Amplifier suggestions for Harbeth?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by raferx, Oct 11, 2013.

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  1. norman_frappe

    norman_frappe Forum Resident

    I agree it can be. Thats why I dont soley read that board.
     
  2. norman_frappe

    norman_frappe Forum Resident

    He would probably argue the unique cone material makes his speakers better most likely. But I would say he hasn't objectively proven it at least not to me. Although I will say anytime I've heard them I was pretty happy with the sound.
     
  3. raferx

    raferx Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vancouver, Canada
    There's a lot of love on these forums for a lot of gear.
    I doubt if I ended up with Shindo, Leben or Decware instead of AN UK that it would have mattered to AS...
    Lower-powered tubes and his speakers don't compute to him.
    Sad really.
    Hearing is believing.
     
  4. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    Yes - no blind testing when I was there. HL5 + on unsuitably high stands and not the widely liked Simply Solid ones. Digital music from laptop - all classical played at too low a volume for show conditions. He wouldn't get any Harbeth converts based on what I heard. A man who appears to like assuming guru status like a number of designers in the UK. Know these speakers can sound a lot better.
     
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  5. norman_frappe

    norman_frappe Forum Resident

    On Hug he mentioned playing supertramp at ear bleed levels. Would have sent me running
     
  6. Jtycho

    Jtycho Forum Resident

    Location:
    PA
    I trust that your OTO sounds great with 30.1's, but it would be an absolute must for me to hear it with AN speakers at some point, if you haven't already. I read that you were considering E's but don't know if you ever got to hear them.
     
  7. norman_frappe

    norman_frappe Forum Resident

    I dont know but i can think of no objective test for detail or realism. Many other things in hifi performance yes. But dont know how you can measure speaker detail or realism other than subjectively listening. Its an issue I struggle with and why I dont outright dissmiss all opinions and just hunker down with the facts. Its frustrating I think I am about at the point to give up.
     
    Last edited: Feb 25, 2015
  8. raferx

    raferx Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vancouver, Canada
    Nope.
    No need for AN-Es IMHO, especially after the amplifier broke in.
    After adding the AN UK M1 RIAA, and hearing the Denon DL-103 and the Auditorium 23 SUT in my system I'm done for a long time.
    The few audiophiles I know well (and who are familiar with the sound of my system), also seem to echo my own sentiments in that they came away with very positive and enthusiastic impressions of the Oto/M1/A23/Harbeth synergy.
     
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  9. Jtycho

    Jtycho Forum Resident

    Location:
    PA
    That's a good place to be man. Congrats!
     
    raferx likes this.
  10. norman_frappe

    norman_frappe Forum Resident

    To be honest if you found something that you like and it works for you who cares what other people say. And I guess that includes themanufacturer. My opinion has evolved.
     
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  11. rbp

    rbp Forum Resident

    Supertramp played on anything would get me running. :)
     
    norman_frappe likes this.
  12. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    It's good to hear your positive experience with this. I've been considering both low power tube amps and Harbeths recently, but figured they were mutually exclusive concepts.
     
    raferx likes this.
  13. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Why? Get a higher power tube amp, the Harbeth 40's that I heard needed at least 40 watts a channel to reproduce dynamic peaks correctly. They had a McIntosh 275 Mark Something reissue hooked up to them (at CES) and it sounded divine..
     
  14. pscreed

    pscreed Upstanding Member

    Location:
    Land of the Free
    My dream setup. Someday...
     
  15. raferx

    raferx Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vancouver, Canada
    Agreed.
    One of the best Harbeth/tube amp systems I've heard has an MC 275 fronted with an Ayre preamp and Roksan TT.
    This system is also at least twice the price of my front end/amp combo, so I'd expect to be wowed.
    I guess for me it's also a weakness for pure Class-A amplification, hence the AN UK amp/preamp.
     
  16. raferx

    raferx Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vancouver, Canada
    I'd always recommend a listening session before buying, but as I've said, I came to Audio Note late into the amp demo process, and it just hands-down beat everything else I'd heard on many levels, but to me (YMMV) it was just the most musical amp paired with the M30.1s that I'd ever heard.
    My system involves me in a way no other system has so far – especially with the A23 SUT and Denon DL-103.
    It's immediate, and palpable and the complete opposite of test records, charts and impedance curves or objective, controlled conditions.
    It plays music, and to me (and anyone who's heard it so far) it does that very well and makes you forget all about the gear and just be present in the moment.
    You're less in your listening room and more in the space where the recording was made.
    That's always been my goal.
     
  17. bhazen

    bhazen ANNOYING BEATLES FAN

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    What's an SUT?

    Edit: never mind ... Step Up Transformer?
     
    raferx likes this.
  18. james

    james Summon The Queen

    Location:
    Annapolis
    Ha.

    What deck did you try the 103 cart on? Your Rega?
     
  19. Threshold

    Threshold Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Manchester NH
    Prima Luna Dialogue Premium Integrated. You can use either EL-34's, KT-88's or KT-120's. Gives you lots of flexability Also the Unison Research Unico.
     
  20. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum. Plenty of power in a tube amp.
     
    theron d and mr. scratchy esq like this.
  21. raferx

    raferx Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vancouver, Canada
    Yup. Extra-heavy Ti counterweight. I also have an Isokinetik headshell weight coming.
     
  22. Erocka2000

    Erocka2000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY, USA
    Still no interest in trying a wood or metal body for the 103?
     
  23. raferx

    raferx Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Vancouver, Canada
    Nope. Perhaps for my second 103... but not this one. I'm going with what Keith said regarding the voicing of the A23 SUT for this cartridge. I'm tired of tweaks to be honest, I just want to listen to music for the next year or so.
     
    Raylinds likes this.
  24. utahusker

    utahusker Senior Member

    We're gonna hold you to that statement :D
     
    Raylinds, beowulf and raferx like this.
  25. smctigue

    smctigue Forum Resident

    An Audiophile year roughly equates to 2 months for normal people.
     
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