Speaker "Shootout?" Harbeth C7ES3 vs. KEF R500

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by avanti1960, Aug 15, 2016.

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  1. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    My ears have liked these two speakers the best compared to anything on the market under $6700.00.
    Final decision coming up- one set stays and the other goes back.
    [​IMG]
     
  2. Ivand

    Ivand Forum Resident

    Location:
    Houston, TX
    Exciting decision time. I think I read on another thread that you preferred the R500 over the R700. If so, what do you think makes the R500 better than its bigger brother (R700)? Thanks and good luck with the auditioning.
     
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  3. mgmgrand

    mgmgrand Forum Resident

    Location:
    Queens, NY
    Nice looking set up. Too bad you can't keep both sets of speakers. I'm guessing the Harbeth are better in terms of midrange beauty and clarity and the KEF have the edge in bass, slam and dynamics? The real test, I guess, is which ones make you want to keep listening.
     
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  4. head_unit

    head_unit Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles CA USA
    Hmmm, normally I am quite in favor of floor standers over speakers on stands. But I must say, the Harbeths sure look...prettier? More handsome? And the stands they are on are so monolithically massive, it kinda works.
     
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  5. theron d

    theron d Forum Resident

    Location:
    Baltimore MD
    ahh yes the Cronus Magnum II. Bet you're not getting rid of that any time soon are you :) Curious to see which speaker wins ...(of course Im biased with the Harbeths myself...)
     
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  6. murphythecat

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

    Location:
    Canada
    so you think the r500 is better then r700 or r900?

    really interested in this shoot out. new psb t3, atc scm40, and revel f206/208 would be the other contenders in that price range for floorstanders.
     
    Last edited: Aug 15, 2016
  7. 575maranello

    575maranello Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ohio
    Harbeths sure look awesome!!
     
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  8. krlpuretone

    krlpuretone Forum Resident

    Location:
    Grantham, NH
    I have a demo pair of R900s that I am seriously contemplating putting into the permanent home system. Great speakers.

    Also, I'd recommend not toeing in the KEFs on the Y axis.
    The dispersion afforded by the Uni-Q drivers seems to work best flat to the listening area - just find the sweet spot on the horizontal spread and place them there.
     
    Last edited: Aug 15, 2016
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  9. timind

    timind phorum rezident

    Lots of love here for the look of the Harbeths. I prefer the more modern look of the KEFs. Haven't heard either. My question is how similar do they sound?
     
  10. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    The R700 was too laid back in the midrange and upper treble when I heard it. The bass dominated the sound.
     
  11. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    Yes. The R500 sound is more balanced than the R700 and I did not hear the R900. I tried the PSBs, did not care for the Revels and had a bad first impression with the ATC SCM 40 at an audio show.
     
    Robert C likes this.
  12. jupiterboy

    jupiterboy Forum Residue

    Location:
    Buffalo, NY
    I listened to both of these when I was shopping. Interested in how this works out.
     
  13. theron d

    theron d Forum Resident

    Location:
    Baltimore MD
    Curious to see if the R500 has the beautiful mids/imaging of the Harbeth 7ES3?
     
  14. jupiterboy

    jupiterboy Forum Residue

    Location:
    Buffalo, NY
    That concentric driver in an MTM design is seamless. Harbeth has better driver material, and IMO, a bit looser, breathier mid-bass. I couldn't make my peace with the KEF tweeter.
     
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  15. Vinyl Archaeologist

    Vinyl Archaeologist Forum Resident

    curios as well - I had both and though i liked the dynamics and power handling of the Kefs i never really got a natural truly "real" sounding presentation from them and the Harbeths are i guess dynamic enough in the spaces i have been in. It was a no contest for me. Could have been other stuff in the front end influencing it though.
     
    Last edited: Aug 16, 2016
  16. Shiver

    Shiver Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Would be really interesting to hear your end thoughts on this. Have demoed the R500s a couple of times and never gelled - compared to others seeming quite smeared and boxed-in. That was with both Naim and Cambridge amps - not sure how they'd work with others.
     
  17. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    First impressions- the R500s love digital media sourced rock. Huge soundstage- wider and taller than the Harbeth's. Imaging is incredible- every vocal and musical cue is located with extreme precision. Bass impact and depth just trounces the Harbeths. An extremely well balanced sound that covers all of the bases equally. Clean and powerful.
    One of the reasons I am trying the KEFs is their ability to run bi-amplified for additional power and dynamics.
    They are so much more efficient they make the Cronus sound all the more powerful, and a second amp for the R500 woofers will not be needed.
     
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  18. gslasor

    gslasor Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    Of the two I'd be inclined to go Harbeth, but sometimes I like to rock and for that the KEFs would be the choice.

    The 'beths also look gorgeous. I'm not a huge fan of the RX00 aesthetics - never seen a pair in person but on the net they look a little cheap (Toyish?) IMO but, of course, to each their own.

    At that price range I'd be shopping around though.... maybe PMC... Neat Momentum 5is are around there... but those are my choices of course.

    Whichever you pick... enjoy! :agree:
     
    Last edited: Aug 17, 2016
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  19. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    These speakers sound completely different so a decision should be easy!
     
  20. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    The Harbeths have been in my system for about 3 months and I know their sound very well. My goal for the KEF R500s is to improve where the Harbeth's fall short- namely impactful bass and ability to play louder, especially with rock music. Mission seemed to be accomplished with digital sourced music.

    Unfortunately the KEF R500s lost some of their lead when I switched over to vinyl playback. Somehow the sound of my vinyl setup mixes with the sound of the KEFs and loses some "synergy".
    The ill interactions show up as a metallic, slightly crashing sound in the lower treble. Once I began hearing this, it was easy to key in while listening and became distracting.
    In fairness to the KEFs, the Harbeths have been "tuned" in my system with respect to optimum placement and tube rolling.
    I'll experiment with each for the R500s and see if I can minimize the metallic treble with vinyl playback.....

    [​IMG]
     
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  21. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    Thanks!
    The R500s look great in rosewood color and piano black and the worst (cheapest) in the color I have (walnut I believe). If the KEFs win I will order another finish.
    Unfortunately there are no PMC or Neat dealers in my area, thank you for the suggestion.
     
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  22. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    Not so easy!
     
  23. theron d

    theron d Forum Resident

    Location:
    Baltimore MD
    I know this is sacrilegious to some but ever consider a sub with the harbeths? I was in same scenario as you with some heavier/modern rock losing weight. Got a REL sub and have it just barely on in volume and really fills in the lower freq nicely....REL Q201E sub to be exact. Food for thought.
     
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  24. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    Not sacrilegious at all. In fact I have a very good sub (JL Audio D110). It integrated great with the KEF LS50s but I can't get it to avoid smearing the already warm Harbeth sound.
     
  25. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    Slightly similar. Each have their strengths and weaknesses and (so far) seem to be at their best with different music and sources.
     
    timind likes this.
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