Joseph Audio Perspective2 vs Harbeth SHL5+
I currently own Harbeth SHL5+ and I’m generally very happy with them. I’m driving them with Audio Hungary a50i tube amp (50 watts class A) and don’t feel that the amp struggles at all. I have an opportunity to buy a used pair of Joseph Audio Perspective2 Graphene in excellent condition. Just wondering if anyone has had a chance to compare the JA Perspective2 with SHL5+. From what I understand they sound quite different but I’m not sure how. The Perspectives are obviously quite a bit more expensive than the Harbeths but I understand that this doesn’t automatically imply that they are better. Someone told me that the Perspective 2 is more in Harbeth 40.x league instead of SHL5+.
As good as the SHL5+ are, I do sometimes yearn for a wider and deeper soundstage with bigger bass (although I have a pair of REL S/510s to supplement). I would really appreciate if people who have made the move from SHL5+ to JA Perespective2 Graphene, or vice versa, can share their impressions.
Note: My room is 20 x 15 with 12 foot high ceilings. The speakers will be placed along the short wall. I can pull them out by 4 feet from the front wall and about 2 feet from the side walls. My room is treated with GIK panels. My biggest concern is whether my AH Qualiton a50i will be able to drive the Joseph Audios well.
If the system is on the short wall, it is firing down the length of the room. I think you meant to say something else.
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voodoochillin, My experience with the JA speakers and lower powered amps is limited. In the store they sounded stellar with both SimAudio and Mcintosh tubes amps. I can’t remember if it was the Mcintosh 75W or 150W tube amps. Though I think I was probably most impressed with the JA speakers with the Simaudio amps. Best grip and control, but still super smooth and beautiful sounding. At home I’ve only used them with my 140W CJ tube monoblocks, which work beautifully with the Perspectives. I did some long direct comparisons of the CJs vs a Bryston 4B3 amp in my system and the Perspectives sounded excellent with both, a bit more grip in the bass and solidity to transients etc with the Bryston, but overall I definitely preferred the tube amps for the more fleshed out relaxed sound, though the CJs also provide plenty of guts and punch. I still don't really know about the JA ultimate requirement for power. In principle, unless you play them super loud a lot, a well designed lower power tube amp should work well with the impedance, despite the lower sensitivity. Note that the Soundstage Pulsar reviewer used an 80W tube amp with the Pulsars and raved, and the Part Time Audiophile reviewer reported his most satisfactory results with a 25W SS amp in class A mode.
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@prof Thank you for such a detailed analysis, I own a pair of Pulsar 2 Graphene and a pair of Harbeth 7ES-3 XD and I could not agree with you more on their characteristics, in fact, you described things that I regularly hear with the Harbeths but haven’t found the proper terms to convey it. Both speakers are excellent but sound quite different. In my setup and room, the Harbeths are more tonally engaging, the Pulsars sound a bit thin and lightweight but I can tell they have potential, they definitely need a pair of subs to even out. I do have 6 tube traps to tame a boominess problem but with the Pulsars it may be too much. I may think about trading up to the Perspective and/or a pair of REL S/510. Associated equipment: Pass Labs X350.8 ARC Ref75SE, Benchmark AHB2, Holo Audio Serene, Denafrips Venus, Innuos, Aurender, and just received a pair of Dynaudio Confidence 20 that are in the rotation. |
