Harbeth P3ESR or Monitor 30?

Thanks very much, yogiboy, that is quite helpful!

I have been leaning in that direction all along, especially since heavy bass is of little importance to me, and the reviews of the P3ESR are almost uniformly very positive.

What are you driving yours with, assuming that you still own them?

Thanks smrex, much appreciated.

Thanks, you guys are making the choice easy. The speakers will be powered by a re-capped, and very sweet vintage Accuphase E-303 integrated amp (180w into 4ohms).

Sure will – thanks again!

The plot thickens...

I am very close to making a decision, but have received some strong, contrary opinions on the Harbeth forum. Not that the P3 isn't held in very high regard – it is. But that the M30 is a better speaker overall, and that the advantages of the other are limited.

To complicate matters, I currently have a choice of either speaker at roughly the same cost.

hmmm...

Thanks guys. A head-on comparison would be ideal, and I haven't ruled one out.

@valinar Yes, the helpful contributors on the HF, including Alan Shaw, were fairly persuasive in recommending the M30.

I have little doubt that I would be happy with either, but given that I have plenty of good power, and enough space, I do expect to be giving the M30s a try fairly soon.

Thanks ryder. I am close to making a decision, and will update extensively when finished.

OK, sorry for the belated update.

I ended up auditioning both, and have gone with the P3ESR. While both speakers predictably have strengths and weaknesses, let me begin by saying that the assertions in the above post are ludicrous. I don't mean to suggest that the other speakers mentioned aren't contenders, but the rest is hyperbolic nonsense.

Now, with regard to the two Harbeths, I have chosen the P3s primarily because of what some earlier contributors have noted, namely that they are more open sounding than the M30, and this is especially important in my current, less than ideal space.

I have little doubt that in a room with fine acoustics, and with the right associated equipment, the M30s would be first-class. The highs and mids were superb, even in my space, but they lacked the openness of the smaller speakers, and at times sounded 'boxy'. They also required a more specific and narrow listening position in order to be fully appreciated, while the P3s are quite flexible in that respect.

Having said all of that, I am not as enthusiastic about the P3 bass response as some others on the thread. My expectations were realistic, but I have been a bit underwhelmed. To be fair, I haven't yet done much experimenting with positioning, nor have I tried a different set of spikes, which I will do. So it is still early, and my opinions may evolve.

I do like the speakers quite a bit, but am not sure that they will be with me for years to come. For some perspective, I was more impressed with the bass response of the previous (small) speakers that I was using, a pair of Von Schweikert VR-1, which cost all of 350€.

In any case, thanks for the earlier feedback, and if you have any further thoughts or questions, fire away!

Regards,

Tony C.

Hi Kendrick,

Thanks for your thoughtful reply.

There were demos, so they should already be broken in.

I am powering them with a re-capped, vintage Accuphase E-303 amp, which is both high-quality and plenty powerful. I will, in the coming months, be importing my main amp, which is currently in storage in the U.S. That will make a difference, as it is a Jeff Rowland Concentra, and is outstanding.

I am using open architecture stands, which seems to be the preference of most P3 owners. They are not heavy, though, and it would be interesting to hear the difference between them and a more substantial design.

My listening space is currently quite limited, and in some ways, the P3s work very well in it. Their openness is a big plus, and they even sound pretty good when I sit almost between them at a desk while on my computer.

They are limited in termms of how far from the back walls they can be placed, as my (high-quality) speaker cables only extend 6ft.

In any event, your response does suggest that I should do plenty of tinkering before arriving at any final conclusions, and that is both encouraging and logical. So, thanks again!

Tony C.

Thanks Bruce.

I have used Herbie's products in the past, and am using something similar at the moment. I doubt that a change in that are would confer any big changes.

I'll update when I have further thoughts.

Tony C.

Only if my expectations had been unrealistic, and they weren’t.

Hi offnon,

I have been using the P3's for close to two years now, and am very happy with them. As suggested in the original posts, my listening space here in Lisbon is quite poor, yet the Harbeth's have performed really well. 

It's not just the well-documented accuracy and natural sound that they produce, but their openness has helped to mask some of the problems associated with the room. As absurd as it may sound, when I sit at my desk and work on my computer, I am essentially between the speakers, and yet they still sound good! Remarkable, really.

I have upgraded my amp from the Accuphase E-303 to the E-303x, and it was a substantial upgrade. I am still using my EMC 1-UP CD player as the primary source.

I haven't yet been able to place them optimally far away from the back walls, and so the soundstage is compressed to some degree. Nevertheless, I am very happy with them, and look forward to hearing them under more favorable conditions in the not too distant future.

I can't really comment on the B&W comparison, as I haven't owned them. My previous speakers were Green Mountain Audio Calistos, and the Harbeths compare very favorably.

As a final note for now, I do listen to a variety of types of music, including funk and soul. And while the P3's are obviously not going to bring the house down with bass response, I have found them to be impressive in how they punch above their weight.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask!

Cheers,

Tony

Great! Please do report your impressions.

Oh, and if the dealer is as good as you say, then get them to make a simple concession: you get to audition the speakers at home before consummating the purchase. As you know, system synergy is crucial.

Thanks offnon! Not worthless at all, and a very interesting read.

You have highlighted the most important variable of all – listening at home with your associated components. There is no substitute.

As I am using an integrated amp from the '80s, and consider it to be outstanding, I am open-minded about the quality of older components. B&W certainly made good speakers, and they clearly sound very good in your system. I applaud you for being objective enough not to been seduced by the speakers that are, at least on paper, superior.

Oh, and thanks for the CD recommendations. I have eclectic taste, and will give them a try.

Cheers,

Tony

@mapman 

Well, if you were to ask the designer of Harbeth speakers, Alan Shaw, he would downplay the importance of the amp. There are actually some very interesting related threads on the Harbeth forum.

However, while Shaw has forgotten more about audio than I'll ever know, I, and most audiophiles, would disagree with him on that issue.

Harbeths, like any speaker, can certainly change based on room acoustics and associated equipment, but given my experience, I'd say that the P3s are probably the most forgiving. I tried one of their larger speakers before settling on the P3s, and found them to be less open, and they suffered more from being placed fairly close to a back wall.