Harbeth loudspeakers would not be the first components that one would typically associate with the pop vocalisings of Neanderthal youths and tubby Mariah Carey wannabees. Oh no, the company is far too refined to consider venturing into that arena. Or so one would have thought before this month… As part of a complete revamp, major London TV studio, Fountain Studios in Wembley has installed a brand new 5.1 channel sound gallery, featuring the flagship Harbeth 40.1 professional monitors being used alongside the first Calrec Apollo digital console installation anywhere. The relevance of the X-Factor is simple: Fountain mixes and records ITV’s hit programme, and the show will now be using Harbeth monitors for its control room and production gallery. Engineers in charge of the sound quality wanted monitors that were in the BBC sound tradition: warm with good stereo imaging and totally fatigue-free. They discovered that the Harbeth M40.1 and M30 were the only ones that gave them that. Sound supervisor at Foutain, Robert Edwards observed: “I have had Harbeth speakers at home for over twenty years so why would I want anything less when I am working.”