I love my Harbeth 40.3 XDs but wondered if there is speaker that does what Harbeth does and then some. Looking for a bite more available with a similar sound. A speaker that is great on vocals, pianos, classical, acoustic instruments, some classic rock like the Beatles and Neil Young). Must be able to sound full at low volumes (despite what you might have heard, the Harbeth 40.3 sounds great at low volumes and at loud volumes.) That lush full detailed sound that you can listen to all day (I.e. not Magico, Focals or Wilson’s). Will be paired with Accuphase Class A. Something full and enjoying and not fatiguing and yet exciting. Medium to large room 15’x 30’ x 8’ ceilings. Trying to determine what else is out there under $20-30k range. Used preferably since I could get more bang for my buck in the used market.
Thanks!
Lew
I have owned Harbeth since the original Monitor 40 came out 20+ years ago. I still have the Monitor 40.1, set up in my home theater system for listening to multichannel SACDs and movie soundtracks, which are often bright and the warmth of the Harbeth makes them more enjoyable.
For me, electrostatics have always been a cut above any Harbeth, and while the 'Beths have their own charms, I highly recommend a good pair of stats. I own quite a few, from the original Quad ESL 57 (my pair cost me $1000 or so 12-15 years ago, and are 50 years old and work perfectly), to the Quad 2805 (fancier version of the original 63) and the larger 2905s.
But, my speaker odyssey ended when I bought the massive 9-foot pair of Soundlab G9-7c's which does everything I want in a loudspeaker. It has warmth, natural, full-range sound, and dynamics. It is out of your price range, unfortunately, and driving it well requires a similar investment in tube amplification (I use the ultra massive ARC 750SE tube mono blocks, 200 pounds each, which put out enough heat to make my large room cozy in the winter months). But, WBF has always been about pushing the frontier in high end audio, and for me, that's the SoundLab G9-7c. They have been making electrostatics for 35 years, and my speaker comes beautifully finished in dark walnut hardwood with an elegant Opal fabric. You can get it in pretty much any finish you want to match any interior decor.
They sound divine with all types of music, especially well-recorded classical, jazz, opera, folk, and acoustic rock. You can play anything through them at any level you want (they take up to 600 watts of music power). They have a strange characteristic: they don't sound "loud" like a "loudspeaker" sounds. Because of their enormous radiating surface (>3000 sq, inches per speaker), and the lack of a crossover, the sound is just breathtakingly natural. You can listen to them at 1 foot distance or 14 feet away. Walk up to them, and the volume doesn't change. You can walk all around them. It sounds like you are walking behind the musicians playing. Brightness as traditionally manifested in loudspeakers with metallic tweeters doesn't exist. It's strange when you crank up the volume control, and you get more "presence", but not "loudness". It's like walking up to a symphony orchestra playing. In my 40+ years of listening to loudspeakers at every price point, I have never heard anything like them. But they are expensive, made to order (be prepared to wait for a while, as the wood has to be custom cut and cured), and Roger West -- the original owner -- takes his time making the electronics modules. But, it's worth the wait. You'll get off the audiophile "upgrade train" at least for loudspeakers.
