Price rises.

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

See previous post!

 

[nopiano]

That's a bargain, for those speakers, if they've not been abused and still look nice. I've been searching the web for some 'B' grade Harbeth 7ES3XD, with perhaps some minor cosmetic blemishes on the finish. These are still lotto win prices, for me and it's so sad, thinking I might not get to upgrade my system, ever. Prices very rarely come down, unless in a sale, so it looks like food, fuel and technology, is going to cost much more, in the long term.

This is the best I’ve seen recently. They’re down the road from Harbeth so often get bargains. Worth ringing Richard, who I’ve bought from twice and would recommend.

https://www.audiologica.co.uk/product/harbeth-c7es3-xd-standmount-speakers-ex-demo/

 

[nopiano]

So at the time of that 25% (that I'm too young to remember ) there was no such thing as V.A.T.?
How many fixed rates did purchase tax have?
With 25% being the highest?

I should really know, but I don't
(One of my brothers spent his entire working life at the VAT office (he must have started when VAT did)....my other brother still works there).

I recall VAT went from 10 or 12.5% to 20 or 25%. We didn’t have a register that could handle two rates so had to hand write every Hifi item that cost the higher rate. Tapes etc stayed lower, but hardware went up iirc.

 

[podknocker]

This is the best I’ve seen recently. They’re down the road from Harbeth so often get bargains. Worth ringing Richard, who I’ve bought from twice and would recommend.

https://www.audiologica.co.uk/product/harbeth-c7es3-xd-standmount-speakers-ex-demo/

Thanks for the link. Still pricey and only a year warranty. I might look at 2nd hand and ex demo models. Slightly worrying that Alan Shaw is confident in producing excellent loudspeakers, but not confident enough to add decent warranty periods. I wish Harbeth made stands for these, as 3rd party stands might not be the best option, with varying levels of quality and some wooden stands are nearly £800 which I think is unreasonable. I think there's a 'made for Harbeth' premium developing and I don't like it.

 

[nopiano]

Thanks for the link. Still pricey and only a year warranty. I might look at 2nd hand and ex demo models. Slightly worrying that Alan Shaw is confident in producing excellent loudspeakers, but not confident enough to add decent warranty periods. I wish Harbeth made stands for these, as 3rd party stands might not be the best option, with varying levels of quality and some wooden stands are nearly £800 which I think is unreasonable. I think there's a 'made for Harbeth' premium developing and I don't like it.

I agree that Harbeth can’t touch something like the ATC warranty which is transferable too. PMC show off with 20 years but it only applies to the original buyer.

AS says a pile a books is all you need, because he doesn’t believe in anything ‘audiophile’, as long as you buy his speakers! Though as you’ve inferred, Hifi Racks are a favourite, alongside harder to find open metal-framed types.

 

[davidf]

Thanks for the link. Still pricey and only a year warranty. I might look at 2nd hand and ex demo models. Slightly worrying that Alan Shaw is confident in producing excellent loudspeakers, but not confident enough to add decent warranty periods. I wish Harbeth made stands for these, as 3rd party stands might not be the best option, with varying levels of quality and some wooden stands are nearly £800 which I think is unreasonable. I think there's a 'made for Harbeth' premium developing and I don't like it.

I think long warranties on speakers are a little misleading. It’s nice to have and adds confidence, but once a speaker has been used for 6-12 months, it’s highly unlikely a quality speaker will fail unless it is abused, which of course, isn’t covered under any warranty. For the extremely few people that might have a genuine failure after five years or something, I’m sure the manufacturer would adddress the repair free of charge.

For stands, don’t they advocate those open frame ones? I forget the name…

 

[podknocker]

Some companies may be more charitable than others and if it's down to their discretion and not actually in the contract, it can end up being an expensive repair, with all the shipping and logistics involved. I never knew some companies gave a 20 year warranty. I've never considerd ATC, or PMC and there are many positive ProAc speaker reviews also. I think I will save up and buy a quality, expensive speaker next time and not have so many cheaper upgrades, as I have done over the last 20 years.

 

[nopiano]

For stands, don’t they advocate those open frame ones? I forget the name…

Tontraeger, or something like that?

 

[jjbomber]

Tontraeger, or something like that?

Sounds like a cross between Tonto and the Lone Ranger!

 

[nopiano]

Sounds like a cross between Tonto and the Lone Ranger!

I was close! https://www.tontraeger-audio.com/lang/en/

Looks like it’s a phonetic spelling.

 

[podknocker]

They look OK and shouldn't cost a fortune, being bits of metal, screwed together. I bet they do cost a fortune, however. I wish most companies allowed speakers to be screwed into stands, like my QA speakers and many B&W models. It does provide a more secure foundation and as long as there's no wobbling, ringing, or vibrations and they don't receive any unwanted energy from the ground, it should be OK. Of course, spikes do improve the isolation. Mass loaded stands, with spikes, screwed into the speaker's base, must be the best option for speakers. I don't know why some, or even most speaker companies don't allow this. Isolating the speaker and stand, from the floor is better, surely, than isolating the speaker, from the stand, but it can easily fall off and break? I have nightmares about owning £4k speakers and knocking one onto the floor, while cleaning, or opening a window and the speaker gets damaged. My QA3030i standmounts are screwed into matching stands and have survived many knocks and wobbles and are still intact. The speakers and stands are quite inert, when tapped and I don't think their performance suffers, as a result of being bolted together.

 

[davidf]

They look OK and shouldn't cost a fortune, being bits of metal, screwed together. I bet they do cost a fortune, however. I wish most companies allowed speakers to be screwed into stands, like my QA speakers and many B&W models. It does provide a more secure foundation and as long as there's no wobbling, ringing, or vibrations and they don't receive any unwanted energy from the ground, it should be OK. Of course, spikes do improve the isolation. Mass loaded stands, with spikes, screwed into the speaker's base, must be the best option for speakers. I don't know why some, or even most speaker companies don't allow this. Isolating the speaker and stand, from the floor is better, surely, than isolating the speaker, from the stand, but it can easily fall off and break? I have nightmares about owning £4k speakers and knocking one onto the floor, while cleaning, or opening a window and the speaker gets damaged. My QA3030i standmounts are screwed into matching stands and have survived many knocks and wobbles and are still intact. The speakers and stands are quite inert, when tapped and I don't think their performance suffers, as a result of being bolted together.

Screwing a speaker to a stand makes the stand part of its cabinet, so any vibration the stand causes, or receives, will be passed on to the speaker. Spikes will couple the speaker and stand to the floor, providing a gateway for these vibrations. Using spikes is fine to make sure the stand is stable, but good isolation between the stand and speaker should then be used.

 

[podknocker]

I agree the speaker and stand become one, when screwed together, but the amount of energy arriving at the speaker, will be minimal and if the design is properly dampened, the drive units shouldn't receive much, or any interference, from the floor, when people stroll around, or when traffic goes past. I'd tolerate this setup, to avoid an expensive speaker being knocked over and damaged. I'd prefer this arrangement over a pile of books, or placed in a bookshelf, or on top of a TV unit etc. If a heavy, mass loaded, well designed stand doesn't tranfer energy to the speaker, then it should be fine. Risking damage to a very expensive speaker, fills me with dread and avoiding this, is better, allowing a minimal amount of vibration getting to a speaker cabinet. Floorstanding speakers are not isolated, like standmounts and only have the spikes, to separate them from the floor. I hope people aren't suggesting floorstanders need to be placed on blutac, on stands, with spikes. QA, B&W, Sonus Faber and many more brands use stands and these products receive very positive reviews. Tripping and knocking over a Sonus Faber speaker, perched precariously on top of a 3rd party stand, would be a nightmare come true.

 

[RoA]

It’s frightening how much some have gone up by, but the parts, storage, packaging, transport etc is all shooting up too.

I suspect that the price rises elsewhere - energy, fuel, food etc - will bite into discretionary and luxury spending. Some Hifi outlets with good mail order did well during Covid but the chips are down now.

Audiophiles will always find money, either by selling organs or non-essential items such as pets, children etc.

 

[nopiano]

Audiophiles will always find money, either by selling organs or non-essential items such as pets, children etc.

Definitely!

 

[Deleted member 160668]

This is the best I’ve seen recently. They’re down the road from Harbeth so often get bargains. Worth ringing Richard, who I’ve bought from twice and would recommend.

https://www.audiologica.co.uk/product/harbeth-c7es3-xd-standmount-speakers-ex-demo/

Got my heart fluttering with this link.

 

[Deleted member 160668]

wish Harbeth made stands for these

You need to buy open frame ones and get them custom built.

Ahem, I might know someone with some custom made stands for Harbeths, Custom Design FS104 Signature with chrome bumper legs (275 X 275 mm top plate dimensions - open frame style) in mint like new condition that are on top of his wardrobe at them moment and that he'd let go for a steal as he sold the Harbs. There's an advert on eBay with pics to follow 😉.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

I see the Denon AVC-X3700H, which was a grand, is now showing as £1,300 in the Sevenoaks ad in this month's WHF. Makes 20% seem, slightly less of a de-bagging...

Interestingly, good old RS is showing it at £979...

Denon AVC-X3700H (Black) | Dolby Atmos AV Receiver | Richer Sounds