Out with the New, In with the Old?

[Native_bon]

are you still running through the same considerations a or has anything else peaked your interest?

Nope. It's still Harbeth 40.1 vs Kef Ref 3.

If I go with the Harbeths, I'll be trading in my beloved 35i, to help offset the price....also, the specs of the Harbeths are all wrong for making the most of the MF's power.

Assuming you go down this route - how will you power the Harberths? Your AV receiver?

Yup. I have always liked the AVR600s's 2 channel performance. It would happily power the Harbeths. If I go that route, I might get another amp at some point in the future (when funds allow).

Just seen a Avr600 for 475 with offer, thinking if I should snap it up. Get me some class G for very little money, not really into Dolby Atoms.

 

[CnoEvil]

[ Just seen a Avr600 for 475 with offer, thinking if I should snap it up. Get me some class G for very little money, not really into Dolby Atoms.

That's a great price.....but......you will absolutely need to know the history and the work done to it. Mine was back to the factory on 3 occasions getting various faults fixed, including the overheating. It only settled down with the fitting of the 3D Board/Pass Through.

If it hasn't had this done, walk away, as you will be taking on a pile of grief.....if it has and preferably comes with any sort of warrenty (say from a dealer), it's a wonderful sounding amp. If the work has been done, ask for proof, or a Serial No. that you can check with Arcam. It's very risk/reward.

Have you seen this slightly OTT review: http://www.iar-80.com/page161.html

 

[CnoEvil]

Cno. Just ordered this rack which I think will compliment the Ref 3 gloss black finish. Paid 50% dep. finance the rest. I could'nt find a suitable one as the AMS/Electro cdp are wider in size compare to normal hifi. Now there's a space for a streamer*dash1*

Blimey! That looks amazing.

 

[iceman16]

Cno. Just ordered this rack which I think will compliment the Ref 3 gloss black finish. Paid 50% dep. finance the rest. I could'nt find a suitable one as the AMS/Electro cdp are wider in size compare to normal hifi. Now there's a space for a streamer*dash1*

Blimey! That looks amazing.

Ive watch some video clips on youtube Solid Tech Hybrid and it looks really stunning. Btw the Ref 3(gloss black)are still being made at Kef factory so still waiting. They’ve ask me if I like the walnut finish which are ready for shipping but I don’t . I hope I will be rewarded with my patience.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Cno. Just ordered this rack which I think will compliment the Ref 3 gloss black finish. Paid 50% dep. finance the rest. I could'nt find a suitable one as the AMS/Electro cdp are wider in size compare to normal hifi. Now there's a space for a streamer*dash1*

Did you buy that from brightHouse?

 

[iceman16]

Cno. Just ordered this rack which I think will compliment the Ref 3 gloss black finish. Paid 50% dep. finance the rest. I could'nt find a suitable one as the AMS/Electro cdp are wider in size compare to normal hifi. Now there's a space for a streamer*dash1*

Did you buy that from brightHouse?

Nope. Nintronics, it’s not advertised on their web page though. The company is from Sweden afaik.

 

[Native_bon]

[ Just seen a Avr600 for 475 with offer, thinking if I should snap it up. Get me some class G for very little money, not really into Dolby Atoms.

That's a great price.....but......you will absolutely need to know the history and the work done to it. Mine was back to the factory on 3 occasions getting various faults fixed, including the overheating. It only settled down with the fitting of the 3D Board/Pass Through.

If it hasn't had this done, walk away, as you will be taking on a pile of grief.....if it has and preferably comes with any sort of warrenty (say from a dealer), it's a wonderful sounding amp. If the work has been done, ask for proof, or a Serial No. that you can check with Arcam. It's very risk/reward.

Have you seen this slightly OTT review: http://www.iar-80.com/page161.html

Yes I have seen that review and have always thought Arcam Mid to Flagship AV amps do a brillant job with 2 channel music. I will take on board your advice about the 3D Board/ Pass Through. I did see refurbished one with full Arcam Warrranty on ebay last week but its gone already. *fool*

 

[CnoEvil]

Well, after a brain frazzeling few days, I'm now the owner of some new speakers......anyone like to guess which ones?

Am heading out shortly, so hope to give more detail later.

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Well, after a brain frazzeling few days, I'm now the owner of some new speakers......anyone like to guess which ones?

Am heading out shortly, so hope to give more detail later.

The kefs ? *smile*

 

[iceman16]

Well, after a brain frazzeling few days, I'm now the owner of some new speakers......anyone like to guess which ones?

Am heading out shortly, so hope to give more detail later.

Harbeth 40.2 and you p/x the AMS 35i?

 

[insider9]

Well, after a brain frazzeling few days, I'm now the owner of some new speakers......anyone like to guess which ones?

Am heading out shortly, so hope to give more detail later.

Harbeth 40.2 and you p/x the AMS 35i?

That would be my guess too

 

[Infiniteloop]

Well, after a brain frazzeling few days, I'm now the owner of some new speakers......anyone like to guess which ones?

Am heading out shortly, so hope to give more detail later.

I’m guessing the heat got to you and you bought some Focals....

 

[CnoEvil]

Nothing I do ends up straightforward and this has been no exception.

This whole excercise has been made considerably more complicated by the fact [a] My Sub had a fault, where it kept knocking itself into Standby. This was far from easy to pin down....but eventually was pinned down to a loose connection in the voice coil of the 18" Drive unit. The part was only received, fitted and tested the evening before the home visit. If this window was missed, it would have been another month.

My Internet speed was so slow from Talk Talk, that the Postman on his bicycle was quicker. The change over to BT High Speed Fibre was also happening the day before, so new router and switch over all had to happen smoothly as well.

Anyway, all ducks having lined up, Lyric's guys made the 90 mile journey from Belfast and were with me at 11.15. It was a crushingly hot day, as they lugged in two latge cardboard boxes and a Sub the size of a large Dog Kennel into the house.

We disconected my Refs, removed and boxed up the LS50s, pulled the rack forward and going round the back, I gave it a much needed hoover, detangle and clean.

The plan was to connect up my first choice of speaker....which were the Harbeths.....and only if they didn't work in the room, would we then replace them with the Ref 3s, which they had also boxed up and brought, just in case - a second 180 mile round trip would have been expensive and time wasteful.

The speakers (with spikes), were placed on Something Solid "Missing Link" Isolation Feet, to mitigate, as far as possible, the negative effects of the suspended wooden floor. These amazing looking feet, made up of metal and string, which float the speaker....would not be out of place in a Heath Robinson drawing.

We (that's a Royal We), updated to the penultimate version of Kazoo (Windows 8 fought with the most up to date one), got my RipNas properly installed on Windows Home Server and installed Tidal (3 month free trial, which I'd never used as my Internet speed had previously not been fast enough).

With rack replaced, speakers carefully placed and levelled, we pressed play...

 

[Kubs]

Nothing I do ends up straightforward and this has been no exception.

This whole excercise has been made considerably more complicated by the fact [a] My Sub had a fault, where it kept knocking itself into Standby. This was far from easy to pin down....but eventually was pinned down to a loose connection in the voice coil of the 18" Drive unit. The part was only received, fitted and tested the evening before the home visit. If this window was missed, it would have been another month.

My Internet speed was so slow from Talk Talk, that the Postman on his bicycle was quicker. The change over to BT High Speed Fibre was also happening the day before, so new router and switch over all had to happen smoothly as well. 

Anyway, all ducks having lined up, Lyric's guys made the 90 mile journey from Belfast and were with me at 11.15. It was a crushingly hot day, as they lugged in two latge cardboard boxes and a Sub the size of a large Dog Kennel into the house.

We disconected my Refs, removed and boxed up the LS50s, pulled the rack forward and going round the back, I gave it a much needed hoover, detangle and clean.

The plan was to connect up my first choice of speaker....which were the Harbeths.....and only if they didn't work in the room, would we then replace them with the Ref 3s, which they had also boxed up and brought, just in case - a second 180 mile round trip would have been expensive and time wasteful.

The speakers (with spikes), were placed on Something Solid "Missing Link" Isolation Feet, to mitigate, as far as possible, the negative effects of the suspended wooden floor. These amazing looking feet, made up of metal and string, which float the speaker....would not be out of place in a Heath Robinson drawing.

We (that's a Royal We), updated to the penultimate version of Kazoo (Windows 8 fought with the most up to date one), got my RipNas properly installed on Windows Home Server and installed Tidal (3 month free trial, which I'd never used as my Internet speed had previously not been fast enough).

With rack replaced, speakers carefully placed and levelled, we pressed play...

 

Ahhh come one cno .... You've got me hooked ... I've got the same feeling I get at the end of an episode of Game of Thrones .... (What happened next...??)

 

[insider9]

I love these tales Perfect timing too with no football on today.

 

[iceman16]

Nothing I do ends up straightforward and this has been no exception.

This whole excercise has been made considerably more complicated by the fact [a] My Sub had a fault, where it kept knocking itself into Standby. This was far from easy to pin down....but eventually was pinned down to a loose connection in the voice coil of the 18" Drive unit. The part was only received, fitted and tested the evening before the home visit. If this window was missed, it would have been another month.

My Internet speed was so slow from Talk Talk, that the Postman on his bicycle was quicker. The change over to BT High Speed Fibre was also happening the day before, so new router and switch over all had to happen smoothly as well.

Anyway, all ducks having lined up, Lyric's guys made the 90 mile journey from Belfast and were with me at 11.15. It was a crushingly hot day, as they lugged in two latge cardboard boxes and a Sub the size of a large Dog Kennel into the house.

We disconected my Refs, removed and boxed up the LS50s, pulled the rack forward and going round the back, I gave it a much needed hoover, detangle and clean.

The plan was to connect up my first choice of speaker....which were the Harbeths.....and only if they didn't work in the room, would we then replace them with the Ref 3s, which they had also boxed up and brought, just in case - a second 180 mile round trip would have been expensive and time wasteful.

The speakers (with spikes), were placed on Something Solid "Missing Link" Isolation Feet, to mitigate, as far as possible, the negative effects of the suspended wooden floor. These amazing looking feet, made up of metal and string, which float the speaker....would not be out of place in a Heath Robinson drawing.

We (that's a Royal We), updated to the penultimate version of Kazoo (Windows 8 fought with the most up to date one), got my RipNas properly installed on Windows Home Server and installed Tidal (3 month free trial, which I'd never used as my Internet speed had previously not been fast enough).

With rack replaced, speakers carefully placed and levelled, we pressed play...

And the winner is....

 

[iceman16]

*drinks*

 

[ellisdj]

Interesting year - 2 KEF users go elsewhere and 2 go KEF Ref's interesting, at least 2 sensible people on this forum.....

This is a rhetorical joke in case anyone misses what I mean

 

[insider9]

As usual engaging read. They sound like great speakers and so much in line with everything you've posted to date. That's why I believed, from the beginning, you were destined to get them.

Surprisingly though from your description I feel like I would enjoy both, but probably prefer Kefs. Irrespective, it was a great "problem" to have and I'm happy for you.

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Harbeth where the winner then *smile* well done

 

[CnoEvil]

As usual engaging read. They sound like great speakers and so much in line with everything you've posted to date. That's why I believed, from the beginning, you were destined to get them.

Surprisingly though from your description I feel like I would enjoy both, but probably prefer Kefs. Irrespective, it was a great "problem" to have and I'm happy for you.

The Harbeths would blow you clean out of the door of that little music den of yours *biggrin*.....though, I suspect you are absolutely correct. I think you'd prefer the New Refs.

 

[CnoEvil]

Harbeth where the winner then *smile* well done

Yup, they were...but only just.

I don't think the Harbeths are better....just preferable for my taste and in my situation. They would normally be out of range for me.....but I scored a good deal. At full retail, I'd go for the Refs...which I slightly prefer to the SHL5+.

 

[CnoEvil]

Interesting year - 2 KEF users go elsewhere and 2 go KEF Ref's interesting, at least 2 sensible people on this forum.....

This is a rhetorical joke in case anyone misses what I mean

I actually think more people would go for the Refs, which are, on first listen, more impressive....with the Harbeths, it takes a little more time to appreciate their strengths.

There are some great performances that are poorly recorded.....and spit at you like an angry cat. The Harbeths are better than any speaker I've heard (though the Audio Notes are very close) at getting the cat to Purr, so somehow managing to extract the performance from the grit (while still letting you know it's been recorded on the hot side). The Refs (as you know) aren't bad in this area and certainly more forgiving than the older model.

 

[CnoEvil]

I just felt *scratch_one-s_head* when you part with the 35i. Well my next amp would probably be a Jadis I-50 but not anytime soon.

Jadis make very musical amps....though wait until you hear the Refs with the 35i - and that may put upgraditus on hold for a year or two. Then it will be time to listen to an Akurate DS. *diablo*

 

[iceman16]

I just felt *scratch_one-s_head* when you part with the 35i. Well my next amp would probably be a Jadis I-50 but not anytime soon or until the 35i finally succumb.