I’m keen to read the results of what you hear in the trial. Thanks for sharing!
1 Like
I’ve owned the Rega Elicit mk2, the predecessor to the Elicit-R and briefly tried Nait XS, and it’s a same experience. The difference between these integrateds and a 282/250DR and Luxman L-590AXII is huge. Once you have experienced a higher level amp, the lesser one although enjoyable doesn’t quite cut it anymore.
2 Likes
Totally! Thanks for sharing your experience 
.
I feel this reinforces the spectrum of performance and long-term value these thin-walled boxes offer us music lovers. Something one can acquire for reasonable money, install in the home as heirloom furniture with timeless design, and grow with over time should one choose.
Can you tell I love Harbeths?
3 Likes
Interestingly I had a lend of a Rega Osiris whilst my previous SN3 was off for repair, it has buckets of drive and detail and I was dreading going back to the SN3, when the SN3 returned after about 6 weeks I was pleasantly surprised to find it was a lot sweeter and more refined to my ears than the Rega, this was all in to my Classic Spendor 3/1’s. I was left with the impression that you can ‘over amp’ these thin wall speakers.
4 Likes
@Hollow Having gone from a Rega system to a Naim system, your observations are similar to mine. Rega has a different sound signature IMHO.
3 Likes
Performance Observation: Blu Tack → 3/8" Clear Bumpers
TL;DR: a) Replacing 3-year-old Blu Tack mounting resulted in stubborn removal but no veneer damage, and b) the clear bumpers yielded very subtle improvements to sonic performance.
Today, I swapped the quarter-sized, couple-years-old Blu Tack coupling my C7ES3s to my custom Gig Harbor Audio speaker stands with 3/8" Clear Bumpers (the kind you’ll find at your neighborhood hardware store).
The purpose for this change was to: a) prevent damage to the cabinet veneer that can occur over the long term, and b) properly level the speaker on the stand which had gone a bit catawampus from gravity smooshing the Blu Tack over time.
My speakers were stubbornly coupled to the stands after 2-3 years since last I mounted them with Blu Tack, but had no veneer damage so don’t worry too much if you’re reading this and a Blu Tack user. However I think if you’ve had them Blu Tack mounted for longer than a couple years, you might consider a bit of preventative maintenance.
Sonically, I did experience a slight performance improvement in clarity and focus. I can’t quantify this, and won’t try to describe it for readers, but if you were to ask me now which is ‘better’ - Blu Tack or the dots - I’m going to respond “dots.” I believe stand design and type matter greatly in the performance of Harbeth speakers (and other similarly designed, thin-walled BBC-ish speakers), and the coupling is a component of the overall system worth tweaking to extract a bit more performance. Costs less than $5.
Picture of dot thing:
Picture of the speakers & stands:
3 Likes
Another new product by Harbeth. The very small active NLE-1 speakers. Alan Shaw wrote this while in Munich.
Configuration possibilities: Actually, the combination of the NLE-1 and NAIM Atom HE has already been recognised by visitors yesterday. I overheard several discussions with dealers suggesting just that simple solution. Subject to checking output/input level matching, that sounds like a great (and affordable) combo.
9 Likes
The Harbeth NLE-1 is indeed an interesting product and I hope it is a good match with the Naim Atom HE. I am listening to headphones more but still listen to speakers the majority of the time. The built-in amplifier and the promise of room correcting software is interesting.
1 Like
Even in the fairly small room they were set up, I found the NLE-1 quite a disappointment - dry, flat, shouty and devoid of emotion or involvement?
Then there is the plastic looks?? And … also what seems like an SMPS (?) cheapish adapter feeding them with power at the back?
All a bit more like some computer speakers setup?
I believe they should have played the P3 ESR which was sitting quietly on the bench on the side…
3 Likes
To balance the five adverse replies, truly late I’m sorry, I must say that I have tried to like Harbeth speakers many many times, on the ground of their concept, their goals, their heritage. But never reached the point where I was ready to buy some.
Similarly, I have often tried to dislike Naim speakers, on the grounds of their idiosyncrasies, limits and sometimes complex setup. Yet, I have had twice SBLs, twice S-400s, once Arivas, seven times n-Sats and now a beautiful pair of rosewood IBLs.
And I still can’t imagine consigning my music to different speakers (with the only possible exception of Klipsch Heresy IIIs).
1 Like
I have an idea that Harbeth is aiming at entering the Genelec area with these. Even the tweeter’s load has similar looks.
If there wasn’t Harbeth in full sight someone might think they are in fact some more anonymous, personal studio active monitors.
1 Like
I find your take very interesting. Having briefly owned SL2s I’m curious to learn what you would describe the differences to be between the SBL and the s400s.
I may be in the market for s400s for my third system.
Also I still haven’t come across a speaker that I enjoy more than the monitor 30s which are in my main system. The 30s perfectly fit my taste and what I want from hifi.
I was also in Munich.
I didn’t like the Harbeth performance either.
I also thought it was screaming.
1 Like
You can post on the Munich thread, if you want. Would be interesting if you can share on some rooms you liked or disliked.
2 Likes
It wasn’t until I got my Nait 50 that I realised how good the Harbeths P3ESR were
Yet this is at 25 watts per channel on speakers that are reputed to be difficult to drive
9 Likes
hello, the type of the cd player is cd5si?
1 Like
Yes, you can see I have put extra isolation feet -it does alter the sound (and took some getting used to) , a Chord Shawline Powerline and a Chord Shawline Din to Din .
I wanted to keep my system as simple as possible ( I have a cataract and other issues ) with a minimum of boxes but a good quality sound.
I now that I will get better sound with more boxes , and also wanted to stay with an all Naim system
Upstairs, taking a sabbatical is a CDX2.2 , I would have needed an extra box to decode the digital input , and that is what I wanted to avoid
1 Like
I’ll prefer a second hand CDS3, I’ve used cdx2 for a long time and it is really very naim and good but not at the same level as compared to S3
I’ve heard a pair of Harbeth speakers sound up to their reputation just once I fear. It was a pair of M30.1s, in a shop. The room was between 25 and 30 sq. mt., the speakers were placed about 2 mt. from side walls and from the end wall. Amp was I think a series 5 something, perhaps 122/150x, with NAC A5. In that occasion they were just about perfect, preferable to one pair of Magico S1s in the same setup. Balanced, clear, detailed without being harsh.
But how many can place speakers like that? Alan Shaw specifies that his designs are to be kept away from walls: so much for domesticity. BBC designs were almost universally used in smaller rooms, close to boundaries; in such positions, Harbeth to my ears are congested, the sound doesn’t leave the boxes neither laterally nor front-to-rear. So, if you have a 30 sq. mt. living room with speakers placed well away from all walls, and you mainly replay a recording of A.S.'s daughter’s voice - the sound he has repeatedly stated he uses to fine-voice his speakers - then Harbeth are excellent.
3 Likes
My room is T-shaped, in that one of the log walls - 6.5 mt. - has a square, 10 m2 opening used as a dining ‘alcove’, with a French window. The other long wall has two French windows. I have to keep the speakers along one of the short walls - 3.85 mt. - firing across the length of the room. Such a placement is not the best possible, I’ve always found speakers to perform best along long walls firing across shorter sizes; and I have to keep them somehow close to the brick wall. Speakers need to have very controlled bass and mid-bass with a luminous treble to sound good here; SBLs were just like that, Sats and IBLs are. Even Klipsch Heresy IIIs were good here. S-400s were not: they are full sounding with occasional deep bass and a not too refined, extended treble; they are fast and detailed, dynamic; but here the sound remained ‘inside’ the speakers.
Naim speaker systems up to Ovators were to be placed against a solid wall, creating a wide but somehow flat soundstage if compared to the classic 3D effect many obtain with speakers in the middle of the room; S-400s benefit from being at least 40/50 cm from a wall and 60 to 80 from the sides. They manage to retain Naim’s signature exactness while allowing for a more full-bodied presentation. I find their upper range less articulated and spread than with classic tweeters, though.
Last, they are beautiful, and blend with almost any type of furniture. Hope this helps.
2 Likes