How to tame the high of harbeth C7

Nice to see someone dispelling the notion that Harbeths are rolled off, but they aren't inherently bright either. As Newbee suggests, sidewall reflections and toe-in are worth considering, as are ceiling reflections and hard furniture reflections.

The other thing I would point to is the speaker stand height. I have my 7's on 16 inch stands. When I tried them on 21 inch stands they took on a completley different tonal character, still Harbeth clear and precise, but the whole lower midrange and bass was down 1-2 dbs. So, I would say first experiment with stand height. If the tweeters are lower than your ears, tilt the speakers back just a tiny bit.

I am not familiar with your preamp or amps, but if the output impedance of the preamp is high compared to the input impedance of the amps, that could cause a loss in the bass, which could in turn have the subjective effect of emphasizing the treble. If the Manleys have some sort of adjustment, that would be worth a try.

Finally, if you are bi-wiring, put the shorting straps (jumpers) back in and see what you think.

Do not put Totem beaks or anything else on your speakers. Totem speakers are designed to be inert. Harbeths have lossy boxes designed to resonate with low amplitude at unobjectionable frequencies. You will change their sound by putting something on them to something not intended by their designer.

Good luck, and feel free to email me.

Paul

Well, sir, it sure is not the speakers. I use my C7s on 22 inch stands and listen in near-field and they are not bright. (They are just RIGHT!) Everyone's suggestions as to looking at room interactions seem like the way to go.

Something is wrong, and I promise you should look somewhere other than the C7s, unless they are broken. I bet you will find something, on further inspection.

Enjoy your music,

Charlie

the 7's sound darker with solid state gear...i also know that if you downgrade your speaker wire it will eliminate the high sizzle inherent in these bbc type designs...you'll find you don't miss any music either...i would leave the manleys alone,they are classics...keep the wire simple........you'll notice an incredible difference.

Note: anyone who says "inherent sizzle in these bbc type desings" has never heard a pair of Harbeth Compact 7ES-II. Take any advice with a huge grain of salt.

Charlie

p.s. What cds do you notice this with?

Or Compact 7, or 7ES (I), they're all the same except for minor cosmetic differences and a slightly revised formulation of the woofer material in the last series (but not corresponding to the name change). The drivers, crossovers and cabinet specifications are all the same. They are very revealing. So a mismatch between preamp and amp, or an underpowered amp, or a bad amp will be revealed. How they will sound with a solid state amp depends on the solid state amp. If it's bright, they will sound bright. If it's dark, they will sound dark.

I have measured mine in a couple of real world rooms. They are dead flat from just below 50 hz to 1.6khz, then dip into the presence region coming back to flat at 5khz. In my larger room with no reflection problems, they then have a slight, very slight, roll-off after 12-13khz, but not much. In a smaller room with reflection problems from ceiling and walls or windows, because the tweeter has such wide dispersion, I have seen too much energy in the 6-10khz region, which can sound sizzly. This is not a fault of the speakers - they do not measure that way in an anechoic chamber or in my larger room, and other speakers in that smaller room have the same exaggerated response in the 6-10khz region. So, w/re the original question, the relationship between the speakers and the room is the first place to look.

And regarding the wires. The dealer from whom I bought my 7's (Alastair Gardner at Signals in the UK, who has sold more of them than anyone) recommends Nordost Blue Heaven, which is a little bright, if that is possible, and he wouldnt make that recommendation if it didnt make sense. I do use reputedly smoother AQ cables with mine.

Paul