Harbeth P3ESR 40th Anniversary

The dealer has a pair of the basics just in case but I don't think I'm going to need to go that route. The Anniversaries are settling in nicely. So too is my Black Cat Silverstar 75 digital coax cable if you get my drift.
 
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I haven’t taken the grilles off yet. Breaking them in as the designer intended then go from there.

I have no idea what happened for a brief moment a couple of weeks ago that these sounded bright. They haven’t put a foot wrong since. Absolutely superb. They correct any niggle you may have with the standard P3.
 
Guys, straight up, this may be a case of two or three variables blending to create what at first seemed like mixed results. Truth is, there is nothing mixed about these speakers. They flat out kill anything I’ve heard in terms of the most important elements of music to me, tone and timing. The variables include;

A) More than one thing is breaking in. The speakers and a digital cable.

B) My ears making adjustments.

C) The KEF’s, as much as I loved them, are not one bit accurate sounding. That left me with a quandary that my brain had some difficulty making sense of. There was a wide incongruence between what I thought was ideal and what is ideal.

Working through all of it. Suffice it to say that the Anniversary’s are worth every cent of the asking price. They are a gem.
 
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Art, I have been on a similar journey. I have also had the Kef LS50s (for about 4 years) and have really loved them. But I have been wondering for the past few years about trying something else in my nearfield listening set up. I did home demos of the Falcons and nearly bought a pair; also the Watkins Stereo Generation 4 (amazing speakers that I couldn't make work in my really small space); and the Omega Super 3is, which I also really, really love (FAST!) and I will be moving to a desktop set up with a Decware Zen 2 watt SET amp. (The Omegas are absolutely killer for $700.) I'm only a few hours into my Anniversary P3esrs but I can't imagine I'm not keeping them. I have had the originals too and love the Harbeth sound--but these are more detailed and with a better soundstage. As far as the Falcon/Harbeth comparison goes, I know there are some who prefer the Falcons, and I would have been happy with either. The Falcons are faster, but I think Herb Reichert nailed it when he said the Harbeths "just sound right" and are incredibly easy to set up. So natural! The rest of the system is a Rega Rp6 with Hana SL cartridge, a Line Magnetic 515 cd player, a Vinnie Rossie LIO amplifier with DHT Pre, and cabling by Triode Wire Labs. I think I am off the merry go round for good! I just have to break the news to my 77 year old father--who has the KEF LS50s and will feel very sad we don't have the same speaker anymore. Maybe I won't tell him....
Enjoy! Margot
 
mcanaday said:
Art, I have been on a similar journey. I have also had the Kef LS50s (for about 4 years) and have really loved them. But I have been wondering for the past few years about trying something else in my nearfield listening set up. I did home demos of the Falcons and nearly bought a pair; also the Watkins Stereo Generation 4 (amazing speakers that I couldn't make work in my really small space); and the Omega Super 3is, which I also really, really love (FAST!) and I will be moving to a desktop set up with a Decware Zen 2 watt SET amp. (The Omegas are absolutely killer for $700.) I'm only a few hours into my Anniversary P3esrs but I can't imagine I'm not keeping them. I have had the originals too and love the Harbeth sound--but these are more detailed and with a better soundstage. As far as the Falcon/Harbeth comparison goes, I know there are some who prefer the Falcons, and I would have been happy with either. The Falcons are faster, but I think Herb Reichert nailed it when he said the Harbeths "just sound right" and are incredibly easy to set up. So natural! The rest of the system is a Rega Rp6 with Hana SL cartridge, a Line Magnetic 515 cd player, a Vinnie Rossie LIO amplifier with DHT Pre, and cabling by Triode Wire Labs. I think I am off the merry go round for good! I just have to break the news to my 77 year old father--who has the KEF LS50s and will feel very sad we don't have the same speaker anymore. Maybe I won't tell him....
Enjoy! Margot
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for sharing your story. What a lovely addition to this thread!
 
Margot, what stands are you using? I would love to use the Tontrager’s but they are way out of budget.
 
Hi, Art. I also am intrigued by Tontrager’s but they are out of reach for me too. (I’m also just 5 foot 2 inches tall and I think the fixed height of those stands might make my speakers sit above ear level for me?). I’m using Skylan stands—the same ones I had under my KEFS—and they seem to work great.

Let me know if you experiment with the grilles. So far, I am keeping mine on. In part, I don’t have a magnet around to get them off...
Happy listening! Margot
 
I used Skylans the first time I had P3’s and used them with my KEF’s as well. They worked quite nicely with both. I am currently using 24 inch Target MR stands, mass loaded with Bling Thing 2 spikes. They are very nice.
 
Still too early to tell. I’ll say more about the difference between grille on and off later.
 
This thread reads a lot like my experiences breaking in a pair of C7s. Lots of ups and downs along the way and they didn't reach full maturity until about 2 years in (playing about 15hrs / week). Unfortunately at that time the bass bloom from the cabinet resonances made many recordings un-enjoyable and I gave them the boot. I'm sure the p3s and 30s would not have developed that issue. But man do I miss the Harbeth sound.....
Continue your journey Art and may it be a rewarding one.
 
Well I sure got a lesson today. For years I preached that the transport makes as much difference as the DAC. Then I went stupid or cheap or both. Hitched up the old Oppo to my fancy ass DAC and off I go...not so fast sparky! Today I decided on a whim to bring my old Luxman CD player out of mothballs and give it a go. This player has a tendency to play when it wants to and not when it’s in a mood. Hooked it up and hit play...my jaw hit the floor. It sounds multiples of times better. The whole system came to life like I’ve not heard. Long story short, I’m in the market for a good inexpensive cd transport. That’s going to be for another thread.
 
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