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Conclusion. And that is perhaps the key characteristic of the speaker although it's non-musical: versatility and universality. It is generally believed that Harbeth are dedicated to special occasions like recordings with vocals in the lead role, chamber music or possibly some electronica not in need of high SPL. That's not entirely untrue as that type of music will sound most excellent whilst other types might merely sound very good but the M30.1 and M40.1 actually demonstrate the opposite. They are exceptionally versatile designs, slightly warm but also open over which everything will sound at least good. And that really is everything without exceptions. Poorly recorded material will be enhanced, purist recordings will show such microdynamics, such explosive drum hits and scintillating cymbal crashes that most speakers considered to be fast and transparent seem broken by comparison. Where the M30.1 differs slightly from previous Harbeth designs to show Alan Shaw’s attempts to exceed certain limitations always present in his speakers before—a closed-down darker color and lowered macro dynamics—is countered with a more open tweeter and a slightly tweaked upper bass. I think that’s okay but I wouldn’t go any further. In my opinion that particular tweeter even though very very good simply can’t be pushed more and shouldn’t be overexposed.

Any speaker is a set of compromises and trade-offs, usually quite substantially so. That's also true here. However these compromises are so well chosen that the end result is simply stunning and surprisingly versatile. You need to choose the accompanying components with care. It won’t do to connect the best amplifier available in the store because it will likely fail. Likewise you can’t just connect any tube amp because the failure will be even more disastrous. What you need is an amplifier with character that agrees with Harbeth’s vision of the audible world. One possible direction is the Heed Obelisk Si with X-2 external power supply. I used the 180i interconnect from Siltech's new Explorer line costing 2.190 PLN for a meter and I’d stick with that. At the time of my review the Polish distributor did not yet have the matching speaker cable and power cord.

Another obvious choice is Leben. Any version of the CS300 will be spot on but ideally I'd go with the CS600P or CS1000P but in this case I’d prefer the older model. The third possibility is the ASR Emitter. I've heard the Harbeth driven by all of these amps in multiple systems and they sounded great. And there obviously are many equally interesting matches worthy of your attention elsewhere. I simply mentioned those I personally know to be sure things. The M30.1 are not perfect speakers because you can hear their tone-color modifications and the differentiation of macrodynamics, timbre and space is somewhat uniform. The Harbeth see the world through rose-tinted glasses. If that’s something you fancy, they could well become speakers for life. If I had enough space or a second smaller system I’d buy them and listen to them with different electronics to take turns with my bigger M40.1.

Design. The M30.1 are stand-mounted monitors belonging to the company's prestigious Mastering Series Professional Monitor Speaker line. There are two versions differing only in finish – a home version called Monitor 30.1 Domestic and a professional studio version called Monitor 30.1 or M30.1 for short. These are two-way designs with a vented mid/woofer. The vent is located on the front, to the side and above the tweeter. The latter is a soft-dome design with a heavy cast mounting plate and integrated protective mesh, a large dual-drive motor and a large chamber to damp the rear wave. This T25-HB tweeter is manufactured by Seas to Alan Shaw’s specifications (hence the letters 'HB'). The tweeter belongs to the prestigious Excel series. Its 26mm dome uses a textile-derivative Sonotex diaphragm.


The LFHAR200S woofer is a Harbeth construction. It has a very stiff heavy cast basket and large magnet with a second small ring (for magnetic shielding?). Its diaphragm is made from material patented by Harbeth called Radial-2, a form of polypropylene. The surround is inverted rubber. The tweeter bolts to the baffle from the front, the woofer from behind. The new woofer differs from the previous Radial version primarily in its revised suspension according to Alan Shaw’s blog. The enclosure design is characteristic for this manufacturer. The walls are not very thick but solid. They are strengthened from within with two wooden braces forming a 'T' on whose intersection the mid/woofer's magnet is supported.

The front and rear baffles are not glued but bolted to the side frame with multiple bolts. The crossover board mounts to the rear panel from within and the rest of that surface is damped with a thin layer of bitumen. The crossover is quite extensive. One sees four iron-core coils and eight polypropylene capacitors. Apparently this includes a bass trap to linearize impedance, making for an easier load for lower-powered amplifiers. Interestingly the crossover board comes from the older 2007 model with mounting space for twinned terminals. Alan does not like to waste anything. The interior is damped with thick layers of foam both on the sides and rear.

The signal enters via a single pair of gold-plated terminals, the same as for the M40.1. That is a weak point as these terminals can’t be properly tightened and are of quite poor quality. The front grille is stretched over a metal frame mounted on the front baffle. The manufacturer recommends listening with the grilles on. Due to the speaker’s unusual size/aspect ratio it is recommended to use a slightly lower than normal stand. I think that the boxes' lower edge should sit about 40-45cm above the floor depending on how high we sit. The tweeter should be at ear height. This is a beautiful speaker with beautiful engineering and a beautiful sound – a true classic.
opinia @ highfidelity.pl
Tech data supplied by Harbeth:
Design: two-way, ported
Frequency response: 50Hz - 20kHz (+/- 3dB in free space measured from 1 m with grilles on)
Nominal impedance: 6Ω
Sensitivity: 85dB/1W/1m
Suggested amplifier output power: ideally over 45W
Maximum power: 150W
Dimensions (HxWxD): 460 x 277 x 285mm
Finish: cherry, tiger ebony, eucalyptus, maple and rosewood
Weight (each): 13.4kg

Harbeth website