2. speakers
  3. 129111-82577

Harbeth C7ES3 vs Spendor SP2/3R2

I recently acquired some beautiful Harbeth C7ES3 stand mount speakers and some Sound Anchor stands.

I normally wouldn't purchase speakers unheard, but I went against my own advice this time and let all the internet hype sway my risky decision.

The Harbeths are currently in the break-in period, and so far I'm not terribly impressed. In fact, the only trait I prefer over my MA Silver 8s is the midrange tone, everything else is inferior thus far.

I realize that comparing some medium sized, metal cone floor standers to BBC style 2-ways is apples to oranges, but I was really hoping the Harbeths would captivate me, if by completely different merits. 

I hope that some break-in will change my view in the coming days. However, the dealer I bought these from claims that the Spendor SP2/3R2 might be the better speaker for my room and preferences. The Spendors are another $500 on top of the Harbeths which already stretched my budget.

Anyway, I'm curious if anyone here has compared these two models and can give me some feedback.

I think I'd be very pleased with the Spendors if they offered better bass extension and dynamics over the Harbeths.

I know this is all subjective, but the dealers near me have trouble accommodating in-home trials. They're nice guys but very busy. 


helomech
avanti1960
1,405 posts
 
I have the C7s since last May and went through the same thing you are.  
Not quite a year later and NO BODY is taking these things from me. They are speakers for life and amaze me on a daily basis.   Give them some time, the bass does get much better and appreciate what they offer in the mean time- an impressively natural and realistic sound.  
You can read about my trials and complaints here-

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/new-harbeth-c7es-3-some-questions.536298/ 
itzhak1969
515 posts
 
You have a relatively big space if you liked the MA S8 the logical think to do is to upgrade to the higher level MA Platinum 200 II ,really great speakers with great bass extension that can fill your room easily with huge soundstage. 
I  think that moving from floor standing to stand mounts for your big room is a huge mistake. 
helomech OP
1,506 posts
 
Avanti, 

You're correct, the bass has improved quite a lot. I'll probably still invest in a couple good subs, maybe some Rythmiks or Velodynes. I might also try placing them along the long wall. 

itzhak,

The MA Silver 8s are superior in the bass but that's the only advantage they have over these Spendors. They're a great speaker but they still produced mild fatigue after a couple hours, even with my smooth and warmish amp. There's something organic about these British monitors that is missing in the MAs, and fatigue is completely a non-issue. These stand mounters just reach out and stir the soul. They are quite the opposite of a mistake, I love these speakers.





itzhak1969
515 posts
 
Helomech

If the Spendor can fill your listening space their sound is better than the MA overall more organic,natural and effortless  I certenly agree with you but it’s a pity that you have to add a sub maybe it’s better to buy one of Spendor’s floor standing speakers for bass extension to avoid additional sub to your system ?
helomech OP
1,506 posts
 
I was prepared to put down the cash for some Spendor D7s, but my dealer said they sound quite different from the Classic series, and they don't have as nice a midrange. He claimed there's some level of detriment to the midrange that comes from a floor standing cabinet. I could've had him open many pairs of new speakers, but at some point I had to consider his position, in that he would be left to sell the rejects as "open box." He spent a lot of time working with me on finding the right pair. In the near future, I might have some young teenagers living in the house and the system will likely be moved to a dedicated bedroom of much smaller size. Hopefully they wouldn't overwhelm a 12.5 x 11 room, but I suppose the front facing ports are an advantage in that regard.
More to discover