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Toole/Harman design speakers in Europe

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Hi!
I am continuing to follow the forum every day which is a constant source of fun and interest.
Obviously in this forum are reported especially speakers more easily distributed in the USA.
But I live in Italy.
I would like to know which producers available in Europe are inspired by the Toole / Harman school to begin my research.
Thanks
Stefano
 

Willem

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My guess the closest would be Harbeth. They too are the product of a long tradition of seriously scientific design.
 

Thomas_A

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Speakers that are mainly known in Sweden are the Ino Audio pi60(s) and higher models. Not saying that they were inspired by Harman since the originals came out in the end of 1970s but I would say that they are among the best out there. But it requires a trip to Sweden to hear or buy them.
 

Rja4000

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Don't want to always come back with the same, but what about
- Focal
- Genelec
- Dutch & dutch
- Kii
- ...
?
We may want to define "inspired by Toole/Harman" first.
I guess pretty much all scientifically and competently designed speaker since their work has been somehow influenced by their results.
 
OP
S
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Thanks for the answers.
To be "inspired by Toole's researches" that are often cited in this forum, I mean that they follow the indications of Floyd Toole and that they therefore look for neutrality in the speakers as much as possible.
Sorry if I don't speak well technically.
I ask you this so that I can orient myself in the enormous quantity of models and brands of speakers present in Europe.
Perhaps I should follow Toole's advice that if a producer does not make the measurements and data on his products available then perhaps it is better to go elsewhere. If there is no transparency of information then it is better not to give blind trust.
 

Ron Texas

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KEF. I suspect Revel is available in Europe as well.
 

Vintage57

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You may want to look into Neumann, they’re not pretty but they measure well and can dance.
 

LTig

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Perhaps I should follow Toole's advice that if a producer does not make the measurements and data on his products available then perhaps it is better to go elsewhere. If there is no transparency of information then it is better not to give blind trust.
Neumann would be a logical choice then (lot's of measurements). They are all active though (which is a good thing in my view).
 

Rja4000

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if a producer does not make the measurements and data on his products available then perhaps it is better to go elsewhere.
Then that pretty much limits the choice.
From the ones I listed, only Genelec does, as far as I was able to see.
This is clearly a regression vs the 90s, where most serious speaker brands were publishing at least in axis frequency response.
But that's a general tendency in HiFi marketing.
That brands like Focal, Kii, D&D hardly publish measurements seems against their own nature.

I couldn't find any either for
Dali, PMC, B&W, Cabasse, Kef, ...
 
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Vintage57

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Then that pretty much limits the choice.
From the ones I listed, only Genelec does, as far as I was able to see.
This is clearly a regression vs the 90s, where most serious speaker brands were publishing at least in axis frequency response.
But that's a general tendency in HiFi marketing.
That brands like Focal, Kii, D&D hardly publish measurements seems against their own nature.

Sadly not even Neumann provides test FR results for each individual speaker any longer. I was just informed by them they no longer provide them and no reason was given.
 

Thomas_A

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Daverz

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I'd add Buchardt as a brand that's measurement based. I'm not sure how closely they follow Toole/Olive principles, though. I might wait for their promised active models.
 
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Ron Texas

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The Harmon brands are very badly represented in the UK, not sure how that translates across Europe. Plus the prices are inevitably higher than the US.

Does badly represented mean unavailable, or just a handful of dealers? As for higher prices, most of the UK and European brands cost more in the US despite there being no VAT.
 

KozmoNaut

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Very few dealers and very limited presence.

For instance, all JBL sells here in Denmark is pro gear and bluetooth speakers, and a limited selection of JBL home speakers. No Infinity, no Revel.
 

Willem

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I don't know how similar exactly Harbeth is to Harman, but like Harman they go back to a long tradition of serious science based research and design, originally at the BBC research facility. Alan Shaw, the designer, does a lot of measuring with high end measurement gear, now combined with extensive computer simulation. And like Harman, Harbeth's priority has been to design for the flattest frequency response, a sweet top end, and a curve that seems quite similar to Harman's.
 
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