That could be it...it seemed to draw attention to itself sometimes.It just didn't sound like it was "cut from the same cloth" as the harbys.
A few weeks ago, I got a used REL T9i to go with my Harbeth M30.1 speakers. I was really dubious about it, but felt I would give it a go because even in my small room (about 12 x 13 feet) I felt the bass was lacking. I was also offered the T9i at a good price by a dealer. I thought originally I should have gone for a smaller model. Well, it's a revelation. Honestly, it transforms the listening experience. It's the best thing I've ever done apart from adding the Sugarcube to my vinyl replay. I thought it would be booming all over the place - not so. Maybe I just got lucky. There are occasional bass notes - just very occasional - where it doesn't sound right. But the advantages FAR outweigh the disadvantages. As for the comment about "dial in", I think the other forum member is possibly just referring to adjusting the 2 knobs on the back of the sub: one for volume, one for crossover frequency. It can be a bit fiddly. (There's also a "phase" switch but I cannot detect any difference when I flip it!). You are right, there is also software you can use, but I have not gone down that path. Perhaps you can borrow one first to try out?
That’s quite an endorsement. This is my next step I think - adding one sub. Glad to hear of the solid experience.
Just out of curiosity, where do you position the sub in relation to your speakers / listening position?
Mine is in a corner behind one of the speakers. It's literally the only place I could put it. Until I saw the notification here, I completely forgot I had a sub!
I could never get my REL T5i to work well with my P3ESR 40th's or 30.2 XD's. I ended up sending it back. I loved the Harbeth sound but they just don't rock, in the end I sold them both and brought something that does!
I have diagonal placement (by choice)with the sub in the corner(about 2 feet out) between the speakers with 40hz crossover.....always forget sub is even there until i read a thread like this one
Weird. I have a pair of T5i's and they seem to work fine with my P3ESR 40th's... but maybe I'm not playing anything as rockin as you are. (Great for jazz and acoustic stuff, tho.)
You have pressurized the room. Time for room treatment. Roxul is inexpensive. I say this not to jab. It is a revelation beyond the REL. I run sterero RELs, too.
Yes, I should have said with lighter music, Jazz, acoustic etc the REL worked fine, but it seemed to fall apart with Rock. Again it could be my room, maybe I needed a bigger REL! I am a simple man and wanted to keep the box count low, that is why I had to part with my Harbeth's and look at other options. I wish I could have kept my 30.2's but the wife will only let me have one pair of speakers and having different speakers for different genres is a little silly!
@DavidR What did you replace the Harbeths with? I'm always curious about what folks move to after Harbeths and why. I am considering both the REL route and, maybe, something else.
No laughs whatsoever. This is why there are so many speakers. Different people like different things. Yay to variety!
I had 2 units of REL T5 with my P3ESR, it was nice but they won’t rock hard. The T5s are only 8” subs. Now I have a single Rythmik F12, with a 12” driver it’s much better than the T5.
Hello all, New to this forum and Line Magnetics in particular. First SET amp. Noticed lots of love for Harbeth here which I like. Especially the Compact 7's which would be the right fit for my small dedicated room. Currently running Sonus Faber Guarneri Evolutions which have the same imput sensitivity at 86db @ 4ohms. I just picked up a like new LM-845ia and based on forums here and being a tube junkie have already rolled in GE 6L6's, GL GZ34 and Mullard 10M's all of which I had on hand. My first impressions are very favorable with one huge negative....at medium high volumes, about 65db, I lose it, even on relatively simple recordings....Tierney Sutton After Blue for instance......it just runs out of juice. I see lots of folks running 518's with Compact 7's....845 is just the newer version. Wondering if the Harbeths are somehow easier to drive? On my amp it loses it at anthing over about 11 o'clock. Wonering if the LM 805 at 48W vs 24W would help? I'm not looking a screaming volumes here......the LM 845 is close....but on some recordings I typicaly listen at the 75db - 80db range which the LM 845 just can't get to with the Guarneri's. I am currently running McIntosh 601's and C1000 T tube preamp which is very good.....just looking to simplify and have always found SET sound appealing.
I’ve driven my P3ESR with the LM805ia. Knob does not go pass 11 o’clock and it drives them with ease. They sound great when you tube roll the 6SN7 and 6SL7. Even with these tubes swapped, it sounds a lot better.
I'm one of those folks. From your description of the sound you are getting, I do think the Harbeths C7's would get you a little more undistorted volume versus your current speakers. The Harbeths are 86 sensitivity, but at 6 ohms (rather than 4). The C7's (and I think all the Harbeths) are known for their very simple crossovers, so a lot of amps do work with them that you wouldn't expect. Within limits. The phenomenon that you describe where your amp seems to run out of juice at higher volumes, that will still happen with Harbeth C7's, except it sounds like at a little higher volume. I don't usually like to listen at that volume anyway... too loud for me. So for that reason I am able to get by and be very happy with this combo. But a more efficient speaker would no doubt play nicer with the 518/845. BTW, nice tubes you are running. Which 845s are you using? P.S. Where on the clock/volume knob you listen and/or start to hear distortion is probably tied to your room size and listening distance. But in case it is of interest, I listen at about 9 o'clock when I am listening at full volume most of the time. This is with vinyl. With my DAC, it is probably 8-8:30. Either way, the distortion sets in around 11 or 11:30, but that is far too loud for me, and I only approach that volume when I am out on my deck and want my system to be heard out there. Oh yeah, and the 518ia is 22 wpc. Not 24.
Thanks...Ian, I should elaborate...I am set up in a small 15'6" x 10' 8" x 10' highly treated dedicated room. I currently have the stock 845 tubes in the LM845 with a pair of Shuguang Natural Sound 845T's in waiting....trying to get a feel for things before having to burn in new tubes. I've heard the Psvanne Acme's are outstanding as well. I noticed it starting to distort at the 11 - 11:30 mark...there are only certain cuts I like to dial it up on. Most of my listening would be around 9 or 10. Somewhere around 65db - 70db. BTW....as my rig is now, it's dam incredible! my buds thing I'm nuts to change it....but I'm ready for something a bit less complex. All my gear sits on Maple stands/ blocks, Symposium platforms and either roller bearings or StillPoints and highend Synergistic Research cabling. Something simpler but maintaining the crazy soundstage I'm used to, and SET amps are known for, is very appealing. Not to mention I could sell off a ton of gear and pocket lots of coin. I no longer run vinyl.....too lazy, or CD's for that matter. I run a Lumin A1 with Kenneth Lau power supply with lots of attention paid to the digital delivery side and I am very content with it. My beloved Modwright Oppo will probably the next out....I haven't used it in more than a year...I appreciate the help....have always wanted a pair of Harbeths and thought this might be the right time....I am thinking that at 6 ohms and their design may be easier to drive than the Guarneri's which are known as being power hungry. The 845 with 22W's seems to be very close to what I need....just wondering if the LM805 might be just as sweet and enough juice to get me where I want to go... Thanks
I have had many pairs of Harbeth's over the years and all of them thrived on watts, the more the better more so the P3ESR's. If you ever see Harbeth at a show Alan is always running speaker demos with high 250W+ Hegel amps, there is a good reason, they sound better!
I never owned Harbeth's. But, I seem to recall a member a few years back who had tried the LM 508 and he was not satisfied. I believe he ended up with a 100-Watt Rogue Cronus Magnum. I had the LM 518, but I used it with 100-dB. sensitive vintage Altec's, so it would not compare with your Harbeth's. I will say that when paired with the right speakers, the 518 is a true endgame amp. With 100-dB. speakers, it can reach concert volumes.
