Harbeth P3ESR - Screeching Treble ?

plasticpenguin

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No idea. Having demoed a brand new pair of P3s with the Leema Pulse they sounded sweet straight out of the box. In addition, I experimented with different positions and never experienced anything resembling screeching. IMV even if you have poor room acoustics they certainly wouldn't be any HF nasties.

 
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DougK

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No problem with my end of line P3's. Placement is not ideal but I've never had such a sweet sounding speaker in my lounge... and they are connected with QED XT40 cables!!

Do you have a dB meter, if so, what is the reading at your listening position when this "screeching treble" occurs? I'll give mine a whizz with some Bab's at the same level and report back, (give me the track title as I may have it in my collection).

 
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plasticpenguin

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Every speaker has its limitations, regardless of how good they are. Given the OP had the huge HL5 it could be a case of trying to push the speakers beyond their limits. A 150 watt Tucana and powering tiny boxes like the P3s and pushing them hard is like a heavy weight boxer up against a fly weight.

 

DomT

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I would not recommend using speaker cable to sort it .. it will take a lifetime of trying different cables to get the affect you want.


 
It would take the same amount of time as trying different amplifiers

 

Bokke

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Interesting this part:

When I reviewed the latest iteration of Harbeth's P3 minimonitor, the P3ESR ($2195/pair), for the August issue, I found that this pocket-size speaker punched above its weight. Other than its necessarily limited low frequencies and lack of power handling, the P3ESR was not out of place in an expensive high-end system, particularly for those with a small room. However, I had a problem with the samples sent for review (serial nos. 0472L and R): Toward the end of the review period, I was giving the speaker a workout with some high-level rock when the soundstage lurched to the right and the balance became bright and brassy. At continuous levels below about 7V RMS (equivalent to 8W into the Harbeth's 6 ohm impedance), the responses of both speakers were the same. But at higher sustained levels, serial no.0472R developed a severe peak in its low-treble region. This peak disappeared when I backed off the level.

 
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mattykyuss

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Got my p3,s set up with a Croft integrated.Most of my listen is quite low.So ive gone for clarity.But if i turn the volume up a fair bit,then it all gets shouty .But no screeching.When i swap my Sony ta f670 es amp in,it,s smoother sounding,and i feel i could turn the volume up just as high ,but with less shout.After tring so many amplifiers with the Harbeth.My findings are .Not a speaker to be played to loud,and the close monitor tag in a small room is right.But overall they sound amazing for me.

 

mac72

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as per @uzzy advice L-pads are the best option if high SPL levels to be achieved but it would void warranty .

P3 are typical studio monitors , easy to drive but low efficient ~83-84 dB 1W/1m and not capable of high SPL without overdriving , power handling program 50W  should be the clue .

If your room is too big for them look for different speakers if high SPL levels are required , it's a waste of time trying different cables or wooden boards  under amplifier .

 

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Something is wrong here- the speakers may not like the rest of your kit ( cables included) - or they maybe something wrong with them, as others have said the baby Harbs are very sweet and warm sounding at least they were when l auditioned a pair in my room from hell.

Good luck any road.

 
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Valley Dweller

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This is a worrying thread, especially as, like several other posters, I have a pair of these on order (or have just taken delivery of them).

On the plus side i will never play Striesand through mine.  However I certainly wouldnt be happy if I bought a pair of nearly 2 grand speakers and they made an unlistenable screeching noise.  

I dont question the OPs judgement at all, if he personally finds it unlistenable, thats not a matter of debate. He is not alone according to at least 1 review and the experience of at least 1 other poster. So there appears to ve no question it's a 'Thing '. And to the OP, on top of the growing to do list I'd also be speaking to the dealer.  However to understand the scope of this problem and the degree to which it's widely experienced, it'd be instructive to consider definitions (unlistenable,screeching, loud).  Probably only one of these has an objective measure (loudness), so I echo suggestions for the OP to share loudness at which this is experienced.  I think you can get indicative dB metres on the app store.

Knowing the tip over point in objective terms might not help the OP with the immediate problem (which is it happens when he plays at his preferred volume) but it might help him describe the problem to those who might fix it (dealer, manufacture), and to manage expectations for other interested parties.  Good luck anyway, I hope it can be fixed.  If not, I think I'd want to make steps to return them if they were mine.

 
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Lawrence001

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A few years ago a bloke came round to buy some speakers off me. He said he'd had really bad luck with his purchases in the past and all his pairs had gone faulty. I played him some music and he said they sound great but it's very quiet. He then rammed the volume up to unlistenable levels and shouted that's more like it.

I immediately turned the volume down and politely suggested he go out and buy a PA amp and speakers, or spend a lot more money on much bigger speakers if he likes to listen at that volume.

Just shows that expectations of what speakers can do can vary wildly from one person to another. The room size is also a variable of course. I suspect these speakers are too small and I'd suggest getting a different pair before they get damaged.

Sent from my HRY-LX1 using Tapatalk

 

hifinutt

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This is a worrying thread, especially as, like several other posters, I have a pair of these on order (or have just taken delivery of them).

On the plus side i will never play Striesand through mine.  However I certainly wouldnt be happy if I bought a pair of nearly 2 grand speakers and they made an unlistenable screeching noise.  

I dont question the OPs judgement at all, if he personally finds it unlistenable, thats not a matter of debate. He is not alone according to at least 1 review and the experience of at least 1 other poster. So there appears to ve no question it's a 'Thing '. And to the OP, on top of the growing to do list I'd also be speaking to the dealer.  However to understand the scope of this problem and the degree to which it's widely experienced, it'd be instructive to consider definitions (unlistenable,screeching, loud).  Probably only one of these has an objective measure (loudness), so I echo suggestions for the OP to share loudness at which this is experienced.  I think you can get indicative dB metres on the app store.

Knowing the tip over point in objective terms might not help the OP with the immediate problem (which is it happens when he plays at his preferred volume) but it might help him describe the problem to those who might fix it (dealer, manufacture), and to manage expectations for other interested parties.  Good luck anyway, I hope it can be fixed.  If not, I think I'd want to make steps to return them if they were mine.
was talking with a very enthusiastic gent recently who had the p3esr with a sub and achieved wonderful results 

 

hifinutt

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This is a worrying thread, especially as, like several other posters, I have a pair of these on order (or have just taken delivery of them).

On the plus side i will never play Striesand through mine.  However I certainly wouldnt be happy if I bought a pair of nearly 2 grand speakers and they made an unlistenable screeching noise.  

I dont question the OPs judgement at all, if he personally finds it unlistenable, thats not a matter of debate. He is not alone according to at least 1 review and the experience of at least 1 other poster. So there appears to ve no question it's a 'Thing '. And to the OP, on top of the growing to do list I'd also be speaking to the dealer.  However to understand the scope of this problem and the degree to which it's widely experienced, it'd be instructive to consider definitions (unlistenable,screeching, loud).  Probably only one of these has an objective measure (loudness), so I echo suggestions for the OP to share loudness at which this is experienced.  I think you can get indicative dB metres on the app store.

Knowing the tip over point in objective terms might not help the OP with the immediate problem (which is it happens when he plays at his preferred volume) but it might help him describe the problem to those who might fix it (dealer, manufacture), and to manage expectations for other interested parties.  Good luck anyway, I hope it can be fixed.  If not, I think I'd want to make steps to return them if they were mine.
you will be very happy with the p3esr , not for nothing are there thousands and thousands of pages on these speakers and devotees all over the world . if you get the right amp you will be fine 

 

uzzy

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It would take the same amount of time as trying different amplifiers
He is looking to alter the frequency response - the only way to do it properly is either alter the crossover or use EQ . anyone buying an amp or cables to cure a speaker problem is going in the wrong direction IMO .. but each to their own 

 
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DomT

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He is looking to alter the frequency response - the only way to do it properly is either alter the crossover or use EQ . anyone buying an amp or cables to cure a speaker problem is going in the wrong direction IMO .. but each to their own 
I swapped my cables to solve my P3ESR problem as you may recall. But it’s the internet and everyone has an opinion in the absence of proof. 

 

gizze

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I ran my P3ESR's in my second system, with a few amps from Croft, the Bel Canto s300i to a highly modded Quad 405-2 and the different amps made obvious changes but always sounded good. The room was 10' x 12' and I was sat around 6' away from them. I ran them with a Rel Strata sub. 

I then finished the room I was putting the system in, this room.....

DSC02792.jpeg

They sounded absolutely shocking!! 

They were so bright and hard sounding. 

There is a sub behind the sofa and no matter what amp or cable I tried it sounded terrible. 
I had a pair of Quad S2's boxed up to move on, put them back in there and bliss. They were superb. 

A pair of £50 Celestion Ditton 15XRs sounded better, even some Monitor Audio Bronze 2's that I used for watching TV with sounded better. 

They need a smallish room, and lots of soft materials in there imho, ask them to do just a bit too much and they fall apart. They are small speakers, and work when used as such imho. 

 

mattykyuss

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I ran my P3ESR's in my second system, with a few amps from Croft, the Bel Canto s300i to a highly modded Quad 405-2 and the different amps made obvious changes but always sounded good. The room was 10' x 12' and I was sat around 6' away from them. I ran them with a Rel Strata sub. 

I then finished the room I was putting the system in, this room.....

61r3TxDJzsL._AC_SL1400_.jpg

They sounded absolutely shocking!! 

They were so bright and hard sounding. 

There is a sub behind the sofa and no matter what amp or cable I tried it sounded terrible. 
I had a pair of Quad S2's boxed up to move on, put them back in there and bliss. They were superb. 

A pair of £50 Celestion Ditton 15XRs sounded better, even some Monitor Audio Bronze 2's that I used for watching TV with sounded better. 

They need a smallish room, and lots of soft materials in there imho, ask them to do just a bit too much and they fall apart. They are small speakers, and work when used as such imho. 
That room is much too big for the p3 .Used to have bronze 2 speakers.No way can they even touch the p3,had mine in a much smaller room than yours aswell.Those ma speakers ,sound about right for the price,but nothing better.

 
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mattykyuss

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A few years ago a bloke came round to buy some speakers off me. He said he'd had really bad luck with his purchases in the past and all his pairs had gone faulty. I played him some music and he said they sound great but it's very quiet. He then rammed the volume up to unlistenable levels and shouted that's more like it.

I immediately turned the volume down and politely suggested he go out and buy a PA amp and speakers, or spend a lot more money on much bigger speakers if he likes to listen at that volume.

Just shows that expectations of what speakers can do can vary wildly from one person to another. The room size is also a variable of course. I suspect these speakers are too small and I'd suggest getting a different pair before they get damaged.

Sent from my HRY-LX1 using Tapatalk
 
When i went to buy my Marantz cd player.The guy had a stunning house .He had a marantz streamer ,all in one,and i rember Quad m2 ,or q2 speakers .Bookshelf .They looked realy nice.Said to him ,any good ,oh yes he said.Put fleetwood mac on ,and turned it up real loud .Now this sounded so crap,i found it hard to stay in the room .The guy was smiling ,and clicking his fingers,like he was in hifi heaven.My other half commented .Wow those speakers are crap.No i said .The volume was too much,and they would be lovely on lower .

 
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divedeepdog

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I had a pair,  lasted 2 weeks,  mine made Linn Kan's sound civilised.  So screechy even the misses complained. 

I'm in a small room,  although I've got adequate 90w I don't play loud.

 
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DomT

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That room is much too big for the p3 .Used to have bronze 2 speakers.No way can they even touch the p3,had mine in a much smaller room than yours aswell.Those ma speakers ,sound about right for the price,but nothing better.
That’s reminded me that in my 5.5m x3.5m lounge the P3s struggled a bit. They lost bass and seemed brighter but not unlistenable although clearly we all have different experiences and feelings. In a smaller room they sound full and rich with Luxman DAC and Quad 909

 

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