KEF R700 Floorstanding Speakers Video Review

[admin]

This review was an exciting ride. But before I tell you why, let me introduce you to the KEF R700 Foorstanding speakers. These speakers are in the R-Series and are the middle child in a three-way tower line-up. They retail at $1800 each, so as you can imagine, KEF is pitching them at consumers who are serious about their music. They are designed as 3-way bass reflex, or ported, speaker and they use the company's Uni-Q driver array. It's a 1" vented aluminum dome tweeter inside a 5" aluminum midrange. We call that a coaxial design. But it also has twin 6-1/2" aluminum bass drivers that allow the speakers to drop down to 42 Hz.

Discuss "KEF R700 Floorstanding Speakers Video Review" here. Read the article.

 

[agarwalro]

How do they compare to... Ahem! Sorry.... .

So if one was to pick one the R series, what can they expect to gain over the equivalent in Q series? More specifically, a lower R series, say R500 vs higher Q series, say Q900?

I'm hurting for an uber speaker shootout...

 

[monkish54]

How do they compare to... Ahem! Sorry....

So if one was to pick one the R series, what can they expect to gain over the equivalent in Q series?

Better crossover!! (I super duper hope..)

The Q900 crossover is embarrassing. I refuse to recommend an otherwise excellent speaker, because KEF was too cheap to add a notch filter to tame the midrange breakup appropriately!

More specifically, a lower R series, say R500 vs higher Q series, say Q900?

Hi Pallas,

The drivers from the Q series, R series and LS50 all share a common lineage. The Q were the first to be developed in around 2010 as a concerted effort to get some of the features of the Concept Blade drivers into affordable loudspeakers. Over the years following the launch of the current Q range we have refined and tweaked the drivers resulting in those used in the R and LS50 drivers.

A quick summary:

There are 5.25, 6.5 and 8inch Uni-Q driver in the Q range. This discussion is focused on the 5.25inch which is used on the Q100 and Q500.

The driver in the R100 is based on the Q100 driver but has a different cone (which you can identify the driver by from the font) and some tweaks to the tweeter and midrange magnet systems to reduce the distortion (addition of shorting rings and a copper cap).

The LS50 driver is a special edition of the R100 driver with a different voice coil spec (to give a slightly different bass response in the system). The surround is also different and gives a slightly tidier upper MF response. We slightly adjusted the geometry around the tweeter magnet OD, also to improve the MF response.

All the best, Jack.

 

[monkish54]

I'm hurting for an uber speaker shootout.

Hey! Now you AND the bot want a speaker shootout. In that case, I think Gene HAS to do it!

 

[cpp]

Pretty much a lack luster review. As they say "where's the beef" or "the rest of the story".
I can obtain as much from kef. http://www.kef.com/uploads/files/en/review/R700_HFC_0712.pdf

Heck here's a little review on the R500
SoundStage! Hi-Fi | SoundStageHiFi.com | SoundStage! Hi-Fi | SoundStageHiFi.com

http://www.soundstagenetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=793:nrc-measurements-kef-r500&catid=77:loudspeaker-measurements&Itemid=18

 

[honeymonster]

Hi, I believe the drive units in the R series are better quality that the Q series, and the cabinet of the KEF R700 is much more solid and non-resonant than the Q series, and has the benefit of real wood veneers..