You can trace Harbeth’s storied history back to the 1960s when company founder, H.D. Harwood worked for the BBC where he developed the LS3/54, LS3/6 and the three-way LS5/5 designs.
Harbeth came into being in 1977 with the launch of the HL Monitor (Mk1) and the rest is hifi history.
Today’s news is business news in nature as Harbeth has selected Harmonia Distribution to serve the North American market.
From the press release:
David Schultz, president of Harmonia Distribution, says, “Harbeth is a brand we have been following for several years, and we are now thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with them. After discussing with Managing Director Alan Shaw the significant investments Harbeth has made in its future, such as the NLE series and Nelson, we are genuinely excited to add our distribution expertise to successfully launch these new products and enhance the brand’s presence in North America.”
Here’s the complete press release from Harmonia Distribution:
June 21, 2024—Harmonia Distribution is pleased to announce that it is now the official distributor of Harbeth Audio Ltd. in the United States of America. Founded in 1977, Harbeth is one of the UK’s longest-standing and wholly British loudspeaker brands with an enviable track record in innovation.
David Schultz, president of Harmonia Distribution, says, “Harbeth is a brand we have been following for several years, and we are now thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with them. After discussing with Managing Director Alan Shaw the significant investments Harbeth has made in its future, such as the NLE series and Nelson, we are genuinely excited to add our distribution expertise to successfully launch these new products and enhance the brand’s presence in North America.” David then went on to praise “the stellar build quality of each Harbeth product, which are all hand-assembled and tested at its factory in Lindfield, UK, to the highest standards.”
Harbeth, over the past three years, has been investing in Digital Signal Processing (DSP) to maximise the performance potential of its drive unit technology in its future products. With the power and capability of DSP, the Harbeth design team can adjust the smallest of sonic details – delivering the pinnacle of loudspeaker performance. This development work has seen the release of Nelson, a bass-extender + stand solution for all mini-monitors, including the P3ESR and LS3/5A monitors, and the recent launch of the NLE, Harbeth’s first all-digital loudspeaker series.
The Nelson is available to order through Harmonia Distribution and its retailers, and the NLE-1 and NLE-3 are for preorder only.
About Harmonia Distribution
Built on the foundation of a team of over thirty people with deep experience in the high-end audio industry and North American market, Harmonia Distribution (formerly Upscale Distribution) is well-placed to grow the most ambitious hi-fi brands. Since 2003, the sales, support, marketing, and administration teams have been on the same site as the extensive climate-controlled warehousing in Southern California, giving Harmonia the ability to respond quickly to ever-changing demands. From turntable cartridges to high-end loudspeakers, from vacuum-tube audio to cutting-edge digital sources, we have the infrastructure and know-how to ensure your business will thrive in North America.