Harbeth XD pricing is outrageous

[Surly Sid]

Well, well... Ole Sid was shooting his mouth off last year about Harbeth prices. So Sid now goes out and buys Harbeths! The C7es3-XD.

What can I say?! They sound so beautiful, I couldn't resist taking them home. The heart wants what the heart wants it seems.

 

[plastic penguin]

Well, well... Ole Sid was shooting his mouth off last year about Harbeth prices. So Sid now goes out and buys Harbeths! The C7es3-XD.

What can I say?! They sound so beautiful, I couldn't resist taking them home. The heart wants what the heart wants it seems.

Nice one.

How do they stack up against the Totems?

 

[Deleted member 108165]

Well, well... Ole Sid was shooting his mouth off last year about Harbeth prices. So Sid now goes out and buys Harbeths! The C7es3-XD.

What can I say?! They sound so beautiful, I couldn't resist taking them home. The heart wants what the heart wants it seems.

Time to eat your words Sid?

There certainly is something special about Harbeth's, they tug at your heart and massage your ears, can't describe it, it's just a naturalness, they do so much right. I've never heard a better sound in my room than from my dinky P3's; and for my money I don't need a sub as the bass is just right.

 

[plastic penguin]

Time to eat your words Sid?

There certainly is something special about Harbeth's, they tug at your heart and massage your ears, can't describe it, it's just a naturalness, they do so much right. I've never heard a better sound in my room than from my dinky P3's; and for my money I don't need a sub as the bass is just right.

I've not heard the C7s but have read that they are pound for pound the best speaker made by Harbeth.

 

[Surly Sid]

Nice one.

How do they stack up against the Totems?

They sound more natural, especially voices. The midrange is to die for, it just sounds perfect. They also have more bass and sound much bigger than my former Totems.

 

[Surly Sid]

Time to eat your words Sid?

Yup, I am eating my words while treating my ears!

 

[plastic penguin]

They sound more natural, especially voices. The midrange is to die for, it just sounds perfect. They also have more bass and sound much bigger than my former Totems.

My experience of the P3 pretty much reflect your experience. Very natural sounding. Unlike the P3s the C7s apparently don't have severe dips on ohms, should be fairly easy to drive.

IME Harbeths trade a little excitement over the Totems for a bit more realism, exactly as I found with my PMCs.

 

[nopiano]

Well, I admire your honesty by coming back here with your update, Sid. I’m sure they’re lovely, and after a few months the price is forgotten but the enjoyment continues. Congratulations!

 

[Friesiansam]

What can I say?! They sound so beautiful, I couldn't resist taking them home. The heart wants what the heart wants it seems.

And, now you know how they get away with charging very high prices...

Nice to know you are happy with what you've bought.

 

[3dit0r]

I’ve owned a pair of C7ES-3 for a few years now. Really nice speakers and, at the price I bought them in 2016, (£2600 - I paid for a special finish pair) just about the right price point, considering they’re made in the U.K., I thought.

However, I just looked at Harbeth again and I’m shocked at the price increases. Over £1000 difference for the (basic) new model C7? Over a third increase? That’s insane.

These are all U.K. prices and the speakers are built here, so nothing to do with import duties. Just wanted to provide a viewpoint from an existing owner that I do find this price hike shocking.

 

[Al ears]

I’ve owned a pair of C7ES-3 for a few years now. Really nice speakers and, at the price I bought them in 2016, (£2600 - I paid for a special finish pair) just about the right price point, considering they’re made in the U.K., I thought.

However, I just looked at Harbeth again and I’m shocked at the price increases. Over £1000 difference for the (basic) new model C7? Over a third increase? That’s insane.

These are all U.K. prices and the speakers are built here, so nothing to do with import duties. Just wanted to provide a viewpoint from an existing owner that I do find this price hike shocking.

It probably has a lot to do with import duties and shipping costs. You don't think all that cabinet material, veneers, and internal components are made in the UK do you?
However, that said, I believe the Japanese are mad about them so if you can sell as many as you make you can charge what you like for them...

 

[plastic penguin]

It probably has a lot to do with import duties and shipping. You don't think all that cabinet material and internal components are made in the UK do you?
However, that said, I believe the Japanese are mad about them so if you can sell as many as you make you can charge what you like for them...

The import tax/shipping is one way to look at it. When I had the P3s XD on home demo they were £1900. Now they are £2500. Of course they aren't the only company to hike prices, nevertheless £600 in 18 months is nuts. At some point even the most loyal of clients will eventually think they've been ripped off. Apparently, they are upping the prices again.

 

[Al ears]

The import tax/shipping is one way to look at it. When I had the P3s XD on home demo they were £1900. Now they are £2500. Of course they aren't the only company to hike prices, nevertheless £600 in 18 months is nuts. At some point even the most loyal of clients will eventually think they've been ripped off. Apparently, they are upping the prices again.

Yes, it certainly does seem a lot to account for doesn't it.
If the Japanese and others are still buying them at that price I don't ever see them reducing prices.
Time to look for ex demo or second hand items I feel.

 

[plastic penguin]

Yes, it certainly does seem a lot to account for doesn't it.
If the Japanese and others are still buying them at that price I don't ever see them reducing prices.
Time to look for ex demo or second hand items I feel.

Second hand is an option, but usually used prices on auction sites tend to follow suit. It's happened with PMC Twenty series.

The Japanese market shouldn't influence UK prices. I presumed that was the point of Brexit: Better prices for UK products made in the UK

 

[shadders]

Brexit: Better prices for UK products made in the UK

Hi,
On PFM in the DIY section, there is a thread on cost of electronic components.

The costs of electronic components have sky rocketed - i notice the difference too.

What Brexit and the pandemic has done, is increase component costs. I order from Mouser, which is shipped free from the US, and in many of the cases, the components are so much cheaper than RS or Farnell.

Regards,
Shadders.

 

[plastic penguin]

Hi,
On PFM in the DIY section, there is a thread on cost of electronic components.

The costs of electronic components have sky rocketed - i notice the difference too.

What Brexit and the pandemic has done, is increase component costs. I order from Mouser, which is shipped free from the US, and in many of the cases, the components are so much cheaper than RS or Farnell.

Regards,
Shadders.

Agree Shadders the pandemic hasn't helped matters, but also believe, rightly or wrongly, some companies are using the pandemic just to bump up increased costs - costs that many can't afford.

Take Dali. Their Rubicon 2s are the same price as in 2016. There are quite a few others that have done the same thing.

 

[Al ears]

Second hand is an option, but usually used prices on auction sites tend to follow suit. It's happened with PMC Twenty series.

The Japanese market shouldn't influence UK prices. I presumed that was the point of Brexit: Better prices for UK products made in the UK

when your a global company of course it matters as to what price you can sell your kit for abroad. I don't believe Brexit it was ever about better prices for UK residents but that's a completely different matter.
Back to the thread......

 

[Deleted member 108165]

The import tax/shipping is one way to look at it. When I had the P3s XD on home demo they were £1900. Now they are £2500. Of course they aren't the only company to hike prices, nevertheless £600 in 18 months is nuts. At some point even the most loyal of clients will eventually think they've been ripped off. Apparently, they are upping the prices again.

I believe you will find that the £600 increase was due to the new XD model release, these were £2500, the outgoing standard P3's were £1900 at the time.

 

[Al ears]

I believe you will find that the £600 increase was due to the new XD model release, these were £2500, the outgoing standard P3's were £1900 at the time.

You could be be right there. If so then it's pretty common

 

[plastic penguin]

I believe you will find that the £600 increase was due to the new XD model release, these were £2500, the outgoing standard P3's were £1900 at the time.

That was the XD speaker. That was in September. I looked at his price again in the December and it was hiked to £2500

 

[Deleted member 108165]

That was the XD speaker. That was in September. I looked at his price again in the December and it was hiked to £2500

I believe you are incorrect. The RRP for the pre-XD P3's was £1895, these were on run-out replaced by the XD version with an RRP of £2495. Regarding price I am in full agreement with you that Harbeth's are now overpriced. I have nothing further to add.

 

[plastic penguin]

I believe you are incorrect. The RRP for the pre-XD P3's was £1895, these were on run-out replaced by the XD version with an RRP of £2495. Regarding price I am in full agreement with you that Harbeth's are now overpriced. I have nothing further to add.

Fair enough.
The XD range was released in the UK Feb 2020. Unless dealers have old stocks of the previous incarnation, they would be the XD range.
I contacted Guildford Audio in the Sept. He had to order a pair in from the factory. He was still retailing them at £1900 (check the review I wrote on here at the time. I mentioned IIRC he had to order them in)
Nothing more to add.

 

[Surly Sid]

Well whatever prices Harbeth are charging, it doesn't seem to matter. They can't build speakers fast enough to supply demand!

 

[Al ears]

Well whatever prices Harbeth are charging, it doesn't seem to matter. They can't build speakers fast enough to supply demand!

Pretty much what I was implying, they could stick on another £600 but they would still sell in Japan.

 

[Surly Sid]

Compare Harbeth prices with Magico or Wilson and Harbeths are a bargain!

The Wilson and Magicos will sound different, but not necessarily better.