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The Harbeth phenomenon

In my search for a new pair of speakers, I've gone through many threads here and noticed that many owners or fans of Harbeth have almost a love-like connection with Harbeth speakers. It is almost as if the speakers cast a spell upon them. I know many audiophiles love their speakers but Harbeth owners seem especially enamored with theirs. I am extremely puzzled by this phenomenon because on paper Harbeth speakers look average at best and lack many of the attributes that generally make a great speaker.

Their sensitivity of generally around the 86dB mark makes them rather inefficient and therefore, at least in theory, not a good match for many lower powered tube amps, or any amps below 100wpc. Their frequency range is simply inferior to most high-end speakers since they don't go below 40 Hz. This alone should, again at least in theory, disqualify Harbeth speakers from consideration as top high end speakers. And yet I've never heard anyone complain about their bass, while people complain about lack of bass in the Gibbon Nines from DeVore, which is a fantastic speaker. Their cabinets look like a cheap DIY enclosure (disclaimer: I've never seen a Harbeth up close, only pictures). The 7ES-3 is rated B-Restricted, while the smaller and cheaper Usher Be-718 A-Restricted in Stereophile but garners nowhere near the same amount of admiration, praise and following among audiophiles.

So what's going on here? Is this a big conspiracy plot by the company that paid off a few hundred of people to infiltrate audiophile internet forums and a few reviewers? I am of course joking here, but the question is serious. How can speakers so average on paper be so good in real life? I know the opposite is often true, but you rarely see this phenomenon.

Please speak up.
actusreus
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Constructive.....not.

I suppose that would depend on who is commenting. Some people that like music and listening to it as an aesthetic experience, also have critical faculties for judging their equipment - these to traits are not mutually exclusive - though not always guaranteed to be found in the same person. I find many folks whose comments seem very constructive - they do not justify their purchases, they explain the reason for their purchase - it is not a question of the blind leading the blind, though it does happen occasionally on AGON -- you can usually tell the difference, with patience.
extravaganza
373 posts
 
These are people that listen to tiny clips of music to critique their gear. They're not music fans.

actually listening music through harbeth makes me listen music and concentrate on beauty of music .Emocional impact created by harbeth sings all day long in my soul .That is what i like very much abaut harbeth.
phasecorrect's avatar
phasecorrect
2,013 posts
 
fwiw...i have listened to spendors many times....a direct competitor to Harbeth...both in terms of cosmetics and performance...and I must say...impressive results...a very relaxed, somewhat polite presentation...but that is the old school.Brit sound...they too for years.
avoided computer modulations for exhaustive listening tests...good.old lymey engineering mates!
donjr
1,335 posts
 
Pubul57 - I'm sorry. I was a little harsh with my comment. I get frustrated when I read some of the advice given on the forum and I was lashing out. There was a point when most advice given to me was based on specs. It got to a point that specs was all I cared about, and I bought a lot of brand new equipment based on advice, specs, and what used to work well with what equipment. I read on here recently where someone asked a question about the Harbeth and Rogue Audio combo and someone replied that it would absolutely not work, yet it was a wildly popular room in Montreal in 2010 and it's what I own. The OP made his decision based on that one persons comment. He might love what he has now, but it's a shame that he never got the chance to hear the Rogue with C7's. Giving advice on how something sounds is similar to advice on how something tastes. I love tomatoes but you might hate them. You will never know until you try them. If I told you they were disgusting, you may never try them.
cantorgale's avatar
cantorgale
116 posts
 
@el34 
Recognizing this an old thread, it is relevant to my current situation. Like you, I am a classically trained musician (singer) with decades of performing experience, and so find my Harbeth m30.1s both accurate and immensely satisfying.  

I currently run them on a Musical Concepts modded Hafler 125 wpc solid state amp. I just swapped out my solid state MC/Hafler DH 110 pre for a tube line stage and am very satisfied with the effect.

I remain interested in a tube amp. However, I have been warned off by so many because of the Harbeths 85db efficiency that I am concerned about low power tube amps - contra your experience. 

If you are still around this user group, I'd be very interested in your input. 

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