The legendary British monitor speaker, tuned to perfection.

From the manufacturer:

Founded in 1977 to bring the BBC’s pioneering loudspeaker designs to the serious listener, today’s Harbeth speakers are the product of the longest-running science-based loudspeaker research program ever undertaken. Crafted around a genuine engineering core, a Harbeth delivers accurate and involving sound at home or in the studio.

Owning a Harbeth is, and has always been, a life-changing experience and there’s a model to perfectly match your listening environment and budget. Every Harbeth is hand assembled and individually tested in Lindield, England. Customer feedback over the past thirty-two years confirms ownership of Harbeth speakers as a truly greatest investment in serious listening.

Today’s Harbeth offer stunning clarity and effortless imaging to bring the real sound of the studio or concert hall to small, medium and large listening rooms in a range of attractive real-wood veneers. All our designs are direct descendants of the publicly funded blue-skies research work undertaken by BBC engineers with a sound that is intentionally well balanced at even low-to-medium replay levels. Since our formation in 1977, we’ve continuously refined and developed new materials and techniques to refine the BBC’s critically-damped cabinets, polymeric speaker cones and sophisticated crossover networks which our founder pioneered at the BBC Research Department, and which led to the famous BBC LS Series of compact, high quality monitors.

The incredible resolution and micro-detail that is the hallmark of a Harbeth conveys the listener deep into the heart of the recording. No matter how well you think you know your music collection, you’ll hear details on your Harbeth speakers that are masked by conventional speakers. Take an audition of any Harbeth and appreciate the micro-detail that’s clouded or inaudible on normal speakers – you’ll be hooked on the Harbeth super-resolution.

Harbeth cabinets employ the same constructional techniques used in musical instruments, where material selection and damping are all-important. The traditional veneered cabinet conceals a critically damped engineering solution in which unwanted internal sound pressure created by the forward/backward motion of the bass unit is absorbed and diverted from the sensitive midband to let the music flow from the speaker into the room for a warm, involving overall sound.

At the heart a Harbeth speaker is our exclusive British hand made bass/midrange drive units. The astonishing Harbeth low-level resolution is the direct result of the exclusive RADIAL-2 cone material which we seamlessly combine with the best tweeters available using sophisticated and expensive crossovers components. The result is a magical sound that fills the room from the lowest frequencies with total believability and unmatched clarity and neutrality.

Whichever Harbeth you have the space and budget for, all excel at naturalness, low-level detail and a warm involving sound at a moderate listening level. Even the largest Harbeth speaker sound natural when listened to from just a few feet away and this unique ability means that Harbeth speakers are neighbor-friendly late at night and in the smallest room. Every Harbeth speaker is engineered for total excellence and to provide a lifetime of listening pleasure at home and in the studio.

The Monitor 40.2 is now my reference loudspeaker, and so it shall remain for a long, long time to come:

PAUL SEYDOR – THE ABSOLUTE SOUND

The absolute pinnacle of BBC loudspeaker design.

The result of a passionate and tireless quest for audio perfection. Built on the success of the global award winning M40.2 40th Anniversary, this new generation Harbeth achieves a leap in performance delivery. Stunning realism, expansive bass and lifelike transparency delivers an ultimate experience for even the cognoscenti

Adaptable to a wide range of listening environments, accurate across the entire audio band, emotionally engaging and easy to drive, the M40.3 XD takes the acclaimed Harbeth sound to a its highest level.

Prepare yourself for true musical indulgence like you have never experienced before.

Pricing is for cherry finish – other finish options available for an additional upcharge.

Transducer system: 3-way vented: 300mm Harbeth bass unit; 200mm RADIAL2™ mid; 25mm ferro-cooled soft dome tweeter
Frequency response: 35Hz – 20kHz ±3dB free-space, grille on, smooth off-axis response
Impedance: 6-8 ohms, easy to drive
Sensitivity: 86dB/1W/1m
Amplifier suggestion: Works with a wide range of amplifiers, suggested from 35W/channel.
Power handling: 650W program
Connectors: Two 4mm gold-plated binding posts for wires or plugs
Dimensions: 750 x 432 x 388mm (+12mm for grille and binding posts)
Finish: Cherry, eucalyptus, rosewood, tiger ebony.
Space needs: Ideally free-space away from walls.
Stands: Optimally to bring ears level with tweeters. (Tweeter: 660mm up from cabinet base)
Weight: 38kg each
Packing: Single speaker per protective carton

This is where technology meets art. A loudspeaker that delivers music in a way the invites extended listening and emotion engagement.

The original and definitive Harbeth loudspeaker delivers the ultimate high-end audio experience in its class. This The SHL5plus XD gets the very best from the Harbeth-made 200mm RADIAL2™ technology; the most advanced bass/mid driver ever produced. Capable of competing against speakers many times its price, such is the magnificence of its scales, its coherence, its expressiveness, its musical completeness.

There are music experiences in life so epic that you wish they never end, with the SHL5plus XD you can relive that moment again, and again.

Pricing is for cherry finish – other finish options available for an additional upcharge.

Transducer system: 3-way vented: 200mm Harbeth RADIAL2™ bass/mid; 25mm ferro-cooled dome tweeter, 20mm dome SuperTweeter
Frequency response: 40Hz – 20kHz ±3dB free-space, grille on, smooth off-axis response
Impedance: 6 ohms, easy to drive
Sensitivity: 86dB/1W/1m
Amplifier suggestion: Works with a wide range of amplifiers, suggested from 25W/channel.
Power handling: 150W program
Connectors: Four 4mm gold-plated binding posts for wires or plugs (biwireable)
Dimensions: 635 x 322 x 300mm (+12mm for grille and binding posts)
Finish: Cherry, tiger ebony, eucalyptus, rosewood.
Space needs: Overall response optimized for use away from walls.
Stands: Optimally to bring ears level with tweeters: typically 16-20 inches. (Tweeter: 475mm up from cabinet base)
Weight: 15.8kg each, unpacked
Packing: Single speaker per protective carton

One of the most completely satisfying speaker systems I’ve ever used.

PAUL SEYDOR, THE ABSOLUTE SOUND

A speaker for the most critical listener. Bring your music collection back to life in a wide range of domestic listening environments.

The M30.2 is designed for use in a larger space than the P3ESR, and is equally at home on its dedicated stands, studio space or other flat surfaces. The smallest Harbeth to be engineered around the exclusive 200mm Harbeth RADIAL2 ™ bass/mid unit, this speaker delivers even better integration, clean uncluttered and powerful low-end, together with smooth detailed highs.

Harbeth’s development has redefined the virtues of a speaker which has won worldwide accolades to a new intensity, allowing rarefied audio transparency to be revealed and ultimately enjoyed.

The M30.2 XD loudspeaker takes the Harbeth tradition of stunning musical involvement to another performance level.

Pricing is for cherry finish – other finish options available for an additional upcharge.

Transducer system: 200mm Harbeth RADIAL™ bass/midrange; 25mm ferr-cooled soft dome tweeter
Frequency response: 50Hz – 20kHz +/-3dB, free-space, grille on, smooth off-axis response
Impedance: 6 ohms, easy to drive
Sensitivity: 85dB/1W/1m
Amplifier suggestion: Works with a wide range of amplifiers – suggested from 25W
Power handling: 150W programme
Connectors: Two 4mm gold-plated binding posts
Dimensions: 460 x 277 x 275mm (+12mm for grille and binding posts)
Finish: Cherry, Walnut, Tamo Ash
Space needs: Overall response optimised for use away from walls.
Stands: Optimally to bring ears level with tweeters. (Tweeter: 320mm up from cabinet base)
Weight: 11.6kg each without packing
Packing: Single speaker per protective carton

“… the Harbeth Compact 7ES-3 acquitted themselves with such nimbleness, musicality, excellent 3D sound-staging, honest translating abilities, and timbral accuracy that there was no way I couldn’t award them an Editor’s Choice Award.”

RAFE ARNOTT, PARTTIMEAUDIOPHILE.COM

Whatever you ask of the Compact 7ES-3, it always delivers: perfectly. The clarity is spellbinding and brings the ‘magic carpet ride’ experience to the listening room in a medium-sized enclosure.

The world-class HL Compact 7ES-3 takes the ultra-clean Harbeth-exclusive RADIAL2 cone technology to another performance level. This medium-sized loudspeaker combines natural sound with a flair for reproducing any and every type of music.

The Harbeth secret for natural sound is the result of the meticulous attention to detail.

Critically important, but hidden, is the crossover for seamless integration of the drive units across a wider horizontal and vertical arc meaning that the Compact 7ES-3 is far less critical of stand height than many speakers of this size.

Pricing is for cherry finish – other finish options available for an additional upcharge.

Transducer system 2 way vented, 200mm Harbeth RADIAL2™ bass/mid; 25mm ferro-cooled tweeter

Frequency response 45Hz – 20kHz ±3dB free-space, grille on, smooth off-axis response

Impedance 6 ohms, easy to drive

Sensitivity 86dB/1W/1m

Amplifier suggestion Works with a wide range of amplifiers, suggested from 25W/channel

Power handling 150W programme

Connectors Two 4mm gold-plated binding posts for wires or plugs

Dimensions 520 x 272 x 305mm (+12mm for grille and binding posts

Finish Cherry, Rosewood, Tamo Ash

Space needs Overall response optimised for use away from walls.

Stands Optimally to bring ears level with tweeters. (Tweeter: 440mm up from cabinet base)

Weight 13.2kg each, excl. packing

Harbeth’s development team has, once again, redefined what is possible from this use anywhere loudspeaker. The completed redesign maximizes the performance potential of the Harbeth exclusive RADIAL2™ Cone Technology, the evolved P3ESR XD delivers breathtaking transparency, accurate bass and dynamic integration across the audio spectrum.

Arguably one of the most advanced speakers in its class, this mini monitor allows you to discover those transparent moments where you feel like you’re breathing the same air as the musicians on the recording.

The completed redesign is one of the most ground-breaking speakers ever released by Harbeth

Pricing is for cherry finish – other finish options available for an additional upcharge.

Transducer system: 110mm Harbeth RADIAL2™ bass/midrange; 19mm ferro-cooled tweeter
Frequency response: 75Hz – 20kHz ±-3dB free-space, grille on, smooth off-axis response
Impedance: 6 ohms, easy to drive.
Sensitivity: 83.5dB/1W/1m
Amplifier suggestion: Works with a wide range of amplifiers, suggested from 15W/channel.
Power handling: 50W program
Connectors: Two 4mm gold-plated binding posts for wires or plugs
Dimensions: 306 x 190 x 184 mm (+12mm for grille and binding posts)
Finish: P3esr- Satin Black: P3esr XD – Cherry, Rosewood, Walnut, Olive Ash
Space needs: Ideally > 0.30m from rear wall
Stands: Optimally to bring ears level with tweeters. (Tweeter: 230mm up from cabinet base)
Weight: 6.1kg each (without packing)
Packing: One matched pair per protective carton

Gestalt HiFi