Hello M30.1 and M30.2XD owners, I know you are going to be upset with what I said, however, I implore you to look at the X-overs in your speakers and compare them to the 40th AE speakers…the current line of M30 XD boards are almost indistinguishable from the 7ES-3XD - therefore comparing an XD to my 30th Anniversary is not a leap. My review is my preference and I prefer the additional bass extension to the somewhat warmer, enriched mid-range of the M30’s. I thank you for your enthusiasm and passion!

Came back to this video again. The crossover PCB is from 2007 and is a layout intended to support many designs. The crossover for 7XD has changed slightly from previous generation - one film capacitor is removed on the low pass. The coils are cheaper than M30, but they are still ferrite core if you look carefully. There are many ways to upgrade Harbeths - remove the PCB and point-to-point wire the crossover. Improve film caps and resistors, internal wire, coils, solder the transducers directly, remove sound-destroying washers and 0 Ohm resistors, etc. The sound can change a lot, so it's up to you to find what you like. For maybe $1500 you can compete with >$10k speakers.

I recall an interview with Alan Shaw, where he discussed testing his speakers and he had the x-over laid out in front of him where he could change parts at will. In this interview, he mentions that the part he deems best isn't always the most expensive, rather sometimes it may be the cheapest (or cheap) part that is the best match. We can't always assume performance based on the price tag of some parts.

Great video. I could see you delivering a good sermon on Sunday.

I’m never going to sell my C7ES3 from 2008. I love them and listen to them everyday

Great adventure. Love the history and how you always find something interesting.

Here’s my impression owning the 30.2 XD and listening to the c7 xd in some showrooms: The 30.2 is more detailed and resolving imo. The c7 was more fun and got along well with more music and gear. The extra bass in the c7 is very pleasing, but it doesn’t feel quite as fast or textured as the 30. I added a single rel t5x to my 30.2s and that gave me all the bass I wanted in my room. I agree with you the hl5 is the best of both worlds, but you need a room size that not everyone can accommodate. What I love about the 30.2 is that they work really well mid-field. I can pull them away from the walls and get them fairly close to the listening position and they sound really great that way. PS: if you need some ton-trager style wood stands for your new c7’s, I have a friend very close to you that can make you some!

Great review as usual , Im an expat , and Im moving all the time , and because of that I had to left my "expensive" audio system at home, so I want to set a new system ,and you gave me a lot of good ideas on how to start to build it from zero , thank you very much ...

I have compared the HL Compact 7ES2 and the old Super HL5 side by side extensively. My listening room is well treated with acoustic panels and diffusers at the back that can go down to 280hz. It is a big room 8 Meters by 5 Meters with a 3 Meter ceiling. Both speakers have the characteristic midrange of the Harbeth speaker. Both speakers are voiced differently. The Compact 7s are forward sounding speakers whilst the HL5s are backward sounding speakers with a really great bass which is really deep. You can hear a lot of nuances on the compact 7s than on the Shl5. I really loved the Compact 7s unfortunately I had to let it go. The only reason I kept the SHL5 was its personal attachment to me, but if I dont have a harbeth speakers yet, I will definitely get those Compact 7s in a flash with a subs and to me it will sound perfect

I owned a pair of harbeth M30.1 about 3 years ago and the were really really good. I had and still have prima luna pre amp and mono blocks. i traded the harbeth to get a vpi prime turntable. i truly did not realize how much i liked the m30's until they were gone. i will probably move on to a pair of Graham Audio LS8/1 which are very similar to harbeth hl5. both derive from the BBC LS3/6

BTW, the first version of the C7 (which I still own and use in my bedroom/tv system) is actually a touched recessed in the presence region but a tad edgy on top (which I like). When the Absolute Sound reviewed the ES3 version (available on line) they did the comparison between the two versions.

I agree with you on Chris Isaac. And Gurf Morlix Last Exit to Happyland is on my list. The Harbeth at $5k is priced out of consideration compared to other options for less money.

Good detailed review. You can get massive improvements on the C7 by modifying the crossover and internal cabling. Harbeth works hard to make people believe otherwise, even deleting posts on their message board and Alan Shaw denying components "make a difference' (despite that SHL5+ contain caps labeled "Harbeth Audio Grade"). Its very subjective tweaking, but you can dial these loudspeakers to your taste.

Thanks for your experiences. I listen to ES2’s since 2006, and agree that they sound good with a cheaper amp but they can grow in performance with better front end gear, I use Naim amp and separate dac and different powersupplies, and before that I had a Anthem mrx710 receiver. Today pricing Harbeth speakers is debatable, but it’s a fact. I have also P3 ‘s, sound somewhat smaller, needs a powerfull amp and is more demanding quality gear.

Love your honest in deoth reivews and opinions! Great job!

A few years ago (2018) I went into a showroom together with my then girlfriend to try the pair of Elac Debut B6 (€169) speakers with a Rega Brio amplifier. We picked that one because it was one of the few narrow amps that were reviewed well. The Elacs sounded horrible with that amp. So the owner started talking to us and suggested we try a couple different things. My GF was a musician so he suggested we listen to the C7ES-3's. Wow, that was an amazing difference. Then he suggested we try a more powerful amp, a Rega Elex-R. Even better! I think we tried an even more powerful amp in the form of the Rega Elicit but didn't hear much of a difference. So I got curious about the one size up and tried the Harbeth SHL5+. Better highs and deeper lows. Tempting but too rich for our blood at the time. We ended up leaving with the Rega Elex-R and a wish for the C7ES-3. Picked up a pair of vintage British speakers for €200 and called it a day. About a year later I found them second-hand for half price (€1750 at that time), drove to the other side of the country to pick them up and we enjoyed them a lot until we broke up and she got the entire audio setup. She called dibs even when we were still happily together so fair is fair. In hindsight I'm sure it could have sounded even better with better quality music and not the MP3s we fed it through a €35 DAC but you live and learn. Nowadays I have both better inputs in the form of a better DAC and hi-res FLAC and DSD files but I'm still yearning to get my hands on these speakers again at some point. Even though they have shot up in price because of Brexit. Those €3500 don't sound too bad in hindsight.

Great review, thanks. You clearly love your music and know how to listen to it. I agree with your very detailed and thoughtful analyses. I had a pair of M30.1 when they came onto the market. I never really got on with them because they seemed to me to be less open and not breathing as easily as my previous C7s and SHL5s. I later concluded that this had likely been due to my inadequate power amp. They need something with a lot of bottom-end grip and control. I have also heard that the later C7s have been progressively voiced to appeal more to the younger/more modern listener, as a way of attracting more new Harbeth users. I have subscribed, and look forward to reading more from you.

The speakers I made weigh 70 bls with Jantzen z caps and wax inductors mdf with solid oak and can be hooked up to a cheap avr placed anywhere and sound amazing. I don't understand how these high end companies can make something so cheap and get so much money for them.

Well done! It's always nice to know what kind of music you listen to because there's a UK guy that listens to what I call "Electro-Pop" noise, I mean music and that is meaningless to me.

"Obnoxiously long model name" Ha!, nailed it!. They really need to make the names simpler.

Great review. And encouraging to note they work so well in your room. Would love to see you review the equivalent Spendor Classics. I have the 3/1s, which are superb, although perhaps the 2/3 would be the direct comparator to the Harbeth C7. Never heard the Harbeths and would certainly be intrigued to.

TQ for your review. I chose the M30.2 40th Anniversary with a simple sub like the REL T7x. Hehehehe ... but yeah the C7ES3 XD is nice. You gotta try to review the Graham Audio LS6 and LS 8/1. Compare them with the Harbeth.

You must know that when Danny Richie opened the Little HB Ps and declared the XOs as "Cheesy". Hope you will compare the Super HL5 vs the 30s.

Blue Spanish Sky is one of my all time favorite tracks... Rumor is, Chet Baker did the trumpet solo. I like to think it's true. I did see a video where Doc Serverinsen did the solo and it was amazing... I feel like Harbeths fit into a space much like my Totem Hawks. They do acoustic & vocals as good as anything I've heard, but they fall short on rock and bass electronic music.

Interesting, I thought the XD was supposed to denote that shaw was convinced to use better crossover parts. The 7ES3 XD air cores (if they are air cores) should be better than the iron cores in the M30s right?. even if they were smaller. I wouldn't be concerned about the crossover board age, the board design could be unchanged, but if the parts connected to the board are better quality than before (same values I'd imagine) there should be clarity gains right? The compact 7 always seemed like the sweet spot in the harbeth line. It wa always reported the compact 7 was more forgiving than the 30s, which are more monitors than home speakers. I heard another youtuber do a side by side between the compact 7 xd vs a spendor 2/3 and the clarity was real different even over youtube. In my mind the British monitor types that seem like I'd go for was always the compact 7 or the Graham LS6.

Cool.Guess I found the answers here with this video.I was thinking the 30.1 or .2 must be the better choice over the swiss army knife 7''s but now I am not sure.It'ss not like my amp is a slouch I won an Tim De Paravinci EAR 834 50 watt integrated with EL34's (again the Swiss Army knife allusion fits because EL34 push pulls may not give you the bass slam of KT88 or KT120 tubes but are dead on with mid range giving you a lot of what the S.E.T crowd digs but with way more power) and I am jazz vinyl centric but like you I like to kick out the jams so the 7's or saving up longer for the HL5 might be the way to go but then your into some serious bucks allowing for Revel and other floorstaders-did I see you had Monitor Audio?I have often though a good semi vintage speaker would be the Monitor GS300.Lastly Iike your man crush picks and as a secure metra sexual straight I can recommend Kurt Ellings "Yu Don't Know What Love Is",Chet Baker "Moon and Sand" and of course the entire John Coltrane Johnny Hartman LP.Hey maybe Alan Shaw would give his blessing if you had the crossovers upgraded in the 7's?

Glad to see you open the 7es-3's. I was thinking about what Danny would say right before you mentioned it. There is some work to do in that xo with the iron core inductors and sandcast resistors. Im considering these and the ATC SCM19's which I saw Danny open Have you heard them too? Would like to hear your thoughts if you have

Great review. Thanks!

Commenting on the crossover. Yes, the printed board was dated 2007, but the completion of the board was on 2020, there is a label with that date.

Coming from a long ownership of Harbeth models, I cannot believe how much better my current Genelec 8351B is.

How does it compare to the BMR Monitor? Obviously more expensive but how would you describe the sound differences and which do you prefer?

Thanks for this one. I'm looking to make a huge jump, and feeling like these speakers will be with me through the transition from budget audiophile to the next step, even if it takes a little while, makes me feel a lot better. Perhaps some suggestions for integrated amps to aspire to as a pairing could be next. I'm Canadian, so I'm shortlisting Moon 240 and 340's. I would love your take on them if you've had any experience with them. I like bulletproof, so I can't take Marantz' new products of my shortlist either. I like the new award winners, and wonder if you put any stick in them as a solid step up the audiophile ladder. I'm quite happy with my turntable at the moment. I'm sure it could handle a significant cartridge upgrade once the speakers and amp don't bottleneck the value. Anyways, cheers and keep it up.

Bonjour j’ai un sugden a21a les c7 es3 est un bon match dans un petit salon de 25m2 ?

not sure what you mean by showing the crossover? they are completely different crossover types, same bored but why have different xo boreds just have one board for multiple different types of crossovers.

Between M30.2 vs C7ESXD, which one is better?

Are you working at TMR? I think you would be great doing some videos.

Wow ...good shitt

say it ain’t so. You had to copy Darko with those doorstops on top of your small equipment? Noooooo 😂😂😂

How this C7 compare to the Dali Rubicon 2 you had reviewed ?

You do know a square room is not the best environment to test speakers right?

Mr. Allan Shaw's marketing gag is debunked...

I heard P3ESR-XD and SHL5plus XD at AXPONA. They hadn't brought anything else.

Monitors, an aquired taste for certain.

These are speakers you listen to at a friend place and say wow, they sound great! These are not speakers you buy.

A lot of yapping and no sound demo?!?!?!?

no matter how hard i try, i just can't watch this guy

I think it is impossible to explain such a high price for such a poorly made pseudo-vintage product.

What a cheap and low quality filter components. It all looks cheap and carelessly made shoe box design. No wonder i never heard them sound good Cheap stuff like this is all resonances and fake colouration. The asking price for this is bevond ridiculous.

If I'm paying that amount for a speaker they actually have to look nice