Harbeth range at Radlett Audio

[hifi_dave]

Radlett Audio are delighted to announce that we have the complete range of Harbeth speakers on permanent demonstration.

We have the stunning mini P3ESR starting at £1349, the Monitor 30, the ever popular HL Compact 7ES-3, the Super HL5-3 and the top of the range M40.1 at £8173. Something to suit everyone.

For further information please e-mail at radlettaudio@hotmail.co.uk


Website www.radlettaudio.co.uk

[Labarum]

What's the list price of the Compact 7ES-3, Dave?

[hifi_dave]

Hi Brian,
The Compact 7ES-3 is £1899 in Cherry, £1999 in Eucalyptus and £2199 in Rosewood.

[Labarum]

Thanks.

My MB Quarts are "Nussbaum".:)

[The Grand Wazoo]

Hi Brian,
The Compact 7ES-3 is £1899 in Cherry, £1999 in Eucalyptus and £2199 in Rosewood.

Dave,
Do you know why the Eucalyptus veneer is £100 more than the cherry? I don't doubt you, but that seems a little strange to me given the relative availability of Euc to Cherry. A genuine question - I used to grow both commercially.

[Marco]

Easy... 'Eucalyptus' has 10 letters, and 'Cherry' only 6 - simples!

Marco.

[Labarum]

Easy... 'Eucalyptus' has 10 letters, and 'Cherry' only 6 - simples!

Marco.

And "Rosewood" has eight, so not so simples! :)

[The Grand Wazoo]

So Yew would be the cheapest then?

Cue puns about Marco being a skinflint..............

[Labarum]

Pernambuco also has ten, but has much superior sonic qualities - they use it for violin bows.

[Marco]

That one sounds Italian, Brian, and so therefore must be the most beautiful and super-expensive :eyebrows:

Marco.

[Labarum]

That one sounds Italian, Brian, and so therefore must be the most beautiful and super-expensive :eyebrows:

Marco.

Brazilwood - from BRAZIL, Marco.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pernambuco

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilwood

And here's me thinking AOS is a place of culture!

[Marco]

Yes, but the name is of Italian origin: "buco" means hole. I know next to bugger all about wood, but I know a fair bit about languages! ;)

Are holes somehow relevant in the design of Pernambuco?

Marco.

[REM]

What's happened to black ash these days? Have all the black ash forests died out or sumfing?

[hifi_dave]

Dave,
Do you know why the Eucalyptus veneer is £100 more than the cherry? I don't doubt you, but that seems a little strange to me given the relative availability of Euc to Cherry. A genuine question - I used to grow both commercially.

I have no idea in this instance but the usual answer from manufacturers over the years is the extra cost of that particular veneer. It might be more prolific but maybe, more difficult to process, use or even transport from Australian forests. I don't know.

What I do know is that I bought a pair of speakers in with Eucalyptus veneer without knowing what it looked like but around half of the Harbeth speakers I have sold have been ordered in Eucalyptus. It is an interesting finish.

[The Grand Wazoo]

What's happened to black ash these days? Have all the black ash forests died out or sumfing?

Hahaha,
It's all down to the rise of Green Energy - there's not so much soot about these days!

[The Grand Wazoo]

I have no idea in this instance but the usual answer from manufacturers over the years is the extra cost of that particular veneer. It might be more prolific but maybe, more difficult to process, use or even transport from Australian forests. I don't know.

What I do know is that I bought a pair of speakers in with Eucalyptus veneer without knowing what it looked like but around half of the Harbeth speakers I have sold have been ordered in Eucalyptus. It is an interesting finish.

It's easy to understand the high cost of the Rosewood as veneer quality logs are getting scarcer & it's always commanded a premium price. However, Eucalyptus is the number one plantation tree worldwide & grows very fast, so the time to produce a veneer size log is infinitely shorter than that of Rosewood. There are millions of acres of eucs in South America, Africa, Portugal.........
This is Brazil
http://www.biglandsbrazil.com/images/eucap.jpg

[hifi_dave]

I can't argue for Harbeth as I am not a cabinet maker but I do know that their prices are quite reasonable in comparison to some and they are real wood, not a vinyl wrap.

It's not always the proliferation or not of the wood, it's the ease of use. Birds Eye Maple, for instance, attracts a large premium because it is very difficult to use.

[The Grand Wazoo]

No, undersood Dave. Sorry, I wasn't claiming an injustice on their behalf, I was just curious as to why this was the case.
Bird's Eye Maple is not only tricky to work, but is rare too!

To confirm, I've no problem with the company, it's prices or it's products.
In fact every time I've been in a room with their speakers playing, I've been impressed.