Any Opinions on KEF?

[Seabear]

Hey there all...
I'm new to this list. After looking around a bit (I ended up here searching for info on the new Yamaha RXV 2500) I started looking at what main, floor-standing speakers you folks were interested in.
Lots of classic names included, but I was surprised to see that there was no (so far anyway) mention of KEF's.
I listened to a pair a couple of years ago and just fell in love.
They were some of the most musical, transparent, pure speakers that I have ever heard. Simply effortless to listen to. Besides a pair of planar speakers that I listened to (that would never fit my budget), they were the first speakers that I can honestly say just dissapeared in the room.
The ones that I listened to were what became the Q-7 series- one model previous - I cannot remember their name or designation, but they had the same tweeter, same "racetrack" woofer, ect in a floorstanding speaker.
I am currently still using an old pair of POLK S-10's, paired with some of their better surround speakers and one of their better (read "Older") subwoofers, run out of a Yamaha RXV 2092, and it all sounds pretty damn good to me. I still think that those S-10's were some of the best speakers that Polk ever made- most of their new stuff that I listen to sound forced, and a touch shrill. They just do not sound as natural and airy as my old S-10's.
Anyway, I was wondering what the rest of you guys thought of the KEF's,if any of you have had the chance to give them a listen.
Thanks,
I'll sit back and see if I get any answers.
TjB

 

[plhart]

I've listened to the KEF Q-7s double-blind in Harman's Multichannel Listening Lab. They scored lower than the other three speakers tested at the time due to:
a) the easily identifiable plastic sounding coloration of the (it used to be called Bextrene) woofer cone.
b) the lite plywood cabinet which had about 1/3 the mass of the other speakers
c) the rather poor polar response which accentuated the non-flat on-axis response.

These are pretty looking speakers. IMHO though they are quite colored.

 

[Seabear]

interesting

That is interesting.
I have not heard the new Q series, only the generation before, and that description of either the coloration or the build quality does not fit with what i saw and heard in the shop whwn I listened to the ones that I almost bought.
It sounds as if they have changed quite a bit.
I also noticed that the configuration of the woofer had changed from that "racetrack" design that they were touting at the time. I wonder if they changed the composition of the speakers as well.
Had you ever had the chance to listen to the generation previous to these Q series?
Thanks for the reply,
PS: What were the other speakers in that test, and can I acess that report on the site?
TjB

 

[RaT]

I would agree witrh you. Since I own a pair as well as Paradigms Reference 60's and a 3 Sonus Fabers, nothing could be further from my experience. My KEF's are older models, but the sound, superb. If they are built poorly, with Bextrene cones and have coloration, then that is perhaps what suits my ears best.

That is interesting.
I have not heard the new Q series, only the generation before, and that description of either the coloration or the build quality does not fit with what i saw and heard in the shop whwn I listened to the ones that I almost bought.
It sounds as if they have changed quite a bit.
I also noticed that the configuration of the woofer had changed from that "racetrack" design that they were touting at the time. I wonder if they changed the composition of the speakers as well.
Had you ever had the chance to listen to the generation previous to these Q series?
Thanks for the reply,
PS: What were the other speakers in that test, and can I acess that report on the site?
TjB

 

[willy65000]

I've owned two sets of Kef Q series speakers. Nice sounding. In my opinion they're just not alot of speaker for the money. Now I seem to go for the Canadian built speakers. Paradigm, Psb, and Athena all make great stuff for the money.

Willy

 

[wild_gopher]

I believe the previous model KEF speakers with "racetrack" woofer are the RDM3 reference monitor speakers. I have built my HT around KEF speakers and love them. I agree, they provide a very clean and transparent warm sound.

L/R Fronts: KEF RDM3's
Center: KEF 100C
LRS/RRS: KEF RDM2's (rears)
LSS/RSS: KEF Ci 130DS In-wall Dipole Surrounds (sides)
Sub: HSU STF-2

KEF no longer makes the RDM series but you can go to their website (www.kef.com) under the "Museum" menu and look under Late 1990's model speakers. These speakers will also appear on Ebay from time to time.

MDL

 

[Ambient Fish]

Hi Seabear, as you can see from my kit list I am a huge fan of KEF speakers, the model previous to the Q 7 was the Q65.2, Kef don't make revolutionary jumps when they upgrade they evolve keeping the best of the old model and trying to address any percieved shortcommings in the new model. I am sure that there are better speakers than my current crop of KEFs but I'd bet a few bucks that they would cost me more than I could afford, I have owned Kef Speakers in some shape or form for over 20 years and I never had to repair or scrap a pair, I have always managed to get a good part of my original investment back.

The Kefs like any other speaker with pretensions of audio respectability perform best with good quality speaker cables, at the end of the day it all comes down to how your ears get on with your speakers but in my humble opinion the Q7 is the best speaker in it's price range by quite a long way.

 

[jimmym]

kefs

hey guys. anyone have any input on the kef KHT 5005 series?