KEF Q900 Towers

[cpp]

Here's a good analysis of the effect of diffraction off of sharp corners:

http://murphyblaster.com/content.php?f=cabinets.html

Of course, the effect of larger roundovers like those proposed by DS-21, or round speakers like the (gulp) B&W 800 series, are even better.

on spec's maybe but can you actually ear the difference ?

 

[GranteedEV]

on spec's maybe but can you actually ear the difference ?

I honestly, genuinely, >> don't know <<

............But I find this rather odd coming from a person with a $1000 CD Player.... Can you actually hear the difference?

 

[cpp]

GranteedEV
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpp View Post
on spec's maybe but can you actually ear the difference ?
I honestly, genuinely, >> don't know <<

............But I find this rather odd coming from a person with a $1000 CD Player.... Can you actually hear the difference?

nope didn't pay $1000 for a CD player keep guessing . and to quote someone "I honestly, genuinely, >> don't know <<

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Yup, theories are great to talk about. It's fun. But whether they actually make a significant difference in reality is another matter.

And I'm sure he bought the $1K CD player purely based on aesthetics.

Don't we all?

 

[cpp]

theories

oh yes "speculation", "opinion" or "hypothesis".

"The moment a person forms a theory, his imagination sees in every object only the traits which favor that theory." -Thomas Jefferson

 

[Ken Shabby]

I've always found Kef's outstanding speakers (I own a pair of 105/2's), but are terribly overpriced.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Well, I don't think the Kent Engineering Foundry speakers are any more overpriced than B&W, Revel, or other brands.

For example, a brand new KEF Q900 retail is $800 each.

A NHT Classic Four tower is retailed @ $900 each.

The Aperion Versus Grand is $900 each.

The Axioms M80 are ~ $700 each.

The new Ascend Sierra towers are going to be close to $800-$900 each.

You can get the Q900 like-new open box for $570 each shipped.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Looks like KEF is replacing the XQ-series with the new R-series, which are suppose to be bigger in size than the Q-series (R900 larger than Q900), but similar squarish/rectangular shapes, instead of the rounder shapes.

Price will be similar to the XQ-series.

Some of the big difference are the cabinet material, the Uni-Q and driver configurations. The Qs are designed with a an active Uni-Q on top, a passive radiator, active LF and another passive radiator in a closed box. The R is designed with a Active LF, Uni-Q and then another active LF with multiple rear ports (I'm comparing the Q900 and the R900). The Uni-Q comes very close to the Blade Uni-Q except is it a smaller Uni-Q.

There will be a lot of technology from KEF Blade that will go into the Drivers.

The flagship R900 will have 2 x 8" LF drivers in the speaker and both will be active.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=724103&page=144

 

[DS-21]

Unfortunate that it's also (seemingly) going to be in a high-diffraction cabinet.

On the plus side, finish quality should be better and it's much easier to plug ports than replace PR's.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

OK, the Stereophile review of the Q900 is finally posted online:

http://www.stereophile.com/content/kef-q900-loudspeaker-measurements


Other than the low-level peaks in the mid-treble, the cumulative spectral-decay or waterfall plot on the tweeter axis is superbly clean throughout the midrange and treble.

Despite its affordable price, KEF's Q900 offers superb measured performance...

What is your take on the KEF Q900's Stereophile's overall measurements compared to other speakers in the $5K, $3K, & $2K range?

 

[GranteedEV]

I really don't like how John Atksinon doesn't give a true summed quasi-anechoic response graph.. his graphs can be so confusing with each individual driver.anyways...

that 8khz metal cone breakup from about 6khz to 10khz does not look very suppressed at only ~12db below drive level. Most designers try to get these kind of breakups like 25+db below the drive level. It might sound harsh in the treble!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Yeah, what the heck was John Atkinson thinking?

Why would he not do the traditional summed anechoic on-axis FR graph??

 

[GranteedEV]

On second look, that's what the red line was. I do like the idea of measuring indiivudal drivers, because it gave a bit of insight on cone breakup. I wonder if the crossover can be modified on these Q900s to reduce the level of the breakup.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

On second look, that's what the red line was. I do like the idea of measuring indiivudal drivers, because it gave a bit of insight on cone breakup. I wonder if the crossover can be modified on these Q900s to reduce the level of the breakup.

So then what is the on-axis FR in terms of the usual 200Hz-10kHz +/- ?

And what is the -3dB bass response?

 

[jmy2469]

I own the Q900's,Q600C and I just ordered the Q800's for surrounds. I have them hooked up to the Arcam AVR 600. Everything sounds great!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I own the Q900's,Q600C and I just ordered the Q800's for surrounds. I have them hooked up to the Arcam AVR 600. Everything sounds great!

Congrats!

I'm sure they sound great too!

 

[jmy2469]

Yes they do!

 

[tiberius1023]

Yes, they look like big boxes....attractive big boxes. Those other KEFs are also attractive, but I'm not a fan of the ports.

I agree with you...I actually like the look of the Q900s...to be honest though I really don't care what they look like as long as they sound good.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I agree with you...I actually like the look of the Q900s...to be honest though I really don't care what they look like as long as they sound good.

I love the way it looks too.

 

[DenPureSound]

Very nice, sharp, and clean looking.

And KEF uses Real Wood veneer not plastic on the Enclosure. I like the dual passive radiators vs. the bass reflex ports that could and have caused Chuffing.

Also, KEF uses separated cabinet design, Mid/Tweet separated from Woofer.

Like the Tangerine Waveguide, and having "One Mouth" for both the Tweet/Mid driver as one point source, makes sense to me.

Now, onto Auditioning them for <$2K if they sound as good as the Engineering that went into the UniQ development, they will have a real winner!