If the Speakers were a person, they'd probably be Susan Boyle ie. no idea from looks alone, of the performance potential. They are big, imposing and room dominating....Mrs. Cno says she is going to bury me in one of them, when I shuffle off this mortal coil! (could be sooner rather than later...there WILL be a price to pay!!). So pretty, they are Not.
But...looks are soon forgotten when they start to sing. They sound an awful lot better in my room (14'W x 22'L x 11'H), than the dem room at Lyric. I also think would sound better still if I could afford them even more free space...but the wall they are placed along also has the door.
I have spoken at some length about their sound, You are rewarded with a wonderfully emotive and emersing sound. They give a "Musical Performance", where you feel you are sitting about 6 rows back. IMO. There is a slight romantic glow to the the music, as everything sounds just wonderful. They have huge scale and enormous detail....and the scary thing is, I think I'm only scratching the surface. They can handle a 600W amp and are revealing enough to immediately show improvements made anywhere in the system.
The answer to the qustion, "Do the Harbeths sound boxy", is quite a difficult one. They sound a little less open than the Kefs and the more space you can give them, with the better kit in front of them, the better and more open they sound. I think they are very natural, with a tiny hint of warmth, which makes the midrange shine and acoustic instruments sound as they should. Mrs. Cno says that she finds them a little boxy and unexciting for her taste...but our tastes differ. I like to shut my eyes and wallow in the music, wheras she likes to be envigourated by it (much like her taste in Men!!). The Refs bring her up close and personal to the musicians, like she is right in the front row, a couple of feet from them.
It is possible she has got used to a more forward sound, so a less in your face one takes a bit of getting used to....or maybe not, we shall see.
The Refs trade a little of that natural, organic flavour, for a slightly more dynamic, excitng and open one. I feel that with the Harbeths, you are (slightly more) listening to a performance, wheras with the Kefs you are (slightly more) listening to a recording. The Kefs are still very rewarding and refined speakers, that have a bass that is a smidgeon tighter, but less deep...which the Good Lady prefers (but kindly said that as she doesn't listen much, I should go with my preference - with a penalty to be extrated at some point in the future).
These are both versatile speakers and cover everything well. If your taste tends to classical and acoustic, you have a lively room and your preference is for a smoother, euphonic sound...the Harbeths are the way to go. If you don't listen to a lot of Classical, like a more energetic, but still refined sound...then the Kefs win out.
The decision was a close and difficult one...but what swung it was (in order of priority):
- By Trading in my 35i, all my listening would now be done through the Harbeths (compared to about 20% previously) - this was by far the most significant factor for me.
- Absolutely Zero listening fatigue - without giving up any detail/resolution.
- Great low volume performance...almost like they have their own built-in loudness button.
- Down the road, the Harbeths are more cable/amp agnostic than the Refs, which are a little neurotic...though less so than the previous series, which can sound too thin, bright and forward if poorly matched.
So there you have it. I am Plus a pair of coffins and Minus a room heater (a benefit in this weather).
Lyric HiFi are now the owners of my beautiful AMS 35i, which is in "as new" condition, complete with box, instructions, white gloves and ridiculously expensive/heavy remote. I would love it to go to a good home, so if any of you reprobates want to get a taste of glorious Class A, in a similar league to Luxman and Accuphase...give Michael at Lyric a ring, or let me know if I can help in any way.
The same goes for my 205/2s, which are also in mint conditon.
Now to just sit back and bask in the beauty of a Haydn Mass, as this rich Choral work washes over me.
Thank you for reading.
But...looks are soon forgotten when they start to sing. They sound an awful lot better in my room (14'W x 22'L x 11'H), than the dem room at Lyric. I also think would sound better still if I could afford them even more free space...but the wall they are placed along also has the door.
I have spoken at some length about their sound, You are rewarded with a wonderfully emotive and emersing sound. They give a "Musical Performance", where you feel you are sitting about 6 rows back. IMO. There is a slight romantic glow to the the music, as everything sounds just wonderful. They have huge scale and enormous detail....and the scary thing is, I think I'm only scratching the surface. They can handle a 600W amp and are revealing enough to immediately show improvements made anywhere in the system.
The answer to the qustion, "Do the Harbeths sound boxy", is quite a difficult one. They sound a little less open than the Kefs and the more space you can give them, with the better kit in front of them, the better and more open they sound. I think they are very natural, with a tiny hint of warmth, which makes the midrange shine and acoustic instruments sound as they should. Mrs. Cno says that she finds them a little boxy and unexciting for her taste...but our tastes differ. I like to shut my eyes and wallow in the music, wheras she likes to be envigourated by it (much like her taste in Men!!). The Refs bring her up close and personal to the musicians, like she is right in the front row, a couple of feet from them.
It is possible she has got used to a more forward sound, so a less in your face one takes a bit of getting used to....or maybe not, we shall see.
The Refs trade a little of that natural, organic flavour, for a slightly more dynamic, excitng and open one. I feel that with the Harbeths, you are (slightly more) listening to a performance, wheras with the Kefs you are (slightly more) listening to a recording. The Kefs are still very rewarding and refined speakers, that have a bass that is a smidgeon tighter, but less deep...which the Good Lady prefers (but kindly said that as she doesn't listen much, I should go with my preference - with a penalty to be extrated at some point in the future).
These are both versatile speakers and cover everything well. If your taste tends to classical and acoustic, you have a lively room and your preference is for a smoother, euphonic sound...the Harbeths are the way to go. If you don't listen to a lot of Classical, like a more energetic, but still refined sound...then the Kefs win out.
The decision was a close and difficult one...but what swung it was (in order of priority):
- By Trading in my 35i, all my listening would now be done through the Harbeths (compared to about 20% previously) - this was by far the most significant factor for me.
- Absolutely Zero listening fatigue - without giving up any detail/resolution.
- Great low volume performance...almost like they have their own built-in loudness button.
- Down the road, the Harbeths are more cable/amp agnostic than the Refs, which are a little neurotic...though less so than the previous series, which can sound too thin, bright and forward if poorly matched.
So there you have it. I am Plus a pair of coffins and Minus a room heater (a benefit in this weather).
Lyric HiFi are now the owners of my beautiful AMS 35i, which is in "as new" condition, complete with box, instructions, white gloves and ridiculously expensive/heavy remote. I would love it to go to a good home, so if any of you reprobates want to get a taste of glorious Class A, in a similar league to Luxman and Accuphase...give Michael at Lyric a ring, or let me know if I can help in any way.
The same goes for my 205/2s, which are also in mint conditon.
Now to just sit back and bask in the beauty of a Haydn Mass, as this rich Choral work washes over me.
Thank you for reading.
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