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Harbeth vs JM Reynaud

Hoping for some input. I come from a Spendor perspective (my daughter recently inherited my BC-1s) and currently use Spendor s5e's with a Unison Unico hybrid integrated amp. Sound is wonderful. I have seen all the discussions/reviews of Spendor, Harbeth, Stirling, and ATCs, and I am partial to getting the midrange 'right' (the 'BBC' sound). With a 60th birthday coming up, I've been looking into one last speaker upgrade. With all the rave reviews of Harbeth's, I got to spend some time auditioning the Compact 7's, M30.1s and Super HL5's (not the plus). All sounded great but the 30.1's really seemed like something special. I was able to take a pair home for a weeklong audition, and truly fell in love of what these do. So now the problem. I have recently come across a several reviews of JM Reynaud speakers, including some recommendations on this forum as an alternative to Spendor and Harbeth. These really look like possible option for the BBC sound, but there is no opportunity for an audition, and that's a lot of $$ to buy completely unheard. Can anyone provide some thoughts feedback on how the JMR Bliss Silver or the Offrande Supreme's might compare to the Harbeth 30.1s or Super HL5 plus? My living/listening room is 15 x 25 (speakers on short wall), hardwood floors and plaster walls.
ihor
sense63
52 posts
 
Taters- I know there is much marketing of the Harbeths in the US vs JM Reynaud. Amherst Audio is the distributor for JMR in the US, but Bob doesn't advertise/market the speakers like Fidelis AV does, hence the much lower price. If you haven't checked out his website, please do. It's extremely informative as Bob has an excellent ear and is gifted at explaining what he hears. (BTW- I have no affiliation with Amherst Audio or JMR.)

I just found the Harbeths lacking and was lucky enough to find Amherst's site to find a speaker that could make up where the Harbeths were short. If you lived in N. Illinois, I'd be happy to let you hear my Orfeos. Maybe there is a dealer near where you live?
wim1983's avatar
wim1983
221 posts
 
Ryder, Zd542: I agree with Zd542 about sound coming out from driver, it just not so easy to tame. Hmm, I dun get it, the Denton and Jade 3 is designed by same person. But the Denton sound very forgiving, although cannot say easy to drive, but works with clean power, while the Jade 3 goes to other end, sound very unforgiving and makes matching harder a lot, does not make sense. While I've heard Harbeth is very forgiving in gear matching, I believe clean power is still needed for better distortions handling. How about the JM Reynaud, are they designed to sound forgiving in a broad range of music?
facten
2,764 posts
 
What do you mean by forgiving in a broad range of music?
wim1983's avatar
wim1983
221 posts
 
@Facten: hmm it really depends how much and what type of recording or music you listen to, there are a lot of less than perfect recording tracks, but you still like it in some ways, so you wanna hear how it sound from a speakers, if the speakers does not cross the borderline, while still able to play back some old classic recording in a pleasant and joyful way, without sacrificing too much details, I will call it forgiving. On the other end, some speakers only able to play back state of the art recording, which you are not able to enjoy more and more music, worst you will hate them eventually. I hope I express my thoughs well?
facten
2,764 posts
 
I find the Offrande Supremes play back the music as it was recorded, they don't color the sound nor make up for recording deficiencies.

My music takes range from smooth/contemporary jazz e.g. Maysa, Anita Baker, Rippingtons, Four Play, Pieces of a Dream etc. ; Rock, from Zepplin, The Who, Clapton, Santana, to Mettalica, Alice in Chains to Depeche Mode, Prentenders , Elvis Costello etc; R&B/Soul from oldies like the Dramatics, Temptations, Isley Brothers, to Kem etc. I don't find these speakers partial to one genre or another, it plays them all equally well with a combination of authority and aplomb
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