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Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Harbeth Compact 7 ES-3 Speakers by bullethead General speaker questions for audio and home theater. |
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98.113.195.211
Model: Compact 7 ES-3 Category: Speakers Suggested Retail Price: $3,900 Description: Harbeth Monitor Manufacturer URL: Harbeth Model Picture: View
Review by bullethead on August 01, 2009 at 18:08:23
IP Address: 98.113.195.211Add Your Review
for the Compact 7 ES-3
Note $3,800 is for the Eucalyptus wood, I believe the other finishes are a little less in cost.
I am a proud owner of the Harbeth Compact 7 ES-3 Loudspeaker now for about 4 months, and have finally found the sound I am looking for. Natural, real and smooth. The ES-3 would tend to sound "warm" for someone who's used to listening to speaker after speaker, however the way this speaker is voiced you really have to hear the detail and accuracy to believe it. It's not "warm" but rather "natural". The ES-3 has a sound about it which is in a rare class of esoteric speakers coming out of England that have the goal of a BBC tradition for the quest for the "perfect transducers". The ES-3 uses the Harbeth signature "Radial-2" cone as well as the new "Open Weave" tweeter. This separates this model from the older models. I can't compare what I've heard to the older models but the Harbeth's really bring out the life in the music.
Everything sounds absolutely fantastic and they are relatively easy to drive. Using a Bel Canto S300 amp rated at 150watts/8ohms I can drive the speakers to really loud levels without distortion. However medium levels are where the speakers shine their light and emit into the room atmosphere and class like no other speaker I have heard. Silky smooth midrange, decent bass and realistic clarity in the high frequencies make this a speaker worth listening to in the sub $4,000 space. Listening with proper stands is recommended, I went with a company out of Canada called "Foundation" for the stands. Anywhere from 19" to 22" of height in the stands are recommended for optimal imaging and soundstage realism.
I have to say I've found my pair of speakers for the long term, and I'll keep them for a long time. After switching speakers in and out of my system like changing socks I've finally come to the conclusion that the Harbeth's are here to stay.
Product Weakness: boxy looking, but the sound is world class Product Strengths: Realism
Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Bel Canto S300 Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Bel Canto DAC3 Sources (CDP/Turntable): Bel Canto CD-2 Speakers: Harbeth Compact 7 ES-3 Cables/Interconnects: Kimber Music Used (Genre/Selections): Jazz, Classical, Rock, Techno, BM Time Period/Length of Audition: 4 Other (Power Conditioner etc.): PS Audio Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
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Topic - REVIEW: Harbeth Compact 7 ES-3 Speakers - bullethead 18:08:23 08/1/09 ( 63)
- Congrats...one of us, one of us, one of us - jimmyjames 09:58:41 08/3/09 ( 3)
- subtle - mbnx01 15:59:28 08/3/09 ( 0)
- Thank You! - bullethead 13:05:02 08/3/09 ( 1)
- Good for you - Bill the K 09:17:47 08/6/09 ( 0)
Review of Compact 7 es2 - DkB 17:37:13 08/2/09 ( 4)
- Speaking about stands... - Mastergill 14:08:07 08/3/09 ( 2)
- What a handsome setup, just invites listening (visually) - keith_d 19:21:15 08/3/09 ( 1)
- Thanks! (n/t) - Mastergill 11:46:12 08/4/09 ( 0)
RE: Review of Compact 7 es2 - Bob Neill 05:00:01 08/3/09 ( 0)
"Anywhere from 19" to 22" of height in the stands are recommended" - by whom? - PabloP 21:33:13 08/1/09 ( 4)
- RE: "Anywhere from 19" to 22" of height in the stands are recommended" - by whom? - bullethead 05:55:18 08/2/09 ( 3)
- RE: "Anywhere from 19" to 22" of height in the stands are recommended" - by whom? - Bob Neill 06:54:45 08/2/09 ( 2)
- dimension - bullethead 06:57:41 08/2/09 ( 1)
- RE: dimension - Bob Neill 12:28:55 08/2/09 ( 0)
On orchestral music...? - hesson11 20:53:59 08/1/09 ( 1)
- RE: On orchestral music...? - bullethead 06:02:34 08/2/09 ( 0)
How would you compare it with..... - Bill the K 20:35:16 08/1/09 ( 6)
- I can't - bullethead 05:56:07 08/2/09 ( 5)
- No need. - Bob Neill 06:52:54 08/2/09 ( 4)
- I heard all three at RMAF 2007 - Frihed89 07:05:26 08/2/09 ( 3)
- Ah,that answers it.Thanks - Bill the K 09:21:37 08/2/09 ( 2)
- RE: Ah,that answers it.Thanks - Frihed89 05:57:03 08/3/09 ( 1)
- RE: Ah,that answers it.Thanks - Bill the K 09:13:30 08/3/09 ( 0)
These prices are C-R-A-Z-Y - mbnx01 18:20:42 08/1/09 ( 39)
- RE: These prices are C-R-A-Z-Y - chocolate_lover9999@yahoo.com 11:03:17 08/2/09 ( 1)
- RE: These prices are C-R-A-Z-Y - manor999 11:31:45 08/4/09 ( 0)
Huge price increases are the norm unfortunately - DaveK 10:39:21 08/2/09 ( 1)
- RE: Huge price increases are the norm unfortunately - Bill the K 20:54:51 08/2/09 ( 0)
You seem to have a selective fixation - mls-stl 09:01:23 08/2/09 ( 10)
- RE: You seem to have a selective fixation - mbnx01 10:27:26 08/2/09 ( 3)
- RE: You seem to have a selective fixation - mls-stl 11:24:57 08/2/09 ( 0)
- Are you seriously comparing gasoline with artisan luxury items? - Sordidman 11:16:49 08/2/09 ( 0)
The manufacturer claims the speaker was substantially re-engineered from -2 to -3 - John Marks 10:51:15 08/2/09 ( 0)
nice speaker, but nowhere near a bargain. - jdouglas51 09:26:32 08/2/09 ( 4)
- RE: nice speaker, but nowhere near a bargain. - Nglazer 10:34:37 08/3/09 ( 0)
Are Spendors even imported anymore? - mbnx01 10:29:56 08/2/09 ( 1)
- RE: Are Spendors even imported anymore? - mls-stl 11:32:41 08/2/09 ( 0)
Curious - mls-stl 09:39:02 08/2/09 ( 0)
RE: You seem to have a selective fixation - Sordidman 09:26:15 08/2/09 ( 0)
Yes, these speakers are priced in the market - Frihed89 05:47:26 08/2/09 ( 8)
- two ways to price - mbnx01 10:34:01 08/2/09 ( 7)
- RE: two ways to price - Bob Neill 14:13:26 08/2/09 ( 6)
- RE: two ways to price - RGA 10:24:03 08/4/09 ( 1)
- RE: two ways to price - Bob Neill 05:32:24 08/5/09 ( 0)
- RE: two ways to price - Nglazer 10:37:19 08/3/09 ( 0)
- Import vs domestic - layman 20:46:24 08/2/09 ( 2)
- Vandersteen is as close as you can get, I think. - Frihed89 06:05:06 08/3/09 ( 0)
- RE: Import vs domestic - Bob Neill 05:01:07 08/3/09 ( 0)
The C7 was $2500 retail when it was introduced 15 years ago - PabloP 21:24:44 08/1/09 ( 11)
- RE: The C7 was $2500 retail when it was introduced 15 years ago - mbnx01 23:27:50 08/1/09 ( 10)
- SEVEN YEARS AGO the North American importer had an unworkable business model and tragically underpriced... - John Marks 10:40:19 08/2/09 ( 9)
- RE: SEVEN YEARS AGO the North American importer had an unworkable business model and tragically underpriced... - Bob Neill 05:26:54 08/3/09 ( 8)
- RE: SEVEN YEARS AGO the North American importer had an unworkable business model and tragically underpriced... - departure 10:13:52 08/8/09 ( 3)
- RE: SEVEN YEARS AGO the North American importer had an unworkable business model and tragically underpriced... - Bob Neill 14:26:59 08/12/09 ( 2)
- RE: SEVEN YEARS AGO the North American importer had an unworkable business model and tragically underpriced... - departure 19:26:07 08/12/09 ( 1)
- RE: SEVEN YEARS AGO the North American importer had an unworkable business model and tragically underpriced... - Bob Neill 07:51:06 08/13/09 ( 0)
- I don't need to suppose, I believe I know - John Marks 11:26:43 08/3/09 ( 3)
- This does not mean that Harbeth is the only good speaker out there. - Bob Neill 15:26:36 08/3/09 ( 2)
- RE: This does not mean that Harbeth is the only good speaker out there. - SD_richard 22:24:50 09/7/09 ( 0)
- Really "good enough" is "really good enough" - John Marks 18:09:07 08/3/09 ( 1)
- Just finished listening to B-52's "Party Out of ..... - MWE 19:14:18 08/3/09 ( 0)
RE: These prices are C-R-A-Z-Y - bullethead 18:25:37 08/1/09 ( 2)
- There's a lot to be said - mbnx01 18:35:09 08/1/09 ( 1)
- Cabinets are not a dying art, but in-house cabinetmaking may be - John Marks 11:17:38 08/2/09 ( 0)