KEF reference 1 Lodspeaker review

[3db]

A most unusual speaker with teh ability to change port tubes . Its also one of the flattest measured speakers I've ever seen... asking price US$7500 per pair.

Top curve: on-axis response
Middle curve: 15 degrees off-axis response
Bottom curve: 30 degrees off-axis response

Response curve is an average of five measurements: on-axis, 15 degrees left and right off-axis, 15 degrees up and down off-axis

http://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/807-kef-reference-1-loudspeakers

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Better than the $2,500 LESS expensive KEF Reference 201/2?

http://www.soundstagenetwork.com/measurements/speakers/kef_201-2/

It appears distortion THD is higher on the new KEF Reference-1 than the $2500-cheaper KEF Reference 201/2.

Minimum impedance on the newer Reference-1 is about 3 ohms vs 4 ohms on the older Reference 201/2.

Off-axis response @ 30-75 degrees is also smoother on the older Reference 201/2 than the newer Reference-1.

For on-axis listening window between 200Hz-10kHz, the newer Reference-1 peak @ 86dB @ 200Hz and trough @ 82dB @ 7kHz, which is a 4dB range, sensitivity @ 84dB. So I'm thinking it's more like +/-2dB, which is excellent.

On the older Reference 201/2, it trough @ 82dB @ 900Hz and peak @ 84dB (1kHz-10kHz), which is a 2dB range. So it seems to me the older Reference 201/2 is flatter, sensitivity @ 83dB. So I'm thinking it's more like +/-1dB, which is superb.

 

[3db]

Better than the $2,500 LESS expensive KEF Reference 201/2?

http://www.soundstagenetwork.com/measurements/speakers/kef_201-2/

It appears distortion THD is higher in the new KEF Reference-1 than the $2500-cheaper KEF Reference 201/2.

Minimum impedance on the newer Reference-1 is about 3 ohms vs 4 ohms on the older Reference 201/2.

Off-axis response @ 30-75 degrees is also smoother on the older Reference 201/2 than the newer Reference-1.

Hard to tell unless one can overlap the curves... I'm going snakey trying to this just by eyeballing it

 

[macddmac]

Wow! Can't wait to hear these- thx!
Cheers, Mac

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Hard to tell unless one can overlap the curves... I'm going snakey trying to this just by eyeballing it

Yeah, you pretty much have to print/enlarge those graphs and bring out your ruler.

 

[coli]

That's not that flat, but it doesn't matter as room correction will flatten it anyways. Kef makes good speakers though.