[Boon[_2_]]

On Apr 21, 7:15�pm, Jenn wrote:
In article
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�Boon wrote:
A couple of days ago I heard a pair of the new Harbeth P3ESR mini-
monitors at a fellow audiophile's house, and I can't stop thinking
about them. These are the latest version of the "shoebox-sized" HL-P3
that's been around for about 20 years now. I have another friend who
bought a pair of the HL-P3ES2s at CES a few years ago, and I always
liked these speakers for what they did well...holographic imaging,
pristine treble and a life-like midrange. But they didn't go very deep
in the bass...in fact, they only went down to about 75 Hz.

These new P3ESRs are the first HL-P3s with the Radial driver (a brand
new 5" version that took four years to develop), and they may be the
best mini-monitor I've ever heard. Mated with a Leben integrated amp
from Japan, these little guys threw up a giant soundstage and sounded
absolutely grain-free and crystal clear. This might also be a close-to-
perfect nearfield monitor since it's as resolving as some of the best
headphones out there. The P3ESRs don't go much deeper in the bass, but
there's something about a huge soundstage that almost makes up for
those bottom octaves.

These are now my favorite mini-monitors by far, replacing the ProAc
Response D 2s (which are $1000 more than the Harbeths). Supposedly
Harbeth is back-ordered on the P3ESRs until October, but I still think
I want a pair real bad. I'm thinking they'll work great with a Naim
NAIT XS, LFD Zero Mk.3 or a Sugden A-21SE...but I wouldn't mind
getting one of those Lebens, either.

Damn these speakers are good!

I like them very much as well, from my experience with them in Portland.

Those ProAcs are still dynamite speakers, and they'll go deeper in the
bass and louder overall than the little Harbeths. Another reason I've
always liked ProAcs is their beautiful and exotic wood veneers. The
original Response 2s were available in some exotic veneers that were
absolutely breathtaking, Whenever a used pair pops up on Audiogon,
however. they're always one of the more ordinary finishes like cherry.
I found a used pair in rosewood at Echo Hi-Fi last year, but they
looked like someone had dropped them from a speeding car. That was a
shame, because they sounded perfectly fine.