Bookshelf Speakers — Harbeth NLE-3

The NLE-3 is a complete three-way active loudspeaker system made by Harbeth, a British company founded in 1977 that designs and hand-builds its speakers in the UK. Instead of a passive box waiting for an outside amplifier, it is sold as a package - a pair of loudspeakers in individual finishes, a DSP controller designed and made by Harbeth, and a Class-D Ncore amplifier built to Harbeth's own specification. The UK recommended retail price for the full system is GBP 22,995.

Key specs that matter

Three drivers sit in each cabinet, all made by Harbeth - a 300 mm bass unit, a 200 mm RADIAL midrange and a 21 mm ferrofluid-cooled tweeter. Harbeth rates the free-space response at 35 Hz to 20 kHz within plus or minus 3 dB. Connection to the amplifier runs through six 4 mm binding posts on every speaker, one pair per driver section, so each cabinet is fed by three amplifier channels. A single enclosure stands 610 mm tall, 313 mm wide and 424 mm deep, and it weighs 40 kg without packing.

Engineering and use context

Crossover filtering is handled in the digital domain by the controller rather than by passive networks inside the enclosure. That is why the six-channel Class-D amplifier drives the bass, midrange and tweeter of both speakers directly and why the terminal panel carries separate posts for each band. The controller also provides volume, tone and slope adjustment, bass management and a stage perspective setting, all set from the one box. The RADIAL cone material is Harbeth's own development and is used here in the midrange. With its large woofer and considerable weight, the NLE-3 is a heavy stand-mount design and needs a rigid, strong support that can carry that load safely. Finish choices listed by the maker include Walnut and Satin Black plus Midnight Blue and Ivory Sand, with Satin White, Titanium Grey, Racing Green and Crimson Red offered in some regions.

Pairing

Because amplification and processing arrive in the box, the NLE-3 does not call for a separate power amplifier or passive preamplifier. A streamer, a CD transport or a phono preamplifier is connected to the Harbeth controller, which then feeds the Ncore amplifier. Speaker cable runs are needed for all six posts on each cabinet, so twelve runs in total for the pair. Anyone who wants to reuse an existing amplifier should look at a passive Harbeth model instead, since the NLE-3 relies on its own controller and amplifier.

Alternatives

Among Harbeth stand-mounts the passive Monitor 40.5 XD2 is a large three-way alternative that works with a conventional stereo amplifier.