Speaker Asylum General speaker questions for audio and home theater.

---

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] Thread: [ Display  All  Email ] [ Speaker Asylum ]

---

[ Alert Moderator ]

---

Harbeth Acoustics P3 ESR or XD version VS Falcon Acoustics LS 3/5A or Q7 Gold Badge

Posted by el34eh@yahoo.com (A) on June 8, 2023 at 18:53:30

Hi All,

Having recently reconnected with my pair of Harbeth P3ESR 2007 vintage and seemingly enjoying more | more vocal recordings as the result of what I've to say is their strength throughout the midrange section of each recording, regardless of genre or vintage, I'm even digging the sound of older recordings from the Animals | The Zombies, as well as several John Martyn recordings from the 70s, and loving it.

In truth, as I've mentioned to a very close friend of mine ( Ken are your listening | reading this? ) I firmly believe the Harbeth produces vocalist in the most truest form I've heard to date, there's a sense of both accuracy | honesty which simply sounds | feels right, lack of bass notes be damned, as someone whom has lived with Linn Kan 2s | ProAc Super Tablette's | Tablette 50 Signatures | Tablette 8 Signature's, as well as DeVore Fidelity Gibbon 3s, it seems I've always been able to live with said mid bass between 70-50-45Hz since my beginning, why change things this late in life?, sub-woofers need not apply | I've never seriously bought into the concept, like many coming over to solid state amplification around 1963 in hopes of seeking more and more power, speakers as I've heard from the likes of brands like Wilson Audio | Magico | Rockport Technologies, produce real bass, of which to my mind generally cost over $10.000 to achieve, less costlier floor standers are often seen with subs as the result of cost cutting, as well as lack of a properly built cabinet which allows anything other than 40Hz on good day to be heard | felt, but in my mind adding a band-aide like a sub or subs to the mix, especially if from a third party company, doesn't offer an alternative as the two different brands will then have two different sonic signature as well, give me the ability of that small midrange driver to stop and stay on a dime, and I'd happily live with said 45Hz and chill. Slow ass boomy bass isn't the same thing as weight | foundation, or nimbleness of notes. I'm all about speed | snapping lower mid-bass notes above all else, apples and oranges, but as mentioned earlier on, I've always preferred Cherries. Going against the grain here, but as the saying goes " to each their own ".

Thing is, it seems in some quarters, likely Asian based music lovers seemingly adore anything LS 3/5A due to smaller living or listening rooms, as I haven't personally owned a pair of Roger LS 3/5As since returning from Japan in 1984, as well as a pair of the Harbeth Acoustics LS 3/5A Gold Edition since 1993, where the sound of both is all but a very distant and faint memory at best..., as I began looking through the search box here on said brands, it seems that other audio forums have posted on both brands more so than here, yet it seems at one time a few members here were discussing said options..., I was merely wondering it those whom have heard or owned either or both?, would be kind enough to share your experiences on them?.

As trying to read everything I'd come across, as well as going through more than a few YouTube videos, it strikes me as most users favor one over the other, hence trying to get real world information on which offers a better sense of fidelity | more accurately or truer to the source if you'll. Like many things in our shared passion, there are indeed times where I believe we all ask ourselves on occasion, just how better off our we in selecting the often called favorite of the months, as it relates to musicality as opposed to mere HiFi effects?, where in my case as posted over in the Cable Asylum, I've like many made several mistakes of which I regretted later on..., in the case of speakers, being as I'm a mini-monitor proponent by choice, would I be missing out on something, if I didn't wish to invest in one or the other said more modern based Falcon Acoustics models as listed above?, this inquiring mind would certainly like to know.

Even more and more Chinese makes like the BestVox LS 3/5A are beginning to surface | I'm thinking at some point as they're very a technical based culture, will be able to crack the code and get closer than most, as domestically said LS 3/5As which have in essence become one of those makes which have stood the test of time | where reportedly they've sold between 60.000 and 100.000 pairs, to which I'm unable to think of one other speaker which exceeds this..., maybe I'm reading into this wrong?, but please educate me on this.

So be your statement good | bad | indifferently?, do find it in your heart to share.

Happier listening to us all | Peace be onto you | yours.

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Sonic Craft

---

[ Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2025, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]

---

[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]

---