Little Harbeths & Nait 5i?

I've not had an audition, but everything I've read on the Internets (a series of tubes) suggests that I might like the little BBC-style Harbeth speakers (HL-3P-ES2 or whatever they're called.) I'm all about the midrange, you might say. I don't listen at terribly high volume, either (vol. knob resides around 9 o'clock, usually.)

In my 15' x 18' room, how do you think they'd work at the sharp end of my 50 w. Nait 5i?

Cheers,
Bruce

p.s. I'm only inquiring about the Harbeths here; no need to recommend anything else. Thanks in advance.

 

I have the HL-P3ES-2's and I really like them. Great imaging and detail in the high end. The midrange is very good, smooth and uncolored. The low end is surprisingly solid for the size.

Download issue 9 of Tone for a full review http://tonepublications.com/MAGPDF/TA_009.pdf

 

Naim and Harbeth is a highly synergystic match.

 

Supposed to be a great match.

 

If you do a lot of of low volume listening the best speaker I know of with the Nait is the Spendor S5E. It's a tiny floorstander rather than a bookshelf model.

The combo allows one to follow bass lines and the musical structure better than most others. I have no idea how the Spendor compares with the Harbeth in the mids though because I have not heard the Harbeth.

Good luck!
Joe

 

I like the S5E a lot as well. Its one of my favorite floorstanders. They are a little bit brighter on top than the Harbeths, but not in a bad way.

 

I think that I'd choose those Harbeths over the Spendors. I have not been so impressed with the Spendor S series as the Classic series. The LS3/5a design does sound very good and it'll be a great match with the Naim amp.

 

Thanks for all your responses! I might make the leap (via mail-order; no dealers here in Seattle).

I've noticed that lots of Harbeths out there are situated on Sound Anchor(?) stands - are those really de rigeur for the 'Beths, or will any solid stand (of the appropriate height) do?

 

Having spent some time lurking on the official Harbeth forums, Alan Shaw (Who is the genius designer of the Harbeth loudspeakers) has posted more than once that you can use any number of methods to prop up your 'Beths. I even remember him mentioning that the new Compact 7 ES-3s were actually tested on a pair of Ikea plant stands. As for specialized speaker-stands, he seems to be enthusiastic about Skylan Stands out of Calgary, Alberta. Personally, I'm in the process of building a pair of DIY Stubby stands that are featured on the TNT-Audio website for my Monitor 30s.

 

Sound Anchor and Skylan stands are really great, but any good solid stand will do.

 

Also consider the Quadral Pico - recently reduced from £850 to £650 in the UK. the reviewer at Hi Fi World said he wouldn't use any other small speaker rating it very highly indeed.

Not sure about global distribution but worth asking round for an audition if a local dealer has them.

 

i have a similar sized room, and my fullrange Thiel CS2.4s (which were very rich in my previous 12x14 room) were thin sounding until i replaced the preamp...

 

Used em here with my Nait 5i and it worked great. Used Sound Anchor stands and mid grade Audioquest cables...

Talk to Clark at Acoustic Sounds. He can tell you if 24" stands are the best, or 29" for that speaker. I used 24" with excellent results, but the Compact 7's really work best with 19". Clark will steer you in the right direction.

My living room is about 11 x 17.

Or you could drive down to Portland, buy a pair from Stereotypes and we could go drinking!

 

Stereotypes doesn't have the HL-3P-ES (I think they might prefer the little Spendors for that job), but I might visit next I'm down there to hear the Compact 7's and Monitor 30's. Believe it or not, eveything I know about Harbeths comes from reading.

Jeff, how do you like your Stirlings? I read somewhere that they're a bit brighter than the Harbeths and Spendors...true?

As far as going drinking, I'd love to cruise the espresso shops of Portland! (So as not to end up like Ron Wood or Pete Doherty, I gave up the demon alcohol years ago.) Actually Jeff, I'd probably just bug you "pleasepleaseplease could I hear your CD555-driven system..."

 

Wow, I've been reading a lot of Alan Shaw's stuff on the Harbeth site and forum - that guy is lucid. He's no audio snob either; I love the fact that he designs his stuff to work well driven by any amp; a consideration lost on the designers of so many "high end" speakers.

 

And here's what he had to say about our review...

Hello Jeff,

Just a line to say hello, hope that you and Jean are well - and to express my appreciation for the wonderful Compact 7ES3 review. The words and pictures combine into the most luxurious read - and truthfully, I had no idea that you were a virtual magazine. The whole publication has a Vogue feel, and it really is a masterpiece. We're proud to be associated with you both.

With all best wishes,

Alan Shaw
Managing Director
Harbeth Audio Ltd.
UK

 

Guess what .pdf I'm downloading tonight when I get home. Vogue eh? Cool!

There's also a YouTube interview with Alan from the Las Vegas(?) show recently, for those interested.

I'm starting to dream about a future system: CDX2>SuperNait>Harbeths.

There goes the retirement fund.

 

I love the Stirlings. However, Randy Wells is going to write the review, because he's got the originals too. We gave him the Stirlings and a second set of Stirlings with the Cicable external crossovers. Both are fantastic. The ones with external crossovers are really incredible, but the whole deal is about 4k, and thats a lot of dough for little speakers!

But if you are using em in a small room (pref. with a fast sub) or on your desktop as I had them, it is pretty incredible sound! I should have them back here shortly...

Good luck on the hunt!

 

Thanks Jeff! I think I've got to catch up on my reading of your fine mag.

 

Gotta love that guy and great to see he appreciates your publication Jeff.
As you know I've been a Harbeth owner for quite some time. I have the M40's having sold my M30's earlier this year so I'm down to just one pair now.

 

Got M40's on the way for review and can't wait!
Alan is definitely a cool guy. Makes a great product for
a very reasonable amount of money.

We have an interview in process with him, I think you
guys will enjoy what he's got to say!

 

M40.1's are on the short list. I have one chance to get a sweet pair of speakers before the big debt starts. The waiting list doesn't help, but it's a good sign regarding the potential value.

 

I can only dream about M40s* - but perhaps some day - a used set??




*"I make the minimum wage", as a punk singer once declaimed...

 

Jeff, great review of the Compact 7's. Pretty much aligned with what I've been hearing about them elsewhere. Well-written article too, with lots of practical value, which leads me to...

I've gotta exhort those few of you reading this (who haven't already) to download and read TONEAudio online; it's as good an audio/musical journal as exists today, virtual or printed on glossy stock. You get to read Jeff's, Marc Phillips' (a.k.a. Vinyl Anachronist, who I've been reading for awhile in AudioEnz) and others' fine reviews of records and audio kit, as well as articles on great musicians, ancient & modern. Plus, the mag itself is beautifully designed, in a way that flows nicely in the .pdf format. Finally, I cannot help but appreciate a journal that has had Crowded House on the cover, and a review of the latest Sloan album. Most importantly, the focus is always towards music, with gear merely (am I being unfair, Jeff?) the means towards that end. I now have a new reason to stare at my computer screen for (probably) too long a time these days...

Can't wait for the Alan Shaw interview.