I love the history of both brands, never would have thought the Harbeth's would be so clean, always thought Harbeth's had a reputation of being a little on the warm and richer side of neutral . Great vid!
Great, insightful comparison again. The only Harbeth I've listened to, is the P3esr xd. In direct comparison to the Classic 4/5 and 3/1, I'd say the Harbeths are slightly more incisive and explicit in the highs, but those highs are also slightly less refined and open than the Spendors, which are a touch sweeter/smoother. Mids are similar, but again, I think the Spendors clinch it on openness and naturalness, especially as the tone of the Mids better matches that of the highs. Whereas the Harbeth's metal tweeter stands apart, very slightly. The 4/5 are a bit faster than the p3esr in the bass, although the p3esr give the impression of more volume and warmth in the bass. They're not that far apart overall (other than in price!), but for my tastes, the Spendors just take it on sound quality and involvement.
Nice shootout, Kevin. Your comments are spot on, and I've really enjoyed this experience of listening to c7 and 2/3 side by side. I think they're both very musical and non-fatiguing and are more similar than they're different. Happy for you knowing you have the best of both worlds.
I hate to say it, as much as I love the Spendors, but they sounded a bit softer than the Harbeths, which are more lively and dynamic, while the Spendors are warmer and sweeter, but not as lifelike to my ears as the Harbeths
Owned the a Harbeths and drove them with tube monoblocs ……it was bliss. Always regret letting them go as they were so articulate and wonderful in the midrange. Acoustic works, jazz ensembles, and blues tunes were incredible.
Fantastic review! I've owned both brands but models that cannot be compared to one another (older SHL5 & newer classic 3/1). I did find the bass surprisingly satisfying on the Spendor 3/1. Again, a very enjoyable review. Keep up the great work!
Excellent video Kevin . Many Thanks . Long time coming , you made it clear but you raise the bar again . Proud and happy . Sound of Harbeths are " phenomenal .
One of the best reviews I have seen, thanks. I am trying to decide between the exact two speakers, to hookup with a Sugden A21a (23W per channel). I mostly listen to late '60, early '70 rock and progressive rock. Which ones would you recommend?
Hello. So much detail in your reviews. Thank you. How would you compare these two speakers with the Chartwell Ls6? You seemed very pleased with those also, and they're my speakers
I liked LS6’s.. they, in my option are more versatile than the Harbeth’s.. I’d hate to speak badly ofyour speakers as I liked them but the Harbeth’s are simply stunning on classical music/real instruments.. however your LS6’s are superior on Rock & Electronic music.. The Spendor’s just sound a little “bigger” than the LS6’s, very similar voicing.
@@dittonworks versatility on the speakers is necessary if you are eclectic in music taste and you have space and budget for only one pair of speakers I think I made the right choice. Thank you for taking the time to answer
Thank you for interesting video clip, I found that the "voice test" is really surprise me!! I could noticed that the playback voice of SP is slight drop in loudness, a bit less liveliness especially the end of sentence "loudspeakers" whist HB playback voice feel more lively, full and closely to real speech!!👍
Absolutely superb review Kev. Your best to date IMHO, and there have been many excellent ones. I would pick the Harbeths over the Spendors all day. They just seem to have a more appealing overall sound. Maybe a bit more "hifi" than the Spendors, which could be a deal-breaker for some, but really fabulous and you can appreciate why so many folks regard them as an end of search option. Brilliant mate.
great review! there is no shortness of lower frequencies when I play my Harbeth C7's with my 805/300B mono blocks, the bass reveal is stunning, and I am sure likewise and even more with the Spendors, as you described.
Sounds like the Spendors are more laid back and relaxed, which is my preference. Unfortunately in Canada the 7's are much better priced than the 2/3, at least from what I've seen. I have M30.1 and S3/5R2 so I'm a fan of both brands.
You have to really live with both speakers to really hear their differences. I find my Spendors offer a more engaging musical experience than my Harbeths. If I had to generalize as to why, I'd say the Harbeth's could be considered more Hi-Fi. Of course, system synergy will play a part. If you want to have some fun, find a used pair of Spendor SP-2/2. While they're far from the last word in LF range, you'd be extremely hard-pressed to find a more musical speaker by any brand.
@@dittonworks - Oh, ok. This is my first time visiting your channel so I'll check out that video. Another thing I've noticed about the two brands is how well the Spendors image compared to the Harbeths. My Spendor S8e's, SP-1's and SP-2/2's have a layered depth that is hard to match.
@@ab2abblank607 again you’re 100% right.. I was explaining to my friend the Spendor have incredible depth in their soundstage.. I really miss my old SP2/2’s.. Derek Hughes hit the nail on the head with those.
Agree, the Harbeth's sound that much more clean and natural. On the voice test there is no coloration. Overall they sound more alike than different. Both very nice. Also, what mic are you using to record the samples? If it were me, I would sell one and get a second pair of speakers that does something completely different.
Personally, I wouldn't dump the Spendor over what I heard in that comparison. There's always a contrarian in every audiophile crowd. I felt The Spendor was more engaging and natural. I listened to "the tune" the sax was playing and always enjoyed it more through The Spendor.
I was at the NYaudio show this year and the Harbeths shined. You were spot on about the mids. Wonder how they stack up against Grahams. Gotta admit the Spendors do it for ME.
Thanks! Nice review. I had the Spendor Classic 3/1 at home. Really liked these, but now considering the 2/3s for a little more bass. Any experiece with the 3/1s?
Thanks for watching.. B&W have very different sonic characteristics. I doubt they’d be a good comparison with BBC style speakers..they’re not bad but very different
Thank you for this very helpful review. I am going to purchase a pair of Harbeths, but one question please: I have a large rectangular living room and will be placing the speakers along the longer end and so I will be listening midfield, i.e., approximately 10 to 12 feet away. Would this model of Harbeths be adequate or would you recommend a larger set, even as big as the 30.1’s? Thank you and greetings from New York.
Hello Right now I m using Spendor classic 2/3 and planing to change to Joseph audio pulsar 2 graphene.I love vocal and warmth of Spendor.Recently I got a chance to auditioned Joseph audio and I loved it very much but confused whether it suits my taste or not.My priority is softness and natural sound.
🫵🏼That’s what I’m talking about‼️ First time here, def not my last. Brilliant review, storyline, content, etc. You gave yourself quite a challenge with theses two but what a great comparison. I took a lot of time and put in a lot of research before building my first (modest) audiophile system. Years ago I heard a pair of Focal Electra 1028 BE’s powered with Naim of course. I loved that sound but as time went on, I began to realize that the sound I liked was from the Focal’s vs Naim. Over the course of a year, I had a helluva good time. In one direction, I had a Decware Zen SET paired with Devore Fidelity speakers and the other was. Parasound with PMC’s. What I ended up with and simply love is the Focal’s but the stand mount 1008 BE’s on custom Sound Anchor stands connected to a Hegel H90 by Cardas Parsec cables. I’m exclusively digital at this point streaming Tidal to BlueSound Node 2i via coax to take advantage of Hegel’s superior DAC. It’s ALL about matching, room size, and musical tastes. I do prefer imagining, sound stage, bass and dynamics to detail.
From your experience of Harbeth, Did you find the metal tweeters of the C7 (or SHL5) bright at all? I know you've mentioned that metal tweeters can be a bit harsh or forward, unless done just right. Do you feel Harbeth achieved a smooth, yet detailed response?
Hi Ditton, Harbeth 40.3 XD or Spendor Classic 100 for all genres of music. Which in your opinion is the better of the two. Either model to be used in a 21sqm room. Can you recommend an Integrated amplifier that will work? Thanks.
I was actually shocked at the "depth" difference between them - I've got tinnitus in one ear so it's often difficult for me to hear much difference between speakers anymore at this high end, but the Spendors were WAY way more "airy" and room filling to my ears. I personally much prefere that sound as it makes the speakers disappear and you also get a more realistic sense of environment in the recording (or at least perceptively you do). Good review that, cheers!
Over my Ollo studio headphones, the Harbeth mid-range actually sounds a bit overly warm. Spendor sounds more balanced and more full spectrum while at the same time nothing (LF/MF/HF) is trying to grab your attention.
To me the harbeths sounds better for natural voice, but I suspect the splendors will do better with more genre of music while still maintaining the warm natural sound. I also think splendors have better balance overall.
@@dittonworks thanks…I have got a real nice Martin Logan 1600X .. really well designed to integrate, they build electrostatics so the subs are especially designed for that
Great review, can I ask if you have any other speaker cable recommendations that are cheaper than the Townsend Isolda? I have Rogers LS3/5A and am struggling to find a half decent bi-wire cable at a reasonable price (£300ish for the pair)
I think there's more dynamics on the Harbeth SHL5 XD...my opinion has changed and am a Spendor man...I own the S100 and like them...getting ready to install mudorf capacitiors in the crossovers...and of course in all vintage speakers, it is recommended to rotate the driver 180° due to sag after many years... which in turn can make the voice coil out of line
It’s interesting that with the voice test the Harbeth sounded forward in the upper mid and treble. The Spendor sounded almost the opposite. Well not quite the opposite it’s probably more like an off axis drop at the bass mid drivers upper range. For me it would be really interesting if Spendor could make a model like this with a 34 mm treble unit and then push the crossover frequency down half an octave, just to fill in a bit more of axis energy in 2-3 kHz range. Well it won’t happen so why am I speculating? Silly me! With music I liked the Spendors the most because they possess a relaxing and beautiful musical quality. Greetings from Denmark.
Interesting idea on drivers there. The Spendor presentation is absolutely tireless, I spend hours listing to music using them. Excellent all rounders too.
I think the Compact 7s are one of the best in the Harbeth range and they seem very popular among Harbeth afficianados. Anorher call out for P3ESR against your LS35A😃
I guess I ruined E's channel for everyone, and he isn't coming back. I wish I had never said anything. Imagine how many new videos we would have had by now. The last one was a month ago We could have had the Focal 806 compared to all our other favorite speakers, and also the Focals with all the different amps there. I hate myself
@@DougMen1 I don't think so DM. I think we're all equally to blame for our constant bickering, opinionated outbursts and treating the channel as our private chatroom. E was going to get fed up with us sooner or later, that and the lackof views, likes and subscribers. Not everybody is as into it as us. Yeah, the 806s were a great addition to the collection and us two could've learned something about them while Mark and Mike gave us the benefit of their real world wisdom😉
@@davidcarr2216 No, I'm solely to blame, because I'm the one that started the whole thing about the tracks not being stereo. And, I'm also the biggest offender at being a DB to others there, but some people really bothered me when they would condradict themselves whenever it fit their agenda, and you weren't one of them, nor was Mike, although you and I did have some lively conversations where I didn't treat you very respectfully either. I'm just an arrogant loudmouth, but at least I stay true to my convictions and don't turn on a dime when it suits my biases and preconceptions.
@@DougMen1 You're really not. I really believe E has a lot of respect for your listening skills and just tried to accomodate you regarding the recording rig but then the whole thing became too much hassle for him. We should stop now before we're thrown off of here !!!!
Harbeths are a bit more analytical while still remaining smooth as silk. A rare quality. Both are good and low in colouration. Classic British "BBC" midrange. The Spendor has a richer bass but is a bit more mellow in the highs. Take your pick. To enhance warmth on the Harbeths place them on lower stands around 12 to 16 inches and tilt them up a few degrees. Distance from floor greatly affects a speaker's tonal balance. Sound is warmer/richer the closer to the floor it is mounted..
@@dittonworks thank you so much, i like the doubled cross bars at the top and ive seen these before but they were incredibly hard to find here in America. I have a strange sized set of speakers made by Tekton Design of Utah that I am hoping I can pair with that particular designed set of stands. Just know you have been a tremendous help to me.
I’ve been watching reviews of speakers for weeks, came here thinking maybe Harbeths are for me, now I think Spendor. Tomorrow will be Kef Reference and the day after Kerr or Kudos. Round in circles I go. Thanks for the review videos, much appreciated. Looking forward to more reviews.
This week I’m thinking Neat Majistras, hopefully going to audition a pair next week. I will try the Spendor 2/3 in June. I’ve watched your reviews many times, thank you!
Your videos are very interesting and enjoyable to watch. In line with your BBC speaker pioneers and their contribution to various speaker companies how about a review on the classic Epos ES14? And taking into account that Robin Marshall (its designer) also was involved with the BBC way back? It sure would make another very interesting review and video!
Thanks for this comparo. It would have been fun not knowing which pair of speakers was playing during the sound demos and let us figure out the differences and decide which pair we like the most. This would eliminate the confirmation bias that makes us unconsciously try to find positive attributes to the gear we already like and on which we may have spent a lot of money.
maybe that's why it's called a voice coil? 👍 sounding like the spendor is slightly rolled off sharply in the woofer allowing the tweeter to cover that range I would change that the other way around, thats probably what the harbeth is doing.
It’s believed our ancestors the Neanderthals used their vocal chords musically than for actual speech and tapped out rhythms so it’s likely music predated words. Given music is the international language of feeling and emotion that doesn’t require translation suggests this might be true.
@@dittonworks I home auditioned the AR-6 pretty much straight after you had them, but found my KEF R3’s had better bottom end but I fancy auditioning the AR-8 maybe they will have that low end, the products being made by Alan are very nice, he’s such a bright guy too.
@@mrmeaner3917 I think I saw your post of Facebook about this. I loved the AR-6 and logic would suggest the AR-8 has more LF. I’m not sure if Alan has a demo pair? Drop him a message 👍
The Harbeth might sound clearer because of the lesser bass, the Spendor has more bass so subjectively might sound less detailed at the top when in fact they are not. I could easily live with either mind you!
I find the Spendors more 'natural' sounding and suspect the Harbeth's 'cleanliness' could become a bit fatiguing. But you can definitely hear more of the recording with the Harbeth and it sounds less congested. I love depth of soundstage, for me that gives a better illusion of reality, so would go for the Spendors. Both frankly sound quite ‘cabinety' compared with the LS3/5A, to my ears, though that might be quite wrong.
Alan Shaw once said that if u get the voice correct, then everything else will fall into place. Modern loudspeakers hardly use voice as a reference anymore. Sad. Btw, the C7 ES3 spots a metal dome tweeter customised for Harbeth by SEAS from norway.
Nice review, but if you would try C7 XD version you would like it even more. Btw once i tried C7xd and didi not liked them at all but my amp and dac were different and they muffled Harbeth patential, but accidently friend wanted to buy Barbeths the same C7 xd and my room is lit bit after reconstruction but bew amp and new dac with AN sotto and sogon cables, man, it soundes like different speakers, gues what i listen now too? Yes Harbeth C7 Xd, btw M30.2XD did not worked at all, it was terrible in my room, but C7xd those i thought will never buy or listen again now sound really really good even my room still need some aciustic treatment.
As these are both designed and made in Great Britain by British people, I would say that they are not LOUDspeakers. Rather, they are loudSPEAKers. After that review, it is clear that one simply needs to listen to both and then choose.
Yes to the first question. Alan Shaw designed the Harbeth and Terry Miles designed the Spendor.. The Spendor can definitely play loud, they are LOUDspeakers
@@dittonworks I didn’t ask any questions! I know that these two gentlemen are British and I know which speakers each of them designed. I know that Terry no longer works for Spendor. My use of upper-case letters was intended to show where the emphasis lies in the word.
I'd give it to the Harbeths due to a "much" better micro dynamics. The attack of the sax notes is more diverse, probably due to more high frequency. Both sound beautiful, though
Spendor is super bright sound ! No something wrong with your system . I’m using Accuphase class A and valves amps . Both are not produce any bright sound at all on my spendor .
Harbeth are more precisee speakers but Spendor are really forgivers with the recording, is the only speaker I've been enjoying listening Sabbath bloody Sabbath 😅 Mine are 3/1 with Accuphase...good match! Spendor are less engaging but you feel you are not disturbing the neighbor
I just wanted to say that Spendor's are more accurate, at least to me. When you did voice only test I could tell right away when your voice was played on Harbeth's but when you play your voice over Spendor's I have to listen one more time as they were so much closer to your voice then Harbeth's. Anyway, when music was played I could go for either of them. In the end I think that I will go with Spendor... Just my 2c.
After 1 year i hear this compere battle again:-). So, they do not play similar at all. Huge difference 😄. In not so many words, Harbeth have the top-end mindrage . All the other, low-highs, is the Rogers that give the fullness that my ears wants to be satisfied. If i was to keep one pair, of course that will be the Roger's.
Harbeth recommend tweeters at ear height. So they were fine for my listening position.. The Hifi Racks fortis stands would have put the Harbeth too low imho. I didn’t use Iso feet on the Harbeth..
I actually own them both.. as for buying new? I round strongly advice you listened to both before buying.. they are both now very expensive, especially the Hifi racks stands for the Spendor’s (they are a must)
It’s hard to tell from a RUclips video, but I mainly noticed the saxophone with the Harbeths, but was more aware of the entire band with the Spendor.
You teach. You review. You give us history. Just outstanding all around.
Thanks buddy.. that was a lot of work today 😂
Seconded.
I love the history of both brands, never would have thought the Harbeth's would be so clean, always thought Harbeth's had a reputation of being a little on the warm and richer side of neutral . Great vid!
Great, insightful comparison again. The only Harbeth I've listened to, is the P3esr xd. In direct comparison to the Classic 4/5 and 3/1, I'd say the Harbeths are slightly more incisive and explicit in the highs, but those highs are also slightly less refined and open than the Spendors, which are a touch sweeter/smoother. Mids are similar, but again, I think the Spendors clinch it on openness and naturalness, especially as the tone of the Mids better matches that of the highs. Whereas the Harbeth's metal tweeter stands apart, very slightly. The 4/5 are a bit faster than the p3esr in the bass, although the p3esr give the impression of more volume and warmth in the bass. They're not that far apart overall (other than in price!), but for my tastes, the Spendors just take it on sound quality and involvement.
Great reply, thanks for watching.
The Spendor kinda won here, the Harbeth’s will be sold off soon
I prefer Spendor
Nice shootout, Kevin. Your comments are spot on, and I've really enjoyed this experience of listening to c7 and 2/3 side by side. I think they're both very musical and non-fatiguing and are more similar than they're different. Happy for you knowing you have the best of both worlds.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I hate to say it, as much as I love the Spendors, but they sounded a bit softer than the Harbeths, which are more lively and dynamic, while the Spendors are warmer and sweeter, but not as lifelike to my ears as the Harbeths
God bless British boxes finest in the universe. Amen
Owned the a Harbeths and drove them with tube monoblocs ……it was bliss. Always regret letting them go as they were so articulate and wonderful in the midrange. Acoustic works, jazz ensembles, and blues tunes were incredible.
Fantastic review! I've owned both brands but models that cannot be compared to one another (older SHL5 & newer classic 3/1). I did find the bass surprisingly satisfying on the Spendor 3/1. Again, a very enjoyable review. Keep up the great work!
Excellent video Kevin . Many Thanks . Long time coming , you made it clear but you raise the bar again . Proud and happy . Sound of Harbeths are "
phenomenal .
You’ll hear them soon 👍
One of the best reviews I have seen, thanks. I am trying to decide between the exact two speakers, to hookup with a Sugden A21a (23W per channel). I mostly listen to late '60, early '70 rock and progressive rock. Which ones would you recommend?
The Spendor would be more rewarding with those musical choices. Thanks for watching
Truly great effect of comparing by a voice recording. No more music needed in regard of tonality (frequency range of speech). Solid work, thanks.
Thank you very much!
Hello. So much detail in your reviews. Thank you. How would you compare these two speakers with the Chartwell Ls6? You seemed very pleased with those also, and they're my speakers
I liked LS6’s.. they, in my option are more versatile than the Harbeth’s.. I’d hate to speak badly ofyour speakers as I liked them but the Harbeth’s are simply stunning on classical music/real instruments.. however your LS6’s are superior on Rock & Electronic music..
The Spendor’s just sound a little “bigger” than the LS6’s, very similar voicing.
@@dittonworks versatility on the speakers is necessary if you are eclectic in music taste and you have space and budget for only one pair of speakers I think I made the right choice. Thank you for taking the time to answer
Thank you for interesting video clip, I found that the "voice test" is really surprise me!! I could noticed that the playback voice of SP is slight drop in loudness, a bit less liveliness especially the end of sentence "loudspeakers" whist HB playback voice feel more lively, full and closely to real speech!!👍
Hi Kevin.
Great review.
I go for the harbeth speakers.
They have my kind of sound.
Gr André de vries.
Absolutely superb review Kev. Your best to date IMHO, and there have been many excellent ones. I would pick the Harbeths over the Spendors all day. They just seem to have a more appealing overall sound. Maybe a bit more "hifi" than the Spendors, which could be a deal-breaker for some, but really fabulous and you can appreciate why so many folks regard them as an end of search option. Brilliant mate.
Thanks for watching mate 👍
We will have a few chats about these later 👍
@@dittonworks looking forward to that!!!
Very nice review of these two British giants. I appreciate your take and conducting the "voice only" test. Nice touch.
Glad you liked it!
great review! there is no shortness of lower frequencies when I play my Harbeth C7's with my 805/300B mono blocks, the bass reveal is stunning, and I am sure likewise and even more with the Spendors, as you described.
Nice informative and balanced review mate, definitely 2 pairs of speakers to be auditioned with the intended system, it’s a close run thing.
Thank you for watching.
Now you need to compare the little P3ESR to your LS35A
Really enjoyed the review, Kevin. How do these speakers compare to the Graham LS6?
I’d say the Chartwell LS6’s are similar to the Spendor but slightly more (and adjustable) HF, they have way more low end than the Harbeth’s.
Sounds like the Spendors are more laid back and relaxed, which is my preference. Unfortunately in Canada the 7's are much better priced than the 2/3, at least from what I've seen.
I have M30.1 and S3/5R2 so I'm a fan of both brands.
Excellent! Wonderful! One of the best Harbeth’s review
Thank you 😊
You have to really live with both speakers to really hear their differences. I find my Spendors offer a more engaging musical experience than my Harbeths. If I had to generalize as to why, I'd say the Harbeth's could be considered more Hi-Fi. Of course, system synergy will play a part.
If you want to have some fun, find a used pair of Spendor SP-2/2. While they're far from the last word in LF range, you'd be extremely hard-pressed to find a more musical speaker by any brand.
Oh I’ve owned SP2/2’s, absolutely loved them.. couple of videos on here of those.. I agree with everything you’ve said 👍
@@dittonworks - Oh, ok. This is my first time visiting your channel so I'll check out that video. Another thing I've noticed about the two brands is how well the Spendors image compared to the Harbeths. My Spendor S8e's, SP-1's and SP-2/2's have a layered depth that is hard to match.
@@ab2abblank607 again you’re 100% right..
I was explaining to my friend the Spendor have incredible depth in their soundstage..
I really miss my old SP2/2’s.. Derek Hughes hit the nail on the head with those.
@@dittonworks - Absolutely! Cheers!
Yes, absolutely agreed regarding vocals. When auditioning, that's the first thing I judge.
Agree, the Harbeth's sound that much more clean and natural. On the voice test there is no coloration. Overall they sound more alike than different. Both very nice.
Also, what mic are you using to record the samples?
If it were me, I would sell one and get a second pair of speakers that does something completely different.
The voice clips were recorded using a Rode mic 🎙 the music was picked up from my iPhone internal mic
Personally, I wouldn't dump the Spendor over what I heard in that comparison. There's always a contrarian in every audiophile crowd. I felt The Spendor was more engaging and natural. I listened to "the tune" the sax was playing and always enjoyed it more through The Spendor.
I was at the NYaudio show this year and the Harbeths shined. You were spot on about the mids. Wonder how they stack up against Grahams. Gotta admit the Spendors do it for ME.
Lovely video. I bought the C7’s back in 2004 and recently got a pair of Falcon Gold Badges. I love them both. Just really like what you did here!
Ooh Falcons.. I love them.
Thanks for watching 👍
Thanks! Nice review. I had the Spendor Classic 3/1 at home. Really liked these, but now considering the 2/3s for a little more bass. Any experiece with the 3/1s?
I’ve heard them but not at home.
The 2/3’s won me over 👍
@@dittonworks thx. I had the 3/1 for trying out in my midde sized room (14 × 20 feet) Tommorow I am gonna compare these against the 2/3. Curious!
Sadly selling my 2/3’s as I’m now using my Celestion Kingstons all the time
@@dittonworks Shipping to the Netherlands will be expensive I guess. Blame it on the brexit.......
Great review Kevin!!Do you think Bowers 705 Signature or Quad Z2 are comparable with those speakers??Cheers from Argentina
Thanks for watching.. B&W have very different sonic characteristics. I doubt they’d be a good comparison with BBC style speakers..they’re not bad but very different
Great historical bit on both Harbeth and Spendor and tests to back up.
Thank you for this very helpful review. I am going to purchase a pair of Harbeths, but one question please: I have a large rectangular living room and will be placing the speakers along the longer end and so I will be listening midfield, i.e., approximately 10 to 12 feet away. Would this model of Harbeths be adequate or would you recommend a larger set, even as big as the 30.1’s? Thank you and greetings from New York.
The 30.1 are smaller than Compact 7’s..
I would recommend SHL5’s to be honest.
Both speakers are great! I wish I could have either pair of these speakers.
Yeah difficult choice..
Harbeth are being used at the moment as I’ve had the Spendor’s for a while
Hello
Right now I m using Spendor classic 2/3 and planing to change to Joseph audio pulsar 2 graphene.I love vocal and warmth of Spendor.Recently I got a chance to auditioned Joseph audio and I loved it very much but confused whether it suits my taste or not.My priority is softness and natural sound.
If you can try them? Get a pair of Townshend Maximum super tweeters for the Spendor’s.. they transform them very positively.
I wish there were more test tracks. I like the Harbeth. They sound more full bodied and weighty and more musical. Spendor sounds thinner, brighter.
In person, it’s completely the other way around..
Thanks for watching 👍
@@dittonworks how could that be....???? I'll check it again.
🫵🏼That’s what I’m talking about‼️ First time here, def not my last. Brilliant review, storyline, content, etc. You gave yourself quite a challenge with theses two but what a great comparison. I took a lot of time and put in a lot of research before building my first (modest) audiophile system. Years ago I heard a pair of Focal Electra 1028 BE’s powered with Naim of course. I loved that sound but as time went on, I began to realize that the sound I liked was from the Focal’s vs Naim. Over the course of a year, I had a helluva good time. In one direction, I had a Decware Zen SET paired with Devore Fidelity speakers and the other was. Parasound with PMC’s. What I ended up with and simply love is the Focal’s but the stand mount 1008 BE’s on custom Sound Anchor stands connected to a Hegel H90 by Cardas Parsec cables. I’m exclusively digital at this point streaming Tidal to BlueSound Node 2i via coax to take advantage of Hegel’s superior DAC. It’s ALL about matching, room size, and musical tastes. I do prefer imagining, sound stage, bass and dynamics to detail.
If the world was a normal and just place, you would have at least 200 thousand subs. Always enjoy your content!
Haha 😂
Thanks man..
I don’t mind having a small community buddy 👍
From your experience of Harbeth, Did you find the metal tweeters of the C7 (or SHL5) bright at all? I know you've mentioned that metal tweeters can be a bit harsh or forward, unless done just right. Do you feel Harbeth achieved a smooth, yet detailed response?
They certainly aren’t harsh.
Very detailed but not harsh
Hi Ditton, Harbeth 40.3 XD or Spendor Classic 100 for all genres of music. Which in your opinion is the better of the two. Either model to be used in a 21sqm room. Can you recommend an Integrated amplifier that will work? Thanks.
I replied to your email on this subject.
Both are great but I recommend the Spendor based on your musical preferences 👍
@@dittonworks Thanks, just cannot find the email under Ditton Works?
@@richarddegannes2928 you emailed me, regards
Kev
I own c7es3 40th anv and very much looking forward to hearing your comments on having them with townshend super tweeters. cheers.
I’ll give them a try on the Harbeth’s 👍
I was actually shocked at the "depth" difference between them - I've got tinnitus in one ear so it's often difficult for me to hear much difference between speakers anymore at this high end, but the Spendors were WAY way more "airy" and room filling to my ears. I personally much prefere that sound as it makes the speakers disappear and you also get a more realistic sense of environment in the recording (or at least perceptively you do). Good review that, cheers!
Over my Ollo studio headphones, the Harbeth mid-range actually sounds a bit overly warm. Spendor sounds more balanced and more full spectrum while at the same time nothing (LF/MF/HF) is trying to grab your attention.
To me the harbeths sounds better for natural voice, but I suspect the splendors will do better with more genre of music while still maintaining the warm natural sound. I also think splendors have better balance overall.
I agree with everything except the better balance part. I suspect the Harbeths are superior in that regard. Just a guess, though.
Absolutely outstanding…would you recommend a sub with the harbeth
I’ve never felt the need personally. If you could get one to integrate? It might sound fantastic 👍
Thanks for watching
@@dittonworks thanks…I have got a real nice Martin Logan 1600X .. really well designed to integrate, they build electrostatics so the subs are especially designed for that
@@geraldgreene5563 sounds like that would be perfect 👍
Great review, can I ask if you have any other speaker cable recommendations that are cheaper than the Townsend Isolda? I have Rogers LS3/5A and am struggling to find a half decent bi-wire cable at a reasonable price (£300ish for the pair)
I was looking at the ViaBlue SC-4 not sure if you know or have tested them?
I’ve used Rocket 22 from Audioquest with positive results on LS3/5a
@@dittonworks It's the gauge of the cable that matters because the lower the resistance the better. No need to buy overpriced stuff.
@@MrsZambezi what’s your thoughts on material Silver vs Copper for example?
@@dittonworks No difference if the resistance is the same.
I think there's more dynamics on the Harbeth SHL5 XD...my opinion has changed and am a Spendor man...I own the S100 and like them...getting ready to install mudorf capacitiors in the crossovers...and of course in all vintage speakers, it is recommended to rotate the driver 180° due to sag after many years... which in turn can make the voice coil out of line
Have you ever heard anything by Audio Physic? I'd love to know your take on the Classic 3.
Great review , Alan shaw does recommend grilles on though and 20 inch stands, could improve that bass, hope you review the shl5 which has deeper bass.
It’s interesting that with the voice test the Harbeth sounded forward in the upper mid and treble. The Spendor sounded almost the opposite. Well not quite the opposite it’s probably more like an off axis drop at the bass mid drivers upper range. For me it would be really interesting if Spendor could make a model like this with a 34 mm treble unit and then push the crossover frequency down half an octave, just to fill in a bit more of axis energy in 2-3 kHz range. Well it won’t happen so why am I speculating? Silly me! With music I liked the Spendors the most because they possess a relaxing and beautiful musical quality. Greetings from Denmark.
Interesting idea on drivers there.
The Spendor presentation is absolutely tireless, I spend hours listing to music using them. Excellent all rounders too.
I have the Spendor BC2 with the bigger voice coil they sound wonderful
I’m familiar with them 👍. Very nice 👌
Love love the video Kev. I have a pair of the Harbeth 7ES3s. How would you compare them to the LS3/5a?
Ooh that’s a difficult one to answer..
Near field/small room LS3/5a..
I think the Compact 7s are one of the best in the Harbeth range and they seem very popular among Harbeth afficianados. Anorher call out for P3ESR against your LS35A😃
I guess I ruined E's channel for everyone, and he isn't coming back. I wish I had never said anything. Imagine how many new videos we would have had by now. The last one was a month ago We could have had the Focal 806 compared to all our other favorite speakers, and also the Focals with all the different amps there. I hate myself
@@DougMen1 I don't think so DM. I think we're all equally to blame for our constant bickering, opinionated outbursts and treating the channel as our private chatroom. E was going to get fed up with us sooner or later, that and the lackof views, likes and subscribers. Not everybody is as into it as us. Yeah, the 806s were a great addition to the collection and us two could've learned something about them while Mark and Mike gave us the benefit of their real world wisdom😉
@@davidcarr2216 No, I'm solely to blame, because I'm the one that started the whole thing about the tracks not being stereo. And, I'm also the biggest offender at being a DB to others there, but some people really bothered me when they would condradict themselves whenever it fit their agenda, and you weren't one of them, nor was Mike, although you and I did have some lively conversations where I didn't treat you very respectfully either. I'm just an arrogant loudmouth, but at least I stay true to my convictions and don't turn on a dime when it suits my biases and preconceptions.
@@DougMen1 You're really not. I really believe E has a lot of respect for your listening skills and just tried to accomodate you regarding the recording rig but then the whole thing became too much hassle for him. We should stop now before we're thrown off of here !!!!
Both started off as husband and wife businesses in a garden shed! SPENcer and DOReen and Dudley HARwood and ElizaBETH.
Close, it was Spencer and Dorothy not Doreen
Harbeths are a bit more analytical while still remaining smooth as silk. A rare quality. Both are good and low in colouration. Classic British "BBC" midrange. The Spendor has a richer bass but is a bit more mellow in the highs. Take your pick. To enhance warmth on the Harbeths place them on lower stands around 12 to 16 inches and tilt them up a few degrees. Distance from floor greatly affects a speaker's tonal balance. Sound is warmer/richer the closer to the floor it is mounted..
Where did you find the stands here that the spendors are sitting on. I really want these please.
Hifi Racks Fortis Stands for Spendor Classic 2/3.
@@dittonworks thank you so much, i like the doubled cross bars at the top and ive seen these before but they were incredibly hard to find here in America.
I have a strange sized set of speakers made by Tekton Design of Utah that I am hoping I can pair with that particular designed set of stands.
Just know you have been a tremendous help to me.
I auditioned both and settled on the KEF R3 Meta’s. There’s no reason to pay $6,000+
Thanks for the video. Next please do Harbeth P3ESRXD.
I would also like a video on your Teac CD-player. 🙂
Hi 👋 thanks for watching..
I’m trying to sort P3esr review 👍
I’ve been watching reviews of speakers for weeks, came here thinking maybe Harbeths are for me, now I think Spendor. Tomorrow will be Kef Reference and the day after Kerr or Kudos. Round in circles I go. Thanks for the review videos, much appreciated. Looking forward to more reviews.
This week I’m thinking Neat Majistras, hopefully going to audition a pair next week. I will try the Spendor 2/3 in June. I’ve watched your reviews many times, thank you!
I’ve heard quite a few, but today I ordered the Harbeth C7ES3 XD speakers.
Your videos are very interesting and enjoyable to watch. In line with your BBC speaker pioneers and their contribution to various speaker companies how about a review on the classic Epos ES14? And taking into account that Robin Marshall (its designer) also was involved with the BBC way back? It sure would make another very interesting review and video!
Excellent video. Thank you
Thank you for watching
Great review.
You should check out Audiovector R1 Arreté standmount speakers.
They are amazing. The best I have listened to under 10000€
Thanks for this comparo. It would have been fun not knowing which pair of speakers was playing during the sound demos and let us figure out the differences and decide which pair we like the most. This would eliminate the confirmation bias that makes us unconsciously try to find positive attributes to the gear we already like and on which we may have spent a lot of money.
You know, that’s a great idea 💡
Maybe next time I’ll do that..
Thanks for watching
maybe that's why it's called a voice coil? 👍
sounding like the spendor is slightly rolled off sharply in the woofer allowing the tweeter to cover that range I would change that the other way around, thats probably what the harbeth is doing.
I would imagine the Harbeths to be more presenting at lower volumes, I was struggling to hear the similar details when the Spendors played.
It’s believed our ancestors the Neanderthals used their vocal chords musically than for actual speech and tapped out rhythms so it’s likely music predated words. Given music is the international language of feeling and emotion that doesn’t require translation suggests this might be true.
Kev how do you think Alans Alchris Audio AR-6 would compare amongst these two?
The Ar-8 would be close 👌
@@dittonworks I home auditioned the AR-6 pretty much straight after you had them, but found my KEF R3’s had better bottom end but I fancy auditioning the AR-8 maybe they will have that low end, the products being made by Alan are very nice, he’s such a bright guy too.
@@mrmeaner3917 I think I saw your post of Facebook about this. I loved the AR-6 and logic would suggest the AR-8 has more LF. I’m not sure if Alan has a demo pair? Drop him a message 👍
@@dittonworks that’s a good idea, yeah I did post it on Facebook, Alan is such an intelligent guy, seems he can make whatever he turns his hand to.
The Harbeth might sound clearer because of the lesser bass, the Spendor has more bass so subjectively might sound less detailed at the top when in fact they are not.
I could easily live with either mind you!
Do the tweeter grilles come off? I know quite a few speakers which use tweeter grilles can be removed using blu tac?
I’ve not tried but the acoustic lens is on the grille, removing might upset the HF polar pattern
I find the Spendors more 'natural' sounding and suspect the Harbeth's 'cleanliness' could become a bit fatiguing. But you can definitely hear more of the recording with the Harbeth and it sounds less congested. I love depth of soundstage, for me that gives a better illusion of reality, so would go for the Spendors. Both frankly sound quite ‘cabinety' compared with the LS3/5A, to my ears, though that might be quite wrong.
Good assessment.
Spendor’s outlasted the Harbeth for that reason.
speakers I do not think at my age and old ears if I could appreciate these but I love my old DL6 s in my bedroom
Ah good ol Celestion DL series 👍👍
Alan Shaw once said that if u get the voice correct, then everything else will fall into place. Modern loudspeakers hardly use voice as a reference anymore. Sad. Btw, the C7 ES3 spots a metal dome tweeter customised for Harbeth by SEAS from norway.
Yes I got it wrong on the video but ironically said it sounded like a metal dome tweeter.
@@dittonworks hahaha it sounded like a metal dome becos it is a metal dome tweeter in there. 😃
@@ganck1147 I know,, legitimate mistake
Nice review, but if you would try C7 XD version you would like it even more. Btw once i tried C7xd and didi not liked them at all but my amp and dac were different and they muffled Harbeth patential, but accidently friend wanted to buy Barbeths the same C7 xd and my room is lit bit after reconstruction but bew amp and new dac with AN sotto and sogon cables, man, it soundes like different speakers, gues what i listen now too? Yes Harbeth C7 Xd, btw M30.2XD did not worked at all, it was terrible in my room, but C7xd those i thought will never buy or listen again now sound really really good even my room still need some aciustic treatment.
As these are both designed and made in Great Britain by British people, I would say that they are not LOUDspeakers. Rather, they are loudSPEAKers. After that review, it is clear that one simply needs to listen to both and then choose.
Yes to the first question.
Alan Shaw designed the Harbeth and Terry Miles designed the Spendor..
The Spendor can definitely play loud, they are LOUDspeakers
@@dittonworks I didn’t ask any questions! I know that these two gentlemen are British and I know which speakers each of them designed. I know that Terry no longer works for Spendor. My use of upper-case letters was intended to show where the emphasis lies in the word.
@@mikeuk4130 sorry Mike, I didn’t read it properly..😬
I believe Terry is now at Harbeth.
Thanks for watching
Your voice was reproduced more naturally over the Spendors, even as I was hearing the comparison over my phone. Both great speakers.
Thanks for watching
Nice review. Many thanks. I just subscribed.
I'd give it to the Harbeths due to a "much" better micro dynamics. The attack of the sax notes is more diverse, probably due to more high frequency. Both sound beautiful, though
Thanks mate.. great reply
imagine going off to listen to your hifi and choosing to listening to your wifes voice
Spendor is super bright sound ! No something wrong with your system . I’m using Accuphase class A and valves amps . Both are not produce any bright sound at all on my spendor .
Lol. Spendor’s we’re not bright on my set up either. So much so I added super tweeters for sone final HF detail.
Thanks for sharing.
You should also listen Stirling sb-88, fantastic speakera
I’ve tried and tried to get a pair… no luck as of yet
Thanks for watching
Harbeth sounds fuller and fills the gap between the speakers better than Spendor.
Harbeth are more precisee speakers but Spendor are really forgivers with the recording, is the only speaker I've been enjoying listening Sabbath bloody Sabbath 😅 Mine are 3/1 with Accuphase...good match! Spendor are less engaging but you feel you are not disturbing the neighbor
I know it's difficult to ascertain what either speaker is doing via RUclips but for me the Spendors sound very boxy & cheap.
They don’t in real life but I appreciate your comment.
Thanks for watching 👍
why is there music playing in the background?
Keeping the amp warm
I just wanted to say that Spendor's are more accurate, at least to me. When you did voice only test I could tell right away when your voice was played on Harbeth's but when you play your voice over Spendor's I have to listen one more time as they were so much closer to your voice then Harbeth's. Anyway, when music was played I could go for either of them. In the end I think that I will go with Spendor... Just my 2c.
After 1 year i hear this compere battle again:-).
So, they do not play similar at all. Huge difference 😄. In not so many words, Harbeth have the top-end mindrage . All the other, low-highs, is the Rogers that give the fullness that my ears wants to be satisfied. If i was to keep one pair, of course that will be the Roger's.
Harbeth is my vote
Thanks for watching 👍
Compact 7... Hands down 100%
The eternal audiophile obsession with metal vs soft dome tweeters. Insane.
I think the review offers a bit more than that? Thanks for watching
Man those Harbeths…
Spendor 👍
I hate to say it, as much as I love the Spendors,-.......x2
harbeth , sounds real
The Harbeths are way too high…. Why did you not use the Spendor stands? What happened to the Isoacoustics?
Harbeth recommend tweeters at ear height. So they were fine for my listening position..
The Hifi Racks fortis stands would have put the Harbeth too low imho.
I didn’t use Iso feet on the Harbeth..
Check out HIFI MANIA Spendor Classic 1/2 on UTube.
Ok 👍
Could the difference in price sway your decision?
I actually own them both.. as for buying new? I round strongly advice you listened to both before buying.. they are both now very expensive, especially the Hifi racks stands for the Spendor’s (they are a must)
Upon audition l prefer Spendor.....
Review starts at 4:45
you took out the good tweeters from the spendor 2/3
Huh?
@@dittonworks
for the test, he removed the Super tweeters he put in them...i'd love to hear those Spendors with them...probably a no contest then