The “H” word (Edit: Harbeth!)

[mhardy6647]

And here I thought you were going to say Heresys...

and I thought he was gonna say horns.

As it is -- in full disclosure -- I am jealous.
I would love to have a pair of Harbeths, but the cost of entry for a pair of the three-ways is likely to elude me for the rest of my days, and I probably don't have other components appropriate or worthy for them.

congratulations to the OP!

 

[Ernie]

FWIW, I have a pair of Tangent RS-4s, which subscribe to the same 'live cabinet' school of thought. The factory stands came with small spikes, actually more like bradpoints, one in each corner of the upper platform. The cabinet sits atop the four points, without touching the wooden platform, above which the points protrude. The stands are made of wood, and rather light, but they outperform, by a long stretch, the metal stands I tried. These Tangents are the only speakers that ever sounded good on these stands. I guess the cabinets and these factory stands make up a 'system', if you will.

Something to consider, if you are trying to keep the cabinet panels active.

 

[mhardy6647]

Congratulations. I don't know who remembers, or not, anything about my speaker journey but it stops happily at my Harbeth SHL-5s. The only thing I'm interested in is the other Harbeths. Ok, maybe Devores but that's for another system. And my Quad 63s, Which, actually, sound a lot like my Harbeths.

For those not familiar with the BBC/Spendor/Harbeth school of thin-walled speakers, the idea is absolutely clarity through the midrange by the fastest and most controlled dissipation of stored resonate energy. It's counter to what most everybody else does, which is to conquer cabinet resonance with mass and rigidity. Which, in the mind of the thin-walled school, just stores it and mucks things up. If you're not going to capture and kill it, then just get it out of there in a way you can control, in a way that isn't musically destructive. I may have messed up the details but it's all solved by a listen. They are simply some of the most musically intact, harmonically rich, speakers around regardless of cost.

I'm debating on whether to splurge on a used pair of Monitor 30s for my 2nd system, or maybe just P3esrs. I previously had the Compact 7es3s. In my all-vintage system, I have the grandfather of them all, a mint pair of Spendor BC-1s, from which my beloved SHL-5s eventually trickled down from. I love them all.

Again, congratulations on those lovely speakers. I'll poke around to see what stand options I can unearth as I'm always curious myself.

(emphasis added)

I wonder if the TL loaded MR drivers on, e.g., the IMF SuperCompact IIs was an attempt to do something similar, but in a different way. I thought (FWIW) that the MR of the SuperCompact II sounded veddy, veddy British... id est, veddy, veddy good.

PS AFAIK your description of the LS3/5A (etc.) thin cabinet ethos is pretty darned accurate.

 

[airdronian]

I know this brand isn't being considered, but here's my experience so far. Haven't needed speaker stands since the 80's, and getting Harbeths means committing to some form of stand.

The Skylans I just bought for my C7's have that kinda large look to them, but the speakers do not sit flat on the top plate. The top plate is sized for the C7, and there are four small half sphere "dots" that suspend the speaker off the plate.

I tried the optional Q-Bricks but felt there was too much mid-bass suckout for my room with them. They are said to couple the speaker to the frame work and to the floor. For my purposes those might come in handy if the speakers were overloading a room with bass. I'll probably try them again sometime though.

Noel loaded the posts for me before I picked them up. They weren't filled with kitty litter, sand, nor lead shot. They were partially filled with <insert drum roll please>.......... rice. It would add mass, but not to the same extent as the other materials, AFAIK. I trusted Noel with this, he's a Harbeth owner as well and has been doing this for decades.

Anyway this is just a data point. I can totally understand wanting to go with a different design. Obligatory pic below.

 

[DC]

Now I seem to hate the Skylan stands a lot less in your photo.

The Skylans I just bought for my C7's have that kinda large look to them, but the speakers do not sit flat on the top plate. The top plate is sized for the C7, and there are four small half sphere "dots" that suspend the speaker off the plate.

And this makes sense in my head.

 

[JohnVF]

Rice was my original choice for my Target stands. In fact, I bought like 10 bags of it before deciding on kitty litter. Which led to me having to explain to my wife why there was nothing in the pantry except 10 bags of rice when she got back from Chicago. Which led to eye rolls.

 

[Wntrmute2]

SoundSmith has cool adjustable wood stands.
https://www.sound-smith.com/speaker-stands/versa-speaker-stands

 

[mhardy6647]

Rice was my original choice for my Target stands. In fact, I bought like 10 bags of it before deciding on kitty litter. Which led to me having to explain to my wife why there was nothing in the pantry except 10 bags of rice when she got back from Chicago. Which led to eye rolls.

"Sounds like a recipe for beriberi if ever I hoid one."

 

[prime minister]

SoundSmith has cool adjustable wood stands.
https://www.sound-smith.com/speaker-stands/versa-speaker-stands
View attachment 7810

Those are lovely.

 

[DC]

So I know you’re all thinking it, but nobody is asking it, so I’ll take the lead: Did you compare the sonic properties between brown rice and white rice? Did you rinse it in a big wok full of stylus cleaner, first? Was it imported through Sumiko?

Sorry...

 

[MikeyFresh]

So I know you’re all thinking it, but nobody is asking it, so I’ll take the lead: Did you compare the sonic properties between brown rice and white rice? Did you rinse it in a big wok full of stylus cleaner, first? Was it imported through Sumiko?

Sorry...

I just assumed it was Sumiko imported brown rice, rinsed in de-ionized water.

 

[airdronian]

So I know you’re all thinking it, but nobody is asking it, so I’ll take the lead: Did you compare the sonic properties between brown rice and white rice? Did you rinse it in a big wok full of stylus cleaner, first? Was it imported through Sumiko?

Sorry...

Heh. I don't ask questions. Could be contraband rice.

 

[DC]

I just assumed it was Sumiko imported brown rice, rinsed in de-ionized water.

Aah, good to know! I’m not audiophile-enough to have made such an assumption, so I had to ask.

Ok, back on topic!

 

[DC]

Heh. I don't ask questions. Could be contraband rice.

I need to find some contraband stands...

 

[David]

But is the rice Japanese Koshihikari??

 

[TubeHiFiNut]

FWIW, I have a pair of Tangent RS-4s, which subscribe to the same 'live cabinet' school of thought. The factory stands came with small spikes, actually more like bradpoints, one in each corner of the upper platform. The cabinet sits atop the four points, without touching the wooden platform, above which the points protrude. The stands are made of wood, and rather light, but they outperform, by a long stretch, the metal stands I tried. These Tangents are the only speakers that ever sounded good on these stands. I guess the cabinets and these factory stands make up a 'system', if you will.

Something to consider, if you are trying to keep the cabinet panels active.

Tangent made some awesome sounding speakers.

The RS-2 always pleases the ear.

 

[DC]

FWIW, I have a pair of Tangent RS-4s, which subscribe to the same 'live cabinet' school of thought. The factory stands came with small spikes, actually more like bradpoints, one in each corner of the upper platform. The cabinet sits atop the four points, without touching the wooden platform, above which the points protrude. The stands are made of wood, and rather light, but they outperform, by a long stretch, the metal stands I tried. These Tangents are the only speakers that ever sounded good on these stands. I guess the cabinets and these factory stands make up a 'system', if you will.

Something to consider, if you are trying to keep the cabinet panels active.

This is what I have in my head. Now to stretch the wallet (even more...).

 

[Audionut]

You can always have a local custom woodwork shop build you an exact copy of the expensive 1k+ option at half the price?

On a somewhat related matter; have you owned 44** series jbl speakers and if so how do they compare? I ask because that’s what I hold as current numero uno and am considering diping my toe into the Harbeth pool.

 

[SPL db]

and I thought he was gonna say horns.

Well... the Heresys do have horns... just saying!

Would love to be able to hear a pair of Harbeths myself one day.

 

[JohnVF]

There is a UK company called "Something Solid" that makes custom open frame stands for Harbeth speakers. I can't find out much on them, though I've seen their stands in photos. This one is for the Monitor 30. Not the last word in aesthetics but they're probably closest to what the speakers actually want to be sitting on. Also, looks like something a local craftsman could make for you.

When I first got my SHL-5s I made stands similar to this from a pair of old metal frame end tables. They worked out well and I used them for long time.