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Moving up the Harbeth line

I was fortunate to move my home office to another room which is a bit bigger than the previous one. Dimensions are 12x13 with almost 20-foot ceilings. As much as I love my Harbeth P3esr's, I can't help but notice that they've been outclassed by the bigger room, especially the high ceiling. This pair of speakers has been a mainstay in my home office/study for a number of years, and I find it to be a perfect fit for my listening habits and music preferences. But in the new setting, it's not able to fill the room as well as it used to. For examples, horns and piano now sound much smaller and distant. So that got me thinking of an upgrade. I have been using a Raven Audio Blackhawk MK3 for a few months and would want to stick with it if possible. There are very few speakers that have allowed me to make an emotional connection with the music, and Harbeth is certainly one of them. So my preference is to stay with the brand.

Now, before the 'search bar is your best friend' folks come swinging at me, I have read a few threads on similar topics but they all seem to be inconclusive, or at least I'm not able to decipher a reasonable consensus. Having spent way too much money on this addiction, err, hobby, in the last 12 months, I have to resort to buying used equipment only, and that too has to wait for at least 2-3 months. So, doing an in-house demo is going to be difficult if not impossible. And, AFAIK, there are no dealers nearby (Dallas area) either.

I would love to hear from people who have moved up the Harbeth food chain. The M30.x seems to be a logical next step, but I see an equal number of negative opinions (too polite, too boxy, pipe and slippers) as positive ones. Is there anyone who thinks that the M30 retains the same magic as the P3esr's but serves it in relatively bigger portions? Because that's what I'm mainly looking for to be honest -- a bigger version of P3esr. Or do you think the cons negate the pros offered by the bigger cabinet size?

Next up is SHL5+. Again, the opinions vary widely. Some are saying that this particular model deviates the most from the classic Harbeth sound. Another concern is that my room might be too small for them (?). Also, I cannot pull them more than one and a half feet from the front wall. Is that going to result in ugly bass problems?

I'm not against trying another brand, but would prefer an opinion that is based on an actual comparison with Harbeth speakers.
128x128arafiq
ryder
1,729 posts
 
A lot of good responses here which clearly show the members who posted have experience with Harbeth speakers.

I’ll keep it short and cut to the chase. I’m referring to the previous generation Harbeth line since I don’t have experience with the current new XD version. Firstly, if you find C7ES3 to have too much energy in the treble, I presume they sound bright to your ears. I would not dispute with that as everyone hears differently. If you find the C7ES3 to sound bright at the top, the SHL5+ will be even worse as it is leaner sounding and brighter in comparison to the warmer C7ES3. The M30.1 or M30.2 may be a better option for your listening preferences.

Secondly, SHL5+ will not sound good if placed close to the front wall in my experience. They have about 3’ clear space from the front wall in my room. 2.5’ is still acceptable but closer to 2’ the airiness is compromised and the sound is slightly congested in the middle. Side wall placement is not as critical as they can go nearer to the side walls with toe-in. They still need about 1.5’ to 2’ from the side wall though.

In summary, the SHL5+ can still work in the room but the real question is whether the sound is to your preference. The M30.1 might be a better fit for the room, size - wise. Personally I prefer the SHL5+ over M30.1 as I find it more balanced across various music genres. The M30 series sound too smooth and laid back for my tastes. In the end it depends on what you are seeking and the best is to hear all options and decide for yourself.
ryder
1,729 posts
 
I just noticed the OP has settled with the M30.1. Great move! Placement in the room would be less trickier than the SHL5+.
arafiq's avatar
arafiq OP
1,702 posts
 
@ryder  Thanks for sharing your opinion. Last year when I was in the process of building my main system, I was almost set on getting the SHL5+ from a local seller. I went to his house to audition, and absolutely loved the way they sounded. I made the mistake of not walking out with the speakers that day. I sent my offer a couple of days later but the seller changed his mind and decided to keep them after all. I found a used pair of SF Olympica II and ended up buying those. These are really good speakers, actually more similar to Harbeth than I imagined, but I still wonder about the SHL5+. Maybe in a year or two, I might sell my Olympicas for the 40.x.

As you noted, the only reason I didn't consider SHL5+ for my home office/study was the lack of proper positioning options. The 30.1s were supposed to be delivered today, but as usual Fedex dropped the ball ... again! I just hope I don't regret selling my P3ESRs. The night before I sent them to the new buyer I was listening to them for the last time. And I kept saying to myself,  'why are you selling them?!' They sounded so good in my room (bolstered by a small REL T/Zero) that I honestly thought about returning the buyer's money. Of course I would never do that to anyone, but I was certainly tempted, lol!
rbtstock's avatar
rbtstock
40 posts
 
There you go arafiq, sounds like audiothesis wants to play with your gear!, his words not mine!!
arafiq's avatar
arafiq OP
1,702 posts
 
Has anyone else experienced problems with Fedex? In the last 12 months, I've sent and received around 15 shipments using various carriers including UPS, USPS, and Fedex. Without exception, UPS and USPS have delivered on time. And without exception, Fedex has f'ed up the shipment each time -- 5 to be exact!

If you are planning to use Fedex for sending or receiving audio equipment, avoid Fedex like a plague!
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