LS3/5A & Pass Labs

Regarding integrating a sub- with a little time and effort with a sound meter and test cd you can do it nicely. Using a crossover and an active sub means less work for your 30 wpc amp since it will not see frequencies below your crossover point. You can also insert a relatively inexpensive DSP-based parametric equalizer between the crossover and sub to quell any problem bass frequencies that you identify with the meter/test cd.
Using this approach with an aleph P, aleph 30, bryston crossover and REL subs worked great for me.

Well,

Last night I finally got a pair of Harbeths in black. They are in great condition...much better than the stuff in the shops. The nice guy that I bought them from gave me a quick demo, and I was ready to go.

Now all I have to do is find some good stands.... It's kinda funny, but they sound fantastic just sitting on my hardwood floor.

Foundation Designer and Music Tools seem to be the only two choices in Hong Kong, and Foundation seems to be heavily favored.

Thanks everyone for your advice. I'll get back to you all when I have it properly set up.

Really look forward to your letting us know how they sound. I will be watching this thread closely.

If I can assist you in any way while you set it up, it will be my pleasure.

Happy listening and tweaking!

I finally got the 50lb Foundation Designer II 24" speaker stands yesterday. I was listening until 2am last night. I have tried three main speker positions.

1. 4'from back wall/toed in/1'from side walls
2. 1'from back wall/toed in/1'from side walls
3. 4'from back wall/no toe in/3' from side walls

Option three sounds the best by farrrrr. The stands that I got come with pretty serious spikes and because I have hardwood floors, I have not put them in yet. I think I am going to drill some dents into some coins so that I can put them under the spikes.

The performance so far: The vocals are the syrup on my pancakes. I know that there is no perfect speaker, but man does this combo fill you up if you are hungry for great vocals.

I really want to get a Rel Strata III to pick up where the bass leaves off on this system. I know that there are entire bass lines that I am missing.

Things are good though, and they are getting better and better.

Allen

Glad you are enjoying the "liquid midrange", these speakers are very hard to beat in this particular category, unless you spend $,$$$'s.

"No toe in" will surely give you a very wide soundstage, I always thought these speakers should be set up only this way.

REL Strata does wonders to this little gem, I hope you do decide to go that route.

What vocal music are you listening to now?

You should listen to Diana Krall album "The look of love" on this as it sounds wonderful, especially S'Wonderful (Track 1). Let me recall from memory what sounds really good on them:

The Girl from Ipanema - Getz/Gilbarto
Most of Ella Fitzgerald
Making Music-Zakir Hussain
Most of Solo Piano Music

I am forgetting many but will come back and let you know