Integrated amp recommendations for harbeth 30.2 XD

RYDER has a good point in general vis-a-vis matching higher strata build upstream components to very revealing HARBETH speakers (… and this is not just limited to REGA’s lower tier offerings ,,,): You always only get what you pay for….

Maximizing your HARBETHs performance is an alchemy of 3 things: - a direct function of the components system build price point in the 1st part,
- Price alone is no assurance of a pathway down the Yellow Brick Road to Audio OZ . One size does not fit all …. It will need experimentation to maximize system synergy overall
- And finally, an awareness and ethereal management of acoustic warts introduced in your bespoke listening arena. Th identical system in two different arenas can sound very different in terms of listener satisfaction.

THE GOOD NEWS AND NOT SO GOOD NEWS IMO:

Your HARBETHs are the most agnostic speakers I’ve auditioned in suitable matching with the many high-build amplifier brands. E.g. LFD was my 2nd choice behind my REGA OSIRIS with great results

Conversely they are most revealing speaker to an extreme of graphically exposing all compromises and limitations from your source. That includes the complimentary issue about performance and quality of your ICs.

THE OPEN END CONFLICTING ISSUE OF “BEST” SPEAKER CABLES:

Mr Shaw preaches his mantra that HARBETH are completely agnostic about “good” speaker cables, and that low-budget cheap 79-strand QEDs are examples of suitable partners. Both my HARBETH dealer and I are not in his cohort army.. I currently run a full all-NORDOST FREY high-end loom array with great performance.

LITMUS TEST BAKE-OFF COMING: I just bought the comparatively modest strata CHORD RUMOUR speaker cables to purposely test drive Mr. Shaw’s theories / assumption in the coming weeks in a direct A-B shootout against my incumbent FREYs. (There is a BIG difference in price point deltas…)

Interested parties can PM me on the results.

FWIW

Very early days, but I am getting excellent results with the combination of my 30.1 and newly acquired GATO AMP-150.

@whipsaw

let us know how good it sounds and how it compares with others you have had!

saw darko’s review on the piece... he loves stuff that has cool design, looks so unique and elegant -- that is certainly a beautifully made amp

@jjss49 

I will. It replaced a Hegel h160, which, while not of the current generation of Hegel amps, was really quite good. Darko was using a newer, more powerful Hegel.

Having only had the GATO for ~24 hours, I can safely say that to my ear it is better, at least in terms of sound reproduction. The Hegel was, in some respects, more convenient, and I have some minor quibbles with the GATO remote, and display.

Of course the sound is paramount, and I am cycling through some of my more familiar CDs in an attempt to refine my thoughts, before I articulate them online.

My local Harbeth dealer only sells tube amplifiers.  I have heard the 30.2s with a number of low output tube amps and it sounds quite good with the to which it was paired--Synthesis Roma 96 (pushpull EL34, Synthesis A40 (pushpull KT66), and Audionote Cobra (pushpull EL34). 

This dealer has one solid state amp in the store, a Parasound amp that is used for demonstrating the difference between tube and solid state sound.  

If I were in the market for this speaker, I would not overlook tube amplification.  The need for high-powered amps for Harbeth speakers is overstated.