Second hand alternatives to a Harbeth P3ESR?

[Hyperknot]

Hyperknot ,Just noticed a guy in hungary on the harbeth facebook page got his p3esr delivered . if you are not on there you might like to link up sometime

Which one is it? The "Harbeth Loudspeakers" closed group?

 

[hifinutt]

there are a few harbeth groups but its led by a chap called paul i believe 

 

[Ian]

They aren't a lowest cost speaker for sure. On the flip side I've had mine for many years now and they've remained a constant in my system. As has been alluded to, factor in potential box swapping losses and things become reasonable in the longer term. They don't appear used that often but patience is your friend here.

You know it makes sense ;-)

 

[marko]

As an alternative, how about Audio Note ANK’s?

 

[Rockchild]

I don’t think there is an alternative to the Harbeth signature sound. Been there, done that. Back to Harbeths

 

[Rayymondo]

I would like to suggest the British built  My Audio Design MAD 1920 speakers.... but good luck finding some. Think I bought the only ones that ever appeared on eBay !

New cost is about £1300 I think......although I haven't checked in a while  ;-)

 

[lindsayt]

Here is my very simple question, what are the recommended second hand alternatives to a Harbeth P3ESR?

The flippant answer would appear to be 10,000 used leeches. They would be about as good at sucking the life out everything.

Are you sure you don't want something significantly better the Harbeths?

Are you constrained to tiny speakers? Or could you go larger? Is DIY an option?

 

[tIANcI]

I don’t think there is an alternative to the Harbeth signature sound. Been there, done that. Back to Harbeths

The above statement is very true. It’s hard to find a substitute for the P3ESR.

ProAc will give you better extended high end than the Harbeth but it’s not like a Harbeth. You will sacrifice the mids, the natural sound of a voice etc. ProAc does sounds lush, no mistake about that.

The LS50 will not sound good if you like the Harbeth sound. It’s a far cry from a P3ESR.

If you really like the P3ESR, I say save up for one. Be it new or used.

Be warned ... P3ESR is a mere 83dB speaker. Try to pair it up with a 80-100w amp if you can.

I sold mine but am yearning to get another.

 

[Ian]

Be warned ... P3ESR is a mere 83dB speaker. Try to pair it up with a 80-100w amp if you can.

45 Croft and 25 Radford Watts here (if the latter is the output of  Radford STA 25 ?). 

 

[tIANcI]

45 Croft and 25 Radford Watts here (if the latter is the output of  Radford STA 25 ?). 

I did try driving my P3ESR with a 40w tube amp. I got a medium small living room of around 3m x 4m (adjacent to the dining area, it’s an apartment). I was cranking the little thing up to around 65% - 75%.

Not saying 25w or so won’t work but it’s nice to have more headroom so as to avoid clipping. Unless you have a smallish bedroom, you listen at moderate level only (not techno music ok) then it’s not biggie.

 

[foxbat]

I would like to suggest the British built  My Audio Design MAD 1920 speakers.... but good luck finding some. Think I bought the only ones that ever appeared on eBay !

New cost is about £1300 I think......although I haven't checked in a while  ;-)

Just checked because I'd not heard of them before - £3-4000!!

 

[eddie-baby]

If youre after a LS3/5A type speaker just skip the alternatives and go striaght for it. Look out for a used pair of Falcons and you can get them cheaper than the ones in the link. Personally I think they are much better than the PS3Rs at what they do best. I have really tried to like the P3s but theyve always left me cold, the BBC monitors never do that. Many have tried to improve them but they still havent really bettered the original speakers sound.

Falcons are about the best modern iterations out there at the moment.. You can pay over the odds for an genuine old set of BBC's but your not gaining anything other than collector value.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Falcon-Acoustics-Original-Classic-15-Ohm-LS3-5a-Loudspeakers-Worldwide-shipping/254361825606?hash=item3b39257146:g:-fMAAOSw00ZdgBh~

or

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rogers-BBC-LS3-5A-Sonically-Matched-Monitor-Studio-Speakers-Returns-Accepted/202776826929?hash=item2f3670d431:g:sOkAAOSwnRtdeXLh

 

[gizze]

I bought a pair of Quad S2's, the one with the ribbon tweeter. 

I loved them so much I sold my P3ESRs. 

I then swapped my Meridian DSP system, for some Quad Z4s with a variety of amps, before realising that the little S2 is a bit special. It manages to blend the mid and ribbon so well, which is something many speakers with ribbons struggle with, the Z Quads for a start, the Z4 anyway. 

I changed rooms, got a wonderful highly modded Quad 405 amp and bought another pair of P3ESRs. The little Quad S2s were so similar in my room, but...well, just a bit better all round imho. 

Don't get me wrong I love the P3ESRs, but I paid £480 for the S2s and no matter how much I tried to convince myself they 'must' be better, the Quad S2s just sounded like a slightly bigger more efficient Harbeth. 

 

[Colinjg]

I bought a pair of Quad S2's, the one with the ribbon tweeter. 

I loved them so much I sold my P3ESRs. 

I then swapped my Meridian DSP system, for some Quad Z4s with a variety of amps, before realising that the little S2 is a bit special. It manages to blend the mid and ribbon so well, which is something many speakers with ribbons struggle with, the Z Quads for a start, the Z4 anyway. 

I changed rooms, got a wonderful highly modded Quad 405 amp and bought another pair of P3ESRs. The little Quad S2s were so similar in my room, but...well, just a bit better all round imho. 

Don't get me wrong I love the P3ESRs, but I paid £480 for the S2s and no matter how much I tried to convince myself they 'must' be better, the Quad S2s just sounded like a slightly bigger more efficient Harbeth. 

Really interesting.  I think it was some S2s I heard at the Bristol show a couple of years ago.  They were in a big room and were mighty impressive.  The little Falcons were also impressive but serious wonga.

 

[tIANcI]

I bought a pair of Quad S2's, the one with the ribbon tweeter. 

I loved them so much I sold my P3ESRs. 

I then swapped my Meridian DSP system, for some Quad Z4s with a variety of amps, before realising that the little S2 is a bit special. It manages to blend the mid and ribbon so well, which is something many speakers with ribbons struggle with, the Z Quads for a start, the Z4 anyway. 

I changed rooms, got a wonderful highly modded Quad 405 amp and bought another pair of P3ESRs. The little Quad S2s were so similar in my room, but...well, just a bit better all round imho. 

Don't get me wrong I love the P3ESRs, but I paid £480 for the S2s and no matter how much I tried to convince myself they 'must' be better, the Quad S2s just sounded like a slightly bigger more efficient Harbeth. 

I wish the P3ESR has a bit more highs. A little bit more. Then it will be really nice. Perhaps your S2’s ribbons gave it that edge.

 

[ryder]

I wish the P3ESR has a bit more highs. A little bit more. Then it will be really nice. Perhaps your S2’s ribbons gave it that edge.

You can fine tune the P3ESR (or other Harbeth speakers) to produce a more extended and illuminating treble with amplifiers and DACs. I tried the Proac Tablette 50 Signature to get a bit more highs but ended up selling them as it sounded too bright and lean. I was hoping the Tablette 10 Signature would have a more balanced sound without the excessive brightness and tinny sound displayed by the earlier Proac models.

 

[tIANcI]

You can fine tune the P3ESR (or other Harbeth speakers) to produce a more extended and illuminating treble with amplifiers and DACs. I tried the Proac Tablette 50 Signature to get a bit more highs but ended up selling them as it sounded too bright and lean. I was hoping the Tablette 10 Signature would have a more balanced sound without the excessive brightness and tinny sound displayed by the earlier Proac models.

Yeah ... the small ProAcs can be slightly thin whilst the Harbeth P3ESR gives good mids. The guy I sold my Tablette Anniversary to got the Tablette 10, he says it’s got better mids than the Tablette.

 

[Rayymondo]

Just checked because I'd not heard of them before - £3-4000!!

Think that is the S version.

Above comment referring to the MAD (My Audio Design) 1920 speaker as recommended in earlier post ! A fine speaker that I'm very happy with. Rich warm sound with nice bass for size.

 

[Rayymondo]

Just checked because I'd not heard of them before - £3-4000!!

The regular version about half that price!

 

[PeteVid]

I've own Harbeth P3ESRs and also a pair of Q Acoustics Concept 20s for when I fancy a change , in my room with my amp they are quite close in their sound.