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Harbeth Super HL5 plus Break-in

The following is an excerpt from the Harbeth User Guide:

"After exercising your new Harbeths for just a few hours they will be fully ready for a lifetime of enjoyment".

After going to the Harbeth site it pretty much said the same thing as the user guide but added that the supertweeter would take a little longer to break-in.
My new Harbeth's sounded the same after I put on around the first 100 hours so I believed the above until around the 120-150 hour mark I noticed (or so I think) the midrange sounding more realistic to the point of more enjoyment! I don't know if I'm actually hearing an improvement or I'm just getting used to the Harbeth sound since the 5's are my first experience with Harbeth in my listening room.

I would like to hear others that have owned or still own the Super 5's and whether or not you have experienced the same thing as me or something else.
routeman21

Showing 5 responses by avanti1960

avanti1960
1,405 posts
 
I have never owned a speaker that didn't stop changing through 250 hours or so. 
Mainly the bass is impacted as the driver suspension, motor assembly and surrounds have loosened their grip slightly.  Also the tweeters tend to sound smoother because of their own break in but also a warmer overall sound signature caused by more efficient bass response.  
The most drastic changes happened to a set of PSB towers where the bass became so elevated as to dominate the sound and I had to sell them.  
My Harbeth C7ES3 also increased its bass response and was left with a very nicely smooth tweeter after 250 hrs.  

So far I have ~ 200 hrs on the SHL5+'s and they have definitely changed their sound since out of the box. 

In the mean time the SHL5+'s tonality can be altered with things like placement from wall (24" mimimum), toe in -on axis yields a stronger bass response/ smoother top end, mild toe-in yields a more forward sound - all impressions at a nearfield listening setup.
Stand height brings the air and sparkle with a higher tweeter at or slightly above ear level.  Grilles off also make for more transparency, dynamics and air.  
avanti1960
1,405 posts
 
@routeman21 
have you tried listening with grilles off?
avanti1960
1,405 posts
 
@prof 

With the Harbeth speakers I have owned I can listen with the grilles on when using solid state amplification.  
With tube amplification there is absolutely no way, grilles must go in the box.  
avanti1960
1,405 posts
 
stands are important for best sound.  i use open frame high mass rigid 4 post sound anchors.  
on another forum there is a survey about which instrument your speakers reproduce best.  i said piano, the shl5+ and my previous harbeth reproduce piano extremely well, best i have heard.  i agree with you @hleeid
avanti1960
1,405 posts
 
re. grilles on or off, i tried very diligently to enjoy the sound with grilles on for each model of harbeth i have owned.  the sound was overtly soft compared to other speakers i like.  grilles off sounds excellent with no negatives really.  
the idea that amplifiers sound the same if at the same volume is also something i simply have not witnessed.  
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