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Which Harbeths?

Trying to decide between the the M30.1/2 and the C7es3/XD. I’ve researched it a fair amount and I’m coming up a bid confused. Like most things it seems people have conflicting opinions. I’m coming from using various Totems for the last decade. I also just had a pair of Dynaudio special 40s for a short time before selling. I found the 40s were better at playing louder and had a bit softer top end, but overall just lacked that something special, ironically. What I’m really after is that just rightness I get with Totems. While I find there top end a bit much I’ve been willing to work with it because of the just rightness I personally get from them. My wife likes to say they sing which I think gets the just of it as well. Harbeth has sounded very attractive to me for a while and hope to find another version of a special speaker in them.  One that hopefully is a bit smoother in the presence and treble areas while also being very engaging and musical. I use a McIntosh mc302 and C46, so plenty of power for any of the Harbeths I’d think.  Anyways, I’d appreciate any feedback in these two models I can get. Anybody who has experience with both Harbeth and Toen I would have particular interest in your take. I live about 4 hours from any dealer and I don’t like to waste their time since I will inevitably buy used anyways.  
brylandgoodman
jimmydd's avatar
jimmydd
42 posts
 
I purchased Harbeth 30.1's and agree that the highs and mid-range are very clean and natural.  That being said, the bass is weak!  I purchased REL subs to provide the missing "link".  I should have them hooked up next week.  BTW, the Harbeths are not underpowered...I'm driving them with a GSPre and GS150.  They just...okay, I'll say it...suck at bass.
conlad
36 posts
 
OP: I agree with akg_ca’s assessment of the 30.2’s. Treble and midrange are wonderful. Vocals sound lifelike to me. I did not intend to suggest that these speakers are in any way less engaging than the C7ES3’s, only that the latter are musical as well. In my estimation, the C7ES3’s are a better value than the 30.2’s and offer enough more bass for that to be noticeable. They are, after all, larger. If your finances allow the extra expense of the 30.2’s, I don’t believe that you will be disappointed at all. My suggestion is to keep an eye out on the sites where used, demo, and open box models are sold, and look for a good deal to appear. I owned the C7ES3’s (demos) for about five years and sold them on for about 75% of what I paid. You would likely lose relatively little if you decided to flip them in favor of something more costly. My 30.2 XD’s are also demos and were discounted about one third off list price. 
mwjones's avatar
mwjones
37 posts
 
My experience is exactly the same as conlad. I don't believe you'll be disappointed with either speaker.

redwoodaudio
415 posts
 
Having heard harbeth 30.2 40th anniversary and Graham Audio ls 5/9 side by side for a few months, I can say that I love the BBC sound and I really love the Graham Audio execution better. If you like the treble of the 30.2, you don't know what your missing with the similar grahams. Way more open up top but not harsh, even better balanced. Beware, to get the most of these speakers bass wise, a powerful amp is required. 
arafiq's avatar
arafiq
1,707 posts
 
I owned Harbeth P3ESR about a year ago, and currently own 30.1 (home office) and SHL5+ (media room). I auditioned C7ES3 last year, and 30.2 a few weeks ago. Based on my preferences (and mine only) ...

SHL5+ > 30.2 > 30.1 > P3ESR > C7ES3

If you are comparing 30.2 with C7ES3, I can tell you that they are very different from each other. Both have their fans and detractors. I know you don’t want to hear this, but there’s no way to know which one you’d like without auditioning. But if you have to roll the dice, I would say 30.2 is a safer bet ... it is more balanced and refined, but at the cost of deeper bass, and is not as romantic and lush sounding as the C7s.

For a small’ish room, say around 10x12 or smaller, very few speakers can beat the beautiful sound of P3esr’s. IMO, when it comes to vocals, P3esr’s are still the king of the hill in the Harbeth lineup.

Just my 2 cents.

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