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Amplifier Recommendations for Harbeth Super HL5+

W

wuboost

New Member
Hi folks, I've recently picked up a pair of Harbeth SHL5+ and I'm in need of a new power source for them. Doing some research, it seems most owners are recommending Luxman, Accuphase and Rogue Audio. I was wondering what the consensus is here. I was also looking into vintage tubes but I have very limited knowledge in that area. It seems like some owners are saying Harbeths are good with most amplifiers but looking at some other threads it seems many people are saying they need a good amount of wpc to really shine and the dealer I purchased these from recommend and auditioned a Rogue Cronus Magnum II with 100wpc and the pairing sounded excellent.

Current setup is
Thorens TD160 + Goldring 1042/Denon 102 or Schiit Modi DAC
Denon 3312 (item to be replaced)
Harbeth SHL5+

Listening to mainly jazz, classical and vocal from the 50s-60s

Budget is 2k-3.5k or under for either an integrated or both separate phono and amp total.
Interested in tubes but more than willing to look at ss.
Looking for at least 70+ wpc unless you folks here don't think they need that much
I'd love to grab some vintage tube gear to pair with the SHL5+ but I'm not sure the vintage gear will have enough juice, at least according the the dealer.

Thanks!
 
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Come to think of it, I would look at a PS Audio Sprout. Don't let the price fool you. I have used the phone on stage and it is surprisingly good for the money. You can stream to it via Bluetooth and it sounds very good. And should you want, you can incorporate it to play audio from your TV. It probably won't sound as refined as Rogue.
 
I've been hearing good things about Cambridge Audio CXA81 paired with Harbeth speakers

But I do not have personal experience
 
35-100 watts is the sweet spot in my experience. My Harbeths did not like being “pushed” around by a forceful amp and preferred being driven by a more even keeled amp. Newer Luxman is indeed a fine choice as would be a Rogue CM2-3 or Sphinx. When I demo’d my Harbeths, the previous owner had it with a Naim supernait 3 and I found that pairing very nice.
 
wuboost, welcome to AK!

You have purchased some truly wonderful speakers. I heard a pair in the Vinnie Rossi room at RMAF 2016, and they were the speakers at the show that sounded most like my own Quads. Truly special speakers! Congratulations.

The power required will be a function of how loud you like to listen, mainly. Somehow with your choice of speakers, it makes me doubt that you are a head-banger type. ;)

If that is the case, 35 watts or even 12 should be sufficient. I can tell you that a PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium power amp (with KT-120s, run in triode mode as Art Dudley reviewed it in Stereophile), would sound heavenly. To Luxman and Rogue, I would add PrimaLuna, and also Pass Labs/First Watt, by reputation.
 
The speakers are very in-efficient, 86 db 1 watt 1 meter, and can only handle 150 watts. So they are dynamically challenged in the first place. So I would be looking for other speakers instead of amplifiers. You can get the same level from a Klipsch Cornwall with about 3 or 4 watts. And they will reach lower than 40 hz. 30 to 40 watts is all you will ever need. Even a pair of forte III with the same frequency response will require only 10 watts or so.
 
Thanks for all the responses!
I'm definitely not head banging with these, more like vigorous foot tapping. Seems 70+ watts might not be necessary for my setup then. Might look into finding some bargain vintage solid state amps that will put out round 30 or 40 watts and see how that sounds before shelling out big bucks for the modern stuff.

Another question for you guys, the dealer I purchased the Harbeths from told me that vintage gear is woefully underpowered compared to modern gear, but doing some more research here and on other sites, it seems some folks are saying the vintage gear actually put out much more power than stated in their official specs. Anyone have any input on the matter?

@sqlsavior How did the Harbeth's stack up against your quads? They've always seemed quite interesting to me.

@twiiii Before hearing any speakers I was actually pretty set on either Cornwall's or Heresy's but after auditioning both at the dealer, I got the impression that while they are quite full and loud, both sounded decidedly unrefined when compared to the Harbeths. Though I will concede that they probably blow the Harbeths out of the water when it comes to heavier music. That might be down to my personal tastes though.
 
wuboost said:
@sqlsavior How did the Harbeth's stack up against your quads? They've always seemed quite interesting to me.
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I only had fifteen minutes with them at the audio show, but they both have a lack of tizz that can actually seem dark, until real high-frequency information arrives, then they're as clear as can be. AKA a "sweet top end". So many speakers have extra stuff going on that's not present in the signal. Sometimes it helps, usually it obscures, sometimes it irritates. None of that here with either speaker. I'm sure that the Harbeths would play louder, if that is needed.
 
No experience with those speakers. Heard other Harbeth models, 30 and 40 at audio shows. Lovely.
I do have a CM1 that I drive Magnepans @86db spl efficiency. I listen to jazz no louder than 75dbs in a bright 400 sq ft room. The CM1 doesn't have to go past 11 o'clock.
I would describe the Magnums tone as neutral. Not as soft as some tube amps. Lovely sounding amp. Never heard a Luxman or Prima Luna. I bought the Magnum after liking my Sphinx1.
Edit: Reread your post. You auditioned a Magnum at the dealer.

Also, welcome to AK.
 
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With that kind of budget, if you’re a vinyl guy, I’d spend $1000 or so on a nice phono pre, plenty of great options with or without tube in that price range.
 
Tricky question Wu since they’re so many choices. You have a good budget I’m recommending McIntosh integrated if you want to buy American or a Hagel if you want to go Euro. Any of these will most likely satisfy you for ever. But they are other choices also.
FYI: I’m running dual M275VI with my SHL5+ Loving it... listening as I write
Happy shopping
 
Don't ever under power your speakers you will always be dis=satisfied. Its better to have more power for very short peaks that won't damage the speaker even if the speakers are compressing the sound.
 
twiiii said:
Don't ever under power your speakers you will always be dis=satisfied. Its better to have more power for very short peaks that won't damage the speaker even if the speakers are compressing the sound.
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What do you mean by "under power"?
 
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