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.
Apologies for a bit of diversion. May I ask which amp sounds best with the SHL5+ to you, the Luxman L-590AXII, Hegel H390 or Naim Supernait 3? Good luck with the Joseph audio Perspective. |
@ryder For me, it was hands down the Luxman 590AXII. It was more refined and the treble was just sublime. Hegel had more bass control, but I felt the bass on Luxman, while not as visceral, was more nuanced. It also added just the right hint of warmth/sweetness without over doing it. Hegel was also quite good and I can see it being a better match if one is more into hard rock, metal, or EDM. I still miss my Luxman and wish I could have kept it. For some reason, I just didn’t get along with Naim. I guess the whole PRAT thing ain’t my cup of tea. I had high hopes for the Supernait 3 but ultimately was a bit disappointed. Hope this helps :) |
Thanks for the response @arafiq I wasn’t too surprised that the Supernait 3 sounded poor with the Harbeth SHL5+. It’s the same experience when I tried the Nait XS on the SHL5. Somehow the Naim integrateds are not very good in my book. Perhaps they are good for easy to drive speakers only.
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I realized that I had not updated my virtual system pics in a while. I accidentally deleted the virtual system and had to create a new one. I will write more about the sonic impressions for JA Perspective2's in a day or two. But as you can see they are a thing of beauty. They look so elegant -- even my wife made a comment that these are the best looking speakers she's seen in the room thus far :) Tonight I'm going to put the Harbeth SHL5+ back in to compare with the JA's. Hope to report my impressions in a day or two.
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