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KEF Owners Thread - Page 5

post #121 of 6059
3/19/07 at 10:40am
It's good to hear feedback about accessories4less since they seem to have the best prices on the Web. I was under the impression that "cosmetic imperfection" could apply to either a blemish in the appearance, or that the speaker is Grade B from the factory -- including refurbished -- in which case we would not be told beyone the "cosmetic imperfection" notation which is the problem. Several selections at accessories4less are marked "new" and they tell me that means they are Grade A , but the prices look comparable to the "cosmetic imperfections." Anyone know exactly what accessories4less is selling as "cosmetic imperfections" and as "new"?

This is my first post, and I so appreciate this forum. I own a pair of XQ5s, driven by NAD T763, and I am looking to upgrade my center (currently q6c) and surrounds (currently 2003 eggs). The center would be XQ2c and the surrounds XQ1s, I suppose. I'd love to hear what others are using.

Also, I heard from another online store that KEFs are releasing new XQs in June -- though what I'm told sounds very similar to what I read earlier on this thread about the new Reference line. Is KEF upgrading both lines at the same time?

Thanks,
Marjorie
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post #122 of 6059
3/19/07 at 10:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ikari Warrior View Post

I have Troy, Superman Returns, Posieden, and Batman Begins in TrueHD. When I get a new receiver I'll be doing LPCM for BluRay movies as well.
So what are you suggesting I get for surrounds?

Well, I wasn't.. LOL.. I am not there myself, I am interested in 'possibly' replacing a present 5.1 system. The last KEFs I owned were the 104.2
I have an M&K THX system which is quite good. In fact, I am not sure how much I could improve on them without spending a lot more $$$. But I've had them a few years and I thought is was about time I at least listen to what is out there now.
For my room, I don't think I would gain as much with dipoles, and would likely stick with direct radiating surrounds. Your situation may vary for sure.
But I've always liked KEF for the most part, and hope to audition them soon somewhere.
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post #123 of 6059
3/19/07 at 11:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mlazoff View Post

This is my first post, and I so appreciate this forum. I own a pair of XQ5s, driven by NAD T763, and I am looking to upgrade my center (currently q6c) and surrounds (currently 2003 eggs). The center would be XQ2c and the surrounds XQ1s, I suppose. I'd love to hear what others are using.

That's the setup I use.
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post #124 of 6059
3/19/07 at 2:34pm
Sivadselim, do you think that upgrading to XQ1s would be too much "sound" for just an 18x15 living room? I'm definitely upgrading to the XQ2c, I'm afraid with the full set I'd feel like I'm surrounded by hypertweeters!
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post #125 of 6059
3/19/07 at 3:43pm
Also, my Cantons sound perfect, except for, of course ... the fact that they are Cantons - not the most quality speaker on the market!
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post #126 of 6059
3/28/07 at 4:48am
Well my iQ6 arrived. After a short stint under my screen, the sound was too muffled so I built a hanging ceiling mount that holds the speaker right above the top of my screen, angled down towards the listeners. It sounds great now.

Yesterday while driving around for work I stopped at a CC about 2 hours away and they had more open box iQ9s, this time for $349. Although its like twice what I paid for the first pair, I'm seriously considering picking these up to use as fronts and moving my current 9's to the surrounds (the new pair are cosmetically better looking). It's probably overkill, but for the same price as the 5's I might as well finish this whole thing up with the best I can get.
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post #127 of 6059
3/29/07 at 7:59pm
Hey guys, I was wondering if someone could answer a couple questions about KEFs, so I thought this would be the best place to ask.

I've been thinking about replacing my current speakers for a while and for some reason a couple KEFs caught my eye. Primarily, the iQ1/iQ3, iQ5, and the XQ1s.

If I plan on using a sub for most of my bass xover at 80hz, is there a reason I should really worry about the iQ5? Next, is the hypertweeter on the XQ1 worth it? Does it really help in terms of transition or anything else that makes it a must have?

Also, how do these compare to other speakers in terms of sound such as decay and whatnot? I don't like fast decay like Klipsch, more in line with JBLs tweeters. If you were to compare them to other speakers, what would be the closest resemblance?

Currently I'm using a pair of JBL E60s and they're just too laid back and not offering as high as an extension as I would like.

Anyway, sorry for asking so many questions. I don't have any dealers near my area which makes it a PITA to audition them.
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post #128 of 6059
4/2/07 at 9:27am
I would look around a Circuit City's locally. I have found 9 iQ9's discounted by 50% or more across three locations. They also had iQ2 and iQ6 centers at the same discount. I ended up with a set of 4 9's and my friend bought a pair of 9's and a 6 for his center. They may be doing the same with the 3's and 5's soon. For the price of the bookshelf speakers you may be able to find towers, if you're even interested in going that route.
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post #129 of 6059
4/2/07 at 11:08am
I just wanted to commend amazon.com for their great customer service. In quite the tragic accident, my week old iQ6 was fatally damaged yesterday in a fall from it's shelf. Amazon had a replacement already shipped out this morning. I was very impressed and will definitely give them more of my business in the future.

I had just got my setup finalized too, I picked up those two iQ9s to make a complete set of 4 9's and the new iQ6 as the center, and brought home a closeout DG1000 receiver to complete the package on Saturday. I never even got to hear the whole thing running as a unit. Now I'm running a phantom center through the front 9s until the new 6 comes in next week.

Overall I love the iQ series so far and can't wait to get the whole setup up and running and properly calibrated.
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post #130 of 6059
4/2/07 at 11:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ikari Warrior View Post

I had just got my setup finalized too, I picked up those two iQ9s to make a complete set of 4 9's and the new iQ6 as the center, .............

That's quite a setup. Bet it sounds great. Congrats.
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post #131 of 6059
4/2/07 at 11:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zen Fool View Post

If I plan on using a sub for most of my bass xover at 80hz, is there a reason I should really worry about the iQ5?

Well, the lower driver in the iQ5 is crossed in @ 280Hz, so the UniQ driver has to do less work than that in the iQ1s/iQ3s as it doesn't have to reproduce frequencies below that as the single UniQ driver in the iQ1s/iQ3s has to. This potentially results in smoother midrange reproduction. Having a dedicated low frequency driver allows potentially better bass response, too. Even with an 80Hz crossover, there would be well over an octave reproduced by the low frequency driver in the iQ5s. Also, the less the UniQ driver has to move, the less chance that there is some known distortion that's unique to the concentric UniQ design induced in the centrally located tweeter section.




Quote:
Originally Posted by Zen Fool View Post

Next, is the hypertweeter on the XQ1 worth it? Does it really help in terms of transition or anything else that makes it a must have?

The hypertweeter is crossed in @ 15kHz. This takes a little of the work off the tweeter and allows it to potentially perform more smoothly. I had the older, previous Q series speakers before I got my XQs and there is definitely a difference in the high-end clarity. Whether it's worth it depends upon the price you can get them for. They're pretty expensive relative to the iQ series.
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post #132 of 6059
4/2/07 at 6:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ikari Warrior View Post

I would look around a Circuit City's locally. I have found 9 iQ9's discounted by 50% or more across three locations. They also had iQ2 and iQ6 centers at the same discount. I ended up with a set of 4 9's and my friend bought a pair of 9's and a 6 for his center. They may be doing the same with the 3's and 5's soon. For the price of the bookshelf speakers you may be able to find towers, if you're even interested in going that route.

I would almost go that route if we had a Circuit City anywhere near me. Unfortunately I've tried the store locater with all the major cities and can't find a single one.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sivadselim View Post

Also, the less the UniQ driver has to move, the less chance that there is some known distortion that's unique to the concentric UniQ design induced in the centrally located tweeter section.

It doesn't look like I'll be able to get the iQ5s anytime soon, let alone I'm weary of another set of towers the more I get to thinking about college. I've almost strangled friends that tried to place their drinks on my current set of speakers, I'm sure there would be blood spots in the near future if I went with the iQ5s

All kidding aside though, is the distortion you speak of very common? Is there any detailed experiences of it, what percentage it usually adds up to, etc?

Lastly, would an upgrade to an iQ1/3 be much better than my JBL E60s? Without messing with EQ I get about +/- 15dB across the board throughout (not a very flat response). When I use the EQ I have available I'm able to limit it to +/- 10 with a more consistent line (still the mids remain recessed). Obviously my room accoustics aren't playing nicely, but there's no way I could afford to treat my dinky living space, let alone a dorm for college ^_^'
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post #133 of 6059
4/2/07 at 10:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zen Fool View Post

All kidding aside though, is the distortion you speak of very common? Is there any detailed experiences of it, what percentage it usually adds up to, etc?

The distortion is a known anomaly of the UniQ design. The driver that the tweeter is centered in moves, so the tweeter output is affected by the constantly moving "baffle" that is the driver itself. They've tried to minimize it with the material the driver is made of and it's surface coating. It's not at all severe, and in reality, unnoticable, but it can be measured and is a known artifact of the UniQ design.
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post #134 of 6059
4/2/07 at 10:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sivadselim View Post

The distortion is a known anomaly of the UniQ design. The driver that the tweeter is centered in moves, so the tweeter output is affected by the constantly moving "baffle" that is the driver itself. They've tried to minimize it with the material the driver is made of and it's surface coating. It's not at all severe, and in reality, unnoticable, but it can be measured and is a known artifact of the UniQ design.

Even knowing that the design still looks pretty solid. I don't see many reviews complaining about them in terms of distortion or artifacting. I guess I'll look around a bit more before making up my mind.

Thanks for the help
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post #135 of 6059
4/22/07 at 2:09pm
Anyone hear the new KEF Reference Speakers? My dealer recently got the 205/2s in and I'm going to try and listen to them in a few weeks. SJ
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post #136 of 6059
4/25/07 at 2:51am
hi all.

I have Kef KHT3005 for home cinema and a pair of old Kef 104/2 reference speakers from the 80s.

All are fantastic. But one of my eggs has died. Taken it back to the shop. Not even a year old!
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post #137 of 6059
4/27/07 at 12:58pm
hi guys,

im going to be upgrading my whole system soon and KEF got my attention with its customer reviews. right now i own a defenitive technology setup thats decent enough but im considering upgrading if the price and performance is right. i havnt had the pleasure of hearing a KEF setup but i plan on listening to some real soon if i can find a local dealer with them on display.

are these speakers an upgrade over my current setup for movies, video games, and the occasional music listening?

basicaly im looking into the reference setup and i got a few questions,

1. what are the major differences in the towers? im looking at the 203/2 and 205/2 mainly since the 207/2 is just outside the price range im looking into. infact its a mission alone to get them past my girl without much questioning.

2. what is the big difference between the 2 centre speakers in the reference line? im a big believer in never skimping out on centre speakers since there used for so much of the sound.

3. what max sized room is recomended for these speakers? right now im in an apartment but will be getting a house this summer. this will effect what setup i get of course so it will be good to know ahead of time.
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post #138 of 6059
4/27/07 at 3:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bboncorr1 View Post

are these speakers an upgrade over my current setup for movies, video games, and the occasional music listening?

The KEF Reference line is definitely a notch above your current speakers, but if you're only doing "occasional music listening" and plan on using these mostly for movies and video gaming, you may want to consider whether you really want to spend what you're going to have to spend to get the Reference line simply for movies and video games. Frankly, your current speaker setup is probably great for movies and video games. Add a really nice separate subwoofer when you move out of your apartment, and you should be good to go for movies and video games.

To get your money's worth out of the Reference line, you'll probably need to replace some of your other components, specifically your receiver, with high-end separates. The Reference line is certainly NOT for the faint of heart. These are very high-end, very expensive speakers.


Quote:
Originally Posted by bboncorr1 View Post

basicaly im looking into the reference setup and i got a few questions,

1. what are the major differences in the towers? im looking at the 203/2 and 205/2 mainly since the 207/2 is just outside the price range im looking into. infact its a mission alone to get them past my girl without much questioning.

2. what is the big difference between the 2 centre speakers in the reference line? im a big believer in never skimping out on centre speakers since there used for so much of the sound.

Ummm................... your answers are HERE.
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post #139 of 6059
4/27/07 at 3:57pm
You can download the brochure from the site mentioned above which will give you all the specifics of each model range. The $3K (for the pair) between the 203/2 and 205/2 has to do with the range, size of the drivers, etc. Just look at the specs. I'm planning on listening to the 205/2s this weekend. Got my SACDs ready to go! The centers are similar. More drivers/power/etc. SJ
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post #140 of 6059
4/27/07 at 9:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sivadselim View Post

The KEF Reference line is definitely a notch above your current speakers, but if you're only doing "occasional music listening" and plan on using these mostly for movies and video gaming, you may want to consider whether you really want to spend what you're going to have to spend to get the Reference line simply for movies and video games. Frankly, your current speaker setup is probably great for movies and video games. Add a really nice separate subwoofer when you move out of your apartment, and you should be good to go for movies and video games.

To get your money's worth out of the Reference line, you'll probably need to replace some of your other components, specifically your receiver, with high-end separates. The Reference line is certainly NOT for the faint of heart. These are very high-end, very expensive speakers.



Ummm................... your answers are HERE.

well i plan on upgrading my whole setup this summer. im gonna start with the speakers since im waiting for the new sony lcos to get released later this summer/fall and recievers with onboard lossless codecs or chips for dts mastered. cash wont really be a big deal but im not gonna go crazy. im not sure i want my current setup so i might go with a KEF setup or higher end definitive technology setup. i do plan on buying 2 recievers so i might just buy the new yamaha rx-v861 this june and buy the other reciever this fall (or sooner is yamaha comes with a reciever with what im looking for).

here is basicaly what i plan on doing this summer so you can understand how massive of an overhaul im gonna be going through.

1. 3 new HDtvs. 1 tv in bedroom, upstairs living room, and httr. i plan on turning in my xbr1 useing my best buy warranty since it has the famous green and purple stains all over the screen. i have been through 3 repair attempts already and sony wont replace it so im waiting for the new models to come out and use b.b. instead. im also looking at a 40" and 32" lcd or plasma for the other 2 rooms.

2. recievers. im taking my current reciever and putting it in the bedroom. then picking up 2 more for the other 2 rooms. i plan on spending approx. $2500 through online retailers for them.

3. speakers. im taking my current setup and putting them in the upstairs livingroom. then taking my other yamaha sat. 6.1 setup and putting them in the bedroom. now i just got to figure out if i really need a KEF reference setup in the httr.

4. various. new cables, hd-dvd, brd player, universal remotes. i already have a ps3 and xbox 360 so thats taken care of. im also looking into surge protectors with line filters and power supply backups.


so as you can see its an overhaul and picking up a reciever isnt really a big deal. i might even sell my current setup in favor of a sat. setup for the living room.
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post #141 of 6059
4/28/07 at 6:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bboncorr1 View Post

well i plan on upgrading my whole setup this summer. im gonna start with the speakers since im waiting for the new sony lcos to get released later this summer/fall and recievers with onboard lossless codecs or chips for dts mastered. cash wont really be a big deal but im not gonna go crazy. im not sure i want my current setup so i might go with a KEF setup or higher end definitive technology setup. i do plan on buying 2 recievers so i might just buy the new yamaha rx-v861 this june and buy the other reciever this fall (or sooner is yamaha comes with a reciever with what im looking for).

here is basicaly what i plan on doing this summer so you can understand how massive of an overhaul im gonna be going through.

1. 3 new HDtvs. 1 tv in bedroom, upstairs living room, and httr. i plan on turning in my xbr1 useing my best buy warranty since it has the famous green and purple stains all over the screen. i have been through 3 repair attempts already and sony wont replace it so im waiting for the new models to come out and use b.b. instead. im also looking at a 40" and 32" lcd or plasma for the other 2 rooms.

2. recievers. im taking my current reciever and putting it in the bedroom. then picking up 2 more for the other 2 rooms. i plan on spending approx. $2500 through online retailers for them.

3. speakers. im taking my current setup and putting them in the upstairs livingroom. then taking my other yamaha sat. 6.1 setup and putting them in the bedroom. now i just got to figure out if i really need a KEF reference setup in the httr.

4. various. new cables, hd-dvd, brd player, universal remotes. i already have a ps3 and xbox 360 so thats taken care of. im also looking into surge protectors with line filters and power supply backups.


so as you can see its an overhaul and picking up a reciever isnt really a big deal. i might even sell my current setup in favor of a sat. setup for the living room.

If you are seriously considering KEF Reference speakers, then you also may want to consider going with separates vs. a receiver. SJ
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post #142 of 6059
4/28/07 at 2:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by SJHT View Post

If you are seriously considering KEF Reference speakers, then you also may want to consider going with separates vs. a receiver. SJ

That's a waste of money on speakers like the KEFs, because KEF engineers their speakers properly. They are reasonably efficient and are easy to drive in terms of impedance and phase angles.
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post #143 of 6059
4/29/07 at 6:55am
Just seems if you are willing to spend $11K for a pair of 205/2s, then you might want great amplification. These are KEFs reference line of speakers. I agree they are efficient, but I have heard what good amplification can do to their sound. I listened to them yesterday. We swapped around amplification and they become even more impressive with the right amp. Regardless, they sounded fantastic. SJ
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post #144 of 6059
4/29/07 at 9:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SJHT View Post

Just seems if you are willing to spend $11K for a pair of 205/2s, then you might want great amplification.

Amplification is a commodity today. Almost all amps sound the same. The only reasons to pick one over another are appearance, build quality, and snob appeasement.
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post #145 of 6059
4/29/07 at 9:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DS-21 View Post

Amplification is a commodity today. Almost all amps sound the same. The only reasons to pick one over another are appearance, build quality, and snob appeasement.

Have you heard the new KEF 205/2s with different amps? Did they all sound the same to you? SJ
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post #146 of 6059
4/29/07 at 12:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DS-21 View Post

Amplification is a commodity today. Almost all amps sound the same. The only reasons to pick one over another are appearance, build quality, and snob appeasement.

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post #147 of 6059
4/29/07 at 1:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DS-21 View Post

Amplification is a commodity today. Almost all amps sound the same. The only reasons to pick one over another are appearance, build quality, and snob appeasement.

Are you kidding me
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post #148 of 6059
4/29/07 at 2:15pm
Hello, I have the opportunity to purchase a KHT 1005 set, for about 120 $, is this worth the money and will it sound worthwhile? I've never heard KEF before, and my old setup was a theater in a box from samsung, older model but it was 5.1. I use my speakers for movies and XBox 360 with HD DVD add on. Thanks for any help!
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post #149 of 6059
5/3/07 at 9:30am
Well, I decided to purchase a pair of 205/2s to replace my well used 104/2s. I hope these new KEF Reference speakers last as long as they did. The 205/2s sound just fantastic. Really transparent, great imaging, almost a "crisp/light" feel to the sound. Also, really a good full range speaker with a warm midrange. The cabinetry/finish is top notch. Should have them in a few weeks at home. But, my gosh, they weren't cheap.

My dealer doesn't have other speakers of the new Reference line yet (centers, surrounds). Should be coming out within the next month or so. SJ
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post #150 of 6059
5/3/07 at 11:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SJHT View Post

But, my gosh, they weren't cheap.

No......................they aren't.

I'm jealous! Enjoy your new speakers!
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