Harbeth Monitor 30 domestic specific

[A.S.]

The veneer is most certainly not 'bare' as you suggest. If it were, it would degrade in days, then split. It is sealed. Dye would not penetrate the sealer: you could apply a varnish as a top coat but I'd experiment on the bottom panel first. I guess that an aerosol would be the best choice.

[LD31]

Thanks, Alan. I will try a varnish.

[LD31]

Hi,

I am home listening to my M30's and to a pair of Spendor S8e's : the S8e's are very good, but the M30's are better in any aspect!

How can a speaker be so good? After just a few seconds it has become evident that the M30's bass, medium and treble are better.

More definition, more slam in the bass, while easy to listen, not agressive.

And both speakers cost approximately the same price (around 3000 Euros / pair).

Congratulations for building such a good speaker!

Laurent.

[A.S.]

How can a speaker be so good? After just a few seconds it has become evident that the M30's bass, medium and treble are better... Congratulations for building such a good speaker! Laurent.

Thank you for your kind comments.

I'm going to reply as a new thread here: http://www.harbeth.co.uk/usergroup/s...=1758#post1758

.

[jaybar]

When setting up the Monitor 30's, should they be pointed straight at you or should you be seeing the inner side panels?

Thanks,

Jay

[jaybar]

Alan, perhapos you can comment? I sit fairly nearfield and my room is narrow (12 feet wide and highly reflective,, so I wondered about the viability of toe-in to minimize the interaction wide side walls. My Monitor 30's are about 62" apart and I sit about the same distance from them.

Thanks,

Jay

[A.S.]

... so I wondered about the viability of toe-in to minimize the interaction wide side walls.

The wavelength of sound is so long at low frequencies that the concept of toe-in will really only have an effect in the middle and especially upper frequencies.

Before you waste a lot of energy shuffling things around in your room, do bear in mind that the ear is extremely adept at hearing through room problems, even though the test microphone would see every reflection. I would suggest that you may sharpen your central image if you toe-in your M30s by a few degrees. The ultimate solution would be to absorb the reflections off the side walls.

[jaybar]

Thanks Alan for your reply.

[jaybar]

I am having trouble understanding the effects of toe-inin my narrow and reflective room..

When I toe-in my Monitor 30's, so that I can't see any of the inner side panels (speakers pointed at the listener), the sound becomes thicker and the bass much more prominent and the highs lose any sense of air (perhaps being rolled-off or "dark"and also have a hard edge). They are 64" apart, prior to to-in and I listen 64" from them. They are 64" out into the room, measured from the woofer.

Additionally, the soundstage markedly shrinks with increased toe-in and images fold over each other-like through a "fish-eye" lens. Depth increases and the presentation moves markedly forward. Using a toe-in of only a few degrees widens the soundstage, moves the presentation back a bit, separates the instruments, lightens up the tonal balance and tightens the bass. I thought lots of toe-in is supposed to eliminate speaker room interaction, yet the sound is very strange when the speakers fire at me.

What might explain what I am hearing?

Thanks,

Jay

[jaybar]

Anyone know what the off-axis response of the Monitor 30's might be, when they are pointed straight ahead? Do the speakers have a smooth off-axis response?

Jay

[tobes]

I've been casting around for a suitable centre speaker to mate with my C7es2's - for AV purposes. Maintaining a consistent quality and character in the L/R/C speakers is obviously critical for the front soundfield.
Since the M30 shares the same bass/mid driver as the C7, while having a more practical size for a centre, I've been musing about the possibilities. Anyone have any thoughts?
Not sure it's even possible to obtain a single M30? Alan - you don't happen to have an M30 orphan you want to get rid of?

[JoeH]

I have just come accross an internet site for Mapleshade Recordings and audio equipment. The have a speaker stand called the Bedroot which is the right height for my Model 30's. Does any one have experience with this speaker stand?
JoeH

[Bill C]

Well I finally picked up a new pair of Monitor 30's! I was also wondering what size stand would be best for them? Is there a specific height recommended? My ears are about 34" above the floor, if that makes a difference. I'm listening in the near field as well, about 6' from each speaker. Thank you,
Bill

[jaybar]

Hi

Last night, I attended the Mostly Mozart Festival and was pleasantly surprised to learn that my Harbeth M30's equitted themselves quite well:

1) Live orchestral music does not have the pin-point detailed imaging that we crave at least sitting mid-way back in the orchestra. The same can be said for my Harbeth Monitor 30's-even when they are toes in toward me. I used to crave more resolution, now I am beginning to question how realistic that is? Imaging precision on the Harbeths was about the same as last night's concert.

2) Bass. Bass was warmer, fuller and slower that we as audiophiles seem to crave- at least from a mid-hall orchestra perspective. How realistic are we in always want tight tight bass? The bass on the Harbeth Monitor 30's with Cardas cables is still a little "chesty" by comparison, but not by that much. I always thought it was rather full, when listening to the HiFi, but now I am questioning what true bass si about. Even though it was warmer, fuller and slower, last night, the bass still had lots of information.

3) Lots of mid-range presence. The music lived in the midrange with LOTS of midrange detail and presence. Similar to what I hear at home. I sometimes think my system of Cardas, Are and Harbeth has too much midrange presence, but based on the concert, I am beginning to question.

4) Music Way more dynamic live. No way around this one. This is where hoem reproduction does not hold a candle to live un-amplified music.

In short, my Harbeth's did surprisingly well.

BTW, I hear similar things when I attend Chamber music concerts at Alice Tully Hall.

This coming season, we will be subscribing to the Philharmonic for the first time (rear orchestra), so it should be a very interesting comparison.

[Ned Mast]

Hi Jaybar,
Thanks for your comparison of live & repoduced music through the M30s; sounds reasonable and spot on to me. It's good to see that you're attending live concerts and thus keeping the true reference for judging reproduced sound fresh in your ears. During the season I attend as many concerts as I can, and while live music is unique in it's qualities, I have found the Harbeths to be consistently satisfying in comparison. Though I currently have the M40s, the natural sound of the Harbeths is NOT model dependent; I've heard them all and they all satisfy in this regard.

Ned

[Bill C]

Hi,
I've been trying to position my new M30's and find that I cannot get much height to the soundstage. It seems I'm looking down from my chair at the soundstage. Have not had this problem with other speakers in this room. My ears are about 34" off the floor when seated. This puts the tweeter about 2" to 3" above my ears. Speakers are presently on 24" stands. I tried a 20" stand as well but no change. Any suggestions on how to rectify? Thank you,
Bill

[jaybar]

Ears should be level with or slightly below tweeter. Also make sure the soeakers are level with respect to front to back and side to side. You may need a slightly taller stand.

Jay

[jaybar]

Before you buy new stands, insert something under the speakers (like wood blocks) that will not harm the finish, so that you can see the effects of raising the speakers.

If you are in the USA, Sound Anchor seels 26" stands for the M30's. I bet that Skylan could make them as well.

Try raising the speakers before you puchase.

Jay

[Bill C]

Hi Jay,
Thank you for responding. If ears are supposed to be at or slightly below the tweeters, then it would seem that my stands are already too tall. I will try and experiment though and see. I really don't want to go taller than 24" if at all possible. Tweeters would be shooting over my head! Thanks,
Bill

[jaybar]

Bill-

I realized I made a mistake and you probably need shorter stands.

However, are they level as measured with a good bubble level. I have found that when my Harbeths are NOT front to back level, that effects soundstage height.

Jay