Harbeth SHL5 specific

[timleety]

Sorry to hear about this. Could you email us at the office with serial numbers and confirm that you have Registered these on the Harbeth website where we will be able to look after you directly.

It sounds like either the driver needs re-tightening or that there is a tiny piece of grit in the divers voice coil. Initial suggestion: re-tighten the four screws using a good quality Pozidrive PZ2 (not Phillips) screwdriver. If that doesn't solve the problem step two would be to unscrew the screws and without unplugging from the wire harness, rotate the driver through 180 degrees (upside down) and re-fit.

Please let us know off-group direct at the office email. Many thanks.

Hi Alan,

Just to update you that I've tried what you suggested, and it works. Strangely, the screws did not seem loose when I took the PZ2 to them. But when I turned the driver 180 degrees and re-fitted, the problem seemed to have vanished.

I'm just left curious and wondering what could've gone wrong!

In any case, I have sent my serial nos. to your company e-mail. Here's extending my gratitude, and for the record, I truly appreciate that you take time out to personally reply to our posts. Your views are both insightful and enlightening.

Thanks once again.

[A.S.]

Glad to hear that the problems seems resolved and I appreciate the kind words. Some days I have more time than others, and if I see a subject that I can throw some light on I fire up the PC and bash away! As to what the problems was I don't know, but vented speakers are by definition, open to the atmosphere on both sides of the cone.

[Stephen PG]

Quick update,

Coming up to six months with the SHL5 and I couldn't be happier, although I have to report a very minor problem, I have all my TV equipment hooked up to the main hi-fi and whenever there's a car alarm in a program, I have to check that it's actually on TV and not outside.

They are just that lifelike!

[STHLS5]

Hi,

May I ask if the idealised speakers position as shown in the Harbeth manual is applicable to all types of music genres? IMHO, depending on the type of music the speakers position (how far or near to each other) varies to sound ideal for different types of music.

For an example, music such as Rolling Stones or loud rock music sound better with the speakers are closer than normal. For good true stereo recording such as Clarity Recording Sampler I found they sound the best atleast 30cm more apart.


Right now my speakers are 197cm apart (room width is 368cm, stting about 249cm away from the speakers in ). This is already 25% shorter than the idealised placement. I find the most suitable placement is 177cm apart but this makes the soundstage (left and right presentation) smaller.

Am I imagining the differences or is there a valid explanation for this observation?

BTW, can anyone help me with the search function? I just can't figure out how to narrow my search because either it returns too many hits or none( when I use the advanced search feature).

Rgds,
ST

[francisco]

Hi, this is my first message, i going buy one pair of SHL5, and i have one doubt:

The spade model for the SHL5 binding post, is 4 mm. or 8.3 mm. . I have Cardas Cross and Cardas Quadlink, and i not sure if, i can to employ theses cables.Thanks and regards.

(Sorry,my english level is low) .

[Hagto]

Hi, this is my first message, i going buy one pair of SHL5, and i have one doubt:

The spade model for the SHL5 binding post, is 4 mm. or 8.3 mm. . I have Cardas Cross and Cardas Quadlink, and i not sure if, i can to employ theses cables.Thanks and regards.

(Sorry,my english level is low) .

Cardas spades are not optimal for Harbeth binding posts. The spades are too small. But You can use them if You put one leg of the spade into the hole of the binding post.

[francisco]

Then, is true that the harbeth´s binding post are for 8.3 mm. spades?, in the harbeth web page, say that the binding post are four 4 mm. gold-plated:

Transducer system 3-way reflex ? 200mm RADIAL? bass/mid, 25mm tweeter, and 20mm SuperTweeter.
Freq. response 40Hz - 24kHz +/-3dB, free space, 1m with grille on, smooth off-axis response.
Impedance 6 ohms ? easy to drive.
Sensivity 86db/1W/1m
Amp. suggestion Works with a wide range of amplifiers, ideally from 25W/channel.
Power handling 150W programme
Connector Four 4mm gold-plated binding posts for wires or plugs (biwireable) Dimensions (hxwxd) 638 x 322 x 300mm
Finish Cherry, eucalyptus, rosewood.
Space needs Overall response optimised for use away from walls.
Stands To bring ears level with tweeters: typically 16-20 inches.
Weight 17.2kg each, unpacked
Packing Single speaker per protective carton

[Hagto]

I think they must be 8.3 mm.
I have owned both HL5, 7ES3, and P3. I have several Cardas loudspeaker cables. On all loudspeakers the spades have been too small. All other 'highend cables' with Cardas spades, I have tried, were all too small for Harbeth binding posts.

[francisco]

But, you have HL5, no SHL5, i think that they are 4 mm., no 8.3 mm.Regards

[Hagto]

I did have SHl5, sorry. They were too big for cardas.
I now have 7ES3, they are also too big for cardas.

Here specs for my 7ES3:

Transducer system 2-way reflex ? 200mm RADIAL2? mid/bass unit, 25mm dome tweeter with HexGrille .
Freq. response 46Hz - 20kHz +/- 3dB, free space, 1m with grille on with smooth off-axis response.
Impedance 6 ohms, easy to drive.
Sensivity 86dB/1W/1m
Amp. suggestion Works with a wide range of amplifiers, ideally from 25W/channel.
Power handling 150W programme
Connector Two 4mm gold-plated binding posts for wires or plugs
Dimensions (hxwxd) 520 x 273 x 315mm
Finish Cherry, eucalyptus, rosewood, maple.
Space needs Overall response optimised for use away from walls.
Stands To bring ears level with tweeters: typically 15 - 21 inches.
Weight 13.2kg each, without packing
Packing Single speaker per protective carton

[francisco]

What speaker cable model, you have?- I have the Cardas Cross, and Cardas Quadlink.

[Hagto]

Golden reference, Neutral reference, and SE-9. I did have Cross earlier.



These spades (ca 7mm wide):
:http://www.partsconnexion.com/product1031.html

[francisco]

o.k., but what is the measure, (in mm.), of the harbeth´s (SHL5) binding post ? Can to be 4mm. as say in the Harbeth web?.Because if they are 4 mm. then no problem

[francisco]

Hi, anybody know when will have the new SUPER HL5 model?
I supose with the new Radial2, or ¿anything else?.I want buy the SHL5, but i have heard,(rumours),that the new model go soon.
Regards.

[A.S.]

Absolute BS. Never, ever, trust rumours. Ask me. There is no plan to 'look' at the SHL5 this year. As a responsible manufacturer we not only have to find a technical reason to make a change, we also have to consider very carefully the commercial situation. In particular, we have to be careful that there are not unsold stocks of the outgoing model as it would surely alienate our distributors if they were sitting on old stock. Product revision strategy is one of the most difficult business decisions a manufacturer can make and no third party - and certainly not the rumour mill - can know what we're really thinking here, and the business logic behind it.

Obviously, in a public forum like this I cannot discuss the fine detail of our plans, but I think that a very careful reading of my comments will usually give you the information you seek. I try my very best to hint at what I'm looking at without actually saying so. I'm reminded that the very reason that Mr. Harwood's original Harbeth company was commercially ruined was because he announced that he was dropping the polypropylene-based Mk3 for the Audax made, TPX based Mk4. They couldn't deliver and nobody wanted the outgoing model. I arrived at just that moment and rescued the situation.

[francisco]

Thanks Alan,i understand that this year ,(or in near future), the new SHL5 model don´t will be in the market.

I would like to see the Radial2 in the SHL5, and for example a only one binding post; anyway the SHL5 is fantastic.
Alan, you can explain me the difference between the Radial cone and the Radial2.

I going buy the Harbeth SHL5, and i have somes doubts.

Best regards.

[A.S.]

There is no new model SHL5 so let's be clear about that!

RADIAL2 (as used in the C7ES3 and M40.1) has a different surround to that used in the SHL5. The surround is an important part of the drive unit, for it not only allows the cone to move at low frequencies, but it also damps the higher frequencies. And it helps to keep the cone in position too. If you really want to have the RADIAL2 driver, then the C7ES3 is the model for you! It was designed using the same computer tools as the M40.1 and P3ESR. So those three models have some similarities. But you should listen, then decide for yourself.

Incidentally, I could make the speaker have whatever sonic personality I wish using RADIAL or RADIAL2.

[francisco]

O.K. Alan, i like more the SHL5.

Sorry, but, i don´t understand your last paragraph, (my level english is low):

"Incidentally, I could make the speaker have whatever sonic personality I wish using RADIAL or RADIAL2. "

[John Geisen]

I believe Alan is referring to using his knowledge of how he implements all the ingredients of the speaker, including the crossover. There is nothing wrong with the RADIAL. It is different than the RADIAL2 but still very, very good. The SHL5 remains one of my favorite speakers.

John

[A.S.]

Yes John - thanks. RADIAL, RADIAL2 ..... these are small (but important) details.I can make an equal or bigger difference (if I want to) by manipulating some other part of the design - for example, the crossover. So, we have to consider the whole design not just be concerned about one aspect of the design.

Example: we could change the tyres of a car but ir's very unlikely that we'd influence the performance of the entire vehicle. But if we were given, at the start of the design of the car, a certain type of tyre, we could optimise the car's overall performance for that tyre and no other.