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Harbeth Super HL5+...thoughts

I’m currently awaiting our home to complete construction.  During that time, I sold off my Dynaudio C4’s and BHK monoblocks.  Loved the sound, but I also had a rather large, dedicated, listening space.  In our new home, I’ll have an office, but on the smaller scale.  I picked up a set of Pass Labs xa60.5’s and Harbeth Super HL5’s.  I’ve read numerous glowing reviews, from many that write about audio products for a living.  Was wondering if anyone that owns the HL5+ would share their “pedestrian” experiences.  
toddcowles
ericsch
756 posts
 
I own the SHL5 40th anniversary, they replaced 7es 3's. They will be the last speakers I own. If you've read the TAS and Stereophile reviews you have a pretty good idea what these speakers can do. I can't add anymore superlatives. I listen to classic rock, pop, jazz and classical at moderate volume, rarely over 80 dB. As others have said, these are not speakers for heavy metal. I alternate between a Luxman Integrated and Cayin Integrated.    
toddcowles OP
140 posts
 
@ericsch Thanks for sharing.  Though, I do listen to a fair amount of heavy metal (Anthrax, Metallica, Lamb of God), I would think the Harbeth’s would highlight the overuse of compression and all other forms of trickery used in that genre.
mike_f
53 posts
 
Check out the new JBL L 100 Classics, if you listen to a lot of rock.
i used to own the Super HL5, and they never did it for me in the rock dept. 
ryder
1,690 posts
 
Check out the new JBL L 100 Classics, if you listen to a lot of rock.
i used to own the Super HL5, and they never did it for me in the rock dept.

If it is the Super HL5 non-Plus then I would agree that it is not very good with rock. The Super HL5 Plus is a different animal which plays considerably cleaner in the bass than the non-Plus with a more coherent and smoother sound owing much to the improved integration between drivers. The bass of the Plus is significantly tauter and tighter than the excessive bloated bass on the non-Plus.

The Super HL5+ is a great speaker. Very natural sounding speaker. They are driven by Naim amplification (NAC 282, Hicap DR and NAP 250 DR).
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