SHL5 delivers music

[davidbraun]

Dear mr. Alan Shaw and the Harbeth team,

I am a proud new owner of a Harbeth SHL5 pair in the gorgeous ebony finish, purchased from Mr. Peter Mezek's Pear Audio in Slovenia. After having the speakers in my home for just a few weeks, I felt the need to share a few thoughts with you.

Let me start by saying that I got a highly professional advice from Mr. Mezek: he invested a lot of time to find the right solution for me. His knowledge (of music) and expertise (in home stereo) are incomparable and his approach is unique and I can wholeheartedly recommend his advice.

In the past years I have accumulated thousands of CDs and LPs that make my life a better place. As a jazz concert organizer (and frequent visitor of classical music concerts) I have had my ear trained to the sound of “real instruments”.

I have had my Harbeths in my home for just a few weeks, powered by the amazing Croft amplifiers. I have to admit that the speakers (and amps) are absolutely astonishing; well…perhaps that is not the right word: the evening I brought them home, I’ve set up the system and without any big “shock” or “amazement” about the sound, I was up until 04:30 in the morning listening to music. I guess people refer to that as: "they sound right".

I don’t have the vocabulary to express “how” they sound, but I do know that the sound is a result of great knowledge, expertise and no compromises - that I can hear based on my experience with live concerts. Such results cannot be achieved by coincidence, experiment or mediocrity: only years of hard work, stubbornness and great knowledge can produce such a piece of art. You have to know and love music in order to achieve that, and probably you’ve got to be a good engineer too.

It is a great privilege to be able to listen to music, which is convincing and gets you to the point of a concert illusion. You wouldn’t believe the number of concerts in my living room during the past few weeks!

The Harbeths will make my life a better place, I know: please except my sincerest congratulations for this masterpiece and please do continue your work. I hope you can make as many people as happy as me without making any compromises along the way.

The only thing I have to blame Harbeth for is the lack of sleep. Once I start listening to records over these speakers, it’s kind of impossible to stop. I haven’t found any advice in the user group about that, perhaps you’re familiar with the problem?

Thanks again Alan and Harbeth, keep on rocking!

David Braun

[Gan CK]

Hi David, welcome to HUG. Yes i am very familiar with your problem....when i first had the SHL-5 in my setup, it made me lose alot of sleep as well! Well, the best is yet to come. Listen to them longer & they will grow on you even more.

[cornelius]

I've only heard the P3's - someday I have to hear some of the larger Harbeths - they must be incredible!

congrats on the 5's!

[C K Chan]

Hi David,
Welcome. I am relatively new Harbeth SHL5 user myself and I think I fully understand what you mean by that right sound. It's a rather sublime feeling that music just flows around. But luckily I don't have your problem of sleep deprivation. Instead the sound whispers into my ears and I often fall asleep while listening to the 5s (admittedly I often tire myself out with work and exercise before settling down for the last hour or so of music before I go to bed.)
Happy listening.
Ck chan

[Sebastien]

...The only thing I have to blame Harbeth for is the lack of sleep. Once I start listening to records over these speakers, it’s kind of impossible to stop. I haven’t found any advice in the user group about that, perhaps you’re familiar with the problem? ...

Like my uncle Yvon says: "You will have enough time to sleep when you'll be dead." So while you're alive, enjoy your new babies. And welcome to the HUG.

Sebastien

[Takis]

Welcome to the club.
Do not worry if you stay sleepless. This is only in the begining.
It is strong while you await for them, becomes softer and in a different way the first days when you listen through them and finally, a few days later, you understand that you have found peace of mind !
We all do with the Harbeths.
Enjoy !!!

[Cabrio62]

Hi David,

I am also a new SHL5 owner. I brought them home last week and set them up immediately. My gf and I blew off a concert to which we had prepaid tickets to stay home and listen to them. They are fabulous speakers, and seem especially to love the voice of Eva Cassidy. :-)

[Sebastien]

...They are fabulous speakers, and seem especially to love the voice of Eva Cassidy. :-)

Oh yes... Eva Cassidy. I discovered her at the last SSI last year in Montreal. Then I bought one of her LP: Songbird. Truly nice via the SHL5.

Sebastien