Planet of Sound is the official Canadian distributor for Harbeth speakers. Harbeth speakers are the epitome of the BBC design philosophy. Vibration dissipating cabinets, flat frequency response and an organic musicality bring you closest to what the engineer heard in the studio. Unlike many "lifestyle" speakers, Harbeth's are purpose-built to sound correct and meet the most rigid standards of accuracy and musicality. They truly are a window on the original sound. Harbeth HL-P3ES-2 Speakers With a development philosophy that is directly descended from the Harbeth BBC LS3/5a, the Harbeth HL-P3ES2 is the ultimate mini-monitor. Critical to the design was to guarantee that the HL-P3ES2 had the same - or better - bass performance than its predecessor which has always been remarkable for a cabinet of shoe box dimensions. This was achieved after extensive computer modeling of the bass performance of both systems and the design has stood the test of time excelling in the cohesion of sound stage, the pin-sharp image positioning and remarkable 'big sound' - all from a really tiny cabinet. The crossover network is a no-expense-spared design to perfectly integrate the sound pressure and phase responses of the bass/mid and tweeter units. Exactly like the Harbeth LS3/5a, the optimal amount of energy is delivered in the bass-midband to convince the ear that the sound is that of a far larger speaker. The necessarily complex LS3/5a and HL-P3ES2 crossover design strategy is covered in Designer's Notebook Chapter 5. Used with the very best electronics, the P3ES2 still sets the world standard for miniature monitors fifteen years after it was introduced. The bass/mid driver is magnetically shielded which allows operation next to conventional or TFT monitors. The Harbeth Monitor 20 offers the same world class performance in a hard wearing texture-paint cabinet with a waterproof, airtight Neutrik Speakon socket and a special version of the Monitor 20 (in rosenut veneer) is available in selected markets. 75Hz - 20kHz ± 3dB. Available in cherry (standard cost), eucalyptus & tiger ebony (extra cost). Price: $1999.00 Harbeth HL Compact 7ES-3 Speakers Once in every generation of audio enthusiasts a loudspeaker captures their imagination and quickly establishes itself as a milestone in the science of hifi reproduction. The Harbeth HL Compact 7 series is the outstanding example of natural sound combined with a flair for reproducing any and every type of music from rock to opera, jazz through folk. Now the HL Compact 7ES-3 brings together detail improvements in the driver, crossover and cabinet that make this new model the finest and most enthralling Compact ever. The Harbeth secret for Natural Sound is the result of the most meticulous attention to detail throughout the entire design. Take just one example - the traditional 'thin-wall BBC-style' cabinet. In true BBC tradition, cost being secondary to performance, both the front and rear panels are removable, held in place by screws not glue and nails so creating the ideal 'lossy joint' structure with low inertia and low energy storage. The cabinet quite literally breathes at the very lowest frequencies, as do the finest wooden instruments. The traditional and elegant Compact 7ES-3's unique cabinet is a critical part of the overall magic that is the Harbeth sound. Feedback from Japan, which has a large installed base of all previous generations of HL Compact, has proved the integrity of this new model. It was decided to present the Compact7 ES-3 there as a 'brush-up' of the proven and much loved designs. However, once the new model reached the market it was immediately apparent that the detail improvements amounted to far more than the sum of the individual parts; t the Compact 7ES-3 was acclaimed as a great stride forward. A new star is born. 46Hz - 20kHz ± 3dB. Available in cherry (standard cost), eucalyptus & tiger ebony (extra cost). Price: $3599.00 Harbeth Super HL5 Speakers The Harbeth Super HL5 is the sixth generation of the acclaimed Harbeth Monitor which launched the Harbeth company in 1977. Retaining the same classic "two cubic foot" proportions as the BBC monitors (actually a little wider), the exclusive Harbeth-made 200mm RADIAL-cone driver produces a big, warm sound that underpins the incredible midband clarity. For the higher frequencies, the 20mm main tweeter is augmented by a SuperTweeter, via a full crossover circuit so that the combination results in an extended, smooth and even dispersion right to the upper edge of the audio band. The 60 litre (external) cabinet is, of course, built in the tradition of 'thin-wall' panels that have characterised Harbeth monitors, and both the front and rear panels are attached using 12 brass screws in the traditional way. The crossover comprises 27 components soldered to a high quality glass fibre PCB, and the rear panel features a pair of biwiring terminals. The bass/midrange unit is connected via the crossover to the lower pair and the main tweeter and supertweeter are connected, via their individual crossover components, to the upper pair. Supported by a pair of good quality stands, the SuperHL5 is capable of fantastic performance: breathtaking transparency - a huge sound stage and a total sense of being immersed in the performance. 40Hz - 24kHz ± 3dB. Available in cherry (standard cost), eucalyptus & tiger ebony (extra cost). Price: $5299.00 Harbeth Monitor 30 Speakers Crafted around Harbeth's RADIAL technology, the Monitor 30 achieves effortless clarity throughout the midrange, with extended bass and at higher levels than the Monitor 20 - but with the same family balance and shares a strong family sonic association with the flagship Monitor 40. Developed initially as a drop-in replacement for the LS5/9, the convenient proportions and well rounded sound soon took the Monitor 30 into domestic use, where it has achieved considerable status as an excellent 'all-rounder'. The cabinet is about 15% smaller than that of the Compact 7ES2 - enough so that it can disappear into a domestic listening room when mounted on well designed stands. 50Hz - 20kHz ± 3dB. Available in cherry (standard cost), eucalyptus & tiger ebony (extra cost). Price: $4999.00 Harbeth Monitor 40 Speakers Every speaker line has a no-compromise flagship, and in the Harbeth family this is the highly respected Monitor 40. The inspiration of the design can be traced right back to the 1960's and the LS5/5, the ground breaking world's first plastic-coned three way monitor. Although originally developed for professional use in BBC control rooms - where many pairs are in use - the Monitor 40 has been taken-up as a domestic reference system, and where space permits brings the ultimate in natural sound to the serious home listener. Whilst the professional version is finished in hard wearing textured paint (and fitted with a Speakon connector) this domestic version is crafted in real wood cherry or eucalyptus veneer and is fitted with tri-wirng binding post terminals for maximum flexibility. To get the best possible performance in a domestic room the Monitor 40 should be used on a tall stand and the room should be well furnished and acoustically damped - just like a traditional BBC control room. It's not easy to ascribe a sonic characteristic to the Monitor 40: nor should it have one. Perhaps the concept "three dimensional curtain of sound" says it all. And that is surely what a great monitor is all about. 38Hz - 20kHz ± 3dB. -6dB at 32Hz. Available in cherry (standard cost), eucalyptus & tiger ebony (extra cost). Price: $12499.00 Please ask about other products and accessories. Prices in Canadian Dollars.