Dipped my toes into speakers...I like

[JimP]

OK picked up a pair of Harbeth P3ES-2 locally at a decent price. Hooked up to my old Bryston B60R integrated (60wpc 8ohm) fed by 840c (spinning CDs and also fed optically by a macmini). I need to cook this in for awhile, but damn it sounds really nice. Listening to Beck/Sea Change now in nearfield mode. I'm really enjoying the freedom from headphone strapped to my head (of course, if I'm going to rock out with my ___ out, I still reach for the headphones so as not to disturb the household). I still have an Omega sat/sub system on order to mate with my Almarro flea power amp for a setup in a different room. I may be done with headphones -- keep 2 or 3, otherwise they're superfluous. (btw, the reason I'm not going monster he-man floor standing speakers is that living space in HK is tight, take your average room space in the US and divide by four...)

[Dusty Chalk]

Harbeths are supposed to be good. Glad you like, and thanks for the impressions.

If you ever get the urge to try something else, you have to try something from the BBC LS3/5A lineage of speakers. And/or Quad 12L's. And I've actually managed to make mah Dynaudio Special 25's sound good in nearfield listening.

[Augsburger]

Congratulations Jim, the Harbeths are a very nice accurate monitor and Harbeth has more than enough models to help you upgrade through the audio chain and down the road to poverty. I spend more and more time when I can listening to my speaker systems, but there are always times for some good headphone listening. Don't give up on your cans until well after the honeymoon period with the speakers has run its course.

I am a firm believer in break/burn in for speakers so I would be interested if you notice any improvement or changes over the next three months.

[aardvark baguette]

Beautiful speakers.

[n_maher]

Oh man, I love those Harbeths - time for some desktop speaker stands.

[guzziguy]

Originally Posted by n_maher

Oh man, I love those Harbeths - time for some desktop speaker stands.

I'm sure that Steve could fix you up with a nice combination speaker stand and diaper holder.

[JBLoudG20]

Now just wait until you hear some Kef's

[aerius]

You know what's fun? You can test out your Harbeths with a test recording made by the Harbeth designer himself. Linky to the post. You'll need the MP3Pro codec for winamp to play it at full quality. The interview & discussion is also quite informative.

[JimP]

Am I the only one to 'Click here to see boobies'? Uh, I did it twice. Anyway, I am very much enjoying these Harbeths. So much so nearfield, that I sold my K1000 (waiting for Dusty Chalk to go berserk on me). I'm still waiting for my Omega Super 5/Deep Hemp Cube subs for a separate application. For headphones, I still use HD650 and DT880-600ohm, but I've pretty much gone over to speakers.

[guzziguy]

Originally Posted by JimP

Am I the only one to 'Click here to see boobies'? Uh, I did it twice. Anyway, I am very much enjoying these Harbeths. So much so nearfield, that I sold my K1000 (waiting for Dusty Chalk to go berserk on me). I'm still waiting for my Omega Super 5/Deep Hemp Cube subs for a separate application. For headphones, I still use HD650 and DT880-600ohm, but I've pretty much gone over to speakers.

That's my view on the K1000. It's a "speaker" for people that live in apartments, condos or otherwise can't play a regular speaker system. The K1000 gives a lot of the speaker experience without disturbing neighbors, family members, etc.

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by JimP

Am I the only one to 'Click here to see boobies'? Uh, I did it twice.

I've done it more times than I'd like to think.

[Dusty Chalk]

Originally Posted by JimP

So much so nearfield, that I sold my K1000 (waiting for Dusty Chalk to go berserk on me).

(goes berserk on Jim P)

[Augsburger]

Originally Posted by guzziguy

That's my view on the K1000. It's a "speaker" for people that live in apartments, condos or otherwise can't play a regular speaker system. The K1000 gives a lot of the speaker experience without disturbing neighbors, family members, etc.

Ahhhh welcome to the club. X2

[JimP]

Originally Posted by Dusty Chalk

(goes berserk on Jim P)

I knew it! (groveling in a bloody pulp now...)

Truth be told, one of the things I'm very sensitive to is comfort - I tried my best 'hairshirt' routine. I loved Grados (had PS-1, HHF-1, RS-1) but ultimately couldn't stand them on my head. I loved the K1000 even more but the temple pressure always bothered me. Maybe it's my head shape. So the headphones I'm keeping - HD650/HD580 and DT880-600ohm are the most comfortable, if not sonically the best. I don't have a lot of experience with speakers or nearfield application, so the Harbeths were a bit of a punt for me. With some extended listen now, I am very pleased, even at low to medium volume, the soundstage is holographic (and more natural than headphones??), and all the detail I appreciated with the headphones, is still there with the Harbeths. Don't want to sound like a Harbeth fanboy (I'm sure there are other speakers that deliver the goods), but this would rank as one of the most satisfying audio purchases I've made in a long time.

[Dusty Chalk]

Originally Posted by JimP

...the temple pressure always bothered me...

Yeah, I have to admit -- I doubt I'd wear it 8 hours a day.

Originally Posted by JimP

...the soundstage is holographic (and more natural than headphones??)

Of course it is -- with music that was recorded for reproduction on speakers (I.E. most of it). The only exception would be binaurally recorded music, and that would have a more natural soundstage on headphones (vs. speakers), but that's the exception, not the rule.

For most of the music I listen to, soundstage is nonexistant -- neither headphone nor speaker -- so I don't care. Most of the time.

[JimP]

OK my Omega Super 5's and Cube Hemp Sub have come in. I've hastily set them up, using some cheapo bookshelves as ad hoc speaker stands. My camera sucks but the finish is birdseye maple front and mahagony burl side/top. Only have them out of the box for few hours now, so can't comment on sound yet (but sounds very promising, quite disorientating that a single driver speaker can deliver this fulsome sound). My 4.5wpc 8ohm Almarro get's them plenty loud at 9 o'clock volume. Using cheap DVD player to Apogee miniDAC as source for now. Haven't had time to unpack the matching sub. The Super 5's are bigger than I anticipated, the Super Hemps must be huge in comparison.

[Nenso]

wow congrats man.. looks so nice.. I hope we can get some impressions soon

[Dusty Chalk]

Gorgeous finish.