Fidelis AV: Harbeth, Bricasti, Metronome, and more

It’s no exaggeration to say that I love Harbeth’s Monitor 30.1 loudspeakers ($5995/pair). No matter where I hear them, regardless of music or associated gear, I’m always impressed by the warm, full-bodied, detailed sound. In Sam Tellig’s December 2012 review, he wrote of the Harbeths, “Whatever amp I used, the tonality was superb. Never, ever fatiguing.” My thoughts, exactly.

Here, driven by Metronome Technologie’s new ARTP300-SE integrated amplifier ($15,975), I noted great low-end weight, with clean highs and a rich midrange that made voices and jazz guitars sound especially lovely. The song was Diana Krall’s version of Arthur Altman’s “All or Nothing At All,” made famous by Frank Sinatra and syrupy by Krall. And, alright, maybe the bass was too heavy. But, still, it was so comfortable, so inviting, I could have stayed and listened for a good, long while.

The rest of the system was made of Metronome’s CD8 player ($9875; reviewed by Sam Tellig in our November issue; not in use while I listened), Bricasti’s M1DAC ($8495), and Music Vault’s Diamond server. Cables, accessories, and treatments included: Tellurium Q speaker cables and interconnects, Resonant Woods racks and stands, and Stein Music’s Harmonizer System.

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