In Appreciation of the Harbeth Compact 7 ES-3

Congratulations, you are going to love them.

 

Congrats!!!!

(For me it was one of the best purchases ive ever made in audio, hope you feel the same...)

 

You will be VERY happy. I've enjoyed my Cherries for 7 years now. BTW, the finish gets even richer with time.

But more importantly, your ears will thank you.

 

Congrats! Color me cherry with envy...

 

congrats! i could certainly live with seeing those on stands in my music space!

 

Thanks very much everyone! Predictably, I can't wait to get them home and get them up and running. The "opening the box of new gear" ritual is pretty excellent.

 

the harbeths are double boxed !

 

I agree with major enthusiasm!

 

double the fun..

 

I'm done thinking about speaker upgrading since I got mine 16 months ago.

I run a 35w/ch Primaluna Prologue One with them in a decent sized living room and it's plenty loud enough. (I'd like a fewwwwww more watts when I've got the Slayer on and the wife is out of the house, but that's about the only time.)

They sound great with tubes. Awesome with everything from small jazz settings to rock and metal. They don't sound terrible 12-15" from the back wall - I usually have them set up like that for parties, and general Sunday morning jazz while reading the paper/etc, but they sound better about 24" from the back wall and toed in to the listening position (when I'm sitting on the couch and just listening and nothing else).

Worked with my local dealer and I got them well below list.

Gratuitous repost from behind the couch:

 

Love that pic! Great furnishings.

 

Great setup!

 

Thank you for not including your bare feet in the photo.

 

Amen to that

 

I received my C7es3's a few days ago and just wanted to post my thoughts so far. I'm using them with Odyssey separates (Tempest/Khartago) and probably the best way I can sum things up is that I'm feeling a bit sleep deprived due to listening sessions lasting far too long into the night.

They seem to balance being highly resolving and dynamic without causing listening fatigue. I'm excited to continue to get to know them, but so far it's been really great.

 

Just wait until everything settles down, that's not just the speakers but your excitement

I was switching the amp on each morning at ridiculously early hours when I got my 30's ............ still do at times!!

 

Join the party!!

 

From my experience the Harbeths need power to show their fullest potential. Repeating myself from a earlier post but the Luxman 505u is a great SS match. Hours of listening, warm but detailed and zero fatique...

Now I'm looking for a tube integrated to add little bit of tube magic but still quick and powerful....up to bat first I'm looking at the Rogue Cronus Magnum II...

 

I'm 8 years into Harbeth C7ES-3's and Naim SuperNait. Since then I've has no desire to change either. Prior to this set-up I was always changing gear. I'm glad to be done with it and so is my bank account.

 

I'm using my pair with an Audio Research VSi60, which has 50 watts. It's in a bedroom, so it's not a large room, but it's a terrific pairing.

I've also used them with an Odyssesy Tempsest/Khartago system @ 135 watts and the NAD C375BEE @ 150 watts.

All three sound great, but ultimately after doing some level matched comparisons the VSi60 sounded more like a real performance than the other two, more powerful systems in my small room.

 

Sweet! Ive got my eye on a ARC VSi-75 too in addition to the Rogue....but they are pricey!

 

Can't go wrong with the Rogue. The Luxman gear seems to make MOST speakers sound good!

 

I've got the VS55. Agree totally.

 

Off the merry go round, eh?

I also paired my Harbeth's with Naim gear and they just seem made for each other.

 

If I were looking at tube amps with a lot of spank I would be looking at the Rogue Cronus Magnum as well. I've heard this amp many times and think its a great piece of kit for the money and being made in the USA is never a bad thing IMO.