Am I an Unreasonable Man?

[henchard]

Ok just looking for some feedback. Please bear with me.

Very happy with my current set up. Innuos Zen mk2 server, M-DAC+, Quad 909 and Quad ESL63 pro speakers. I listen mostly to acoustic music and some rock. However, entering the last quarter of my life (approximately/who knows) I'm just wondering if there are some other speakers out their which are equally as transparent but with some more bass etc. that I could live with.

Enter the thought of listening to some Harbeth's including the very expensive 40.2's

Bearing in mind that the retail price of these is in excess of some cars it's not unreasonable that I should ideally like to test drive these or at least listen to them.

Being based in south west Wales it is a long way to any of their dealers; in most cases a very long day's travel or more likely a 2 day trip at a cost of several hundred pounds.

Before going away travelling a few weeks ago I contacted two of the nearer dealers to express my interest. One showed some interest the other didn't have any 40.2 speakers. I told them both when I'd be back in the UK. Since returning I've heard nothing from either, I again emailed the dealer who did have the 40.2 model; no reply, nothing, zilch.

Now maybe they are busy, or away or doing something more interesting. But my point is how the hell am I meant to listen to these speakers?

I had a flash of inspiration, I emailed Harbeth (and asked that the email was passed on to Alan Shaw) to see if they can devise something; even suggesting.

'Why not have some sample models (in B grade cabinets or something) that you can courier out for a weeks trial on payment of a hefty returnable deposit?'

Again nothing, zilch, no response - not even the courtesy of a reply. Yes folks this is someone enquiring about loudspeakers with a RRP of over £10K.

Anyway in between times I started doing some more research and found a photo (below) of the insides of one of their HL5 Plus speakers ( from a mere £3,279). Anyone else think it hardly looks inspring?

So 3 questions:

Am I an unreasonable man?

Is it just me who is not impressed by the apparent build quality of an expensive speaker

Anyone got any suggestions of any other speakers I should listen to (unfatiguing, transparent sound etc)?

 

[meninblack]

Why not talk to some dealers?  Jack at BD Audio isn't a million miles away (Malvern) and has some nice speakers (Heco, Tune Audio).  If you are looking at spending serious money, many dealers can arrange home demos.

 

[Guest]

Why not talk to some dealers?  Jack at BD Audio isn't a million miles away (Malvern) and has some nice speakers (Heco, Tune Audio).  If you are looking at spending serious money, many dealers can arrange home demos.

Good shout 

 

[deggie]

If you go to Malvern , as above you have got jack at bd .... plus you have got mark at ming da around the corner who has mummy , inversum, aria speakers

aswell............ then its not far to MAXaudio just of jnc 4 of the m5 who do stock harbeth and other new and used speaker,

all three dealers are great to deal with.

 

[Guest]

Very happy with my current set up. Innuos Zen mk2 server, M-DAC+, Quad 909 and Quad ESL63 pro speakers. I listen mostly to acoustic music and some rock. However, entering the last quarter of my life (approximately/who knows) I'm just wondering if there are some other speakers out their which are equally as transparent but with some more bass etc. that I could live with.

 

[Guest]

As you're already into 'statics & want bass you can live with, Quad 2905's. 2nd hand around £3k.

All the wonderful mids of your 63's, but they do proper bass. You coming to Scalford?

 

[henchard]

As you're already into 'statics & want bass you can live with, Quad 2905's. 2nd hand around £3k.

All the wonderful mids of your 63's, but they do proper bass. You coming to Scalford?

Yep. I was considering listening to the newer Quads; not coming to Scalford.

Just trying to get my head around total indifference (or is it just me). Interesting to find this article elsewhere (that kind of echos my experience).

http://www.stereo-now.co.uk/QA-Harbeth.html

 

[wizmax]

When  viewing my current flat for the first time I at last found a room that would be ideal for electrostatics, 12 x 30 x 8 feet, with plenty of room in front and more than enough behind to eradicate reflected waves.

I started out with the original ESL's, changed them to standard ESL63's and upgraded/updated to 988's each of which offered a small but worth while improvement over the preceding model and I was a happy boy.  Shortly after buying  the 988's I found a pair of 989's at a price too good to pass up and despite the increased height over the 988's I decided to take the plunge and can honestly say that the improvement in the bass over the preceding units is astonishing. I have recently hosted a number of small bake offs and 7 wammers who have attended have been impressed with the quality and quantity of the bass and its' integration with the rest of the frequency response.

I recommend that you hear some 989's - 2905's or 2912's and forget about box speakers, you won't be disappointed. If you are ever in the Portsmouth area come for a listen.

 

[Metatron]

+1 on BD Audio. 

You're not being unreasonable. Too many businesses these days won't answer an email due to the time involved in writing replies. It goes against traditional etiquette for them to ignore people, but they do. (Last one I wrote was to Igloo Audio asking to demo some ATC speakers and possibly some DACs around the 3-5K range...no response)

Possibly Martin Logan Summit/Montis 2nd hand?

Avoid BD Audio demoing Tune Audio Anima's at all cost.... they'll have you working out how to rob a bank, or rig the lottery, pimp or sell your wife, yourself, your kids and your soul. [These are my favorite speakers and by far the most tangibly real and emotive sounding of those I've heard IMO] 

 

[rabski]

Go to Jack (BD), buy Tune Audio. Take second mortgage, sell children, etc. Live happily ever after,

Closest to (and better than) Quad ESL. I speak as a past owner.

If you can possibly manage it. Just. Do. It.

 

[hifinutt]

you may find sometimes that emails go into spam . they may not have received them

just for the record when I email jack he answers , as does paul coupe at rfc components who also makes incredible speakers well worth hearing

http://www.referencefidelitycomponents.co.uk/loudspeakers/

 

[omsoc]

In my work i deal with a large amount of emails, both at my desk and using my mobile devices. I regularly read an email on a device that i can't deal with straight away and I usually remember to mark as unread so that it is obvious, later in the day, that it still needs dealing with. Not always though, some things slip through the net so to speak.

When things are the other way round and I don't get a responce I just pick up the phone and can cover a multitude of back and forth emails in a 5 minute chat.

Once a good dealer knows that they have slipped up on communication i would guess that he/she will be very attentive.

 

[Metatron]

Go to Jack (BD), buy Tune Audio. Take second mortgage, sell children, etc. Live happily ever after,

Closest to (and better than) Quad ESL. I speak as a past owner.

:shock:  Tell me you did not own and then sell Animas?

 

[Guest]

+1 on BD Audio. 

You're not being unreasonable. Too many businesses these days won't answer an email due to the time involved in writing replies. It goes against traditional etiquette for them to ignore people, but they do. (Last one I wrote was to Igloo Audio asking to demo some ATC speakers and possibly some DACs around the 3-5K range...no response)

Possibly Martin Logan Summit/Montis 2nd hand?

Avoid BD Audio demoing Tune Audio Anima's at all cost.... they'll have you working out how to rob a bank, or rig the lottery, pimp or sell your wife, yourself, your kids and your soul. [These are my favorite speakers and by far the most tangibly real and emotive sounding of those I've heard IMO] 

Jack and me have an agreement now . We listen to new speakers first and not after the Anima's 

 

[Metatron]

When things are the other way round and I don't get a responce I just pick up the phone and can cover a multitude of back and forth emails in a 5 minute chat.

It takes time to write an email, so when a potential customer emails, it means one of the following:

• Currently don't have phone signal or about to lose it (e.g. work on a 'secure; site) and won't have it again for a while, and when they regain signal they may not be able to call you (e.g. you've clocked off for the day)
  
• They wan't something in writing
  
• It's already out of business hours and they may not remember to call you later as they anticipate being busy, e.g. have a long running business meeting next day etc.
  
• Perhaps they tried calling but keep getting an engaged tone or are stuck in a call queue "Your call is important to us but all our operators are busy..."
  
• They may be deaf, so calling won't do any good
  
• They're in a noisey place
  

If it was as simple as calling, everybody would simply call as it is quicker than email. If the company being called aren't aware of the above points and appropriately mitigate them, it will harm their business. There's no good excuse not to email potential customers back.

 

[bandit pilot]

Animas.

They the ones Jack had running at Cranage a couple of years back?

Lord if I could replicate that sound at home I'd be a very happy man. 

Jack is a good bloke and knows his stuff. Deal with full confidence.

 

[Guest]

Animas.

They the ones Jack had running at Cranage a couple of years back?

Lord if I could replicate that sound at home I'd be a very happy man. 

Jack is a good bloke and knows his stuff. Deal with full confidence.

+1!

 

[Ian]

It's simple really, if a business doesn't reply to an email enquiry then they are making a statement that they do not wish to trade with you. This is fine, simply dismiss them from your list of potential sellers.

My personal experience of Harbeth is very positive indeed. On making an enquiry albeit a few years back I got a response from a most helpful and personable chap.

 

[incognito73]

Ignoring potential business prospect of any type is not very polite business practice. Let's face it. OP is absolutely right. These days, I do find e-mail communication preferable as I could simply write down everything concisely and make sure that I didn't forget anything. As a first contact, much more fitting. However, I do follow up with a phone call if e-mail is unanswered just to be sure that it was dispatched and reached the recipient mailbox. 

Is Harbeth sale that busy these days so they "can't be bothered" ? Let alone Harbeth, it was not uncommon these days that I've got faster response times from distant China or even some private members here then form some dealers and manufactures, not to name a few. 

In reply to Ian comments above ... if business doesn't reply to an email enquiry it's rude and not very polite and it's not fine. I did run my own business for 20 odd years and honest client communication is the most crucial. It would be much better that they openly replied with honest answer (even if they can't be bothered) then to keep the communication silence. Simple as that. Ignoring the potential business prospect self-invited at their front door (with zero sales efforts) is just not right.