Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Harbeth P3ESR Speakers by Tony D.

Model:	P3ESR
Category:	Speakers
Suggested Retail Price:	$2000
Description:	Harbeth Mini Monitor
Manufacturer URL:	Harbeth

Review by Tony D. on January 31, 2010 at 08:23:21
IP Address: 24.83.12.17 Add Your Review
for the P3ESR

I have listened to the P3ESR several times now at a friends house and last night he brought them over to my place and we set them up in my system for an extended listen. These are the best mini monitor I've ever heard...period.

The mid range on the P3ESR is glorious, accurate and neutral without sounding dry or analytical, this 'speaker has an across the board neutrality and organic sound coupled with holographic sound staging ability. Images are pin point and the 'speakers disappear completely into the sound scape they create.

The P3ESR is not very efficient, it takes some grunt to get them off the ground and singing, the manufacturers spec. is "83.5db/1W/1m" which seems about right. My 100 watt amplifier was enough to do them justice but IMO their "15W/channel" minimum amplifier requirement is optimistic.

The bass...what bass? These 'speakers are rated down to 75hz and that is about what you get with no humpiness or emphasis. The owner of the P3ESR's I had at my place last night uses them with 4 small sub woofers which are distributed around the listening room and these extend the low end down to 30 or so hz. The subs he uses are very fast and detailed in keeping with the Harbeth sound but I think I like them better as stand alones.

Part of the evening was spent comparing the P3ESR to my 7ES-3's which IMO have some of the best mid range and sound staging in the business. IMO the P3ESR edges the 7's out in sound staging, pin point imaging, mid range neutrality and the ability to look directly into the recorded event but the 7's have superior mid bass, bass authority and will play louder. Anyone who has spent time with the 7ES-3 knows how well this 'speaker handles the above tasks so this tells me just how good the P3ESR is and getting this sound quality for around $2000 is IMO an excellent value.

Am I going to buy the P3ESR? Not right now. The differences between it and the 7ES-3 are enough for me to want to but I think I'll wait until next year when the wife and I move from the house to a condo, and that is another thing I want to mention...the P's are probably the ultimate condo or apartment 'speaker and one could build an extremely resolving and musical system around them in a small space...IMO.

J.B.

http://www.harbeth.co.uk/uk/index.php?section=products&page=p3esr&model=P3ESR

T

Product Weakness:	Efficiency is low. Little bass.
Product Strengths:	Mid range neutrality, sound staging, imaging, cohesive sound presentation.

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Pass Labs
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Home Brew Tube
Sources (CDP/Turntable): PC system / Turntable
Speakers: 7ES-3
Cables/Interconnects: Home Brew Silver
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Jazz, World, Rock, Synth, Chant
Type of Audition/Review: Friend's System

Amplifier:	Pass Labs
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Home Brew Tube
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	PC system / Turntable
Speakers:	7ES-3
Cables/Interconnects:	Home Brew Silver
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Jazz, World, Rock, Synth, Chant
Type of Audition/Review:	Friend's System