Which Harbeth


Handsomeck,

You'll get contrary opinions about "which Harbeth model?"
I thought about but did not elaborate on a couple of things in my first post. First I had SHL5's and C7's in my previous home. Both are very nice. My previous home had a much larger listening room than my current home which is very close to the size room you will listen in. The 30/30.1/C7's are two way speakers and some amplifiers mate better with two ways than the three speaker SHL5's. I have experienced this first hand, so consider what amplification you pair with which Harbeth. Lastly I believe the revision of the old 30, the 30.1, to be overpriced at new price sold in US. Some will come to the defense of the 30.1 as worth every penny. I differ with Donjr in his use of the words "much more" as I've heard both and the improvements are more subtle IMO. The P3ESR's are wonderful speakers as are all current Harbeth's and easy to find used at big savings, but in your space or larger left me desirous of more bass as long as that bass is tightly controlled and bass notes are well delineated. The LFD amplifiers as a product line I know well, have excellent control over the Harbeth bass on all models. Consider your equipment pairings carefully as some amplifiers really do have better synergy with two-way speakers. If you want some more ambiguity on Harbeth owner opinions, checkout the HUG forum where the engineer Shaw himself described his 30.1 improvements as "subtle", but what does he know - he's only the designer.
bgeofft-duplicate-0
I have the SHL5 paired with a Rogue Cronus Magnum I (w/ KT120 power tubes and various front end tubes). It sounds really good but missing some bass control, I read on another thread that you'd compared both LFD and Rogue amps. I listen to rock, reggae, electronic, world and jazz vinyl mainly (through a Rogue Ares phono pre), and I've been looking at the LFD LE V. I can't audition it in my area and wondering if I'd miss the Cronus' mid-range and sweet topend (with the right tunes). I read on another thread you have experience with both. What differences would I hear between the two amps?


I believe that the 7s are the best in the Harbeth line, if the 40s are out of reach. Actually all Harbeths are pretty pricey, but I've bought all of mine lightly used. But, I digress....
I have 3 pairs of Harbeth speakers. The 7s, Super Hl5s, and the M30s.
The M30s are wonderful, even having some bass. But I play classical exclusively and all of these need help in the bass. The HL5s seem a little dark, but I use Tubes and maybe they just need a high power transistor  Amp to really shine. I have 70 watts of EAR power  but maybe it needs more. Something to consider....Benchmark seems to be the call of the day for that, IMO, if you want value.
As I said, the M30s are beautiful but lack real bass, of course.
The 7s also lack real bass but are uncannily transparent. As Tom Gillett, or Sam Telig once quipped, I feel as if I "can reach out and goose a first violinist." I presumed no sexist intent, but that line led me to buy them.
After I bought them, I bought a brand new pair oh SHL5s, thinking that I would keep the presence, but gain bass. I got more bass (not "real'bass but more than I had), but lost the immediacy. I find the 7s so tactile that I now prefer them above the others and will fill in the bass very soon. But the 7s are so immediate, it's ok (for now) to miss some bass. There is more bass than the 3s, which I have heard but don't own. But its weird for a lower speaker in the line to be preferable to a more expensive and larger sibling. I even asked Harbeth about this, but got no reply (big surprise...).
So my ideal would be a pair of 7s with a good and flexible sub. Hearing good things about SVS...... 
I hope this helped someone!