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Good review, straight to the point - makes me want to own them. Interestingly enough, looking inside, they look like any DIY project. PCB x-over. Makes me wonder, if all those fancy caps, inductors (I spent on my DIY speakers.) make any difference at all? (scratching my head)
"Somebody was always controlling who got a chance and who didn't. - Charles Bukowski
Follow Ups:
Most high end speakers used PCB's for the crossovers. This makes them shippable, easy to build consistently, and easier to QC. A custom crossover PCB shouldn't be confused with a cheap generic PC board intended for DIY applications.
Those who espouse the virtues of high end crossover parts and no crossover PC boards may be stretching a little too much for reasons to like their own speakers.
PC boards for xover is not a positive, xovers are best point to point , exception being subwoofer systems, they can get away with PC boards...
This was a comment made to me by a well known audio manufacturer. I'd rather not say who as it was part of a private phone conversation. The manufacturer was commenting about the connectors he used on his amplifiers. He thought the less expensive connectors actually sounded better, but audiophiles liked the looks of the fancy gold ones better so he used those instead. Interesting conversation.
Not crappy-cheap, but not ultra-exotic either. I mean like Solen or any other properly-made poly caps, Mills, Eagle, or Lynk resistors, etc.
Of course, Harbeth COULD incorporate the fancy bling brands and make it a marketing point to those who obsess over such things, without raising their already-high prices much more, but it's doubtful that one in a thousand audiophiles would actually hear the touted "improvement."
So what,
Reviewers and mag pundits determine what audio plebs purchase, it was never about good sound. Try building a good speaker today without a diamond beryllium unobtainium martian poo poo tweeter. Designers are always forced to use the boutique part of the month or it wont sell ...
Regards
d
Edits: 07/06/15
nt
One very small manufacturer who's not afraid to say so is Dr. Richard Bewes of LFD.
I think that Vladimir Lamm and Mike Sanders of Quicksilver would say much the same, although, of course, they can speak for themselves. Ditto Giovanni Sachetti, of Unison Research, who would travel to factories where his parts were produced, whenever he could. Actually, Sachetti preferred to make parts himself whenever possible.
Were parts made in Italy THAT much better? I once asked Gianni.
I paraphrase. Not always but I can watch them, he replied.
Here's something that almost no one talks about.
Many, maybe most cheap parts these days come from Malaysia, where the quality can be (but not always is) wretchedly poor.
Manufacturers these days find it very tough to source high quality parts. It actually helps to be small and have access to vintage parts or those produced in very small quantities. Or those that can be custom-made.
Paying top dollar for high quality great sounding parts is NOT a waste. Paying top dollar for junk that looks great but sounds like -- you know what -- is pure bull.
BTW, my Harbeth Super HL5 + speakers are the finest I've ever owned. So those who are carping here should shut up and listen.
Audiophiles get the sound they deserve.
How do your Harbeths compare to the Spendor D7's?
But I personally prefer the Harbeth Super HL5 +.
The other speaker that excites me these days is the new Triangle Antal Esprit EZ. I have a borrowed pair in my listening room. (Harbeths in our living room.) I may have to buy these, too.
I think the Triangles give the Spendor D7s very -- ahem -- stiff competition. The Harbeths are almost a different species.
These are very good times.
I am on a pension these days and have to stop buying stuff. I think many aging audiophiles may find themselves in the same position.
And they never did it for me....
I purchased them used so was able to resell them with no loss
They were nice, but nothing special - not that great dynamically and I thought the highs were a little aggressive - they never really got me involved in the music.
I happened to give the Super HL5 + a good listening to at the audio show in Brooklyn last year and thought they sounded much more refined and evolving - I really came away with a positive impression.
I too am interested in your comparison between the Spendor D7 and Super HL5+ (was thinking of pulling the trigger on a used pair of the Spendors)
Between the Spendor D7 and Super HL5+ which would you say is supieior in dynamics and resolving inner detail -which would better suit you if you leaned towards rock, electronic jazz type of music
Thanks
Mike
I probably would't buy the Harbeths.
I might go for the Spendor D7 or as I also mentioned the Triangle Antal Esprit EZ.
With any speaker brand, beware of now-fashionable white cabinets. They usually turn a bilious brown.
Thank you Sam for the response.
I happened to own the original Antal around the time you first reviewed them in around 99 or so.
At the time I also had a pair of Vandersteen 2 sigs - there was a stark difference between how the two imaged I'll tell you that much - the Antals were like 3 D whereas the Vandersteen just did their thing. Everything sounded "nice" through the Vandersteen's which had a real "creamy" tweeter.
The Antals on the other hand were exciting to listen to with the 3D spatial effects.
When the recording was "on" it was hi fi heaven - when it wasn't it was "let's lower this a bit".
I will never forget the imaging the Antals could perform - it was truly an engaging experience - if it only wasn't for that tweeter ....
If the Antal Espirt EZ has refined their tweeter, than this will have to be a must audition for me.
Thanks
Mike
(nt)
The Harbert design, from enclosure to x-over, even measurements contradicts everything we've been told by the experts.
I wish they were little bit cheaper, so I could maybe find them one day on the used market for less than $2K
Yeah, I am not poor, but I am not wealthy either.
"Somebody was always controlling who got a chance and who didn't. - Charles Bukowski
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