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Devore or Harbeths to replace my ESL63s?

I'm on the last stages of a speaker quest that has been quite difficult. For the last year I've had ESL 63s in a smallish room (14'8 x 11'10). I've got them to work extremely well for small scale ensembles, particularly jazz, and they also sound great with electronic music. But I can't give them enough space to image an orchestra, and they don't really rock (at least without Gradient sub-woofers, but that's another story...)

So after a long search, it's come down to either Harbeth or Devore for replacements. These have been my favourite contemporary speakers for years, so basically I've just spent a long time finding out what I already knew.

I previously owned Compact 7ES3 and enjoyed them, but found them unrefined in the soprano regio, and slightly muddy around the port output. The Monitor 30.1 is considerably smoother in the high frequencies and I find it a beautifully balanced speaker. It is the perfect size for my room, with one failing. It lacks the half octave of bass needed to give kick drums any force. I tried the new SHL5+ in my room but they are just too big for my room, sadly.

A friend of mine owns some Devore Nines. Very few people have Devores in the UK, but he has a fantastic system with VTL 2.5/150. It used to be that when I heard his system I would find the Compact 7s unlistenable for a couple of days. That changed with the ESL63s, but the Quads have an uneven combination of great strengths and severe limits in a small room.

So it's come down to either Harbeth M30.1, Devore Super 8, or Devore 88.

I have a second hand pair of the Super 8s at home at the moment. They are beautifully organic and draw you in to their world gradually. Other speakers I have at home have more immediate and crisp micro-detail (Harbeth P3ESR for example), but the Super 8s seem to put a root into the ground and claim the room as the proper place for their music making. Relax, they say, don't worry about the details, we will sort out your musical life.

I have only two reservations; first, they are quite lean in the mid-bass, especially in comparison to my friend's Nines, and this presents some limits with rock and electronic. Second, my system is optimised for Harbeths (and then for ESLs), and Devores would probably work better with lower powered, very refined valve amps. I don't get the same clarity that I get with Harbeths in my system.

I also have an option on some second hand 88s, but I have never heard them and I would have to buy blind. That is generally against my religion.

I guess the key question is; do I go with what I know (Monitor 30.1) or look to optimise my system gradually for the newcomers (Devore Super 8 or 88).

I'd be grateful for any thoughts from anyone who has compared the M30.1 with Devores in the same room, since that is what I can't do at the moment.

(My system details: the amps are Unison Research Unico Pre/DM. The sources are a Fletcher Omega Point 5/Audio Note Arm/Nagaoka MP500, Trichord Diablo/NCPSU). Audio Synthesis DAX Discrete with AS modded CD Transport.)
andreweast
salectric
683 posts
 
Andrew,

I have heard AN-E speakers numerous times at a nearby dealer. At various times he's had the hemp woofer model, a less expensive version, and a ridiculously expensive version with outboard crossovers and silver wiring. I didn't keep track of the specific model numbers. I have also heard them at a number of RMAF and CAF shows including AN's own rooms.

As for what I mean by "discontinuity" I hear the transition from the woofer to the tweeter. It's not a smooth handoff from one to the other. There is also a recessed area, like a suck-out, in the transition area that diminishes the liveliness of the speaker.

As I said this apparently doesn't bother everybody since lots of people like and own AN speakers, but it would bother me if I owned them.
jetrexpro
500 posts
 
I also hear the "suck out" that Salectric refers to with the AN-e. It doesn't bother me. I am a happy camper. I am happy they can be tucked into the corner and that I enjoy so many different types of music with them. Find the speaker you love and enjoy. Jet
ctsooner
2,104 posts
 
I personally don't like the AN speakers either. Just not for me for the same reasons you guys are bringing up. I was discussing this with an owner of the J's I think it was and I heard it on their top of the line electronics and they turntable with three separate motors etc. I let him listen to my Vandy Treo's with entry Ayre integrated and Basis with Benz cart/Heed phono. He was shocked with what he hear. Said it gave him a real stage, imaging and musicality he loves, but it sounds like a single speaker and is so subtly detailed compared to his. I've had my Ayre on AN'e' with silver wiring etc... It sounded better than the AN amps, but still had suck out and lacked continuity. The mids can be magic and the dynamics are great cause they are so efficient, however it's not a whole speaker in my mind. I can sit and listen to them all day long as long as I'm not being critical...
jetrexpro
500 posts
 
And I have heard speakers that do things better than the E's. Some that have more presence, richness, accurate, etc. but when it gets down to it after a long day the E's simply make beautiful music in my listening room with 8 watts that connect with me. Somehow they just suck me in, connect the dots and let me enjoy the music.
gregm
3,021 posts
 
Out of the spkrs mentioned here, the Harbeths are probably your best bet -- BUT the model you choose does not have much bass... Pity you can't go for the bigger monitor 40.1: it;s a very good speaker.
Anyway, I think you can dispense with the AN, they are strange compared to what you seem to like (good frequency response & details).
Which leaves us with the Janszens & the Devores: between the two, I'm guessing you'll prefer the J: they give an impression of speed, i.e. more of the immediacy of the music will come out.
But you are the boss, as always!
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