New Harbeth compact 7's... Quite good

After hearing them at Acoustic Sounds and at their analog guru Clark Williams house, we just received a pair of the latest compact 7's from Harbeth. After a week of constant play, these are one of the most musical speakers I've ever heard for 3300 bucks.

Very understated, but killer sound. If you want midrange tonality (along with great dynamics) this is a speaker to check out.

Here's a link:

http://store.acousticsounds.com/browse_detail.cfm?Title_ID=14951

You can get em on the west coast from Gene Rubin Audio and on the East Coast from Fidelis AV. If you aren't near these guys, you can order em direct from Acoustic Sounds.

Review in feb.....

 

I heard the 7SE2's a couple of years back at small local dealer. This guy actually operates out of his basement so it was good to hear the speakers in a real environment with no one else there.

I loved 'em

He also had the smaller model (PSE3??) and their imaging was even better but they lacked the overall fullness of the Compact 7's.

I ultimately decided to keep what I have but if I were in the market they'd be at or near the top of my list.

 

Harbeth was the best audio decision I ever made.

 

The new series three is even better! Clark at Acoustic Sounds told me that the drivers and crossover are new along with some cabinet updates.

I'm using em in my second system and have been bouncing back and forth between the Moon I-7 integrated as well as the MC 275 with a CJ preamp.

Tubes or solid state, it works just fine...

 

Sorry, but that's a lotta money for that small of a speaker.

 

Grasshopper, you have not yet snatched the stone from my hand.

Dave, I hope you get to hear a pair of these driven by some good electronics someday.

Harbeth is world-class gear.

 

I'm sure they don't suck, but where's the beef? lol.

 

On the proper stands, set up properly, in a small-to-medium size room, the beef is obvious - particularly in the all-important midrange. Although "monitor"-sized speakers, these will stun you with their bass as well. As with all things, system matching is key; an amp with some bass control is required, among other things. I'd imagine that a system in the $7-10k range is what these would be featured in. These speakers will be ruthless and truthful about what's upstream; a good source is essential. But the sheer musicality of Shaw's designs is what shines through with all Harbeths.

 

yep, musicality, tonal correctness and midrange magic....

pretty sweet indeed.

 

And you make these comments without having heard them? Unbelievable.

Harbeths offer world-class sound. The Monitor 30s and 40s are among the finest speakers I've ever heard, period.

 

I'd own them, were it not for the cost; the $149/pair Cambridge Model Sixes I just had delivered are more what I can afford these days...kinda sorta poor man's Spendors.

 

No offense here, but I don't need to hear 'em, you're talking over 3 grand for a dinky box. And I'm not talkin' about the 30s and 40s, I don't doubt those are good...I'm talkin' about these. Again, where's the beef? Or in other words, bass?

 

Are they making the 40's again?

 

I see Klipschorns in your future!

 

If you click the Acoustic Sounds link, you'll also find Harbeth's HL-P3ES-2 Speakers for $1895 usd. They get a very nice writeup.

I'm not sure why it's so, but my favorite speakers that aren't Magneplanars have always been little boxy ones. I'd love to hear these; people seem to have loved both them and the larger ones.

 

I see MG 3.6's in your future!

 

I own the model 2's, and if the 3's and a big improvement, they must really be something. I got the 2's on Marc's recommendation that they would be a very good match with my old Mc tubes, and as usual, he was spot on.

 

Understood, but it's how they SOUND that matters...

Maybe not in other areas of life, but my personal experience with regard to speakers is that "size" doesn't always matter..

I've heard some fairly expensive "large" speakers that didn't sound good at all. (for various reasons obviously)

I've heard a few other Harbeth models and I would buy Harbeths in a heartbeat.

 

I'd need so much more space. But I am thinking about another pair. MMGs, the MG12s, 1.6s. But first, I would want to get a powerful amp.

 

Clark played these for us as well and I was blown away. Everything you need to know about what a speaker can do can be accomplished with your eyes closed? These had plenty of bass. They were SO musical.

 

Yep. They came up with a new driver, I believe, and they're back in business.

 

From what I understand, the 3s now have the Radial driver, which is what makes the Monitor 30 and 40 so special. More than one person in the know says that the 3s are now better than the Monitor 30s. I haven't heard the 30s in a while, but I'll tell you right now, the 3s are absolutely great speakers.

 

Well, obviously the physical size is going to put a limit on the bass and dynamics. They may not satisfy for full-scale orchestral recordings played back in a large-ish room. But, what if you don't need the bass? I am considering a pair of these for voice reproduction only in a small room. I will sure give them a trial since I've heard so much praise for them.

 

Excellent Steve. I hope they pass the test. Let us know please