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Harbeth 40.3's. Should I buy them?

I've owned a lot of speakers. I've just finished auditioning a pair of Alta Audio Alec's. Not good at all in my system. I own a pair of Spatial X3 open baffle speakers. I really like them and my wife doesn't. I recently bought a pair of Buchardt S400 MKII's for a second system. I say second system because I have a dedicated 2 channel room 15' x 19'. Upstairs in a much larger room, the Buchardt's were anemic, fine, 2 Adam subs solved the anemia. Then just for the heck of it (and because audio is a hobby) I moved the Buchardt monitors downstairs in the 'big guys' room. The Buchardt's loved that room and my wife loved the Buchardt's except they are to small for the listening room and our listening tastes.

I'm tired of buying and selling speakers. I've been to a hundred audio shows and have "favorites". Harbeth have always sounded great, not a show stopper, but, at shows, they've been totally inoffensive, warm and engaging in the same way I like Audio Notes AN-e.
We play all types of music. My wife especially likes classical, leaning towards female singers but too, she'll rock out on Led Zeppelin, Ozzy Osbourne, Black Keyes, Journey, you get the idea. Me, classic rock but anything that soothes my soul works. I like to play loud. My wife - louder, but not teenager loud.

We have an awesome front end to work with. Allnic T2000 30th integrated (60wpc in triode 150wpc in pentode), Allnic H5500 phono and Allnic D10000 DAC.

Why wouldn't we happy with this speaker?

128x128desalvo55
jjss49's avatar
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jjss49
6,601 posts
 

Harbeths can certainly play anything you want to hear, as do any well designed full range speakers.

agree with this comment 100%

often folks who want to ’rock out’ are seeking a degree of sizzle, rasp and other forms of sonic distortion that very refined transducers simply do not add to the sound they play... unless of course, said distortion is in the music signal itself...

lots of fish in the ocean... these listeners are for whom klipsch jbl and their ilk (often with horn loaded, or otherwise underdamped drivers) are built to please

 

ozzy62's avatar
ozzy62
2,826 posts
 

I’m surprised that the X3s work in that room at all. When I had my pair they needed to be about five feet from the front wall. I don’t think you have that luxury.

decooney
1,895 posts
 

 

@desalvo55 saw these and thought of your requirements, amp, room size, budget.

No affiliation, as a hobby builder myself, appreciate the design, parameters, in your case. Something else to throw another hat in the ring, next to Vandersteen. Many people with my amps run Vandersteen. Nice unique boutique design, craftsmanship, different. Stuff like this can be worth a flight and day trip imo. Kinda cool.

 

95.5 db sensitivity

8ohm +/- 1 ohm, tube amp friendly

small room capable, can place against back wall

Nice looking, imo

$11,850/pair

Ferndale, WA USA 98248

[email protected], (01) 360.312.3604

 

Daedalus Audio Muse

 

 

snapoli2
97 posts
 

Wolf Von Langa Sons - spectacular.

desalvo55's avatar
desalvo55 OP
252 posts
 

Some nice suggestions. Thank you all.

First, I'm not flush with cash. The Harbeths are $13.6K. But they won't work in my room.

My audio buddy told me the Vandersteen Quatro's CT's sounded lifeless and dull. I for one think he just had one of those at-a-show listening experiences.

I respect horns but doubt I could live with them. Well, there was one...

 

 

I like my X3's. They were 4 to 5ft from the front wall. Somehow though, my wife didn't. But she likes them upstairs in the big room. Those Buchardt's really through a monkey wrench at our system.

The X3 is not our first open baffle speaker. I built a pair of GR-Research Super V's. We really liked them! But after a while, the bass irritated me. The woofers sounded one note to me. I think we prefer a sealed cabinet' for all their warts.

Daedalus Audio makes some great speakers. Beautiful too. I'll check them out. Fyne Audio too but I can't hear all these speakers. I mean, there's a picture of a speaker. There are specifications. I just spent $1000 dollars listening to "great" speakers that sucked. At the end of the day, I'm haunted by line arrays. Lots of speaker drivers moving in unison but barely moving.

I was reading some reviews on the Legacy Audio Focus and Signature speakers. I mean, very complimentary reviews from what seemed to me anyway, legitimate audiophiles. Big speakers, lots of drivers, extremely well engineered, soundstage and transparency, bass to die for, and very efficient. Totally customizable to fit any room. What am I missing? 

 

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