Harbeth Monitor 40.1 specific

[Jason]

I am really looking forward to having the LFD NCSE integrated amplifier matched with the Harbeth Monitor 40.1, I think this will be a wonderful combination.
I am using the Harbeth SHL5 at the moment with the Pass Labs XA 100.5 mono blocks, the sound is already excellent but I know the Monitor 40.1 will add extra bottom end weight to the music in my large open plan lounge.

The Harbeth SHL5 speakers have replaced the Avantgarde Duo Omega speakers in this room, the SHL5 are a very special loudspeaker that can hold their own musically against loudspeakers costing many times more, just proven again first hand in this instance.

[Hagto]

I have now bought myself a pair of M40.1

I love my new speakers. They are the best loudspeakers I have owned ever. Big soundstage, free from the cabinets, and deep and firm bass.

They also add some aura and cosyness to my living room.

I am a happy man!

I willl very soon post a picture in the various Harbeth at home pictures thread.

[A. E.]

I am really looking forward to having the LFD NCSE integrated amplifier matched with the Harbeth Monitor 40.1, I think this will be a wonderful combination.

I have no chance to try LFD NCSE since it's not sold here, so I googlesearched the user experiences: There are no so many posts about LFD like the others. I remember that one user (or a reviewer) advises to use it with a smooth sounding source since it's sound character is steely.
I'd like to hear from you about LFD NCSE and M40.1 match... especially about: what steeliness means...

[hifi_dave]

'Steely' means hard, screechy, generally unpleasant in the upper frequencies. All of which is not a trait of any LFD amp I have ever heard. If anything, the LFD is warm and solid, well suited to the M40.1.

I would also suggest you try the Croft amps if imported and Naim. They all go well with Harbeth.

[Gan CK]

LFD amplifiers have been widely described as having a valve like sound plus the solidity & control of solid states. They also have a liquidity, musicality & tonal purity approaching SETs amps. Steely shouldn't even be used to describe LFD, esp the NCSE.

[Redbasil]

Hi All,

Just become an owner M40.1 week ago, finally I found what I looking for and want to share this moment and thank you to all fantastic work of Harbeth team.

My system consist:

- Harbeth M 40.1
- Mcintosh MA 7000
- Esoteric X 05 SACD/CD player
- VPI scoutmaster II

[Jmohd]

Hi Redbasil,

"finally I found what I looking for", you are definitely right. That's how I felt...the M40.1 is a wonderful speaker.

Please post some pictures of your beautiful set-up and congratulation!!

[Gan CK]

Hi Redbasil,

Congratulations & welcome to the Harbeth Club.

[Redbasil]

Hi Jmohd,

Greeting from Thailand, and thank you for replied,

I'm just a music lover no particular set up as most audiophile does. My system is simply set up, would love to share picture too...but only via e-mail.

Best Regards,
Redbasil

[luca1967]

Congratulations,if you can post a photo!
Luca

[Redbasil]

Hi All,

it's simple set up for my system, my listening room size is 3.5 x 6 M, listening position is 3.5 M from speaker. this set up reproduce very clean and deep bass and unbelievable image and sound stage. in some record you can feel like listening live performance.

Best regards,

Redbasil

[Jason]

Hi Redbasil
Very nice looking system, I am sure it is sounding wonderful.
The 40.1 are my favorite Harbeth speaker.

Cheers Jason.

[teddyboy]

I have recently installed my 40.1. I thought I'd share a few thoughts on getting the best out of these (all opinions are entirely my own and from someone who knows little/nothing about the technicalities).

When I got these in to my room and fired them up I just thought they sounded terrible: horribly boomy and bloated with a recessed midrange. I simply couldn't believe it was the speakers or my equipment's fault. I am using Pass Labs, Herron Audio, PS Audio and SME.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, it was all down to the positioning in the room. Even subtle changes can make a massive difference. I eventually ended up positioning them according to the "Cardas method". I tried the "Get better sound" method and also the method recommended by "RealTraps" with frustrating results.

Now that they are positioned correctly they sound fabulous. I have a slightly annoying room (standing wave resonance) node- but there isn't much I can do about it.

I can confirm that these speakers can work well in a small room (18ft x 12ft), but you really need a dedicated room or, a very, very understanding wife and children who are angels.

[Jmohd]

Hi teddyboy,

Gongrats on you new Harbeth and nice looking room. BTW, I'm also using M40.1 and my room is smaller than yours. IMO, room treatment is very important among other things. Room treatment does affect the sound.

Enjoy..

[Jason]

Ted your Harbeth monitor 40.1 look very impressive set up in your music room.

Speaker placement is very important for the best sonic results in any room, I have found that with speakers that move a lot of air pressure in a room this is even more important.

Not every one is lucky enough to have a dedicated music room that we can acoustically treat with acoustic traps and reflection panels, the WAF comes into play that will usually put a end to this Idea!!

I have two rooms set up at Parmenter Sound for my Harbeth demonstrations, one treated Acoustically and one left as a normal living room environment. This helps my clients greatly to hear a normal music playback listening room and then experience a dedicated professionally treated music room with Acoustic Science Corporation & RealTraps acoustic treatments.

Both systems I think sound wonderful with in there own room settings, this is a result from the excellent voicing of the Harbeth loudspeakers and the work that Alan and the Harbeth team have put into the crossover design & speaker driver matching of each model.

I am saying these very positive comments about the Harbeth speakers not from being biased as the Harbeth NZ distributor but from a passionate music lover point of view, Tone is just right with the Harbeth speakers across the entire range.

[Jason]

I have just installed my new Harbeth monitor 40.1 this morning, they have been playing now for 10 hours non stop.

First impression coming from listening to the Harbeth Monitor 30 which is a wonderful speaker in it own right, the Monitor 40.1 from the first note is just bigger in scale with added bass weight & dimension.

Music just flows from the Monitor 40.1 with a sense of ease with the Air Tight ATM 2 amplifier and Leben RS 100U preamplifier, the ATM-2 has 80 watts a channel output power on tap.

Bass is very well controlled with excellent depth and texture with Double bass and Piano, voices are very natural, all round I can not recommend the Monitor 40.1 speakers highly enough.

[A. E.]

good news: my M40.1 will have been shipped in November 2011,
bad news: there is no tiger-ebony veneer coming to Turkey.

[fld777]

Hi guys,

Im wondering what room size you have placed your M40.1 in ? any issues with boominess, etc ?
Im using SHL5 now for many years & love it. Just thinking of adding an M40.1 into my harbeth family.
My room is 16 feet x 19 feet x 9 feet ceiling.
Thanks

[delgesu]

HELP!

i use my 40.1 without the grilles. yesterday i tried to put the grilles on just to get an alternative look in my room. the problem: i don´t know why but one of the grilles does´t fit in the frame! it´s just a little "larger" on one corner than the groove where it should fit in.
what would you do?

thanks,
delgesu

[hifi_dave]

Maybe you have swopped left with right grille ? Try swopping them round.