Just Drank the Harbeth Kool-Aid
 

Well it didn't last long replacing my primary system after selling everything last year when I down sized my home and moved to Cleveland for retirementto be close to family.
This past week I purchased new Harbeth Super HL5+XD speakers
New Hegel 590 integrated
New Jay's CD player and DAC
Since Acoustic Sounds had the Sound Anchor stands in stock, I ordered them for the HL5's. With the Stillpoints between the speakers and the stands the sound coming out of the HL5's is at a whole new level. They sound much better than I thought they could.
Everything brand new out of the box sounds amazing. I can't wait until everything is broken in.
I had only listened to Harbeth's twice before and to say I am very happy would be an understatement.
Mark me back into 2 channel bliss.

https://www.audioaficionado.org/atta...8&d=1665098861

Congrats on your brand new system! Enjoy it in the best of health. :ok:

Congrats Paul!

Very nice. Just add that vinyl rig and your retirement will be 'audio complete'.

Very nice, welcome back to audio!

No vinyl for me ever again. After destroying 2 very expensive carts I sold everything to do with vinyl. I sold my records so I can never go back. I did prefer the sound of vinyl over CD's and streamed music but I have gotten too klutzy in my old age.

This setup is awesome! Congrats

Still a very nice system.
Enjoy your retirement. Hopefully, like for me, will be the best job you've ever had. :thumbsup::yes:

Woah! Be careful Paul. That’s almost a political position!:D:D

Congrats, Paul.

Listening to my 30.2s as I read this. Mine are on Resonant Woods stands and A/V Roomservice EVPs.

I can tell by those very comfortable looking feet in the photo that you are one VERY happy guy. Enjoy!!
ED

Agreed! :thumbsup:

Just a suggestion: you'll hear increased clarity, focus, and resoluton by elevating the speaker cables off the floor, particularly a carpeted floor.

By way of some context, I was skeptical about this too, until I did an "inadvertent" experiment that showed very clearly the improvement getting the speaker cables off the floor provides. I'll be candid here and say once again, I was very skeptical cable elevators actually made an actual difference, but my experiments clearly showed they do.

Based on those experiments, I ordered the more stable "full-size" DF-SS cable elevators, and use them now in my system.

An inexpensive way to experiment with this is to order the little Shunyata DF-SS minis, and place them along the run of the speaker cables from the rack to the speakers, and if you like what you hear, you could consider the larger size ones if you want.

If you'd like to hear about that "experiment", let me know, and I can share my experience/experiment.

Cheers and enjoy your new 'Beths! :thumbsup::D

I have a bunch of cable lifters that I haven't unpacked yet. I will set them up this weekend. I am still waiting for some new speaker cables also.
Strange story, I also bought back my Shunyata Denali and PC from the person I sold it to last year for a little more than he paid me. I did like that power conditioner and now I have it back.

Cool beans.

Here's an easy and informative experiment to do to discern the effect they have: set the speaker cable elevators up under just one speaker, either the left channel or the right, but not both. Put on a well-mastered reference track that is fairly evenly balanced L/R and listen to the presentation, evaluating the channel with the speaker cables elevated vs. the channel where they are not. You should be able to hear the improvement just by comparing the left and right speakers. Then, do the converse experiment: move cable elevators to the "other side", putting them under the channel that first did not have them, so it now does, and the channel that first had them now does not. You should hear the improvement move to the other channel.

This is, in fact, what I first did "by accident". I had an Omega power cord (PC) in for an evaluation and they come with three DF-SS. When I removed the Omega PC from the back of the rack to return it, I temporarily placed the DF-SS it came with under the R channel speaker cable, and forgot about it for a coupla days. When I came back a few days later and was listening to the system, I was wondering "What the hell?" Why did the R channel have more clarity, focus and resolution than the Left? Then...I noticed that the Right channel speaker cables were on the DF-SS and the left channel were just lying on the floor.

I then did the "control experiment" and moved the DF-SS that were under the R channel speaker cables over to the L channel's cable, and heard the improvement move to the Left channel.

Honestly, before this "accidental experiment", I was very skeptical about cable elevators for speaker cables and considered them "audiophile frou-frou". And I was even more skeptical about the benefits they bring from elevating power cables. And, Man! Was I wrong on that! :doh: :umm:

Now I've got 'em under the speaker cables and the power cables.

Looks nice :thumbsup:

It does, indeed.

Paul, what's the component at lower right? With the aluminum faceplate?

On, another note, I've heard great things about Hegel. I watched a seminar by their lead engineer a couple years ago, and he's very sharp.

What is about the Danes and audio equipment? They are so talented and have made such an impact on this wacky hobby/obsession of ours.

The component in the lower right corner is an Arcam HT amp that I am just storing there for Dolby Atmos speakers in my HT system when I get around to it. It is not connected to anything.

That looks like a very nice system. I prefer listening shoeless. Enjoy.

Ah, cool. I had an Arcam AVR for a while; they made great products.

Perhaps Paul will be using those shoes for sailing on Lake Erie in his retirement when not enjoying his very nice stereo.

I put some cable lifters under my speaker cables and did notice improved sound quality. In my old system I didn't notice as much of a difference but I had hardwood floors instead of carpeting.
No sailing on Lake Erie for me. I got out of sailing after racing twice a week in one design and PHRF on Lake George in NY. Now I don't need to worry about getting crew or purchasing new sails.

https://www.audioaficionado.org/atta...1&d=1665263770

Congrats on the system. Looks like you're very happy with this new setup. Sorry you are not sailing anymore. Point of fact, I'm thinking of getting out of my boat as well. It's a heartbreaking thought though.

My wife said "no more boats" several years ago. Said I would probably hurt myself in my old age and she wasn't going to save my sorry old ass. Can you believe it? :yes: Guess its stereo gear from now on.

Congats Paul! Glad to see you back at it.

Looks very nice and cozy. Congrats on the new system!

Welcome back Paul. A fine system you have assembled. I am curious about cable lifters. I may give them a try.

PMCH, beautiful system. Absolute congrats! This was my Halloween and roller skating which is my new hobby.

https://i.imgur.com/2LMB1uHh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/qgpLRclh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/GxaT7Wbh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Ezx0GQMh.jpg

Charles, you represent a Dr (proctologist?) very well.

Paul,
How is the bass response of your new Harbeths? You have assembled another fine system.

I am not a bass head so the Harbeths's went low enough for me but since my wife loves bass I just purchased a pair of Rel T9/x's which does add some very controlled bass.

Congrats Paul!

The Harbeths are wonderful speakers. I enjoyed mine for many years.

I just replaced the Rel T/9x's with a JL F113 I had in my HT System. I do like that it goes lower but not boomy. I will use the Rel's to underpin the center and rear speakers in my HT system. New Rel 15" and 12" subs coming also so I can have their 3D system.