Harbeth SHL5+ vs SHL5+ 40th anniversary?

[Yank]

Edit: sorry, I've just realised you meant distance not acoustic measurements...

The mic should be placed at ear level in roughly the same position as your head:

(1) What a grim looking room.
(2) Sony MD-7506 headphones? Yecch.

 

[tuga]

(1) What a grim looking room.
(2) Sony MD-7506 headphones? Yecch.

It's a reviewer's room:

https://6moons.com/audioreviews/theroom/1.html

The guy on his knees works for an audio store.

 

[Yank]

The guy on his knees works for an audio store.

They must not have much of a selection of headphones then.

 

[tuga]

They must not have much of a selection of headphones then.

Perhaps audiophiles are pickier than pros (who do this for profit not pleasure)...
I suspect that pro audio studios use equipment which would not meet audiophile standards, or reach the absurd prices of hi-fi gear.

 

[Yank]

Perhaps audiophiles are pickier than pros (who do this for profit not pleasure)...
I suspect that pro audio studios use equipment which would not meet audiophile standards, or reach the absurd prices of hi-fi gear.

Going by the usual results, I would agree.

 

[Dave H.]

yes i had considered switching to the new marantz model 30

FWIW I had a home demo of the amp and the SACD/network player from Sevenoaks in the summer.

Thought they sounded very good, and a good deal better than the NAD M33 I also tried (I had a bout of class D curiosity).

Didn’t end up going for them myself, but definitely worth an audition if you’re in the market for that sort of thing.

 

[shrink]

I guess i should follow up on this some months later... I still have my SHL5+

I moved house, which somewhat helped... but a few other things have been done:

1) pushed them further away, further apart and toed them out more
2) now using a Hegel amplifier
3) added a bass trap and some rear absorbers in my room

I can safely say that I'm extremely happy with them. The imaging, clarity, open-ness and sense of vividness is there, but also they are expressive communicative and speedy. Theres a natural real-ness to the midrange that we all come to expect from them. The only thing I'd wish (and you can't have everything) would be more weight / punch in the bass.

Would be interested to hear what a pair of 40's could do!

 

[F456gtm]

Chaps,

I have a mint pair of Tannoy 12 inch Monitors built specially for Martin Hannett in 1978, they look exactly like Devons. I now have a chance to buy a used pair of Harbeth Super HL5 30th Anniversary in excellent condition including stands for $2.800.

Harbeth specs suggest amps with between 25w and 150w but I would like to know if my 30W/Ch OTL valve amplifier will have enough power to drive the Harbeths, I listen to classical music exclusively.

Cheers.

 

[Rockmeister]

yes...I drove mine with 25wpc of Luxman valve integrated. Then I swapped to a Luxman 12w class A/B solid state.
The sound didn't improve but ZZ top at 100Db + was WAY better. It depends on how loud you go and how tightly your valve amp hangs on to complex orchestral crescendos and how big the room.
If te answers are , not loud, very well and small, then your ok, and guess what. if answers are loud, poorly and big, then NO.

 

[barryb]

Chaps,

I have a mint pair of Tannoy 12 inch Monitors built specially for Martin Hannett in 1978, they look exactly like Devons. I now have a chance to buy a used pair of Harbeth Super HL5 30th Anniversary in excellent condition including stands for $2.800.

Harbeth specs suggest amps with between 25w and 150w but I would like to know if my 30W/Ch OTL valve amplifier will have enough power to drive the Harbeths, I listen to classical music exclusively.

Cheers.

Agree, should be fine.

 

[gustavm]

I had HL5 30th Anniversary, then upgraded to HL5+ 40th Anniversary. A really major upgrade, much more transparent & airy sounding and with much better controlled bass. Worth paying a bit more for if you can find any. (Sorry if this is unhelpful, but just commenting.)

 

[Alun Rains]

I currently have a pair of HL5 Plus speakers in a lovely Eucalyptus finish.
Had them a couple of months now and I am extremely pleased how they look and sound.
Definitely keepers for me..

 

[Harold Nøde]

Hi,

new here but I'll post my humble opinion.

I seem to remember that Mr Shaw, on the HUG forum, once posted that the so-called special version of his speakers - read: 30th anniversary, 40th anniversary and so forth - where special binding posts or internal cabling were used, were just answers to distributors' and retailers' requests. He made it clear that he did not care much for it personally.

I have heard the SHL5, the SHL5+ and the SHL5 40th a number of times. The XD series is less clear to me. In my opinion, all the series after the first are sort of afterthoughts. They sound slightly different from each other - the XD series especially. It seems to me that Mr Shaw worked to give his speakers a more 'modern' voice while retaining the classic thin-wall design and the basic sound. I do not like the XD series and in general think that the 'classic' SHL5s, if driven with a powerful and clear-sounding amp, are the best of the bunch, and preferable to the subsequent versions. I mean, if you want the Harbeth sound why go for some re-thinking?

That said, I don't think that a really good loudspeaker - one that sounds good with any recording, any source, any amp - really exists. Loudspeakers are the most difficult choice and the most severe compromise we do when assembling a system. Harbeth can be a good domestic companion, provided one loves the austere voice and the non-hifi presentation. Mr Shaw also posted, on many occasions, that more watts are always desirable and that 'only a fool wouldn't want more watts'.

Best,
H.

 

[ryder]

I now have a chance to buy a used pair of Harbeth Super HL5 30th Anniversary

I had HL5 30th Anniversary, then upgraded to HL5+ 40th Anniversary. A really major upgrade, much more transparent & airy sounding and with much better controlled bass. Worth paying a bit more for if you can find any. (Sorry if this is unhelpful, but just commenting.)

Similarly, unhelpful post here. The SHL5 sounds flawed next to the SHL5+ to my ears mainly for its flabby uncontrolled bass apart from the slight metallic sounding treble. If I'm not mistaken the 30th Anniversary SHL5 is the same as the SHL5.

I owned the SHL5 for 7 years, SHL5+ for 6 years and going strong.

 

[PerF]

mainly for its flabby uncontrolled bass

Sound to me like all the 3-way Harbeth's I've heard - its a generel issue with SHL5 & M40 in various editions, maybe not approved by Mr Shaw
I'd choose their 2-ways anyday of the week, even more Grahams.

 

[Alun Rains]

Sound to me like all the 3-way Harbeth's I've heard - its a generel issue with SHL5 & M40 in various editions, maybe not approved by Mr Shaw
I'd choose their 2-ways anyday of the week, even more Grahams.

My HL5 Plus speakers certainly do not have flabby uncontrolled bass.

 

[gustavm]

My HL5 Plus speakers certainly do not have flabby uncontrolled bass.

No - its an oft-stated generalisation about Harbeth speakers, but not true IMHO. Though I did find the HL5 (non-plus) to be more lumpy in the bass compared with the other 3 Harbeth's I've owned. However, room dimensions have a major bearing, and what might be over-bearing in one room might not be in another (obviously).

 

[Alun Rains]

No - its an oft-stated generalisation about Harbeth speakers, but not true IMHO. Though I did find the HL5 (non-plus) to be more lumpy in the bass compared with the other 3 Harbeth's I've owned. However, room dimensions have a major bearing, and what might be over-bearing in one room might not be in another (obviously).

Fair enough. Personally I find that my HL5 Plus speakers may not go as deep in the bass response as some others can do, they are rated to 40hz at the lower end of their range. However, where there is good bass in the recording they do handle and control it very well indeed.

 

[Chris81]

The bass of the SHL5 CAN be boomy and imprecise but only when they don't have the distance away from the walls they need which is way more than with the SHL5plus versions. They also need an amp with much control. The SHL5plus versions have a much tighter bass but to me it sounds a bit artificial when driven by a solid state amp.

 

[ryder]

The bass of the SHL5 CAN be boomy and imprecise but only when they don't have the distance away from the walls they need which is way more than with the SHL5plus versions. They also need an amp with much control. The SHL5plus versions have a much tighter bass but to me it sounds a bit artificial when driven by a solid state amp.

Yes, that's true. Nevertheless, even with a lot of space from the walls, the bass of the SHL5 sounds lumpy in direct comparison with the SHL5+. I know since I have owned both for many years and compared both at the dealers before I decided to go with the Plus. The bass quality is inherent to the SHL5. The added space for the speakers will just ameliorate the ill effects of the bass but it won't completely address the lumpy bass which sticks out more with the SHL5 non plus.