Harbeth speaker owners in India

[panditji]

On a recent trip to Hongkong, I finally heard the Harbeths and fell in love with them completely... I heard the Super HL5 and the Compact 7ES-3 and have started saving money for the latter. Was curious if there were any members using Harbeth for me to get more information about them before I purchase in the next 3-4 months....
Also wanted to get their impressions on how good they sound with electronic music since I was not carrying any of my CDs for the audition (the dealer got a CD of ELO when I asked if there were any electronica music to hear)

Warm regards
Rahul Pandit

 

[anm]

when are you going to hk next

 

[panditji]

As soon as I save enough money to buy the speakers...will try and find out the speaker prices from the dealers in Singapore, Thailand and Hongkong and will buy from whomsoever is cheapest.....
In the meantime, I thought I might as well ask for more details from Harbeth users in India...

 

[anm]

I think Rajiv knows someone with those speakers

 

[heliumflight]

panditji did you try some smooth jazz with the Harbeths. I listen to the jazz cd's you gave on my B&W DM4 and it is awesome. Please come over pal.

--
helium
Amp: Lyrita SET 2A3
Speakers: Vintage B&W DM4

 

[Dr.Bass]

Harbeth are cheapest in Malaysia. Please call up the Kualalampur dealer and get the prices.
HK is expensive. Singapore is cheaper than HK.

 

[panditji]

Thank you very much sir...I did not consider KL at all....Do you think Thailand would be cheaper than KL or it is best to go to KL only to pick up the Harbeths? Fortunately I have not been to either of these countries so it can be combined with a holiday as well....

 

[arj]

Panditji, you are on a very good track. just try to get a good deal on a Naim amp in the future and you will be in sonic heaven

 

[sidvee]

Nice info. Dr. Bass - Panditji please keep us posted when you do get these speakers, I know I cant fit them in my listening room presently but I can always plan for the future.
Cheers
Sid

 

[Dr.Bass]

I had enquired Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, HK, Taiwan and UK...cheapest was Malaysia and by a significant margin.
When I contacted Harbeth directly for a speaker they gave me an offer same as UK MRP but they obliged to ship it to my doorstep free of cost.

Nothing beats Malaysia though.

But there is one catch...Harbeth knows that Malaysia dealer sells it cheapest (it is because of very low taxes in Malaysia), so in order to see to it that Singapore and other Asian dealers do not lose business they have strictly instructed the Malaysian dealer not to sell speakers outside Malaysia. So he will not ship a Harbeth Speaker to even Singapore (forget about India), does not matter even if you pay a premium for it . He will clearly tell you that you have to personally collect the speakers from him from his shop and then you are free to take/ship it anywhere. You can also ask one of your friends staying in KL to do this for you. But the dealer will not ship..thats for sure.

Panditji, in your case, since you are planning to travel to KL, there is no problem. For others, this is an info so that you prepare in advance.

 

[anm]

what is the order of difference? Is it true for more hifi in general? Any contact info of the dealers?

 

[panditji]

Thanks very much Dr. Bass for all the information....Like I said I would be prepared to travel to any of the destinations provided I get a good deal although KL would have been the last place to go to for a holiday...nevertheless I will keep this info in mind and plan my trip/purchase accordingly....
Again a big thank you to Dr. Bass for putting me on the right track...

 

[anm]

yes - Malaysia seems to be a bad place to work for Indians, given the frequent harassment.

 

[prajith25]

Panditji, can you tell me the cost in Rs. Just wanted to know the apx price in Mal and rest of the place.

 

[prajith25]

Also would like to know if you purchased it? Any details you can share regarding Harbeth will be very helpful .

 

[panditji]

The price in Singapore is 3980 SG Dollars....The Malaysian price is just a little less than the SG dealer's price....HK is also a good place to pick up a Harbeth or you could buy used from the UK....

Buying from any of the above countries would be cheaper and you could have a fabulous holiday as well ....

I did buy a Compact 7ES3 from Singapore from a very nice gentleman....

 

[arj]

How much higher are the Indian prices ? Someone I know I'd looking for this but he wants to know how much worth it is to travel to KL

 

[sidvee]

How much higher are the Indian prices ? Someone I know I'd looking for this but he wants to know how much worth it is to travel to KL

Oh definitely it will be advantageous monetarily to travel and buy in KL if one is carrying speakers with with them back on the same flight. However if one is going to ship it separately, then one has to figure in the hassle of dealing with customs and also the risk of shipping damage when the speakers are air shipped, not from the Malaysian end, but the goons in our own country. I got lucky with my SHl5, because the cargo terminal in Hyderabad airport is a modern facility with climate controlled storage, high bay fork lift trucks etc., but I still saw the workers handling the boxes quite roughly when they were loading them onto the forks of the fork lifts, placing them etc. (fortunately the shl5's are quite light). So while one can save money, consider all the other risks in getting the speakers intact into your home. Whenever I import something myself, I am mentally prepared to accept significant damage.
Cheers,
Sid

 

[doors666]

you can also get continuums, which are a clone of ls3/5a and are supposedly better than the p3esr. check on parts express forums for reviews etc. these are sold by salk sound for aout 1200$, diy kit from meniscus audio...

 

[panditji]

I would recommend the smaller P3ESRs if the room is small...no point buying the Compact 7 or Monitor 30s if the room is smaller than 120 sq feet....Plus they are easier to carry..

For similar or even better midrange would be the Rogers monitors available easily in Singapore and HK...Fantastic midrange even better than the Harbeths as I could listen to them side by side...