Harbeth C7es3 or Harbeth M30

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by murphythecat, May 15, 2016.

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  1. My room is similar...10 x 15 and I have managed to get the C7es3 about 22 inches from the rear wall with no adverse effects. And I play them loud.
    (If you can walk me through adding an image from my Galaxy, I think I have a picture.)
     
  2. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    That's what I thought. Mine are only about 20 hours old and I have them ~ 19" from the wall and there is not an overwhelming amount of bass. There isn't really enough bass compared to the demo speaker at the dealer which sounded incredible.
    I'm being patient - if they don't break in by the end of 30 days back they go (unfortunately).
     
  3. IanL

    IanL Senior Member

    Location:
    Oneonta, NY USA
    Definitely pull them out into the room and listen before you return them. I can't think of any time I have read somebody say they thought their C7's sounded better close to the wall. They like some space around them for sure.
     
  4. steveharris

    steveharris Senior Member

    Location:
    Mass
    How are the C7`s sounding now?Any improvement?
     
  5. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    Where's that pic...
     
  6. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    Some but the jury is still out. They aren't blowing me away yet. I like them but the KEF LS50s blew me away despite their limitations. The Harbs have their moments but not enough of them and sometimes don't sound good at all. Not worth the investment at this point but I am running out of options.
    My fall-back speaker is the KEF R500 which has always sounded great with everything I threw at it.
    I'm not hearing the magic yet.
     
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  7. bhazen

    bhazen I Am The Walrus

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    s
    Harbeth don't work for everybody.

    I've had both C7ES3's and P3ESR's ... ultimately I was admiring of, but not grooving to, their presentation. The fact that there's such a large group of audiophiles (many of whom I totally respect) into Harbeth, tells me that trusting one's own ears - uber alles - is the only way to go.

    Thankfully I've found speakers about the same weight & horsepower as the P3's with a fun factor that's off the chart. Done! (For awhile, anyway. :D)
     
    Last edited: May 26, 2016
  8. bhazen

    bhazen I Am The Walrus

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    I need to add, in the cause of clarity, that I remain a supporter of Harbeth. In fact, I really want to hear M30.1's first chance I get (I know a few Harbeth hepcats on this very Forum, who are very into this model.) :)
     
  9. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    Good advice. I read your profile and discovered yet another brand of quality speaker that is new to me. They look great!
    I haven't given up on the Harbth yet because the ones in the store sounded really good- but they have accumulated over a year of full-time demo and store sound system use.
    Mine are still infants that haven't cracked the shell yet.
     
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  10. murphythecat

    murphythecat https://www.last.fm/user/murphythecat Thread Starter

    Location:
    Canada
    let them play for at least 150 hours before making a final decision.
     
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  12. theron d

    theron d Forum Resident

    Location:
    Baltimore MD
    The Harbeth 7es3 need power to really shine. Imo they need at least 100w for that sense of ease and to really open up. Lower power amps I think the 7ES3 can sound slightly forward and fatiguing on ears after a while, a sense of uneaseness.

    Two killer amps that i have used for long periods that mate beautifully with the 7ES3 are the luxman 505u and rogue cronus magii.
     
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  13. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    agreed. running the CM II, same amp the store was driving them with. However they sounded really rich with the Rogue Pharaoh (180 watts / channel). I may have my eye on the Pharaoh as a trade up. I can get full value for the CMII for 6 months.
     
  14. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
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  15. bhazen

    bhazen I Am The Walrus

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    What follows is my own opinion and, as in all such matters, should be regarded as lacking salt.

    I think one of the myths about Harbeths is, oddly, one perpetuated by the Man Himself (Alan Shaw, Harbeth company owner/chief engineer): that they work to their full potential with any amp.

    I now believe quite the opposite - namely, that great care should be taken in matching amps to such sensitive, transparent transducers.
     
  16. smctigue

    smctigue Forum Resident

    Have you tried moving them a bit further apart to rule out a side to side null? Have you tried walking around the room while they are playing to see if you maybe you are sitting in a null?
     
  17. bhazen

    bhazen I Am The Walrus

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    Hardly any dealers in North America for R______ _ yet, so I'm trying to keep my piehole closed ... it's a Harbeth thread, anyway ...

    FWIW, I auditioned the P3's in part with a Rogue Sphinx amp ($1,300?). Sounded amazing in the store. Ended up buying a Croft Integrated (similar concept), didn't work out. Long story but, I'm back with Naim electronics driving the speakers-which-shall-not-be-mentioned. ;)
     
  18. murphythecat

    murphythecat https://www.last.fm/user/murphythecat Thread Starter

    Location:
    Canada
    I have used many speakers and none have been so responsive and critical of the amps matching then my P3ESR. I have never heard a speaker been so amp dependant. I use a 50 WPC amp and they now sing.

    It sounded like crap even at low volume with a 15 WPC, the 50 WPC literally changed the sound, removed the brightness and the slowness.
     
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  19. theron d

    theron d Forum Resident

    Location:
    Baltimore MD
    Im coming to the same conclusion with my Harbeths. Low wattage results in some forwardness/brightness and listening fatigue eventually. 100w completely different animal.
     
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  20. bhazen

    bhazen I Am The Walrus

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    I heard SHL5's(?) driven by a SuperNait: OMG, as the kids say now. Out of my league financially, unfortunately.
     
  21. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    Both agreed and disagreed..lol

    Alan is correct that Harbeth speakers sound good with any well designed amp of a minimum wattage. However they sound better (and he has said so) with more power. I love my little amps and the Compact 7's sound good with them. However I heard them with an amp of twice the power and much better headroom and the bass just came alive. The trick is finding an amp that sounds as good as the smaller ones at an affordable price. There is a sweetness to the sound of the lower power amps that I usually don't hear in higher powered ones until they are far out of my budget. That said, moderately powered tube amps also work well with Harbeth's. I will eventually break down and buy a higher powered (and yes read expensive) amp as well as a tube amp...I just bought a pair of ATC SCM11 v2's which will need some power as well.
     
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  22. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    I just moved them out about another 7" or so and it made a big difference. A warmer, fuller sound with more bass. They are now 24" from the wall to the closest corner of the speaker.
    So much for the BS that these speakers are not fussy about placement. They aren't fussy about room placement as long as you aren't fussy about how they sound.
    Unfortunately I am sitting in a null and cannot change that without lots of work on the other half of the room and selling things like air hockey table, ping pong table and a drum set. But that comes next.
    [​IMG]
     
  23. whaleyboy

    whaleyboy Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    I use the M30.1 with the Devialet D200 and am delighted.

    I thought about the SHL5 and 40.1 but got pushback on the form factor (too big for the room visually).
     
  24. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    True that...placement is quite important for them. Mine are about 29 inches from the rear wall (or front wall, i suppose).
     
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  25. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    I spent some quality time with the Harbeths over the past few days and the jury has reached a verdict- Guilty to the charge of delivering awesome sound!
    They do most everything you could ask of them. What tipped them over the edge was how they rise to the occasion of extremely well recorded albums that surpasses every speaker I have ever owned.
    For example, Dire Straits "Love Over Gold" is an incredible recording and sounded really good on other speakers I have owned. But with the C7s the album sounds absolutely stunning and perfect. Clear, dynamic, full range of sound- bass with impact, warm and detailed midrange and shimmering highs. Amazing.
    Another incredible recording is a new Jazz CD by Erik Friedlander, "Ocalypso". Acoustic bass, violins, cello, sax. It sounds so organic and real, smooth and natural.
    I also must give credit to the rest if my system because the synergy is working really well- Rogue Cronus Magnum II with judicious tube rolling, VPI turntable with Ortofon 2M Black, Lehmann Black Cube SE ii phono preamp and the Marantz SA8005 CD player.
    I'll write a full review after they have more hours on them. I estimate they will have 200 hours by September 24th.
     
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