I apologize, I never specified the gear used in this review: SME 15 turntable SME V tonearm, Ortofon Cadenza Blue cartridge Van Den Hul Grail phono preamp Jay’s Audio CD Transport Denafrips Terminator DAC Denafrips Ares DAC Mola Mola Tambaui qDAC Gato AMP 150 Pass Labs XP30 preamp Pass Labs XA25 power amp First Wat F8
Love seeing other systems. So interesting when people mix and match some unexpected stuff. Opens up my mind to not be so picky because someone said so. Cheers Steve from a Greek Australian based in Germany.
Pre covid, I went regularly to hifi shows. Many expensive giant speakers didn’t really seduce me, however every time again I was shocked by the open natural sound of harbeth speakers, with the most natural voice rendering on the market. Think a bit the open, uncoloured sound of the classic quad esl 57, but with dynamics and bass on top.
Hi. Yes l so agree l have some Harbeths ml. monitors and quad esl57s and they are very comparable speed wise and tonality with soundstage a bit better on the quads for me...
Thank you Steve for sharing your thoughts! I bought the C7 XD earlier this year (before the price hike). I admit, it was a bit of a luxury buy. But, I feel like I’ve purchased an heirloom piece and something I will love for many years (even if I add speakers down the line). I think you nailed the sound. The mids are the best I’ve heard. Horns and vocals are spectacular. I use a (very turned down) sub to bolster that bass you mention, but the fullness of the sound is what sold me. If you’re looking for transparency and major separation of instruments, this might not be the speaker for you. But, if balance, versatility, and natural full sound is your thing, these are worth your time and investment to check out.
If you don't mind a question, what are the highs like? I know Harbeth uses metal tweeters so I don't pay too much attention to them. That said, I don't want to unfairly judge them because there are a few speakers that use metal tweeters that I like very much. Going by some of the comments, it seems like Harbeth could be one of those exceptions.
@@solarfall2728 Hello! The treble is very good and natural. To be honest, I went from a Martin Logan ESL electro stat to the C7 XD, so it’s been a bit of getting used to the sound after having the very detailed and resolution of the ML. The treble is perhaps slightly rolled off on the C7. Never sharp or shrill, so no listening fatigue. That said, there are times when I miss a bit of that detail/resolution. The trade off is well worth it, though. I feel that as they have a liveliness to them and are so much better balanced. I listen to a lot of jazz and the horns are rich. Bill Evans’ piano is natural sounding and as Steve posted, you do look up from your phone during parts. They are much more dynamic than the MLs. I’ve not heard the HL5s either super tweeter, but that might be the ticket for me. Overall, I’ve been very pleased. They are very versatile and most everything sounds great with them. Vocals and acoustic music. But even old electronic, like Kraftwerk or New Order, sounds stellar. Cello is crazy good, too. Sort of went all over the place, but hope that helps. There’s no perfect speaker, but there are times when the mastering, equipment, and music align with these. Good luck with your journey.
I think this was one of your best reviews. Great job describing this speaker. Also picking the classics (hehe) One thing I gotta say Elvis is a great great singer. He can go from snarling to singing with Burt Bacharach.
Hi Steve I heard those Harbeths and you have done an excellent review cause as you said although they are not very high sensitive they sound very lively even connected to a 30 watt Rega IO
thank you for your music suggestions! Always good! I like that I can actually listen to them. I like speakers review too, but without hearing said speakers, it gets old quickly. Thank you for what you are doing!!!
@Steve Guttenberg Audiophiliac - the caption 'put down your phone when listening to these speakers' is brilliant. lol made me click and here I am! Keep up all your work.
A comment for those of you in the USA about Harbeth pricing: In the last six months , while USA import duties (5%) have remained the same, ocean freight HAS DOUBLED. Over then last year the currency exchange rate has increased more than 10%. Due to COVID, parts prices also have significantly increased as well. And these are still hand built in small batches in the UK! Neither Harbeth or the distributors are making more money on the price increases, just keeping up with the basic cost increases. At $4890.00, these are still a great value speaker if that is the price range you are in the market for. Sure there are lots of great speakers for less (and more). Audio is subjective- That's why its so much fun. REMEMBER?
Best Steve! Overall, you seem to be a very sympathetic, wonderful, gentleman! Traditional in the best sense of the word. In a harsh and very cold world you are highly needed. Your channel is brilliant and I wish you all Gods blessing!
I get distracted at the price. I can't justify that msrp, when there are so many bookies out there today for under 700 dollars that are really very good to excellent. Not sure just how special they can be for that asking price.
Harbeth’s have a cult-like following. I’ve heard them at two shows, the 40.2 and 30.2, and to my ear they were the best smaller speakers I’ve listened to. They are so expensive though, even the used ones, that they remain an aspirational product for me. I have older Proacs for now which are also a fantastic sounding speaker.
@@themosyannakou6893 I'd suggest the Tekton M Lores for 95% of the sound for $700 bucks. I'd take the Wharfedale Lintons or KLH-5s for arguably better sound for less than half the price.
after your video Steve i just had to play LZ ll, Whole Lotta Love, what a track! sounded better than it did 50 years ago. we have come a long way. Plant could have sung Opera, what control. he is one of the greats. matches Page's guitar perfectly. interplay. the drums and the panning from left to right channel. and all this from 50 year old engineering is amazing
I am constantly amazed at Steve's ability to calmly, rationally discuss audio equipment & music and still make it interesting. if only politicians could talk and debate in the same manner...
I like the way you spread your knowledge - I think it's important for music listeners ( being called and audiophile has become somewhat of a .... ) to get more of a handle on what they might like. Tweeters come in many flavors - metal dome - different metal dome - 'silk' dome - planer - ribbon .......... tube pre-amps also can have a significant music signature depending on ......... I have Compact 7ES's, 30's and HL5's and none of them are 'polite' thank god imho - the 7ES's are some of the most Savagely revealing loudspeakers I own ..... great review
Love the look of Harbeth (especially the big 40s), but always wondering if the price is really justified (compared to similar alternative from ATC or PMC)?
Maybe the price is something what makes them desirable for some audiophiles. For music lovers it's not necessary. Anyway, I'd like to have a Harbeth pair some day.
@@johnholmes912 I've made 7 pairs of speakers, most for friends and clients. I made my big main speakers 1989, still in excellent condition. That was way before I saw Harbeth speakers. Funny detail, also I made detachable front wall with visible screws. Harbeths are way more sophisticated, inside and outside.
A head to head UK review! How about another one? Qacoustics 3050i vs Qacoustics Concept 500 Very similar speakers but VASTLY different pricing. Would be a nice compliment to the previous reviews of Qacoustics you've done.
You better like the Harbeth considering the price. The finish looks really good but the sensitivity was a let down. Needs to be auditioned carefully, - it maybe a forever speaker. Unfortunately, the "force is strong" with my phone. Nothing can pry me off with my phone.
Cool just ordered moondog on CD cause vinyl too much for now. Just received Paul Hirsch trio sounds awesome in the heresy 4 marantz 8006 6006 combo. Thanks Steve man!
Steve, thanks for the Moondog recommendation . I'm a sax player and really enjoyed it. I remember Moondog's music from a long time ago. Some t of it was tough to listen to unless I was in the "zone". This record is something else !
Close to 5k for a pair of 2-ways? For 4K you can buy a pair JBL L100 classic and 75th special edition of L100 with walnut finish for 5k! They are also beautifully made 3-ways with big eye ball 12 inch woofers. Nothing against Harbeth just their price has been gone to the roof last 10 years. I used to have a pair Harbeth M30.1 and Naim SBL which walked all over the M30.1. Well...
Regarding bass response with this speaker: I have the previous version of this speaker, and my experience has been that you need a decently powerful solid state amp to get satisfying bass response. I first used a 60wpc tube amp and was disappointed in the bass response. Changing to a 300wpc solid state amp made a world of difference in bass power and control. Still, it's just an 8" woofer in a bookshelf cabinet, so there's only so much deep bass to be had. Bass heads should probably look at something with a larger woofer and cabinet.
@@nancyweiner509 Indeed, results will vary between different amps! In case anyone was wondering, my tube amp was a 60wpc Conrad-Johnson Classic 60SE with KT120 output tubes.
The C7ESR is a nice speaker. I like the slightly loose but large sounding bass. I’m sure the bass on the XD is better. Only heard the P3ESR n the P3ESR XD head to head. I like the improved bass.
@@barrybrennan2135 … I find the XD is better in the bass dept. Not a huge amount but sounds a smidge bigger and more tuneful. I dare not say the mids or highs are better because with better bass it ain’t gonna smear the mids and highs. Still I can live with the P3ESR. A decent sub fixes a lot of things. That’s my take.
Steve, I think you’re colorblind🤣. Thanks for this review. Question: can you still- because of your age- hear high frequensies17.000-20.000 hrz? I’m 52 years old and can’t hear 20.000 hrz anymore. Thanks. Sven from the Netherlands.
nice review, Can I say that it would have been interesting to know which amps you used for the review. Just your Pass labs to of the range or some others aswell?
They're just wooden boxes with a few electronic and hardware widgets installed inside. Here in the 21st century for 5 grand one can acquire all the engineering tools and basic know-how, plus outfit a woodworking shop, to design and build truly spectacular speakers. Which is the more intellectually and emotionally rewarding expenditure? 😉
i wondering why one of these speaker i own suddenly stop making any bass sound ,while both driver seens producing sound but weaker ? There is quality control problem.I didn't play lounder than 90db.yet😊
sound like reviewing more the cd/record than speaker .Thanks.I own the older model . nice mid tone but lack some sparkle or energy at top end,it need a sub also . will up to a floorstanding speaker .
Tuning thin and light wood resonate frequency response to mimic human voice and violin sound is a smart way to fight coloration but has a limit. Good for small group of instruments and vocals but can not following fast and complex tunes well. Now they can play tunes? Should check if their big boys can play tunes.
Good job on the Harbeth Review Approach. I would think the cost of ordering wood screws dyed to match the wood is not that extreme to rule it out. To say I hate the dozen or so black screw heads leering at me might be too strong but ... Is it not true that the Harbeth Raison d'etre is that the box resonance is incorporated into the overall sound as opposed to an attempt to deaden it?
Harbeths are designed and voiced to be used with the grilles on, so you wouldn't be looking at the screws anyway. Maybe black screws are an added inducement to use the speakers the way they were designed.
Well it's better than BBC LS3/5a Velcro & staples! I had ProAc Tablettes for 25 years. Same screwy style front baffles. It's a British thing- like Wallace and Gromit eposed rivets ;-) Incidentally: those screws needed cinching down occasionally ( musical energy makes a great sonic screwdriver :-) I'm now very happy with the Kef LS50s diffraction reducing baffles and dead cabinets😃
Steve....as for acoustic music, ever listen to Will Ackerrman (solo guitarist) or any of the Windham Hill artists? I think such recordings would sound great on the Harbeths.
I have never been able to understand why the C7 is so much cheaper than the m30.2...when the c7 uses the same drivers, is a bigger speaker and does lower base ? Any idea why ?
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac I think it's because the 30 is more popular due to LS59 association. I recall a poll on the Harbeth group about most popular speakers in the range, and the C7 ranked lower in the range.
I own (and love) the Harbeth M30.2 XD speakers and your description of the C7 XD is very similar to my impression of the M30.2 XD. I've been searching 40+ years for the perfect speaker and the M30.2 XD ticked all the boxes. Not cheap at $6,700 but worth every penny. The only downside was my experience on the official Harbeth user group (HUG). Mr. Shaw, who fully participates, can be very condescending and narrow minded, but maybe that arrogance works for him in designing his speakers.
I agree with your assessment on Mr. Shaw being arrogant and closed-minded on his forum. Hence my sympathy for Harbeth diminished. Although, Harbeths are very good speakers, as are speakers from other manufacturers.
@@one-wayexistence4482 Indeed. I've never had such a negative experience on a forum as I did on HUG. He and his moderators already have an a prior belief on each topic and aggressively attack any dissenting viewpoint that might puncture its tightly protected echo chamber. I'm very confused as to why Mr. Shaw created the forum in the first place if he's not prepared to have open and polite discourse.
@@one-wayexistence4482 Yes but I’m a scientist and explained, for example, my A-B methodology for testing differences in cables and he kept moving the goal post with my every answer to his question to the point that he was asking whether or not I controlled for airplane noise outside my house. It got more and more ludicrous.
Alan Shaw highly discourages and controls any discussion of amplifiers on the Harbeth forum. It's my understanding that you can get banned for even discussing certain brands of amplifiers, although the list of forbidden brands is kept secret, adding to the intimidation factor.
For the price surely you would think that with today's wood craft technology they could do something regarding the 5 cent star screws holding the front and rear baffle boards on . Even snap caps over the screw heads would be better than nothing for 4 K plus ? I believe some of These British made speakers rest on there reputation and laurels sometimes you have to move with the times. My friend just said well at least for price they charging for these speakers you Know You Are Being Screwed ...😆🎵🙏.... great reviews ..
Do audiophiles ever go to live performances? They seem to be more interested in “sound” than music! Recordings of all types do not sound like live performances! They are softer or smoother.
If you spend a million bucks building an acoustically perfect space, fill it with another half million full of top-end gear, and play the world's finest recordings, you still can't recreate the experience of being there. Recorded music is not the same thing as live, so it's not helpful to compare that way.
steve was wondering what you think about PSB speakers? as an audiophile on a budget , i really like my Image B-25's bookshelf speakers. just curious what you thought about the brand in general.
It sounds like Harbeth tried to rid the old C7 of the slightly wooly bass and went in the other direction as Steve was looking for a bit more warmth and body from the low end on the new one
I have heard both (although not side by side), to me the M30's are more resolving, more true to the source, a little more open and detailed. I think the C7's are meant to be a little more "fun" while the M30s are a bit more of a serious listen.
You won't be looking at your phone, you'll be looking at your bank statement wondering what moment of insanity possessed you to spend five grand on a pair of tiny tyke speakers. No highs, no lows, it's Brit-fi. Quad ESL57 is the best midrange speaker in the world.
I agree l have the esls but like to listen to my harbeth ml monitors to engage or refresh my ears and brain occasionaly. Sometimes the quads are a bit "boring" the harbeths make me feel younger somehow... Both Excellent loudspeakers with a quad va1 amp. Simple joy.
Tested these, was really dissapointing expierence, kudos super 10a were way better for me. 7esr xd tweeter after kudos sounded quite bad and speakers by themself did not invited to enjoy music, ar least m30.1 i heard were a lot better! Update 2022/05- now these speakers replaced my Proac D20R, my room was too small for proac, but last time i tested c7xd they were oartnered with very soft dac, made sounding them like shit, but, i will tell you a story, while i enjoy C7-xd version! Music flows, do not miss proac d20r absolutely, musicality became so good, yea i changed from this custom dac to audio jote 2.1 siganture, but my fio e17 alpen amazes me when i conoared to chord Mojo, yes mojo, it even dis not worked with my Mezze 99c, guys all this buisiness ia Room depended, there is no bad or good speakers, there is a soul where you listen in, when you hear it you will recognize it, C7 best speakers-no, best in my room oh 👍 yes baby 👍 they are ao musical, i’m 42 yearsl old , was in Munich ok, 7-6 years ago, and of bunch liked dynaudio, but before entering there was a guy with maybe la5/9 graham or stirling ir was magical, my friend told lets go we have just begining of Munich fair, no this guy was englis and will always will wonder it was Graham or Stiirling or other bbc speaker, by now i’m ex owner Audio ohysoc scorpio II, snell JIII, dynaudio xeo4, dali icon mk2, klipsch rf62 (my first pair of “seriuos” audiophilia) ;) praoc d20r, Martin logan esl, so here we go, i took in c7xd the room before changed one room to other and kudos s10 was way better tham c7xd, then made changes in room accodently one guy askwd to burn in them 🔥 before giving to listen, you know i listen know to them, cause i thaight i must be frankly, we all wanna buy big fancy speakera and tell in heary they sound great, no they sound great, but where is magic? Bro where is a magic, bass is not magic ;) my confession was done, btw hated m30.2xd when got in my place but loved in my wifes sister apartment! In my apartment m30.2xd with same amp which i run with C7xd was disaster!!!! So room, heart, tratment, front end, last end SS- tube doea not matter just enjoy your journey as it is thw best par of it, och i now listen Chris rea - road to hell….
Harbeth speakers used to be great for what they cost, however just recently they seem to have jumped on the snake oil train and the fact that they are not wanting to reveal the changes to XD makes me suspicious, other brands are happy to reveal crossover/upgrades and changes to their speakers, think B&W anniversary. I bought my P3’s six years back in the U.K. for £1250 new, today they are around 2.5k
If a snappier sound is what you’re looking for, try to improve your speakers by adding some extra (good quality) damping material inside. Many commercial loudspeaker boxes actually need some more. Be amazed.
Love the quilt ( if that’s what it is) my wife has several that were made by her grandmother and are pretty old ( we are in our fifties). Anyway just sayin:) I’m high
I apologize, I never specified the gear used in this review: SME 15 turntable
SME V tonearm, Ortofon Cadenza Blue cartridge
Van Den Hul Grail phono preamp
Jay’s Audio CD Transport
Denafrips Terminator DAC
Denafrips Ares DAC
Mola Mola Tambaui qDAC
Gato AMP 150
Pass Labs XP30 preamp
Pass Labs XA25 power amp
First Wat F8
Thanks Steve for sharing this.
Btw... which amp did you perfer for the C7's?
@@NawMan357 the Ayre EX-8
Steve’s shirt provides more diffusion than the panels.
More like confusion...😆🎶🎵
Lol
There's a fine line between diffusion and revulsion!
Hi Steve. Please don’t hesitate to continue sharing your musical picks, I have expanded my listening choices because of you. Been great.
Absolutely agreed!
Steve, Excellent review as always….
Thank you for all your insight.
Love seeing other systems. So interesting when people mix and match some unexpected stuff. Opens up my mind to not be so picky because someone said so. Cheers Steve from a Greek Australian based in Germany.
I like the quilt over the tv - good call when listening.
Thanks for mentioning that, I was about to ask... :)
Really shouldn't make a difference but I do it too, and it does.
Pre covid, I went regularly to hifi shows. Many expensive giant speakers didn’t really seduce me, however every time again I was shocked by the open natural sound of harbeth speakers, with the most natural voice rendering on the market. Think a bit the open, uncoloured sound of the classic quad esl 57, but with dynamics and bass on top.
Hi. Yes l so agree l have some Harbeths ml.
monitors and quad esl57s and they are very comparable speed wise and tonality with soundstage a bit better on the quads for me...
Thanks, Steve. I'm a big fan of Harbeth, and I'll definitely try to get a chance to hear them soon. Thanks again!
Thank you Steve for sharing your thoughts! I bought the C7 XD earlier this year (before the price hike). I admit, it was a bit of a luxury buy. But, I feel like I’ve purchased an heirloom piece and something I will love for many years (even if I add speakers down the line). I think you nailed the sound. The mids are the best I’ve heard. Horns and vocals are spectacular. I use a (very turned down) sub to bolster that bass you mention, but the fullness of the sound is what sold me. If you’re looking for transparency and major separation of instruments, this might not be the speaker for you. But, if balance, versatility, and natural full sound is your thing, these are worth your time and investment to check out.
If you don't mind a question, what are the highs like? I know Harbeth uses metal tweeters so I don't pay too much attention to them. That said, I don't want to unfairly judge them because there are a few speakers that use metal tweeters that I like very much. Going by some of the comments, it seems like Harbeth could be one of those exceptions.
@@solarfall2728 Hello! The treble is very good and natural. To be honest, I went from a Martin Logan ESL electro stat to the C7 XD, so it’s been a bit of getting used to the sound after having the very detailed and resolution of the ML. The treble is perhaps slightly rolled off on the C7. Never sharp or shrill, so no listening fatigue. That said, there are times when I miss a bit of that detail/resolution. The trade off is well worth it, though. I feel that as they have a liveliness to them and are so much better balanced. I listen to a lot of jazz and the horns are rich. Bill Evans’ piano is natural sounding and as Steve posted, you do look up from your phone during parts. They are much more dynamic than the MLs. I’ve not heard the HL5s either super tweeter, but that might be the ticket for me. Overall, I’ve been very pleased. They are very versatile and most everything sounds great with them. Vocals and acoustic music. But even old electronic, like Kraftwerk or New Order, sounds stellar. Cello is crazy good, too. Sort of went all over the place, but hope that helps. There’s no perfect speaker, but there are times when the mastering, equipment, and music align with these. Good luck with your journey.
I think this was one of your best reviews. Great job describing this speaker. Also picking the classics (hehe) One thing I gotta say Elvis is a great great singer. He can go from snarling to singing with Burt Bacharach.
Hi Steve I heard those Harbeths and you have done an excellent review cause as you said although they are not very high sensitive they sound very lively even connected to a 30 watt Rega IO
Thank you, Steve!
thank you for your music suggestions! Always good! I like that I can actually listen to them. I like speakers review too, but without hearing said speakers, it gets old quickly. Thank you for what you are doing!!!
@Steve Guttenberg Audiophiliac - the caption 'put down your phone when listening to these speakers' is brilliant. lol made me click and here I am! Keep up all your work.
Ah Steve's got the crayola shirt on... This is gonna be good:)
A comment for those of you in the USA about Harbeth pricing: In the last six months , while USA import duties (5%) have remained the same, ocean freight HAS DOUBLED. Over then last year the currency exchange rate has increased more than 10%. Due to COVID, parts prices also have significantly increased as well. And these are still hand built in small batches in the UK! Neither Harbeth or the distributors are making more money on the price increases, just keeping up with the basic cost increases. At $4890.00, these are still a great value speaker if that is the price range you are in the market for. Sure there are lots of great speakers for less (and more). Audio is subjective- That's why its so much fun. REMEMBER?
Please - more Harbeth reviews!!! -Thanks!
Best Steve! Overall, you seem to be a very sympathetic, wonderful, gentleman! Traditional in the best sense of the word. In a harsh and very cold world you are highly needed. Your channel is brilliant and I wish you all Gods blessing!
Thank you, thanks for the kind words.
Steve love that Chambers Brothers..Time has come today thing... great review
Great review I would love to see you also review the Harbeth SHL5plus XD Loudspeaker
Those are some really really good speakers, heard them multiple times.
Nice quilt looking panel behind you Steve!
I get distracted at the price. I can't justify that msrp, when there are so many bookies out there today for under 700 dollars that are really very good to excellent. Not sure just how special they can be for that asking price.
XD is the emoji I make when anyone says they paid that much for mini-monitors.
Harbeth’s have a cult-like following. I’ve heard them at two shows, the 40.2 and 30.2, and to my ear they were the best smaller speakers I’ve listened to. They are so expensive though, even the used ones, that they remain an aspirational product for me. I have older Proacs for now which are also a fantastic sounding speaker.
There is no 700 dollar speaker Thst will come
Close to competing.
@@themosyannakou6893 I'd suggest the Tekton M Lores for 95% of the sound for $700 bucks. I'd take the Wharfedale Lintons or KLH-5s for arguably better sound for less than half the price.
@@scottbernard8824 if you are ever able to afford them, you will change your mind.
HI Steve, great review! I like it as you keep the review personal and as an opinion, your value of the gear.
Thanks. No matter what it’s always somebody’s opinion. Which is fine, they just don’t always admit it.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Steve, I find opinions opinionated...🤣
after your video Steve i just had to play LZ ll, Whole Lotta Love, what a track! sounded better than it did 50 years ago. we have come a long way. Plant could have sung Opera, what control. he is one of the greats. matches Page's guitar perfectly. interplay. the drums and the panning from left to right channel. and all this from 50 year old engineering is amazing
I am constantly amazed at Steve's ability to calmly, rationally discuss audio equipment & music and still make it interesting.
if only politicians could talk and debate in the same manner...
I like the way you spread your knowledge - I think it's important for music listeners ( being called and audiophile has become somewhat of a .... ) to get more of a handle on what they might like. Tweeters come in many flavors - metal dome - different metal dome - 'silk' dome - planer - ribbon .......... tube pre-amps also can have a significant music signature depending on ......... I have Compact 7ES's, 30's and HL5's and none of them are 'polite' thank god imho - the 7ES's are some of the most Savagely revealing loudspeakers I own ..... great review
Thank you :) I always save the albums you recommend into my library, they have been great!
Thanks you steve 🙏🙏🙏
Nice review Steve, I liked the visuals in the brake-in clip, especially the button...touché.
That Crayola shirt is amazing.
Love the look of Harbeth (especially the big 40s), but always wondering if the price is really justified (compared to similar alternative from ATC or PMC)?
You should check out LSA bookshelves.
Maybe the price is something what makes them desirable for some audiophiles. For music lovers it's not necessary. Anyway, I'd like to have a Harbeth pair some day.
why not make your own ?
@@johnholmes912 I've made 7 pairs of speakers, most for friends and clients. I made my big main speakers 1989, still in excellent condition. That was way before I saw Harbeth speakers. Funny detail, also I made detachable front wall with visible screws. Harbeths are way more sophisticated, inside and outside.
@@johnholmes912 Why not build your own Ferrari ?
Great review Steve.
I hope to see a review of audiovector speakers some day.
At that price, get the Heresy IV , Wilsenton R8 a bag of weed and call it a day dog.
Steve, the shirt and the background blanket gave me a weird kind of 1974, Madison Square Garden, Grateful Dead flashback, far out, man.
"Time"! I remember that song! "Young hearts must go their way".
A head to head UK review!
How about another one?
Qacoustics 3050i vs Qacoustics Concept 500
Very similar speakers but VASTLY different pricing.
Would be a nice compliment to the previous reviews of Qacoustics you've done.
Im subscribed for the shirts.
Interesting ... harbeth going to the liveness of sound direction. Curious to know the reasons
You better like the Harbeth considering the price. The finish looks really good but the sensitivity was a let down. Needs to be auditioned carefully, - it maybe a forever speaker.
Unfortunately, the "force is strong" with my phone. Nothing can pry me off with my phone.
thank you for the review. i'm a big fan of HARBETH Speakers.
would love to hear your opinion about the Harbeth's Grand Daddy . the M40.3 XD .
Cool just ordered moondog on CD cause vinyl too much for now. Just received Paul Hirsch trio sounds awesome in the heresy 4 marantz 8006 6006 combo. Thanks Steve man!
Steve, thanks for the Moondog recommendation . I'm a sax player and really enjoyed it. I remember Moondog's music from a long time ago. Some t of it was tough to listen to unless I was in the "zone". This record is something else !
Close to 5k for a pair of 2-ways? For 4K you can buy a pair JBL L100 classic and 75th special edition of L100 with walnut finish for 5k! They are also beautifully made 3-ways with big eye ball 12 inch woofers. Nothing against Harbeth just their price has been gone to the roof last 10 years. I used to have a pair Harbeth M30.1 and Naim SBL which walked all over the M30.1. Well...
"So time, the time has come today." I see what you did there.
Ever review EJ Jordan speakers. And our growth of Goodmans. NP recommended them to me when I asked for a speaker suggestion about a year ago.
Got to listen to those Harbeths! And fix the financial budget!
Regarding bass response with this speaker: I have the previous version of this speaker, and my experience has been that you need a decently powerful solid state amp to get satisfying bass response. I first used a 60wpc tube amp and was disappointed in the bass response. Changing to a 300wpc solid state amp made a world of difference in bass power and control. Still, it's just an 8" woofer in a bookshelf cabinet, so there's only so much deep bass to be had. Bass heads should probably look at something with a larger woofer and cabinet.
I actually use a 50w Class A tube amp and it drives these perfectly with great bass. Depends on the quality of the tube amp.
@@nancyweiner509 Indeed, results will vary between different amps! In case anyone was wondering, my tube amp was a 60wpc Conrad-Johnson Classic 60SE with KT120 output tubes.
Moondog! “Won’t make you crazy”, now that is an endorsement. I would love a review of a system for those of us that listen to the crazy stuff.
The C7ESR is a nice speaker. I like the slightly loose but large sounding bass. I’m sure the bass on the XD is better. Only heard the P3ESR n the P3ESR XD head to head. I like the improved bass.
Did you think the XD better overall? Have read of a few preferring the older version.
@@barrybrennan2135 … I find the XD is better in the bass dept. Not a huge amount but sounds a smidge bigger and more tuneful. I dare not say the mids or highs are better because with better bass it ain’t gonna smear the mids and highs.
Still I can live with the P3ESR. A decent sub fixes a lot of things. That’s my take.
Hi Steve, nice & interesting episode! BR, Joe
Wow Steve!
My previous C7's were a very sluggish and sleepy speaker... but this is quite a change. I may have to revisit the C7-XD's
I share your impressions about the C7ES3 but the XD sounds much different, I wouldn't buy the first but own the second now, it is an amazing speaker.
Steve, I think you’re colorblind🤣. Thanks for this review. Question: can you still- because of your age- hear high frequensies17.000-20.000 hrz? I’m 52 years old and can’t hear 20.000 hrz anymore. Thanks. Sven from the Netherlands.
nice review, Can I say that it would have been interesting to know which amps you used for the review. Just your Pass labs to of the range or some others aswell?
…eh….next please…..but I am going to check out some of the music and did really enjoy Curtis' audio mess!!! 👍🏼😁
The woofer has been redesigner also. I don't know by how much but the nose cap (dust cap) is shiny rather than matte
Maybe its just the dust cap. I wonder how much Xmax Harbeth woofers have.
They're just wooden boxes with a few electronic and hardware widgets installed inside. Here in the 21st century for 5 grand one can acquire all the engineering tools and basic know-how, plus outfit a woodworking shop, to design and build truly spectacular speakers. Which is the more intellectually and emotionally rewarding expenditure? 😉
That's A point. Food for thought...
i wondering why one of these speaker i own suddenly stop making any bass sound ,while both driver seens producing sound but weaker ? There is quality control problem.I didn't play lounder than 90db.yet😊
sound like reviewing more the cd/record than speaker .Thanks.I own the older model . nice mid tone but lack some sparkle or energy at top end,it need a sub also . will up to a floorstanding speaker .
Tuning thin and light wood resonate frequency response to mimic human voice and violin sound is a smart way to fight coloration but has a limit. Good for small group of instruments and vocals but can not following fast and complex tunes well. Now they can play tunes? Should check if their big boys can play tunes.
Steve gets all of his shirts at Dan Flashes.
You forgot to mention that moondog spent his time on the street dressed as a Viking....literally.
I always look at speakers like this and wonder if they would better buy a ADS 880s, which I really like
I'm interested in the cloth sound treatment you have hanging in the back. Is there a video you have which talks about this item?
It’s a quilt, made by my wife. It looks nice, but it’s thick enough to absorb some high frequency reflections.
Good job on the Harbeth Review Approach. I would think the cost of ordering wood screws dyed to match the wood is not that extreme to rule it out. To say I hate the dozen or so black screw heads leering at me might be too strong but ...
Is it not true that the Harbeth Raison d'etre is that the box resonance is incorporated into the overall sound as opposed to an attempt to deaden it?
Harbeths are designed and voiced to be used with the grilles on, so you wouldn't be looking at the screws anyway. Maybe black screws are an added inducement to use the speakers the way they were designed.
Well it's better than BBC LS3/5a Velcro & staples!
I had ProAc Tablettes for 25 years. Same screwy style front baffles. It's a British thing- like Wallace and Gromit eposed rivets ;-)
Incidentally: those screws needed cinching down occasionally ( musical energy makes a great sonic screwdriver :-)
I'm now very happy with the Kef LS50s diffraction reducing baffles and dead cabinets😃
As a non-sequiter, do you think the NY audio show will be up to snuff this year??
Im really interested in these. Current speakrs are KEF ls-50's. No Harbeth dealers within 300 mils for me. Is it worth the trip to demo these?
Thanks
If you’re going to spend that kind of money, absolutely! Listen before you bye.
you could make those stands for a couple of quid and a few hours work
Hey man, sell identical stands for half price and make a fortune! What are you waiting for?
How did this compare to the Harbeth original design before the XD.
Wiring is better, binding posts are better and crossover adjusts for them a little more hifi
Think about reviewing the Spendor Classic 2/3. Harbeth can be a wee bit bright...
Over priced?
Steve....as for acoustic music, ever listen to Will Ackerrman (solo guitarist) or any of the Windham Hill artists? I think such recordings would sound great on the Harbeths.
Looks just like my vintage kef 104ab
I have never been able to understand why the C7 is so much cheaper than the m30.2...when the c7 uses the same drivers, is a bigger speaker and does lower base ? Any idea why ?
OK, maybe Alan will notice your comment and raise the price!
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac I think it's because the 30 is more popular due to LS59 association. I recall a poll on the Harbeth group about most popular speakers in the range, and the C7 ranked lower in the range.
How do you do an A/B speaker comparison? Do you use a speaker selector switch? Something else?
Hi Steve, is Accuphase E280 a good match integrated amplifier with C7ES3 or C7XD ?
Revel M126Be would be an interesting comparison.
I ave a pair of those !!! well , C7ES-2 25th annyversary
I own (and love) the Harbeth M30.2 XD speakers and your description of the C7 XD is very similar to my impression of the M30.2 XD. I've been searching 40+ years for the perfect speaker and the M30.2 XD ticked all the boxes. Not cheap at $6,700 but worth every penny. The only downside was my experience on the official Harbeth user group (HUG). Mr. Shaw, who fully participates, can be very condescending and narrow minded, but maybe that arrogance works for him in designing his speakers.
I agree with your assessment on Mr. Shaw being arrogant and closed-minded on his forum. Hence my sympathy for Harbeth diminished. Although, Harbeths are very good speakers, as are speakers from other manufacturers.
@@one-wayexistence4482 Indeed. I've never had such a negative experience on a forum as I did on HUG. He and his moderators already have an a prior belief on each topic and aggressively attack any dissenting viewpoint that might puncture its tightly protected echo chamber. I'm very confused as to why Mr. Shaw created the forum in the first place if he's not prepared to have open and polite discourse.
@@cbpersel Alan Shaw does not allow any subjective comments on HUG. He sticks to what he calls Citizen Science and is very strict on this.
@@one-wayexistence4482 Yes but I’m a scientist and explained, for example, my A-B methodology for testing differences in cables and he kept moving the goal post with my every answer to his question to the point that he was asking whether or not I controlled for airplane noise outside my house. It got more and more ludicrous.
Alan Shaw highly discourages and controls any discussion of amplifiers on the Harbeth forum. It's my understanding that you can get banned for even discussing certain brands of amplifiers, although the list of forbidden brands is kept secret, adding to the intimidation factor.
For the price surely you would think that with today's wood craft technology they could do something regarding the 5 cent star screws holding the front and rear baffle boards on . Even snap caps over the screw heads would be better than nothing for 4 K plus ? I believe some of These British made speakers rest on there reputation and laurels sometimes you have to move with the times. My friend just said well at least for price they charging for these speakers you Know You Are Being Screwed ...😆🎵🙏.... great reviews ..
Do audiophiles ever go to live performances? They seem to be more interested in “sound” than music! Recordings of all types do not sound like live performances! They are softer or smoother.
If you spend a million bucks building an acoustically perfect space, fill it with another half million full of top-end gear, and play the world's finest recordings, you still can't recreate the experience of being there.
Recorded music is not the same thing as live, so it's not helpful to compare that way.
Hi Steve, what amplifiers did you use to power the Harbeths and the LSX6 for the comparisons? Javier
See my Pinned answer at the top of the comments.
I want a pair in that exotic wood they have, I’d keep them forever lol
steve was wondering what you think about PSB speakers? as an audiophile on a budget , i really like my Image B-25's bookshelf speakers. just curious what you thought about the brand in general.
I like them, google my reviews.
It sounds like Harbeth tried to rid the old C7 of the slightly wooly bass and went in the other direction as Steve was looking for a bit more warmth and body from the low end on the new one
I never heard the C7 model before!
Any chance you might specify which preamp/amp combination you preferred from your list of equipment in your system?
See my Pinned answer at the top of the comments.
I had the 30.1 and found it lacking dynamics. Interesting this model has this covered.
Thanks Steve!
Speaker stand height? Placement (from rear and side walls)?
Stand height is 20 inches. Distance from rear wall 2 feet. Distance from left wall four feet distance from right wall 15 feet.
How do the C&XD's compare to the M30's? Are the M30's worth the upcharge?
Thanks
I have heard both (although not side by side), to me the M30's are more resolving, more true to the source, a little more open and detailed. I think the C7's are meant to be a little more "fun" while the M30s are a bit more of a serious listen.
Please Steve review the Audel speakers, and Icon audio amps, fm acoustics passive step up, sumiko mc...
You won't be looking at your phone, you'll be looking at your bank statement wondering what moment of insanity possessed you to spend five grand on a pair of tiny tyke speakers. No highs, no lows, it's Brit-fi. Quad ESL57 is the best midrange speaker in the world.
I agree l have the esls but like to listen to my harbeth ml monitors to engage or refresh my ears and brain occasionaly. Sometimes the quads are a bit "boring" the harbeths make me feel younger somehow... Both Excellent loudspeakers with a quad va1 amp. Simple joy.
Tested these, was really dissapointing expierence, kudos super 10a were way better for me. 7esr xd tweeter after kudos sounded quite bad and speakers by themself did not invited to enjoy music, ar least m30.1 i heard were a lot better!
Update 2022/05- now these speakers replaced my Proac D20R, my room was too small for proac, but last time i tested c7xd they were oartnered with very soft dac, made sounding them like shit, but, i will tell you a story, while i enjoy C7-xd version! Music flows, do not miss proac d20r absolutely, musicality became so good, yea i changed from this custom dac to audio jote 2.1 siganture, but my fio e17 alpen amazes me when i conoared to chord Mojo, yes mojo, it even dis not worked with my Mezze 99c, guys all this buisiness ia Room depended, there is no bad or good speakers, there is a soul where you listen in, when you hear it you will recognize it, C7 best speakers-no, best in my room oh 👍 yes baby 👍 they are ao musical, i’m 42 yearsl old , was in Munich ok, 7-6 years ago, and of bunch liked dynaudio, but before entering there was a guy with maybe la5/9 graham or stirling ir was magical, my friend told lets go we have just begining of Munich fair, no this guy was englis and will always will wonder it was Graham or Stiirling or other bbc speaker, by now i’m ex owner Audio ohysoc scorpio II, snell JIII, dynaudio xeo4, dali icon mk2, klipsch rf62 (my first pair of “seriuos” audiophilia) ;) praoc d20r, Martin logan esl, so here we go, i took in c7xd the room before changed one room to other and kudos s10 was way better tham c7xd, then made changes in room accodently one guy askwd to burn in them 🔥 before giving to listen, you know i listen know to them, cause i thaight i must be frankly, we all wanna buy big fancy speakera and tell in heary they sound great, no they sound great, but where is magic? Bro where is a magic, bass is not magic ;) my confession was done, btw hated m30.2xd when got in my place but loved in my wifes sister apartment! In my apartment m30.2xd with same amp which i run with C7xd was disaster!!!! So room, heart, tratment, front end, last end SS- tube doea not matter just enjoy your journey as it is thw best par of it, och i now listen Chris rea - road to hell….
It is very stable ohm wise
Harbeth speakers used to be great for what they cost, however just recently they seem to have jumped on the snake oil train and the fact that they are not wanting to reveal the changes to XD makes me suspicious, other brands are happy to reveal crossover/upgrades and changes to their speakers, think B&W anniversary. I bought my P3’s six years back in the U.K. for £1250 new, today they are around 2.5k
Impressive. 15 minutes and you never see the Harbeth C7XD. Nice review.
Thanks, try watching, it’s shown in the beginning when I’m describing speaker. It’s a pretty plain design. There’s not that much to see.
how do they compare to the spendor sp2 3r2?
Re: pop singers. I like to think of most pop music voices as vocalists. Some can actually sing.
If a snappier sound is what you’re looking for, try to improve your speakers by adding some extra (good quality) damping material inside. Many commercial loudspeaker boxes actually need some more. Be amazed.
I'm sure but the people who are going to spend $4500+ for 2 way bookshelves aren't going to do this.
Love the quilt ( if that’s what it is) my wife has several that were made by her grandmother and are pretty old ( we are in our fifties). Anyway just sayin:) I’m high
Yes you are correct sir, it is a quilt! But also an amazing sonic diffuser