Which Harbeths?

So feeling a bit stupid. I had only tried the Harbeths with them connected to the 4ohm taps on my McIntosh mc302. Swapped them to the 8ohm taps yesterday evening and a whole different speaker came to life. It’s different enough that I’m still taking it in, but almost a total 180. They went from borderline overly relaxed to almost a bit to energetic. The boogie factor is on a whole other level. The lack of clarity is more than gone. The bass is stronger and faster. They do seem almost a little aggressive even compared to the Totems.  Not per say bright but a little forward.  Part of this will be remedied when I swap out my dac. I’ve used a Musical Fidelity v90 dac for a while due to its smooth glare free sound. It recently went kaput, and I swapped in a Cambridge stream magic 6 to pull dac duties. The Cambridge is considerably bright and matter of fact. When I get the chance to replace it I think I’ll easily be able to tame the aggressiveness.  Overall they are very, very good now. I haven’t swapped back to the Totems yet to compare, but I have yet to be compelled to which was not the case before. I expect that the Totems will actually sound a little laid back in comparison now.  

I apologize for my criticisms, like I said feel a bit silly now. While they still might not be the best bang for your buck there price is very justified. My only supprise now is just how exciting and energetic they are now. Not sure how much of this is due to the XD update, but it’s overall very satisfying. My feet are moving and I’m singing along like a fool.  Which is what I’m in this hobby for. Again sorry for my inaccurate opinions. Still trying to understand how going from the 4ohm taps to the 8ohm taps did what it did to the extent that it did. I think I’m understanding that it increases the power to a 6ohm speaker compared to the 4ohm taps. This still doesn’t explain everything I’m hearing but some. Either way phew, what a difference. 

@yogiboy and @arafiq are good heads, well known participants, credible contributors here

i would just say here, that my experience is opposite from theirs, i prefer the compact 7 to the mon 30... it’s possible i hadn’t set up the mon 30s in their ideal setup (room and ancillaries) when i had a set, and likewise it might be that they did not either with their experience with the c7 - i have no doubt set up well, matched well in system and room, both can produce exemplary enthralling music

it just shows what one should expect in this hobby/pursuit, people have different tastes, experiences -- all worth sharing, no right or wrong

btw - both models are longstanding stalwarts in the harbeth line, both descendants of original bbc designs, both very good sellers, used and loved by many many all around the world

op

glad you found the right connection to your mac amp... and more glad that your enjoyment of the speakers has been taken up a notch

I went from Totem Tribe Towers to Harbeth C7es3-XD. The Harbeths are even clearer than the Totems while sounding more natural. The tweeter on the C7 is a real winner. The one on the Totem was a tiny bit harsh with some music. 
The Harbeths also sound bigger and have more bass. I really can't see myself going back to the Totems (which were already very good). 

Indydan, similar experience though mine is with the Totem Model 1. When I tried the Model 1s about 10 years ago, I already own the Harbeth SHL5 during that time. The Model 1s were lively, fun and engaging with a lit top end. That’s where the good story ends. There is a certain harshness I hear somewhere in the midrange and treble, a metallic harsh sound which is rather irritating to the ears. The Harbeth not only sounds a lot smoother but is letting a lot more fine detail through which contributes to the added clarity. Somehow the Totem is masking some of the detail and sounds less transparent.

I’m not sure about the higher range Totems such as the Hawks or Forest Signature etc. which are well received by many owners. Based on my experience with the Model 1s, I find it unrefined and harsh with reduced clarity and detail when compared to the Harbeth. It’s not exactly a bad sounding speaker. It’s fun and lively but the shortcomings or differences are apparent once you compare it to the Harbeth or other superior designs.