KEF Owner's Thread

[KenM10759]

Thanks for sharing that. I got that book too, went through it and made it the 1st entry in my son's "coffee table book" collection. (Mine is overflowing.)

I agree, the new R series with the right amps and source material is scary close to the current Reference series. All I can surmise is that the next iteration of KEF Reference speakers now have a much higher bar to reach.

 

[shkumar4963]

I attended an open house last night at my local KEF dealer, Home Theater Technologies in Colleyville, TX. I got to listen to the new LSX, R3, R5 and R11.

The LSX was very impressive and impressively clear and dynamic from such a small enclosure. There was plenty of bass by its lonesome, but teaming up with an R400b subwoofer created an incredible 2.1 system. I like all of the choices if inputs, especially the addition of Roon as that is what I use at home.

They had the new R3 set up side-by-side with the R300, which was an interesting comparison. The R3's upper midrange was more open and clear (it sounded a lot like the LSX) but the R300's bass was deeper and fuller. The proprietor said it was a function of break-in as the R3s were brand new. If that is true, I would like to go back and have a listen at later point... I could live with either.

The R11s were connected to an Anthem STR integrated amp running ARC. OMG - what a pairing! Yeah, $9500 for both is a bit out of my budget but this is one of the first times where I've heard something in that price range and said, "Yeah, that's totally worth it." The R11s are dangerously close to the References. If I had my druthers, it would be the Reference 1 in my setup, but wow.

They had the R5 out at the kid's table (Sonos Connect) and it was obvious. If they want to sell the R5, they need to set them up with the adult's system. Granted, the fine folks at HTT are perfectly willing to do so - just make sure to ask as the Sonos was not doing them any favors.

There is a demo pair of white R500s that I heard last spring and the owner is offering a smoking deal on them. If I can sell my Q750s for a decent price, I will snatch them or the R300 (in walnut) up.

All in all, it was a fine evening. All that was missing was Johan Coorg, but Tom Rodgers of KEF was very nice and knowledgeable. For my troubles, I was presented a parting gift (something that has been on my radar for a while):
View attachment 26995
I think I've found my new audio partner!

Edit: What I find amazing is that KEF is willing to sell the R11 for the same price as the outgoing R900! If you have the budget ($5K) and can listen to them in an appropriate environment (i.e., not BestBuy) I believe you will be impressed. I certainly was!

Thanks for a very informative post.

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[John Parks]

Hey folks! I am selling my Q750s to get into the KEF R series. My advert on AH can be found here: https://forums.audioholics.com/forums/threads/fs-kef-q750-pair-satin-black.113302/

the Ebay listing can be found here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/123528409423

PM me if interested - thanks!

 

[John Parks]

New KEF R5 (and surround, subwoofer) review!
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/kef-r5-surround-speaker-system-review

 

[killdozzer]

A must see for all KEF admirers and the rest (and a cork into the pie hole of all the IMD preachers) Some very interesting info coming from Oclee in the interview lead by John Atkinson UniQ in different arrays.

 

[killdozzer]

Oh, and finally the guy explained the bass I get with LS50 with stiff walls, which might also explain why Irv said LS50 lack bass much to my amazement. My walls are "atomic-shelter" grade concrete (I broke a drill bit by merely hanging shower curtain and I do know how to use a drill) and the deeps are silly, when you look at the box, I've noticed all my visitors start looking around the room to see where the sub is.

 

[anthonyrizzo84]

How would set the crossover for the atmos kef r8a on the av receiver?

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[KenM10759]

What do you have for an AVR and which correction system do you use? Some can measure response with set to full range and that's actually the best way to see where they might be breaking-up.

Most Atmos-Enabled (reflecting) speakers seem to work best somewhere between 100hz and 200hz.

 

[anthonyrizzo84]

I have an onkyo rz900 its a beast.

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[killdozzer]

A funny and unexpected set back with concentric drivers speakers; if you find that you like the tweeter-at-the-ear-level height positioning, most of the speaker stands will be too low. You’d need a bean bag to sit on to be low enough.

I’m guessing this is because regular stand mounts have the tweeter above the mid/woofer so it’s 5-7 inches above what you usually have with the point source/coaxial/concentric (or whatever you call them).

I’ve been going through dozens of stands and most of them are 22-25 inches (with spikes!!!). Sitting on a regular sofa, my ears are not only above the tweeter, but above the speaker itself.

 

[Ataraxia]

A funny and unexpected set back with concentric drivers speakers; if you find that you like the tweeter-at-the-ear-level height positioning, most of the speaker stands will be too low. You’d need a bean bag to sit on to be low enough.

I’m guessing this is because regular stand mounts have the tweeter above the mid/woofer so it’s 5-7 inches above what you usually have with the point source/coaxial/concentric (or whatever you call them).

I’ve been going through dozens of stands and most of them are 22-25 inches (with spikes!!!). Sitting on a regular sofa, my ears are not only above the tweeter, but above the speaker itself.

I have R3's. Initially I had them on night stands and the center image was like a singing head sticking out of the carpet. When I bought stands I chose the Monoprice Monolith 28". These move the center image to a more believable height..

 

[TLS Guy]

A funny and unexpected set back with concentric drivers speakers; if you find that you like the tweeter-at-the-ear-level height positioning, most of the speaker stands will be too low. You’d need a bean bag to sit on to be low enough.

I’m guessing this is because regular stand mounts have the tweeter above the mid/woofer so it’s 5-7 inches above what you usually have with the point source/coaxial/concentric (or whatever you call them).

I’ve been going through dozens of stands and most of them are 22-25 inches (with spikes!!!). Sitting on a regular sofa, my ears are not only above the tweeter, but above the speaker itself.

Actually concentric drivers are best listened to a little off axis. That is where the smoothest response usually is. On axis cone reflections from the tweeter cause a somewhat lumpy response. If you are a little off axis then the response is more even. That is true for what I have seen of the KEFs, and it is certainly true of mine.
Mine on axis have a dip at 9 KHz, which I have ameliorated but not eliminated in the network and design. A little off axis and it disappears..

 

[killdozzer]

I agree. I don't have them pointing directly at me, but off axis you set with toe in, right? Or does that even matter with concentric?

What happens is, I have them almost straight forward and I really like the sound, but when I get up from my seat, from my listening position, the lows are considerably weaker. This made me think that if I buy short speaker stands, I might have this feeling all the time.

 

[killdozzer]

I have R3's. Initially I had them on night stands and the center image was like a singing head sticking out of the carpet. When I bought stands I chose the Monoprice Monolith 28". These move the center image to a more believable height..

Yes, thank you. 28 is better, but I'm sitting taller than that, also in R3's you have the tweeter above the woofer which further raises it for at least 3" comparing to mine. I don't have Monoprice in my parts, but I might ask one small "one-man-band" company that makes them from iron pieces to weld one higher.

 

[KEW]

I agree. I don't have them pointing directly at me, but off axis you set with toe in, right? Or does that even matter with concentric?

What happens is, I have them almost straight forward and I really like the sound, but when I get up from my seat, from my listening position, the lows are considerably weaker. This made me think that if I buy short speaker stands, I might have this feeling all the time.

For a concentric driver arrangement I would expect the same dispersion whether it's up down our left to right and I'm pretty sure that it was what TLS guy was getting at, that it is not a problem if the speakers are a bit low because that puts them off axis.

 

[killdozzer]

For a concentric driver arrangement I would expect the same dispersion whether it's up down our left to right and I'm pretty sure that it was what TLS guy was getting at, that it is not a problem if the speakers are a bit low because that puts them off axis.

I thought it might be that. It must be the room doing this then. If I lean forward for 1.5 feet in my LP, I lose a lot of lows and also if I stand up. Anyway, this still means short speaker-stands won't do.

 

[KenM10759]

Actually concentric drivers are best listened to a little off axis. That is where the smoothest response usually is. On axis cone reflections from the tweeter cause a somewhat lumpy response. If you are a little off axis then the response is more even. That is true for what I have seen of the KEFs, and it is certainly true of mine.
Mine on axis have a dip at 9 KHz, which I have ameliorated but not eliminated in the network and design. A little off axis and it disappears..

I didn't know you had any co-axial/co-incident type speakers. Which do you have and in what system do you use them?

 

[bradley0001983]

Anyone ever heard kef xq3 I cannot find a single person ever heard of them

 

[KenM10759]

Those are incredibly good! They were the last upper-mid level model before the introduction of the R series, and there were two generations of XQ.

The first generation uses a hypertweeter, while the later one improved the Uni-Q driver and didn't need it.

These were probably too costly to make to have sufficient margin at the price point. The curved cabinets and luxurious finish was really cool, and likely very expensive to do.

They didn't seem to sell a lot because they cost relatively too much and competed with the Reference 20x series of the time. They are quite good.

 

[bradley0001983]

Those are incredibly good! They were the last upper-mid level model before the introduction of the R series, and there were two generations of XQ.

The first generation uses a hypertweeter, while the later one improved the Uni-Q driver and didn't need it.

These were probably too costly to make to have sufficient margin at the price point. The curved cabinets and luxurious finish was really cool, and likely very expensive to do.

They didn't seem to sell a lot because they cost relatively too much and competed with the Reference 20x series of the time. They are quite good.

Ya I bought them at auction for 200 canadian figured make a quick profit I decided to hook them up in place my klipsch rb51s for surrounds and am blown away i dont think i will ever get rid of them