Harbeth Monitor 30 domestic specific

[micron]

Hi Paul
In your picture I see The Monitor 30 placed horizontally. I read about people, who placed the Harbeths with the tweeters on down side (audiogon) or even with the Harbeth logos on interior corners (that was at the one exhibition).

So, use somebody, one of this speakers positions or is that Monitor 30 designed to be placed also in horizontal position?

Cheers

[Paul G Smith]

Hi Paul
In your picture I see The Monitor 30 placed horizontally. I read about people, who placed the Harbeths with the tweeters on down side (audiogon) or even with the Harbeth logos on interior corners (that was at the one exhibition).

So, use somebody, one of this speakers positions or is that Monitor 30 designed to be placed also in horizontal position?

Cheers

This studio is quite often packed with musicians and it is quite often difficult to see who is replying to the presenter's questions, especially as the performers are hidden behind the wall to the right of the window. The picture was taken from the extreme left of the control room.
The reason the M30s are placed horizontally is simply to be able to have as clear as possible a view of the extremities of the studio!
The fact that they sound just as good on their sides is very important to the sound mixer!
It's as well to remember that the mixing position in a studio is always on the axis of the loudspeakers, and I can vouch for the stereo image in studio 5 to be quite good!

[zindra]

I've read the posts about matching a subwoofer with the M30. The only recommendations I've found are the Quad Gradient sw-63, and the Velodyne DD10 (too expensive for me).

Does anyone know of a subwoofer that can do a good job without a steep price tag? I've found some from B&W, Polk audio, etc, but I have never used a subwoofer before and I am not sure where to start and what to to look for. Are all subwoofers powered or are there passive also? My amp is 2 channel stereo, where do I connect the subwoofer, to the speakers posts on the amp?

Thank you.

[STHLS5]

..

I use Rythmik Audio F12SE with my SHL5. Previously, I tried Boston Acoustics with disastrous results. Did try Velodyn, Sunfire, and Rel T3 but Ryhtmik is value for money and no other subwoofer give you as much control like the Ryhtmik. Never tried passive subwoofers except for the Rockford Punch subwoofer that I use in my car.

I connect them directly from the Preamplifier unbalanced output. If you preamplifier does not have two pairs of output then you can use a Y cable. You can also connect after your Amplifier using the speakers wires. Rel and Rythmik’s manuals explain in detail of the different connecting methods.

Please be forewarned that the use of Subwoofers may muddy your sound and it is almost impossible to say that you can improve the original sound of SHL5 with the addition of a Subwoofer. I have done room measurement using REW and XTZ Room Analyzers but it seems in reality these measurements do not really work in small rooms correctly.

The best results that I achieved was by tuning the Subwoofer phase, volume and crossover point using my ears after getting the general setting based on calculations as given by the Subwoofer designer and the Room Analyzers software. For reasons unknown, the best phase setting I use now is about 150 degrees. The calculated value supposed to be about 40 degrees. My hearing maybe malfunctioning.

Now, how much did the sound improve with the addition of a Subwoofer? Initially, it was fun. It shook every part of my room but when the euphoria died down and when I strive to get the most accurate representation of the recorded sound I realize my subwoofer is practically doing nothing. Only on rare occasions I do hear the subwoofer working for some electronically induced deep bass. Other than that, it is just a piece of ornament in my music room.

However, all is not lost because I do push the volume of the subwoofer when some bass crazed visitors drop by. For some the constant bass beats seemed to bring them some enjoyment. I too enjoy that after downing half a gallon of beer.

ST

[Paul Moraw]

Hello Zindra,

I use a MJ Acoustics ref150mk2 subwoofer with my m30's with very good results, I also had used JLaudio f110 with mixed results. If I had to back to life without a sub it would be difficult. I find that subs mate pretty well with m30's if crossover on the sub is set pretty low, usually less than 50hz. I have my sub connected to the speaker terminals on my LFD amp, works really well. For rock, electronic, movies I just turn the volume of the subwoofer up a bit to get that bit more OOMPH in the lowest frequencies, when listening to acoustic, piano, vocal etc I turn the subwoofer right down to the point where it only act as a "support" for the lowest frequencies where the m30's dont reach.
I have to agree with STHS5 regarding mating a subwoofer with the SHL5's, the bass is so good on those speakers one never really feel like a sub is needed at all.
I always felt like the sub took some magic away from the SHL5, but I find that a good sub can have the opposite effect with the m30's making them sound amazing.

[hifi_dave]

I'm probably alone in believing that sub-woofers rarely, if ever, improve the sound. Unless you pay a huge amount for a really good sub-woof, they sound fat and sluggish, adding nothing except waffle to music. Fine for films etc but they rarely keep up with the music and you really do need two, which come in at very low frequencies, to avoid image shift. IMO

As for using a sub-woof to the SHL5 - I really can't understand this as these speakers have more than ample bass for music. After all, many sub-woofs only have an 8 inch driver when a pair of SHL5 have two.

[Pluto]

I'm probably alone in believing that sub-woofers rarely, if ever, improve the sound

Possibly not...most folks I know who have added sub-woofs to an otherwise "normal" 2 channel array tune them too high in frequency & too loud!

It's easy to forget that the ".1" is a low frequency effects track and a sub-woof really ought not respond to other signals. Most commercially released music does not contain sufficient loud, low bass to require a sub-woof and those people who insist on using one are, almost by definition, crossing over to them at too high a frequency because most records do not have content of the kind that ought to require one!

A wise old owl of my acquaintance who listens to a lot of BBC Radio 3 (classical, acoustic, drama, jazz) and has a sub, reckons that the sub produces useful output about once a week.