This article surprises even myself. As a long-time student of LS3/5A and its derivatives, be it Harbeth or Spendor, seldom have I been distracted, as almost all newfangled attempts to "update" the BBC legend failed to match the accomplishments of the predecessors. BUT, this time it is different.
Many years ago, I have heard the original P3 (Stereophile), and maybe its immediate successor P3ES, several times. While reasonably good sounding, to me the LS3/5A is still better. I have also heard the Spendor SA1 and the earlier generations of S3/5, which bothered me by their leanness in the bass. So all of these were off my radar until recently, when one of Andy's friends was selling among our circle this pair of P3-ESR SE. The SE differs only in special OFC wiring; it is likely that it is not that different from the regular version. The price was irresistible, so I took a chance.
The P3ESR (and SE) have received so many accolades that I need not provide extensive background and links. One may want to start with Stereophile, which has detailed reference back to the older models. For a dissent, read darko.
Rather than a detailed review, I see this article as a testamentary. The many reviews were largely by reviewers that I am indifferent to, but in this case their descriptions and conclusions are accurate: this is a pair of excellent small speakers. As I am intimately familiar with the LS3/5A, and as in my streaming system I had just come off months of listening to LS3/5A, I shall make a few comments regarding the differences.
vs LS3/5A With a slightly larger footprint (deeper by about 1 cm), the P3ESR (SE) is more composed than the LS3/5A. It can play a little louder without straining. Contrary to many of the reviewers. I streamed quite a bit of classical music, some large scaled (like Bruckner). Not very loudly of course, but loud enough, and the Harbeth acquitted itself pretty well, with good composure, a deep soundstage (even deeper than the LS3/5A I think, and that is quite a feat) and hall sound. This is partly attributable to the more refined and airier treble (the LS3/5A has a tendency to become a little grainy when pushed). The Harbeth also resolves more low-level details. The playing of the backing musicians on the CDs shown in the pic, though still woven into the whole fabric, are more audible and that gives pleasure. Unlike some reviewers. I regard the LS3/5A as a very neutral transducer, and here I don't feel the Harbeth is any more neutral. In fact, its somewhat smooth and warm nature is arguably more colored. Although bass is better than LS3/5A in timing and texture, the latter has more fullness and sometimes impact due to the midbass hump (which I regard as a good thing).
Now we come to what I regard as a crucial difference: the LS3/5A, no matter how one partners it, is a little slow in transient speed, but the Harbeth is not. In Hong Kong, I spent a lot of time trying various small loudspeakers for my Kondo Ongaku. The LS3/5A was the top choice for a long time (here). What I didn't mention was that sometimes I had wished for a little faster transient. Later, I switched to solid state with my 47 Labs 4737 (also called Lens Alnico or Lens II) because of its fast and exciting sound (here and here). I mentioned these to put in perspective the darko review I cited earlier. Now, I very much admire the way Darko writes, very articulate and clever, though much of what he reviews are peripheral to me. Some of his reviews are quite brief but the one on the Harbeth is longer. I am not sure of the quality of his ancillary equipment, but what I find truly unsatisfactory in this case is his comparing apples and oranges. If this were an amplifier review, then comparing its performance with different types of speakers would make sense, but it is not that meaningful to compare one speaker with another of a very different nature. Though mine is alnico, his 47 Labs Lens is similar to mine and I know it well. I can very much understand what he is talking about. Everyone has his own preference but I'd like to stress 2 points: 1) the PSESR is definitely not slow in transient; 2) I am not sure how Darko listens to the Lens, but for me, for the material I listen to, it needs a subwoofer whereas the Harbeth doesn't necessarily need to. However, although I didn't try, I am sure it would also benefit from one (as does the LS3/5A).
It would be more meaningful to compare the Harbeth with other similarly sized UK loudspeakers with (or without) BBC "heritage". I think the P3ESR is substantially improved from its previous iterations. I prefer the P3ESR to the leaner and more neutral Spendor's mentioned at the top. I shall also include Proac here. Although not BBC derived, many old Proac models are legendary, and in my opinion better than their current offerings. The old Tablettes lacked bass and can be dismissed (though 2-way, due to their small but fast woofer and narrow baffle, they actually sound not unlike the 47 Labs Lens; similarly they are not tube-friendly). My favorite is the original Response 1, one of the best small loudspeakers I have ever heard (takes more power to drive) and, yes, better than the P3ESR, though it is a different animal with only audio in mind and no allegiance to anything BBC.
That leaves the LS3/5A. Is the P3ESR just a worthy successor or has it surpassed the BBC legend? I personally think the comparison is meaningless. The Harbeth can more than stand on its own as a good design. The "heritage" is likely both a blessing as well as a burden. Due to material difference, no "update" will sound like the original. As a matter of fact, I think the Harbeth sounds less like the LS3/5A than the many clones of LS3/5A now available (UK or Chinese) but also have less of their flaws. The important thing is, like the LS3/5A, the Harbeth is reasonably neutral, musical and engaging. As a classical orchestral listener, I shall favor the Harbeth, but I'd swap in my LS3/5A from time to time to enjoy some smoky blues or ballads.
Matching The Harbeth is really easy to drive. I mostly use it with the Akitika GT-102, but it is friendly to low powered tube amps. It delivered reasonably good performances with the AES SE-1 300B amp (8 wpc) and the Almarro A205A EL84 SE amp (maybe 5 wpc). But best was the Almarro A318 (around 20 wpc; article to come). It is for sure easier to drive than the LS3/5A.
A benign impedance, an always musical sound - what's not to like?
Many years ago, I have heard the original P3 (Stereophile), and maybe its immediate successor P3ES, several times. While reasonably good sounding, to me the LS3/5A is still better. I have also heard the Spendor SA1 and the earlier generations of S3/5, which bothered me by their leanness in the bass. So all of these were off my radar until recently, when one of Andy's friends was selling among our circle this pair of P3-ESR SE. The SE differs only in special OFC wiring; it is likely that it is not that different from the regular version. The price was irresistible, so I took a chance.
The P3ESR (and SE) have received so many accolades that I need not provide extensive background and links. One may want to start with Stereophile, which has detailed reference back to the older models. For a dissent, read darko.
Rather than a detailed review, I see this article as a testamentary. The many reviews were largely by reviewers that I am indifferent to, but in this case their descriptions and conclusions are accurate: this is a pair of excellent small speakers. As I am intimately familiar with the LS3/5A, and as in my streaming system I had just come off months of listening to LS3/5A, I shall make a few comments regarding the differences.
vs LS3/5A With a slightly larger footprint (deeper by about 1 cm), the P3ESR (SE) is more composed than the LS3/5A. It can play a little louder without straining. Contrary to many of the reviewers. I streamed quite a bit of classical music, some large scaled (like Bruckner). Not very loudly of course, but loud enough, and the Harbeth acquitted itself pretty well, with good composure, a deep soundstage (even deeper than the LS3/5A I think, and that is quite a feat) and hall sound. This is partly attributable to the more refined and airier treble (the LS3/5A has a tendency to become a little grainy when pushed). The Harbeth also resolves more low-level details. The playing of the backing musicians on the CDs shown in the pic, though still woven into the whole fabric, are more audible and that gives pleasure. Unlike some reviewers. I regard the LS3/5A as a very neutral transducer, and here I don't feel the Harbeth is any more neutral. In fact, its somewhat smooth and warm nature is arguably more colored. Although bass is better than LS3/5A in timing and texture, the latter has more fullness and sometimes impact due to the midbass hump (which I regard as a good thing).
Now we come to what I regard as a crucial difference: the LS3/5A, no matter how one partners it, is a little slow in transient speed, but the Harbeth is not. In Hong Kong, I spent a lot of time trying various small loudspeakers for my Kondo Ongaku. The LS3/5A was the top choice for a long time (here). What I didn't mention was that sometimes I had wished for a little faster transient. Later, I switched to solid state with my 47 Labs 4737 (also called Lens Alnico or Lens II) because of its fast and exciting sound (here and here). I mentioned these to put in perspective the darko review I cited earlier. Now, I very much admire the way Darko writes, very articulate and clever, though much of what he reviews are peripheral to me. Some of his reviews are quite brief but the one on the Harbeth is longer. I am not sure of the quality of his ancillary equipment, but what I find truly unsatisfactory in this case is his comparing apples and oranges. If this were an amplifier review, then comparing its performance with different types of speakers would make sense, but it is not that meaningful to compare one speaker with another of a very different nature. Though mine is alnico, his 47 Labs Lens is similar to mine and I know it well. I can very much understand what he is talking about. Everyone has his own preference but I'd like to stress 2 points: 1) the PSESR is definitely not slow in transient; 2) I am not sure how Darko listens to the Lens, but for me, for the material I listen to, it needs a subwoofer whereas the Harbeth doesn't necessarily need to. However, although I didn't try, I am sure it would also benefit from one (as does the LS3/5A).
It would be more meaningful to compare the Harbeth with other similarly sized UK loudspeakers with (or without) BBC "heritage". I think the P3ESR is substantially improved from its previous iterations. I prefer the P3ESR to the leaner and more neutral Spendor's mentioned at the top. I shall also include Proac here. Although not BBC derived, many old Proac models are legendary, and in my opinion better than their current offerings. The old Tablettes lacked bass and can be dismissed (though 2-way, due to their small but fast woofer and narrow baffle, they actually sound not unlike the 47 Labs Lens; similarly they are not tube-friendly). My favorite is the original Response 1, one of the best small loudspeakers I have ever heard (takes more power to drive) and, yes, better than the P3ESR, though it is a different animal with only audio in mind and no allegiance to anything BBC.
That leaves the LS3/5A. Is the P3ESR just a worthy successor or has it surpassed the BBC legend? I personally think the comparison is meaningless. The Harbeth can more than stand on its own as a good design. The "heritage" is likely both a blessing as well as a burden. Due to material difference, no "update" will sound like the original. As a matter of fact, I think the Harbeth sounds less like the LS3/5A than the many clones of LS3/5A now available (UK or Chinese) but also have less of their flaws. The important thing is, like the LS3/5A, the Harbeth is reasonably neutral, musical and engaging. As a classical orchestral listener, I shall favor the Harbeth, but I'd swap in my LS3/5A from time to time to enjoy some smoky blues or ballads.
Matching The Harbeth is really easy to drive. I mostly use it with the Akitika GT-102, but it is friendly to low powered tube amps. It delivered reasonably good performances with the AES SE-1 300B amp (8 wpc) and the Almarro A205A EL84 SE amp (maybe 5 wpc). But best was the Almarro A318 (around 20 wpc; article to come). It is for sure easier to drive than the LS3/5A.
A benign impedance, an always musical sound - what's not to like?
Posts
Harbeth did a minor refresh to their product line earlier this year, it seems now the 40th anniversary models have become standard under the XD name.
ReplyDeleteSimply too expensive! $4000 plus tax for the latest p3esr here. I would rather my small Vanatoos.
Yes, 4k is ridiculous. If not for the price I paid, a fraction, I'd not have considered it. It'd be much better value to buy a pair of LS3/5A, which will surely keep its value better than any iteration of P3. I can easily listen to either.
DeleteCan't afford the Harbeths but can certainly afford the SoundTech MC15
DeleteDarko listens 90% electronic music,not the best to test the little Harbeths
ReplyDelete