Stephan Fiege

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I recently replaced my Apogee Duetta Reference with a pair of Harbeth Super HL5. Waving goodbye to the Apogee's was a very sad. I listen to them during the last 7 years. But I certainly renewed my interest in listening to music at home because of the speaker-size and my three children.

When auditioning these speakers first, I was impressed of the dynamics and the soundstage.
Guitarmusic and voices are very clear an natural.

The focusing and airiness are absolutely the highlights of the Harbeth. One can say same concerning the resolution and transparency too!

Also at home in my room with woodfloor the soundstage is enormous and transients are fast and clean.These loudspeakers present piano and percussion in a realistic manner and they are fine at voices. They go into quite a lot of detail whithout loosing music.

Highly recommended.

I hear the Harbeth with transistor- and tube-amps. They sound fine with an old Hiraga (L'Audiophile Le Class A).

Summary:
Good soundstage. Clear.

Strengths:
Control. Resolution.

Weaknesses:
Expensive.

Similar Products Used:
Apogee Duetta Ref.
Audio Agile "Step"
Audio Physic "Caldera"
Thiel CS 3.6
Thiel CS 3.5
pat "Bolero"

athkarag

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
Being 52 years old, I've owned more than half a dozen speaker systems with hi-fi combos as well, for the last 30 years. I reached the end of the trip by finding the SHL5s. No need to spend more time & money. If you are a concert hall visitor and music enthusiast, you'll realise that these BBC tradition followers are -to their price point- the most honest & natural reproducers around, with any -and I mean ANY- kind of modest & honest amplification. Simply wonderful speakers for music lovers! Of course, I have to admit that I'm a "British Sound School Lover", to be frank...
You don't have to analyze everything to understand the philosophy of Harbeth. Just understand that they are continuing making fine speakers since the 70's, approaching the average consumer, nothing more.
They support their product, they care about customer feedback. Today, in the midst of international financial problems & crisis, one should severly consider how important is the fact to have an incredible hi-fi speaker system at this price level at home, of course if you're serious about music.
And Harbeth has done it. Not only with their SHL5s, but with all their models.
Thanks for reading, I really didn't want to get into deep tech discussion and terms...

tjoeb

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 2.00 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
These speakers are so well balanced, you will NEVER EVER talk about highs, lows, mids, but only about the end result: the music. Even when you listen at 60cm away from the speaker you can't identify whether you hear the woofer or the tweeter or the supertweeter, so seamless is the driver integration. Designer Allan Shaw balanced these speaker to perfection : always full sounding, but not slow or heavy, never harsh but not at all veiled, always dynamic but never upfront or iin your face. Only a natural soundstage with artist in front of you.
I drive them with about 200W's of transistor, and this works great, but because of their ease of drive they also seem to respond well to 2x30W of tube power , or 2X50W with transistors.
Very, very recommended, and quite nice looking with the Canadian SKYLAN-stands

ACF

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
4.71 of 5, 28.00 votes

Price Paid:  $4250.00 from Extreme Audio

Summary:
Highly reccomended speakers from a maker with a long track record of audio excellence. These vintage looking speakers have a wonderful mid-range, stunning treble and solid bass.

Strengths:
The Harbeth Super HL5 speakers simply sound terriffic. A moderate listening levels they are smooth, deep and true. At higher listening levels, the soundstage is wide, clear and precise. These speakers grow on you, and the more you listen, the more you'll come to appreciate their subtleties and strengths.

Weaknesses:
The Harbeth's are rated at a 150 watt "program". Not quite certain what that means, but am using the Super HL5"s with a Musical Fidelity A3.5 integrated amp rated at 150 watts. Harbeth specs suggest amps with between 25w and 150w. Most magazine reviews, like the manufacturer themselves, reccomend 50w amps, or there about. The weakness is in the confusion. Harbeth posts pictures of damaged speaker cones driven by too-powerful amps on their web site to caution against too much power. But then, aren't speakers driven into clipping from too little power? These are wonderful speakers, and a clearer specification would eliminate this question.

Similar Products Used:
B&W 603S3
B&W 704
Gallo Referance 3