[Boon[_2_]]

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!