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Harbeth Love and your experiences

Hi all,

I LOVE Harbeth speakers.

Some years ago I heard the 40.1s the very first time. I could tell they were special. I remember them pulling me into the music and stopped me trying to analyze how the speakers sound.

A month ago, I heard the 40.2s and they were also good but I kinda remembered the 40.1s sounding better overall.

My Harbeth hunt didn't stop. Today I heard the SLH5Plus and Compact 7es3.

First the SLH5 Plus, very good. I enjoyed them a lot for almost all sort of music type. Then I switched to Compact 7es3. WOW! I loved them. Amazing. Something very special about them. Different than SLH5 Plus. Probably the best speakers I have heard regardless of price.

What is the best Harbeth model you have heard?

I wonder if the older Harbeths sound better? I wonder how the Monitor 30s sound? Or the previous SLH5 (non Plus).

Can you please share your experiences?

Thanks.
celo
helomech
1,482 posts
 
Just this week I auditioned the C7s in my system for a few days. They're good speakers, but I'm now listening to the Spendor SP2/3R2 and preferring them by a country mile. The spendors have a sweeter midrange and clearly superior detail. The midrange has an eerie lifelike tone. I'm simply jacked by how these sound!
smatsui
166 posts
 

I had the SLH5 for about 3-4 years and it was very good.  I have a large living room for my listening room and I felt the M40.1 would be better so I upgraded to them.  The 40.1 turned out to be a big upgrade in every way.  I've had my 40.1s for nearly 5 years and I have no urge to upgrade. 

In the last 3 months, I put together a system in my basement.  The room in my basement is smaller.  Since I like the BBC sound, I went with the Stirling LS3/6 and a REL S5 subwoofer.   I like the Stirlings quite a bit more than when I had the SLH5.  The LS3/6 have a similar sound but are just a tad less laid back in the mids and they're very dynamic.  They have the BBC sound that is so involving but not fatiguing.  As a bonus, they are about $1500 less expensive than the SLH5+.  The LS3/6 with the REL subwoofer is very competitive with the M40.1 for about half the cost.  You can see both of my systems in my profile.

gryphongryph
349 posts
 
Was looking forward to buy a 30.1 Went to the dealer and had a listining, left very disappointed, the midrange was very in your face, did not like the sound one bit, seamed to me the speaker was all about the midrange and nothing else!!!
blakcloud
15 posts
 
My first Harbeth's were PS3ER's and I loved them. Sold them to go up the chain. Purchased the Compact 7 series and I thought it was one of the worst speakers I ever heard in my space. Returned these and bought the 30.1's. These were much better but took four different amps to finally to get them to sing. Right now I am using a LFD NCSE MkII amplifier and it pairs quite nicely. 
hifipf
38 posts
 
Have multiple systems, and one of them is Harbeth based. I had the SHL5 and sold them for the plus version. Improvement in bass alone was worth the change. The over all performance was tighter and better integration of drivers,and bit more extended on top which added detail. The Harbeth magic is still in full play. 
 If it were not for my Rockport system I would move up to the 40.2. I will always own a pair of Harbeths! They remind me of my Quads (63 and 57) without the headaches. They never fail in connecting me with my music.
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