Harbeth Nelson DSP active Stand/Sub

[DomT]

If cost was not an option and it could make your P3’s sound like a 5k slimline floorstander using the same footprint at half the price then maybe hold fire on that thought

Not sure that I want the P3s to sound like a floorstander. I really like them as they are. Stunning speaker. Am listening to them right now.

 

[Rockchild]

Not sure that I want the P3s to sound like a floorstander. I really like them as they are. Stunning speaker. Am listening to them right now.

Agreed on them Dom. Having the option for many to choose an active DSP stand/subwoofer for their monitors is the choice they can make

 

[CnoEvil]

Let’s not cast opinions on something yet to be heard just like the Arcam you mentioned

DSP included remember and prices are not confirmed but believed to be £2500-£3000 depending on which country you are in.
I’m also not a fan of Harbeths recent price increases but I am keen to hear any new products from Harbeth.

Supposition and speculation are the lifeblood of the forum.

We can have pages and pages on a product before it's even been released.

 

[Psilonaught]

In subwoofer terms, a 5” driver plus a 50 watt amp looks very modest on paper.

My thoughts exactly. Seems very expensive for what you actually get.

 

[Pressure]

A DSP subwoofer that also acts like a stand is a similar system to the Genelec W371 column subs. They’re £8k each, so this is cheap in comparison.

I’d get a REL T7x personally.

 

[hiesteem]

Supposition and speculation are the lifeblood of the forum.

We can have pages and pages on a product before it's even been released.

Yes and by the time it's been released we have analysed, criticized, and ostricized, to the point of over priced firewood.

 

[hiesteem]

It's inevitably going to divide opinion and what a sales pitch that is, if you think about it?
P3 fans love the speaker for what it does, but what about those that won't buy it for what it doesn't do?
What's on offer here in practical terms?
A stand with an amplifier with a bass woofer that integrates dsp.
How it integrates into the P3 sound will be of significance and the system is adjustable with controls.
Sounds like a winner if you have a small to mid size room and you want more of the P3 . The question left unanswered for now, is how will it affect the P3 sound overall?

 

[AndyCC72]

Interesting, and overall a decent idea. It seems the styling was a bit of an after thought tho to me

And the price as well 3k! Is that for a pair. Still a rip off, just buy two BK subs and a cheap set of stands, blow this away.

How do you know it would 'blow it away' without ever hearing it?

 

[It Cost How Much!?!]

5 inch and 50W, that is NOT a subwoofer, this is a subwoofer;
https://www.av.com/Speakers/SVS-PB1...MIkOmMx6COggMVsIBQBh35lAMlEAQYBCABEgLIQvD_BwE

 

[hiesteem]

Let's not get the P3 design confused with conventional subs.
The Nelson collum design sheet does make interesting reading and imo sounds technologically advanced.
It's worth a read!

 

[It Cost How Much!?!]

Let's not get the P3 design confused with conventional subs.
The Nelson collum design sheet does make interesting reading and imo sounds technologically advanced.
It's worth a read!

Frequency response
35 – 75Hz ±3dB free-space

 

[DomT]

Just clicked the Harbeth link to find out more. I hope that the speaker is better made than the webpage. I realise that the Harbeth speakers are an old design but the website surely should be up to date and look like it was made in 2023.

 

[hiesteem]

Frequency response
35 – 75Hz ±3dB free-space

It's been designed to integrate with the P3.

 

[It Cost How Much!?!]

No adjustable DSP, just a bass boost volume control, not proper DSP, with a mic and tools. This looks far from 'advanced', very far.

 

[bencat]

As Bob says this is a very simple and I suspect low cost parts product . It is limited to sealed baffle small monitors only . Your only real interaction with it is you can turn the bass levels up or down to suit your own personal taste . Compared with what is already available this is very low on innovation and limited in use . As has been pointed out this does not go anything like low enough to be called a sub woofer it is more bass augmentation . It may well sound fantastic and offer small sealed monitor users what they have always wanted will no know till it is available to be heard . I do know that it looks awful and I would not have one in my room .

 

[hiesteem]

Well that's that demolished!

 

[bencat]

Well that's that demolished!

You set them up and I will knock them down . Not being against Harbeth I use a pair of Compact Monitors every day for AV sound and like them very much . This just seems a bit very versatile product and one which does not go far enough in performance and then you are being charged quite a bit .

 

[hiesteem]

Opinions are like bottoms, we all have one, yet no one has digested what's on the menu yet.

 

[Nestor Turton]

I'm highly interested in experiencing the Harbeth Nelson. In my studio room, where space is a premium, the idea of a plug-and-play solution is undeniably appealing. While the price may seem steep at first glance, when you compare it with alternatives from other brands...

It's fascinating to observe how boutique cable companies price their products at over £3k for high-end cables, while options like Canare and Van Damme offer equally high-quality cables at a fraction of the cost. Similarly, some companies charge exorbitant prices for basic network switches, despite the availability of high-quality HP PoE switches that come at a significantly lower cost and eliminate the need for an additional PSU near the hi-fi system. Customers seem to invest in these products without questioning either the company's credibility or the price tag, which underscores the subjective nature of "value for money."

In this context, the Harbeth Nelson might actually represent better value when compared with cables and switches. However, to assess their usefulness in my setup, I would require a home audition to make an informed decision.

 

[bencat]

All very sensible but they are still butt ugly .