Harbeth p3esr amp matching

[suresh babu]

hi friends ,
i planned to buy harbeth p3esr or p3esr SE in used market..
i have now using audiolab 6000a 50watts amplifier for my desktop listening..
does anybody have any experience with those combo ? if yes , kindly share your experiences..
if bad combo , kindly suggest any good solid state amplifier for harbeth p3esr..
and will there any sonic differences between P3ESR and P3ESR SE ?

thank you
suresh babu

 

[Al ears]

See the thread

Mission 778X with Harbeth P3ESR​

Although I don't see any issues with using your audiolab.
I image there will be a subtle difference between those speakers but you would have to hear them yourself to see if any noticeable.

 

[davidf]

Harbeth have been partnering their speakers with Hegel at shows over the last few years, so I'd be a little wary of 50wpc.

 

[Al ears]

Harbeth have been partnering their speakers with Hegel at shows over the last few years, so I'd be a little wary of 50wpc.

Harbeth own specs recommend amplifier from 15-50wpc so don't see the issue here.
Suggest the OP simply tries it and sees.
That said I don't know any sealed-box speakers that didn't like an amp with plenty of decent power delivery.
But again my old Heybrooks were quite happy on the end of an Armstrong 621 with 40wpc........

 

[SenseiKofi]

hi friends ,
i planned to buy harbeth p3esr or p3esr SE in used market..
i have now using audiolab 6000a 50watts amplifier for my desktop listening..
does anybody have any experience with those combo ? if yes , kindly share your experiences..
if bad combo , kindly suggest any good solid state amplifier for harbeth p3esr..
and will there any sonic differences between P3ESR and P3ESR SE ?

thank you
suresh babu

how about get the speakers and use the amp before thinking about buying a new amp

 

[davidf]

Harbeth own specs recommend amplifier from 15-50wpc so don't see the issue here.
Suggest the OP simply tries it and sees.
That said I don't know any sealed-box speakers that didn't like an amp with plenty of decent power delivery.
But again my old Heybrooks were quite happy on the end of an Armstrong 621 with 40wpc........

Not sure, but he's usually using Hegel at the Bristol show, and I'm told he recommends them to his customers.

 

[Al ears]

Not sure, but he's usually using Hegel at the Bristol show, and I'm told he recommends them to his customers.

Who is he and why exactly?
It's about like recommending something and then doing a quick about face....nonsense!
Like most of the Hifi industry unfortunately.

 

[Al ears]

Who is he and why exactly?
It's about like recommending something and then doing a quick about face....nonsense!
Like most of the Hifi industry unfortunately.

Finance I suppose.

 

[davidf]

Who is he and why exactly?
It's about like recommending something and then doing a quick about face....nonsense!
Like most of the Hifi industry unfortunately.

Alan is the owner and designer of Harbeth speakers.

 

[plastic penguin]

Harbeth own specs recommend amplifier from 15-50wpc so don't see the issue here.
Suggest the OP simply tries it and sees.
That said I don't know any sealed-box speakers that didn't like an amp with plenty of decent power delivery.
But again my old Heybrooks were quite happy on the end of an Armstrong 621 with 40wpc........

I know I watched a video on Harbeth C7 a few years ago and he [Alan Shaw] had them connected to a Hegel. Then he banged on about the benefits of Hegel amplification with Harbeth, even though he'd previously banged on that he wouldn't recommend any amp.

That's why I've never been a fan of Shaw.

 

[davidf]

I know I watched a video on Harbeth C7 a few years ago and he [Alan Shaw] had them connected to a Hegel. Then he banged on about the benefits of Hegel amplification with Harbeth, even though he'd previously banged on that he wouldn't recommend any amp.

That's why I've never been a fan of Shaw.

He "got turned" 🙂

 

[Al ears]

I know I watched a video on Harbeth C7 a few years ago and he [Alan Shaw] had them connected to a Hegel. Then he banged on about the benefits of Hegel amplification with Harbeth, even though he'd previously banged on that he wouldn't recommend any amp.

That's why I've never been a fan of Shaw.

Perhaps they are paying him good money......
I feel sure my current amp could drive them quite nicely as well but doubt anyone is going to recommend an American amp...

 

[plastic penguin]

Perhaps they are paying him good money......
I feel sure my current amp could drive them quite nicely as well but doubt anyone is going to recommend an American amp...

Yep, unlikely anyone will buy American now.

I don't doubt he was being paid to promote Hegel. Just shows how corrupt this business is.

Those P3s sounded really good on my amp too. Plenty of juice to move those cones.

 

[plastic penguin]

He "got turned" 🙂

The worm has turned.

 

[davidf]

I don't doubt he was being paid to promote Hegel. Just shows how corrupt this business is.

Really?

 

[plastic penguin]

Really?

Why else was he so keen to show off the Hegel?

 

[davidf]

Why else was he so keen to show off the Hegel?

Because he feels they work well. Ask him at shows.

Most exhibitors borrow whatever they need to show off their own stuff (long or short term arrangement), they don't generally buy anything for shows unless it is something they own and use during development. KEF borrowed a Hegel ore/power for Deluxe, but 5ey own the Hegel amps used at the KEF Music Gallery to show off their speakers. Alan doesn't borrow any Hegel amps - so he must own them. And he's not showing off Hegel - he's showing off his loudspeakers.

 

[nopiano]

Because he feels they work well. Ask him at shows.

Most exhibitors borrow whatever they need to show off their own stuff (long or short term arrangement), they don't generally buy anything for shows unless it is something they own and use during development. KEF borrowed a Hegel ore/power for Deluxe, but 5ey own the Hegel amps used at the KEF Music Gallery to show off their speakers. Alan doesn't borrow any Hegel amps - so he must own them. And he's not showing off Hegel - he's showing off his loudspeakers.

Indeed, and my reading of his blogs and suchlike is he’s essentially an amplifier agnostic, as long as it isn’t ’colourful’.

His new NLE actives have Hypex amps built in I believe, and he demo’d the larger ones last year with Quad top of the range valves, just to show his general dislike of ‘tubes’ is not all pervading as long as they measure well - e.g. decent damping factor, and moderate distortion, as well as sufficient power. But Hegel have indeed been his ‘go to’ amplifiers at the last several years showing at Bristol, as you note. KEF too, iirc. And why not, as they exemplify neutral, high power, clean sound, which any speaker should enjoy?

 

[plastic penguin]

Because he feels they work well. Ask him at shows.

Most exhibitors borrow whatever they need to show off their own stuff (long or short term arrangement), they don't generally buy anything for shows unless it is something they own and use during development. KEF borrowed a Hegel ore/power for Deluxe, but 5ey own the Hegel amps used at the KEF Music Gallery to show off their speakers. Alan doesn't borrow any Hegel amps - so he must own them. And he's not showing off Hegel - he's showing off his loudspeakers.

I never go to shows now. The last one was What Hi-Fi show in Hammersmith (circa 2007/8).

My understanding is speaker manufacturers tend to use the brand of amps they test their speakers with: PMC/Bryston, Marantz/Mordaunt Short, Roksan used their own speakers prior to the amalgamation with Monitor Audio, Rotel/B&W etc etc etc....

 

[Al ears]

hi friends ,
i planned to buy harbeth p3esr or p3esr SE in used market..
i have now using audiolab 6000a 50watts amplifier for my desktop listening..
does anybody have any experience with those combo ? if yes , kindly share your experiences..
if bad combo , kindly suggest any good solid state amplifier for harbeth p3esr..
and will there any sonic differences between P3ESR and P3ESR SE ?

thank you
suresh babu

If you are able there's a second-hand pair of the XD version being sold by Elite Audio for £1390