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Harbeth 30.1 ? The Ultimate Speaker under $5K ?

I have been on a mission lately to find the best speakers within my budget - under $5K ...I am definitely an audio freak and my sound engineer in LA told me we went to a HiFi convention of sorts in Newport and heard every high end boutique speaker there is and hands down the Harbeth 30.1 was the best...thought it was a live band as he turned the corner into room ! 


Local hiFi high end shops always push whatever they deal....guy near me recommends Paradigm Prestige 95s but the seem more for home theatre use...here's my profile: 

I listen MOSTLY to LPs (stream on occasion with Audioengine B1)
Marantz PM-11S1 Mono Block Amp
Sony STR-V7 Amp
Technics SL-15 
1 SVS SB1000 Sub (if necessary) 
My listening room : is approximately 15 feet from Hifi to sitting position, wood floors , pitched ceiling about 10-15 feet in spots ...entire room approx 30 feet across . I consider it a VERY live, reflective space. 

I am a drummer so I love fat , tight kick drum. Rock i.e.: Rush , Prince, old 70s / 80s fusion/Jazz  
I listen to all different volume levels, sometimes low, sometimes I turn up music very loud and crappy speakers always seem to lose definition at high volume . 

I currently have some NHTs 2.3 & Infinity IL60s for surround....

Is the Harbeth 30.1 too small of a speaker for my spot?  what do you guys recommend! Thank You !
128x128tommypenngotti
gosta's avatar
gosta
202 posts
 
There's also a whole world of active studio monitors out there if you're not buying for the looks. A midfield monitor can play loud without breaking up. Take ATC, Neumann, Focal, JBL, PMC etc etc. I like them, but they are built to play flat so might not always be so exciting and are very revealing for bad recordings. But for good recordings....:-) Suppose you knows all about this. 
mrdecibel
1,244 posts
 
A pair of Klipsch Lascala ( I own ), ( or Belle, if you can find a pair ), with a few modifications and updates, will certainly take care of every desire you want, and, you already have a subwoofer ( although I prefer a pair ). The Heresy and Cornwall are good choices, but not in the league of the Lascala ( I also own a pair of Heresy 11 fully modified in another room, and have owned Cornwalls ). Maybe a used pair of the Lascala 11 might come up for sale. Try and listen to a pair somewhere ( I am in central Fl. ) Lot of info on the Klipsch Forums. Enjoy ! Mr. D.
tommypenngotti's avatar
tommypenngotti OP
99 posts
 
I’d love to audition some Klipsch ...looked at all their Northern CA. distributors and no one carries the high end stuff...must be someone that has them....any impressions of Cornwalls ? One guy recommended Herseys w/ subs but they seem small for my room...
avanti1960
225 posts
 
hope you had a chance to hear the C7s also.  more natural than the SHL5+ and bigger sound than the 30s.   A great speaker.  
FYI adding a good subwoofer (i recommend JL audio) makes the sound bigger as well.  
tommypenngotti's avatar
tommypenngotti OP
99 posts
 
ok so demo’d the Harbeth’s and here are my thoughts 

Room was medium sized and treated well.

30.1 / C7s : Way too small for my space. Out of the running immediately .

SHL5+ - very nice , true , imaging was deep and my first reaction was this is a clean , non hyped even field of sound. I played about 15 tracks , varied styles ranging from hard rock /soft rock/ jazz .
Some sounded better than others ...initial impressions seem to lean that these Harbeth’s compliment softer music ...the heavier stuff sounded good but not quite as impactful as the spacious softer tracks....
The Highs : Were there and even . People wanting to hear that super crisp , shimmery high end will need EQ.
Mids - very even and accurate.
The Bottom was surprisingly good for a flat EQ/ no subs...for me in my space , not enough ...I’d need to supplement a sub.
The depth was quite extraordinary ...the spectrum was broad and sounded like nothing had artifacts. The cabinets are beautiful .
In conclusion , Me personally at this stage , I don’t think $7K is worth what I heard...however, if I happen to run across a new/used pair for quite a bit less... I might bite...good work Alan/ Harbeth , great speakers.


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