Quad vs Rogers vs Harbeth

Hello new to forum.
Want to ask for vocals best is Rogers, quad or harbeth?
Was told for vocals the best in the world is rogers. But one uncle told it should be quad. I dont quite like harbeth sound but i never listen to all.
Advise needed before I buy.
TQ

Magnepan. Honestly, even the cheapest model usd599 is the best vocals i have heard. Once you listen to planar, vocals, almost impossible to go back to boxed speakers.

Just my opinion. But it's an honest one.

Bal

Tq Mr Bal. For suggestion. Where to buy? You know the other dealer quad, rogers and harbeth? Also the speakers can use with vavles? Tq again.

Maggies need a lot of power, so cannot use flea power amps. Can use valve amps but must be at least 80-100W

Can buy the smallest one from their website http://www.magnepan.com/
Bigger ones you will need to contact their dealer here Absolute hifi in Taman megah. I am so sorry i don't know the other dealers. Quite honestly i only listened to rogers and harbeth during the hifi show, and walked away smiling because altho the sound was very very good, my maggies still sounded better to me. Perhaps it is because by now i am too used to the planar sound, boxes (not even the mighty Magicos) interest me...

Armatrading wrote:Hello new to forum.
Want to ask for vocals best is Rogers, quad or harbeth?
Was told for vocals the best in the world is rogers. But one uncle told it should be quad. I dont quite like harbeth sound but i never listen to all.
Advise needed before I buy.
TQ

Bro Arma...do some basic homework before purchase anything...share some info like your budget,room size or living hall and equipment that u play now...then easy for us here to give some idea

Not only expensive equipment can give good sound...even cheap set up can give better performance if do some study on equipment matching...

P/s - Thanks for ur sincerity touch bout Harbeth...I LIKE!!

Hi...

Had an opportunity to audition Harberth....to me it was remarkable...crisp....heavy and its was partnered with Quad amps.

So its lots of matching of components that will give you the desired SQ signature.

Still remember lugging my Nad 3020 to audition for speakers....matched to wharfedale 9.2's being bookshelfs. Upgraded the amps to NAD 350 and its still musical, crisp and heavy to my ears.

Now itching to try floor-standers and this would be a good thread to discuss and explore.

What about Sonus ?

Cheers

Tq again Mr Bal, will check the magnepan maggies web site. I worry my amp cannot cannot give power to it because of low watt only. Its a Marantz 2270 dont know you heard of it? Ok you heard Rogers and harbeth! Glad you like the sound. But I agree maybe other speaker better than them, what you think of the quad sound? Better than magnepan maggies? Magicos?
Hi bro fizi. My room is 13 ft x 18 ft celing is 9 ft 6 ins i think. Got alot of books and shelf. Just being honest of harbeth, krell 200 watter driving some more! Yea my budget not so high that I can buy krell. But people tell me harbeth very good for vocals. So like Mr Bal, I think I prefer others like maybe quad or rogers.
Hello wingman, I think you like harbeth. But what quad amp you were using? Like to know why so remarkable? And what model harbeth? You say NAD 3020 or 350 good for harbeth? Can Marantz 2270 give it a good sound? Sonus selling name only and leather. But you think it can be better than harbeth? You heard of quad speakers? Sorry so many questions. Tq all.

Interesting discussion here on speakers, based on the title you seems to be tilted to speakers of British origin which tends to emphasis on mid range or vocal reproductions. As mentioned by bro fizi, you need to look at your budget and ask yourself whether you are looking for a floor stander or a monitor on speakers stand to start off. Even among Rogers or Harbeth there are some models that may not fit you room dimensions. The interaction or mismatch between speakers and rooms can be very frustrating. One good point is that there are some very friendly shop owners who will give you honest advise on the type of speakers they have based on your current set up. I paid a visit to Sam of Tropical audio recently and listen to 3 models of Harbert namely the the 3, 7 and 5. I was most impress with the quality of Harbeth as one progress up the chain. Another point on Harbeth is the ease to drive and therefore not so picky on amps. However Sam did advise me to reconsider my model of choice the 5 due to the real estate size required to house them for them to perform at their best. So the best thing to do now is to audition any speakers under consideration and always remember the size and room set up that you plan to house them in. Another brand of "English" origin that you may want to consider would be Epos carried by Acoustic arts and speak to Lawrence another friendly chap who will be more than happy to help you. You may find Epos being able to offer a good balance of economics and performance.

Happy hunting

Hi Armatrading, I use Harbeth in a room approx your's. Just remember that music is not all about having good vocal reproduction. Go around and audition as many setups as possible before deciding. Room plays bigger role than speakers.

I am having Harbeth C7es3 at the end of Naim electronics for more than 2 years and still loving them more as days go by. So, I am a little bias here but IMO Harbeth/Naim combination is simply outstanding and musical communication. They have also been widely acknowledged in UK Naim forum. But honestly our suggestions are only for your reference. You need to listen various speakers at home as others have said room interaction might possibly change your perception once you audition them in your own room.

Trust your ears!

Hi Armatrading, since u have already got the amp why not bring your amp over to the showroom and ask them to give u a demo using your amp n see which one sound better with your amp.

Alot of hifi4sale people like harbeth, I already said about harbeth.
Hello alfred! Not many dealers like people like me. Try dont buy. Thats why I am here asking. Have bad experince before.
Hi STC, most of the time I listen to vocal music maybe 70% other times pop, rock etc. So vocal speakers quite important to me. And thats why I'm asking for ideas. And I agree I have listen somemore.
Just went to a friend's friend place to listen to the Rogers 65 haha dont like it. Maybe should look at other Rogers.
Again anybody heard of quad? They tell me is the best. Any ideas?
Again Tq Friends!

Armatrading wrote:
Hello wingman, I think you like harbeth. But what quad amp you were using? Like to know why so remarkable? And what model harbeth? You say NAD 3020 or 350 good for harbeth? Can Marantz 2270 give it a good sound? Sonus selling name only and leather. But you think it can be better than harbeth? You heard of quad speakers? Sorry so many questions. Tq all.

Am at crossroads at the moment.....base on my listening area size...standmount speakers will be the best bet...but my musical instincts tells me that mid size floor standers would be a good match as well....so the hunt is on...and my companion would be my NAD amp.

At the time of audition....were Harberth 3esr driven by quad amps - power /pre....sorry not to sure what series were the amps. The vocals were sweet and mesmerizing. Was totally taken aback at its SQ compared to the speaker size. Had a listen to Sonus Amator being driven by NAD amp...effortless....but the price was a factor at that time.....so the 9.2's were selected.

As for your selection...I would not recommend a specific speaker but would be a good if you could carry your amp to a few very friendly dealers for an audition. Most of us can point u in the right direction but end of the day.....its your tastes that matters. If you can't afford a new unit...go for pre owned sets. Ask the dealer...they are sure to have a few around or there are a number of good speakers being sold in this forum....and the sellers may oblige your queries.

Take it slow....and enjoy the hunt.

Some of the dealers that i had good experience....at Amcorp Mall - Acoustique System - CNLim and Looi who has a shop at lvl 3 facing the escalator. Another dealer would be Desa Home at Kepong.

Do let us know on your final shortlist or selection.

Cheers

You know, if you are on a tight-ish budget (as most of us were when we started our quest for audio nirvana in our own homes..), one of the speakers you need to have a listen to are the Epos, as Wylee suggested. I know it is not on your list of short listed speakers, but some of the used Epos 14 come up for sale now and again, and they sound marvelous for less than 2K. Much cheaper than most of the Harbeths, Quad and Rogers out there.

I have also been mesmerised by the Rogers LS3/5A driven by Naim and Linn turntable many many years ago, mid-range to DIE for. But at the expense of real bass, and mahal.
What i did was to listen and decide what i wanted to build my system around. So for me once i listened to Planar speakers, there was no going back. And the only ones that will fit my room are the Maggies MMG. Then came an excellent pre-amp, that also will not be changed. And then i listened, and listened and listened. Tru beautiful sound is often due to system synergy. And system synergy is not something you can rush. Much trial and error needed. Slow learning steps. But such fun learning steps as well. Main thing my friend, is to have fun. You are on the same quest as most of us here are, lets have fun while we are at it. You can come and listen to my system any time you like, give me a shout anytime you are in Medan Damansara area.

Bal

Hi Armatrading, last time u had bad experience with the one of the shop does not mean every shop is also like that. Further more those brand u mention the dealer already have good reputation n everyone also know, if they don't let u listen or they try to be rude in anyway just share with us on how bad their services is here.
When ever u enter the shop did u see the word once u try u must buy? or it's always written once is broken we consider it sold. That mean they are willing to demo it for us without us touching it only.

Armatrading,

I am with Bal and Wylee with regards to Epos speakers. I was using Epos M12.2 for a few years, coupled with Musical Fidelity amplification and source and it gave me excellent vocal presentation. The only thing that it was lacking for me was the insufficient low end that the Epos provided. But if it is vocal your priority, do audition them. It also matches well with Creek amps.

1 shop told me my amp will blow his speakers if use. Saying that my amp is old and not very good. My friend told me vavle amp cannot do that because of there's no dc back or something. So the shop fellow dont know? Another one said base on my amp, I cannot afford his speakers- use ***** speakers instead he said. So better dont bring amp to shop, drop water face only. I dont have krell or naim or levinson. Words can spoil your mood. So better come to to hifi4sale.
Hello elhefe, you got very goodand expensive hifi!! Haha sure dealers let you go to their shop to try their equipment with no comment. Tq for Epos suggest from you, Mr Bal and Wylee. Need to find away to listen to it. Mr Bal dont think I can afford Maggies not because of speaker price, i mean Maggies also expensive. But I cannot afford the amp to drive them. And everybody say my room so small so I need small speakers. Thats why now i need to try quad and now epos. Rogers and harbeth out allready.
Tq all again

Armatrading wrote:.... Rogers and harbeth out allready.
Tq all again

If you dont mind, May I know why Harbeth is no longer in your list? I guess you are using a 100 watter amp. In that case, I have used Yamaha 100w and a Marantz 80W amp to drive Harbeth Super5 and there is nothing to complain about lack of power.

Armatrading wrote:1 shop told me my amp will blow his speakers if use. Saying that my amp is old and not very good. My friend told me vavle amp cannot do that because of there's no dc back or something. So the shop fellow dont know? Another one said base on my amp, I cannot afford his speakers- use ***** speakers instead he said. So better dont bring amp to shop, drop water face only. I dont have krell or naim or levinson. Words can spoil your mood. So better come to to hifi4sale.
Hello elhefe, you got very goodand expensive hifi!! Haha sure dealers let you go to their shop to try their equipment with no comment. Tq for Epos suggest from you, Mr Bal and Wylee. Need to find away to listen to it. Mr Bal dont think I can afford Maggies not because of speaker price, i mean Maggies also expensive. But I cannot afford the amp to drive them. And everybody say my room so small so I need small speakers. Thats why now i need to try quad and now epos. Rogers and harbeth out allready.
Tq all again

You may be making some assumptions that aren't necessarily true. The maggies are available on the net for USD599. By the time you pay transport and tax it will come to rm4K, which, as good speaker prices go by, is actually quite reasonable. If you do some homework (which i regret not doing...so learn the hard way,) you can probably pay cheaper tax and transport. One of my friends got away with NO tax, as the customs department though the flat maggie speakers were doors!!! So funny! And my old amp that were able to drive the maggies very well, the Vincent sp330 is up for sale at rm1,500. (not that i am asking you to buy, it's just to show you some prices that are fairly reasonable, and will get you good sound with not too much money).

But all we are sharing is our past experience and give you some examples of what we did. At the end, you will of course have to decide for yourself.

bal wrote:

Armatrading wrote:1 shop told me my amp will blow his speakers if use. Saying that my amp is old and not very good. My friend told me vavle amp cannot do that because of there's no dc back or something. So the shop fellow dont know? Another one said base on my amp, I cannot afford his speakers- use ***** speakers instead he said. So better dont bring amp to shop, drop water face only. I dont have krell or naim or levinson. Words can spoil your mood. So better come to to hifi4sale.
Hello elhefe, you got very goodand expensive hifi!! Haha sure dealers let you go to their shop to try their equipment with no comment. Tq for Epos suggest from you, Mr Bal and Wylee. Need to find away to listen to it. Mr Bal dont think I can afford Maggies not because of speaker price, i mean Maggies also expensive. But I cannot afford the amp to drive them. And everybody say my room so small so I need small speakers. Thats why now i need to try quad and now epos. Rogers and harbeth out allready.
Tq all again

You may be making some assumptions that aren't necessarily true. The maggies are available on the net for USD599. By the time you pay transport and tax it will come to rm4K, which, as good speaker prices go by, is actually quite reasonable. If you do some homework (which i regret not doing...so learn the hard way,) you can probably pay cheaper tax and transport. One of my friends got away with NO tax, as the customs department though the flat maggie speakers were doors!!! So funny! And my old amp that were able to drive the maggies very well, the Vincent sp330 is up for sale at rm1,500. (not that i am asking you to buy, it's just to show you some prices that are fairly reasonable, and will get you good sound with not too much money).

But all we are sharing is our past experience and give you some examples of what we did. At the end, you will of course have to decide for yourself.

Believe it or not Bal, all your talk on the Mini Maggies made me browsing their website and thinking of purchasing them for my office. Naughty you...hehehhe

Armatrading,

Epos can easily be auditioned in Desa Home Theatre in Kepong. Thats where I bought my M12.2 which I think was going for about RM2K in 2008.

Amt...

Don't worry....there tend to be dealers who view a person and his gear before entertaining or dishing out advice. Nothing to be embarresed about...... Take it as their loss and move on.....

Take it slow.....and definetly u will get what u want.....

Cheers

AT, your Marantz 2270 is quite an old receiver. Have you sent it to be properly serviced? Electrolytic capacitors inside an old amp/receiver tend to dry up after 10 years and the resulting DC current leakage CAN and WILL kill loudspeakers driven by it. This could be probable reason for Sam's refusal to allow you to test your receiver with his Harbeth loudspeakers.

Let us approach the issue in hand selflessly and don't begrudge others who are merely taking the necessary precautions. Learn to put yourself in their shoes.

Yes Bal. I now have 2 narrow doors which churn out music.

That story, Sph, is classic!! We need more customs officers like them that you dealt with...
''What's this you are bringing in to malaysia??''
''Clothes hanging things Sir..''
''ok jalan''
... and in you walk with your Audioquest Everest pair...

Shhhhh ..... don't alert them.

Aren't speakers supposed to look like rectangular boxes?
Magnepan are speakers? But they look like ..... doors?
That's what they look like through the x-ray machine.

Haha. It was my lucky day!

Hello YC you very good with equipment. You also very good at reading my mind. You also know I never check my amp. I never said I saw Sam. I dont know him and I never went to harbeth to test at shop. I dont know where is harbeth. So where can I go and service my old reciever, since you know I never service it before YC? Do you think that some people like to think they can help but they prefer to help dealers YC? Are you a dealer YC? Or repair man? Maybe you can help me service my old reciever? Sorry too many questions again. I new to this hobby, hope you can put yourself in my shoes.

To service or repair your audio equipment call up Mr. Oh.

See the link below -
https://www.hifi4sale.net/t1473-thank-you-mr-oh-hi-fi-repair-specialist?highlight=repair

Have you connected your amp to any speakers to check if it is working?

Armatrading wrote:Hello YC you very good with equipment. You also very good at reading my mind. You also know I never check my amp. I never said I saw Sam. I dont know him and I never went to harbeth to test at shop. I dont know where is harbeth. So where can I go and service my old reciever, since you know I never service it before YC? Do you think that some people like to think they can help but they prefer to help dealers YC? Are you a dealer YC? Or repair man? Maybe you can help me service my old reciever? Sorry too many questions again. I new to this hobby, hope you can put yourself in my shoes.

Armatrading,

Y.C. was just trying to be helpful. Please don't take it the wrong way.

I dont understand why people say things I did not say. I never run down dealers in publc but people say I do. I like what Mr wingman said and also Mr sph. They are being helpful not defending dealers, although there is no defending to do. Nevermind. Kena here better than kena at shop, no water face to drop here.
Yah STC, I dont have a 100 watt amp. Dont know why you say that but I check google, my amp is a 70 watt one. The amp was given to me by my hifi friend who also know electronics. He even check everything for me and ask me to buy parts that have to replace. Total rm68 only haha. Yah sph have run it with Mission speakers and friends Celestion. Ok. If anything wrong with amp I will call Mr Oh. Tq for info.
I listen to harbeth and I dont like it because my amp not good enough and somebody use a krell than it sounded better. I know alot of hifi4sale people like harbeth but i cannot afford a krell so thats why i am not listening at it anymore. I want to try Rogers and Epos now. Have to call my hifi friend. Tq again.

I'm sure it's all a misunderstanding. It is easy misinterpret one's intentions by mere written words. This has happened many times before in this forum.

Not every amp can synergize with another component, be it speakers, CD player or even cables. So at the end of the day, one will have to combine these components to hear its outcome. Maybe after much effort and time you will find the right combination.
Believe me, you will take quite some time to achieve that goal - most of us has gone thru' it. It will be most frustrating in the beginning. But you get there .... one day.

Armatrading, I was just trying to say that your Amp got enough power to drive the Harbeths with exception to M40.1, maybe . The so called 70W amp is RMS value. I believe mine was in the 40s for a 80Watt Amp.

My apologies if you feel I have wrongly presumed things which you didnt say.

AT, I am not a dealer nor a repair man and was only explaining why an outlet has refused to let you try out your receiver with its loudspeakers. And yes, I miscontrued the "1 shop" you referred to as Tropical Audio. My error.



Your Marantz 2270 is a 40 years' old receiver. Chances are a lot of caps and some transistors may need to be replaced for it to sound optimum again. I doubt any of the hifi shops in town would be comfortable enough to allow you to try out your receiver with their loudspeakers but then I could also be wrong. If I were in your shoes, I would certainly not begrudge them and feel very bad instead had my vintage receiver caused damages to any of their loudspeakers. It was never my intention to run you down publicly here.



If I were in your shoes again, I would go and listen to those loudspeakers which I have more or less shortlisted and am prepared to pay their asking prices in dealers' own setup. This is to get a general idea on their sonic characteristics and then make a decision. I will judge a pair of loudspeakers solely on its own merits, eg. if a pair of Harbeth sounds good although not be as good as using a 100W Krell amp, I may still buy it as I could upgrade its partnering equipment some time down the road.



Cheers

You know, one of the many many hifi mistakes i have made over 25 years in this hobby is to buy cheaper ''can afford for now'' products. Eventually i get sick of hearing their short comings, and sell them off very very cheap, only to buy something else cheap because i cannot afford anything else, and get frustrated, and the process repeats itself.

So what i did was to determine what speakers i would like to live with for as long as possible, and saved up to buy my MMG. I drove them with a NAD, which can be had quite cheaply. Then i waited. I used my old cd player, until i can afford a good DAC, again something i can live with for the next 10 years at least. When i can afford it, i bought a Buffalo II dac on the net. And i waited again, and saved my money. Suddeny a very good pre amp come up for sale. And because all this time i am reading and testing, reading and testing, i know this pre amp will be the best one i can afford, so i snap it up. And so forth. Until my current system is complete, and i don't have to spend any more money on it.

So go slow. Don't rush like me, and buy things i regret buying.

Armatrading wrote:I dont understand why people say things I did not say. I never run down dealers in publc but people say I do. I like what Mr wingman said and also Mr sph. They are being helpful not defending dealers, although there is no defending to do. Nevermind. Kena here better than kena at shop, no water face to drop here.
Yah STC, I dont have a 100 watt amp. Dont know why you say that but I check google, my amp is a 70 watt one. The amp was given to me by my hifi friend who also know electronics. He even check everything for me and ask me to buy parts that have to replace. Total rm68 only haha. Yah sph have run it with Mission speakers and friends Celestion. Ok. If anything wrong with amp I will call Mr Oh. Tq for info.
I listen to harbeth and I dont like it because my amp not good enough and somebody use a krell than it sounded better. I know alot of hifi4sale people like harbeth but i cannot afford a krell so thats why i am not listening at it anymore. I want to try Rogers and Epos now. Have to call my hifi friend. Tq again.

Don't feel bad about it...at the end of the day, all of us have a common objective of enjoying hi-fi and we hope that we can help you get the kind of sound that is up to your expectations.

It's always nice to have people joining this group. It would be absolutely great for you guys to meet up. Face-to-face is always better, with a teh tarik thrown in too. Plus, a guarantee from all of us that no one loses face and all to gain.