Harbeth

Loudpeaker manufacturers often go to great lengths to stand out from the competition. Oddly-shaped cabinets fashioned from strange materials. Booming bass. Tipped-up treble. Invariably, the results are speakers that wear out their welcome, both sonically and visually. Harbeth has no use for such tricks of the trade. Their loudspeakers are based on timeless designs, augmented only by "genuine advancements" in technology. Sometimes described as box speakers without the box colorations, Harbeth loudspeakers excel in the midrange (where the most critical elements of music reside), and are renowned for their rich, natural sound, transparency, and coherence. In a word, refined. Near-field listening is an especially immersive experience with a pair of Harbeths. Since its founding more than 40 years ago to "commercialize the BBC's loudspeaker research and development," Harbeth has carved an esteemed niche in the audio world.