New Harbeth announced

At the recent Bristol show, most listeners in the Harbeth room were fast asleep.

Heard the 40.2 Anniversary at Munich today, the usual formula - I struggle to find anything to be engaged by.

I was wide awake and enjoyed what I heard in the Harbeth room at the Bristol show. Maybe others had their eyes closed to concentrate on the music.

It was the snoring that gave it away....

I switch off when marketing babble states "exquisite iridescent" 

The M30 / M30.1 is my least favourite speaker in the Harbeth line. I like the size and form but could not warm up to the sound of it. Listened to the M30.1 and it did not sound radically different from its predecessor.

I would be interested on this new M30.2 but would not put high hopes on it. The house sound of the Monitor range is usually the small studio controlled type of sound. It does not sound as open or airy as the domestic models ie. C7ES3 and SHL5+.

What is the consensus on the 40.1.  We have heard good things, but I have never seen them in our shops.

listener72 posted:

What is the consensus on the 40.1.  We have heard good things, but I have never seen them in our shops.

They are superb, almost universally well regarded, but like any speaker they don't please everyone. Looking at your profile you probably don't need a new speaker anyway. Nice setup.

I love both the C7 and the SHL5+

I am slightly surprised by this 'new' speaker, because it features exactly what Alan Shaw, in an older post on his forum, declared it was the marginal addendum he only used for audio 'fanatics' or Far East export, like special internal cabling etc.

I think he hasn't a new speaker and it's no surprise since his range already covers the needs of any typical BBC lover. BTW, I've heard the 40.1s in a 16 square mt. at my dealer's, with a 282-SC-250.2 (my former ones, freshly serviced and still unsold) and they sounded very good with no trace of the huge dark lower range that's always present. In that room, with that setup, they were excellent. And to close my contribution, the time I've heard the 30.1 sound best was with a rega Saturn R and a Brio3.

Max_B posted:

I am slightly surprised by this 'new' speaker, because it features exactly what Alan Shaw, in an older post on his forum, declared it was the marginal addendum he only used for audio 'fanatics' or Far East export, like special internal cabling etc.

Quite. Unfortunately some can't take an already well engineered speaker seriously unless it ticks the usual audiophile 'must have' boxes. I rather like the no nonsense Harbeth approach which is quite refreshing in the audio world these days.

Still if fitting WBT connectors allow them to sell a few more then that can only be good for the company....

Yes, I suppose you're right.

New speaker on static display only - still a prototype. Will post some pictures later.

Nice, theese boxes are much better looking than LS5/9's and I guess they should have that midrange right, just like other Harbeth's I have heard.