1 as it gets.
Hope you enjoy it, though it's hard to reconcile how anyone looking at a compact 2 way monitor would go for a high efficiency 11driver beast like the Tekton DI (not saying the latter isn't great, never heard one, just very different from where this discussion started).
tommypenngotti's avatar
tommypenngotti OP
219 posts
 
I know , agreed ....I auditioned the Harbeth and felt it wasn't nearly enough for the price tag & size of my room...

.."We're gonna need a bigger boat! " 


mrdecibel
3,063 posts
 
Tommy, good for you ! Enjoy ! MrD.
shadorne's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
shadorne
7,477 posts
 
Good for you. I guess you found the ultimate speaker ;-)
melbguyone
294 posts
 
I would think if you have enough power to drive them, and atleast a medium size room - the Magnepan 3.7i's would be hard to beat. MSRP is just a bit above your budget at circa $6k, but if you got a good deal you might be within range. The only caveat is that they are very ineffcient & need atleast 200 watts @8 ohms & plenty of current to bring out their best.
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