Amplifier selection for your Harbeths (general, not specific Harbeth models)

[airdavid]

what Musical Fidelity cdplayer is?

David

The Search is over... I have found the amp that blew all my previous amp audition. This amp enables me to listen to details, clarity that I haven't heard in other amp. With only 35 watts, it drove my C7 effort to a full-bodied and properly balanced sound, with superb bass. Finally… my C7ES2 can rock with fast pace music… with full sonic bliss!

[Soundbyte]

what Musical Fidelity cdplayer is?

David

It is the Musical Fidelity A3.2 CD player.

[DeonG]

Soundbyte,

What amps did you audition with the C7s apart from the Lavardin?

I was thinking of a second-hand Accuphase, Sphinx or McIntosh integrated for my C7s...

Cheers
Deon

[Thanos]

Soundbyte,

What amps did you audition with the C7s apart from the Lavardin?

I was thinking of a second-hand Accuphase, Sphinx or McIntosh integrated for my C7s...

Cheers
Deon

Hi Deon,

I have tried them both with Macs and a couple of Accuphases. So:

Macs drive them easily. They are laid back, very musical, and with huge staging. You'll have to get used to their dinstinctive sound though. It extends to the finest detail, yet with a bit rounded edges. "Oldfashioned", but glorious reproduction. Accu's are more delicate and a bit detailed, especially in the highs. Less impressive in upper and lower bass management. Equally or more musical than Macs, on a wholistic approach. But, much more expensive, especially in Europe... And an Accu won't last longer than a Mac, nor it will cost less in possible repair. As for Looks, I personally prefer the traditional -yet less luxurious than Accuphase- looks of Macs. Then, if you don't have balanced connections on your player, you don't have to pay/buy an Accuphase which has them in all models. But Mac MA 6500 hasn't got them. I bought it and I'm happy with it. Accuphase reminds me something of a Porsche Cayenne jeep, but Mac is like a Land Rover.
You don't want to scratch your super Cayenne... But you don't fear/care if you drive your Land Rover V8 into the heart of London, or in the middle of Sahara desert..
Cheers,
Thanos

[Soundbyte]

Hi DeonG,
These are the following amp I tried:

• Sugden A21SE
• SimAudio I-5
• Lavardin IT, IS Ref, IS
• Roksan Kandy MKIII - My old Int Amp
• Plinius 9200
• Naim Nait 5i - Good pace & timing but a bit cude sounding

I don't have a big living hall... (5.5 X 4 Meters) I am using the longer side of the room. But suprising the Lavardin with only 35 Watts is much more powerful than my 120 Watts Roksan Kandy MKIII.

I guess you got to try the others amp... because in Singapore most dealers/retailers do not allow home trial... So I have only limited choice to try.

Cheers.

Soundbyte,

What amps did you audition with the C7s apart from the Lavardin?

I was thinking of a second-hand Accuphase, Sphinx or McIntosh integrated for my C7s...

Cheers
Deon

[Ferdinand777]

I was able to try the Lavardin IT with my C7ES2.

I felt it was a good combo at first but after a while i find the sound too smooth for my taste.

I'm not so sure if I was able to match them properly. Interconnects I used ranged from the copper Analysis plus to the Audience Conductors. Speaker cables were Analysis Plus. My CD player was the Naim CD5.

Anyhow, I find the Audible Illusions Modulus 3a with either the Conrad MV60 Or with the McCormack 100 watter to be more satisfying match in my system with the C7ES2.

Again, your experience might be different.

[wlmdx]

Hi DeonG,
These are the following amp I tried:

• Sugden A21SE
• SimAudio I-5
• Lavardin IT, IS Ref, IS
• Roksan Kandy MKIII - My old Int Amp
• Plinius 9200
• Naim Nait 5i - Good pace & timing but a bit cude sounding

I don't have a big living hall... (5.5 X 4 Meters) I am using the longer side of the room. But suprising the Lavardin with only 35 Watts is much more powerful than my 120 Watts Roksan Kandy MKIII.

I guess you got to try the others amp... because in Singapore most dealers/retailers do not allow home trial... So I have only limited choice to try.

Cheers.

Hi Soundbyte,
I recently upgraded from Simaudio i-5(too bright for my taste) to Plinius 9200. The Plinius 9200 is a much warm sounding amp, I dont get the harshness as I got from my i-5, much sweeter mid and fuller sound in low listening volume(night). This is the 2nd day and it's not "burn in "yet. How do you compare the sound from Plinius 9200 to the Lavardin? Thanks

[Soundbyte]

Hi Wlmdx,
IMHO "feel" from the SimAudio i-5 is "bright" and very detail but I can't stand listen long. And Plinius is a bit too "warm" for my taste and it loose the details. I find Lavardin suite me the "best" because it is clear, details and clean tight bass note to "wow" me! If you can try to get a Lavardin IS Ref or IT to try it side by side with your Plinius ... to see which you pefer. I think that Plinius require quite a while to breakin... so wait awile to ensure a fair comparision.

Cheers.

PS. another user in Singapore also partner his beloved Harbeth P3 with Lavardin IS.

Hi Soundbyte,
I recently upgraded from Simaudio i-5(too bright for my taste) to Plinius 9200. The Plinius 9200 is a much warm sounding amp, I dont get the harshness as I got from my i-5, much sweeter mid and fuller sound in low listening volume(night). This is the 2nd day and it's not "burn in "yet. How do you compare the sound from Plinius 9200 to the Lavardin? Thanks

[Soundbyte]

Agreed, YMMV - As for me, I like the smooth sounding Amp - That was the reason I gotten the Roksan Kandy MKIII as it sounds smoother than my old receiver AV amplifer...

But when compared to Lavardin it was still quite "crude" and "veil" - as though the curtains have been lifted up and the sound is more open!

Cheers.

I was able to try the Lavardin IT with my C7ES2.

I felt it was a good combo at first but after a while i find the sound too smooth for my taste.

I'm not so sure if I was able to match them properly. Interconnects I used ranged from the copper Analysis plus to the Audience Conductors. Speaker cables were Analysis Plus. My CD player was the Naim CD5.

Anyhow, I find the Audible Illusions Modulus 3a with either the Conrad MV60 Or with the McCormack 100 watter to be more satisfying match in my system with the C7ES2.

Again, your experience might be different.

[fongc]

Hi all,

Has anyone compared the Lavardin IS Ref with the Creek 5350SE (which I am currently using)? How much better is it?

Speaker is Harbeth Compact 7ES-2. Thanks.

Regards,
Chris

[Soundbyte]

Hi Chris,
Well the local distributor do not allow me to have a home trial for the Creek amp. I heard it in the showroom but is not the same speakers and CD player... so I don't think I can really comment.

Do you find anything lacking in your Creek amp? For my old Roksan Amp... I thought it was only bass light untill I compare it with Lavardin IS Ref; it was more than bass light, it was a bit crude and veil.... and unable to play complex music. Now I can enjoy a wider range of music...

Cheers.

Hi all,

Has anyone compared the Lavardin IS Ref with the Creek 5350SE (which I am currently using)? How much better is it?

Speaker is Harbeth Compact 7ES-2. Thanks.

Regards,
Chris

[fongc]

Hi Chris,
Well the local distributor do not allow me to have a home trial for the Creek amp. I heard it in the showroom but is not the same speakers and CD player... so I don't think I can really comment.

Do you find anything lacking in your Creek amp? For my old Roksan Amp... I thought it was only bass light untill I compare it with Lavardin IS Ref; it was more than bass light, it was a bit crude and veil.... and unable to play complex music. Now I can enjoy a wider range of music...

Cheers.

Thanks Soundbyte. I don't have much of an issue with the Creek, it is a really good amp at its price. Just wondering how much better is the Lavardin IS Ref as I have read so many positive reviews about it.

The only issue is that I am in Hong Kong and there is no local distributor here, so I can't compare either. Might have to get a chance to come over to Singapore to do the listening test...

[Ferdinand777]

Agreed, YMMV - As for me, I like the smooth sounding Amp - That was the reason I gotten the Roksan Kandy MKIII as it sounds smoother than my old receiver AV amplifer...

But when compared to Lavardin it was still quite "crude" and "veil" - as though the curtains have been lifted up and the sound is more open!

Cheers.

Without a doubt the IT Lavardin I owned for a year or so was one of the smoothest sounding amplifier among the many talents it possesed: soundstage, the accurate tonality, cleanliness, refinement... I felt that this amplifier did more magic for me when driving the Maggies MG12 compared to the Harbeth Compact 7es2.

regards

[Sebas]

Hello,
i am a new member as I have recently decided to go for a pair of C7! I also need to purchase an amplifier, i listened to a lamp amplifier from the japanese small firm Leben, model CS300 with only 12 watts power but sounds great.. http://www.soundscapehifi.com/leben-integrated.htm
Is anybody know if this is a good match with the C7 or if a ?2,000 euros budget would allow me to get an amplifier that suits better?
I have a 25m2 room and listen jazz, pop and also some hip-pop(!) so good bass is important.
thanks in advance
Sebastian

[airdavid]

Nap 250-2 with the SHL-5s.

and what nac, cd, etc....?

david

[Ferdinand777]

Others may refute this but this is my observation.

The C7es2 sounds very good with at least 50 watts tube amp. I've tried 15-30 watts tube amp, while it sounds ok at small to moderate volumes, i feel i could want some more watts. The sounds is a bit boxy with 30 watts below.

However, when you feed this speakers with more wattage, (eg tried 140watts tube amp), wow, it even sounds better. More alive, another dimension opens up.

In short, it would be great if you can try this first with the Leben 14 watts. Your mileage may vary.

good luck,

[Hu]

Alan and others,

Now I just recalled that when I used Quad909power/99pre with my M30, every time when stand-by or when I switched the amps off, my speakers made light hums, now I am using Plinius 9200 integrated amp and Quad CDP, I am not aware of that hum from speakers totally.

Would someone be kind to tell me why, do some amps make that hum while some do not?

Thanks!

Hu

[wlmdx]

Alan and others,

Now I just recalled that when I used Quad909power/99pre with my M30, every time when stand-by or when I switched the amps off, my speakers made light hums, now I am using Plinius 9200 integrated amp and Quad CDP, I am not aware of that hum from speakers totally.

Would someone be kind to tell me why, do some amps make that hum while some do not?

Thanks!

Hu

Hi Hu,
I am using Plinius 9200 integrated with AH!njoe Tjoen tube CDP+ C7 ES2. Do you speakers make some hissing/buzzing noise from the tweeters and the midwoofers regardless of volume when put your ears close(about 10 inch). And some merchanic hum from the amp itself. Just want to know if this is normal. Thanks.

[Hu]

Hi wlmdx,

No, I have not heard any hissing/buzzing noise from the tweeters or the midwoofers no matter how close I stick my ear to them. In the beginning of using 9200, I heard very slight mechanic hum from the amp itself, but somehow that disappeared later, so I do not think that the noise from you speakers are normal. Wonder what others would say

[sunil]

I've been driving Compact 7ES-2 with the Lavardin IS Reference with terriffic results. Sound is detailed and clear, with great separation of instruments and a spacious soundstage. This amp is rated at only 35 watts / channel, but I've never felt the dynamics lacking.