This improvement could be a function of the crossover, as it is rumored Shaw did a bit of tweaking with it. In my opinion, slightly better overall smoothness and slightly better tweeter integration may be two sides of this same coin. By no means, however, is the stock version put in the pale. In doing the comparisons I enlisted several listeners both audiophile and non-audiophile.
In some respects the responses of the non-audiophiles were more interesting. They heard the differences, and most very slightly preferred the Anniversary. But they also admitted to being confused because they had no idea how to evaluate the differences, let alone decide which was more accurate.
However, when informed of the three-grand upcharge, the non-audiophiles regarded the differences as not worth the extra money and several wondered whether they could leave the room, return, and correctly identify which one was playing. As for other areas of audiophile concern, such as dynamic range, transparency, detail, resolution, tonal balance, distortion, clarity, openness, imaging, soundstaging, and low distortion and low coloration, the two versions are so close that, again, you might be listening to unit variations among samples of the same model.
I hope it is not necessary to point out to a readership as experienced as ours that given the realities and limitations of materials, technology, and manufacturing processes—in other words what is actually possible in the here and now—it is literally impossible to make every speaker off the assembly line sound absolutely identical to the one that precedes or follows it, no matter how strict the measurements or stringent the quality control. In this aspect Harbeth can boast a rare and exemplary uniformity and consistency.
Shaw tells me that even the choice of veneer can have a subtle effect on the sound of a speaker. Truth in reporting, though, requires I let you know that those dealers I know tell me some of their customers claim to hear slightly improved transparency and detail in the Anniversary model.
How many dealers are in a position to allow for comparisons of the stock and Anniversary versions of every or even some models in the Harbeth line I do not know. Hardly any, I suspect. So I guess it falls upon me as reviewer to answer whether the Anniversary is worth the extra money. Alas, this is simply not a decision I can make for anyone else. If I were an audiophile consumer—as opposed to an audio reviewer privileged with accommodation prices—who already owns a pair of the As much as Harbeths retain their value on the used market you almost never find Monitor 40s for sale , the transaction would still exact a considerable financial toll.
On a new purchase, however, I personally would pony up the extra money for three reasons. First, I find the olive wood finish spectacularly beautiful and it suits the style of my room better than the rosewood of my stock Second, inasmuch as Quad ESLs in one version or another have been my sole reference for more than a quarter-century and are practically peerless in precisely those areas of purity and coherence, these improvements, slight though they may be, are of great significance to me.
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This is confusing, and as a buyer, I want to know what I'm getting for my money. Anyone out there who can settle this 30 year anniversary issue? What does it mean? Are the speakers that have this "tag" 4 to 5 years old, that is if Harbeth's 30th anniversary took place in ? Am I misguided in this?
So then what's the difference between the 30th anniversary and the "non 30th anniversary" vintage? Edit Delete.
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