My Harbeth C7ES-3 story...
- Thread starter kray
- Start date
Art K.
The Voodoo You Do!
Gene is a good guy. I think he cares that we have a good great experience with our music...if not our pocket books. It's going to be a blast listening to both amps. Some of the things I will be listening for will include;
1) Long listening session fatigue. The Belles is excellent for long listening sessions.
2) Noise. The Belles is dead quiet and the LFD needs to be as well. I hate hum and other spurious noises. I've tolerated it with Rega, Sonneteer, Naim and others. No more.
3) Phono. The Belles has a super quiet phono stage however it isn't the most engaging. Not bad by any means but not some I've owned in the past.
4) Detail. Detail is not the most important thing to me but I really don't want to get less for more money unless there are compensatory characteristics of the amp.
5) All of the audiophile nonsense. Which like most here I love. Soundstage depth, width and height. Imaging, placement of instruments.
6) Timbre. One of the most important characteristics of any piece for me is timbre. Does the cymbal sound like a cymbal and piano like a piano.
There are more but this provides a baseline. I don't want to derail Kray's thread so I will leave it at this.
Not derailing at all it’s becoming a great story for Harbeth speakers.
your write up is much more polished than mine
as for noise. I honestly can’t tell if the LFD is actually on, in my dead silent room, it’s so quiet. (Minus the phono since mine doesn’t have a phono section)
the only problem I had with Belles phono is it seems too low. It’s dead quiet but I have to turn the volume up twice as far as other inputs for normal volume listening on phono
your write up is much more polished than mine
as for noise. I honestly can’t tell if the LFD is actually on, in my dead silent room, it’s so quiet. (Minus the phono since mine doesn’t have a phono section)
the only problem I had with Belles phono is it seems too low. It’s dead quiet but I have to turn the volume up twice as far as other inputs for normal volume listening on phono
Sound Dragon
Yawns and sets his couch on fire!
Is it okay that I am rooting for the Rogue? I feel like it is the underdog here.
fredgarvin
Super Member
Nice bunch of stuff. I'm starting to think you won the lottery! I mostly use separates but I have that MP-301 that I sometimes put in for awhile. The Rogue is tantalizing.
Art K.
The Voodoo You Do!
Well done!
lol. Well it’s started with accumulating some gear over time then a nice bonus at work but buying everything on the used market. Also, I only keep one system so not lucky enough to have a bedroom system, basement system, living room system etc
I should have put the Belles Aria in the rack to make it look really intimidating
but that’s being sold tomorrow.I used to have a MP-301 and was a lovely little tube amp. I also am completing my transition from separates to integrated. Wanted to simplify things.
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Sound Dragon
Yawns and sets his couch on fire!
lol. Well it’s started with accumulating some gear over time then a nice bonus at work but buying everything on the used market. Also, I only keep one system so not lucky enough to have a bedroom system, basement system, living room system etc
I should have put the Belles Aria in the rack to make it look really intimidating
I used to have a MP-301 and was a lovely little tube amp. I also amp completing my transition from separates to integrated. Wanted to simplify things.
That’s one thing that I do not regret either, going from separates to an Integrated amp. It was a very healthy thing for me and I see it is doing wonders for you also.
yep. Think I’ll be sticking to integrateds from now on too
So update....
putting the LFD up for sale and keeping the Rogue. The LFD was an amazing solid state amp that really gets close to tube sound, BUT there is still something about a good tube amp that is hard to beat in my ears. My Rogue has upgraded tubes in it though. A Telefunken 12AU7 and Tubestore 7025’s in the 12AX7 positions. The 7025’s really made the rogue much quieter. And the Tele opened things up nicely.
BUT you know I wouldn’t be stopping there
I just bought a used Line Magnetic 518IA SET amp, which I’ve read tons of great things about with the C7’s. It’s coming with stock 845’s, NOS 6L6’s, NOS rectifier and I have Telefunken for the 12ax7 positions.
the journey continues but the Rogue is current winner. I thought the Rogue was a beast at 55lbs. The 518 is coming in at 77lbs
putting the LFD up for sale and keeping the Rogue. The LFD was an amazing solid state amp that really gets close to tube sound, BUT there is still something about a good tube amp that is hard to beat in my ears. My Rogue has upgraded tubes in it though. A Telefunken 12AU7 and Tubestore 7025’s in the 12AX7 positions. The 7025’s really made the rogue much quieter. And the Tele opened things up nicely.
BUT you know I wouldn’t be stopping there
I just bought a used Line Magnetic 518IA SET amp, which I’ve read tons of great things about with the C7’s. It’s coming with stock 845’s, NOS 6L6’s, NOS rectifier and I have Telefunken for the 12ax7 positions.
the journey continues but the Rogue is current winner. I thought the Rogue was a beast at 55lbs. The 518 is coming in at 77lbs
Last edited:
Sound Dragon
Yawns and sets his couch on fire!
So update....
putting the LFD up for sale and keeping the Rogue. The LFD was an amazing solid state amp that really gets close to tube sound, BUT there is still something about a good tube amp that is hard to beat in my ears. My Rogue has upgraded tubes in it though. A Telefunken 12AU7 and Tubestore 7025’s in the 12AX7 positions. The 7025’s really made the rogue much quieter. And the Tele opened things up nicely.
BUT you know I wouldn’t be stopping there
I just bought a used Line Magnetic 518IA SET amp, which I’ve read tons of great things about with the C7’s. It’s coming with stock 845’s, NOS 6L6’s, NOS rectifier and I have Telefunkens for the 12au7/12ax7 positions.
the journey continues but the Rogue is current winner. I thought the Rogue was a beast at 55lbs. The 518 is coming in at 77lbs
I was rooting for that CMII! I am interested in your forthcoming report regarding the LM. I am curious to know if it has enough juice to do the Harbeths justice.
One of my favorite amps was my Art Audi Carissa 845 SET. Oh my, big tone and dynamic. I can’t guarantee it but I bet you’re going to love the LM 518IA. Look forward to your impressions.
Cheers,
Scott
Cheers,
Scott
So update....
putting the LFD up for sale and keeping the Rogue. The LFD was an amazing solid state amp that really gets close to tube sound, BUT there is still something about a good tube amp that is hard to beat in my ears. My Rogue has upgraded tubes in it though. A Telefunken 12AU7 and Tubestore 7025’s in the 12AX7 positions. The 7025’s really made the rogue much quieter. And the Tele opened things up nicely.
BUT you know I wouldn’t be stopping there
I just bought a used Line Magnetic 518IA SET amp, which I’ve read tons of great things about with the C7’s. It’s coming with stock 845’s, NOS 6L6’s, NOS rectifier and I have Telefunkens for the 12au7/12ax7 positions.
the journey continues but the Rogue is current winner. I thought the Rogue was a beast at 55lbs. The 518 is coming in at 77lbs
From everything I’ve researched the 518 is a great match with the C7’s. My space is not huge and I sit near field at 6-7ft from speakers. Also did some SPL test at my listening position and rarely get over 80-85db. Several have said the C7’s “came alive” with the 518. We’ll see!
thanks Scott. Will definitely update. Can’t wait to hear a 845 SET
