KEF Owners Thread - Page 54

I have KEF Reference speakers (1990 series) all around and a KEF TDM45B subwoofer. However, since last week the subwoofer doesn't turn on anymore. I looked at the fuse and its fine so I called KEF who referred me to a local service center who charges $75 for a quote (which they will deduct from actual service if I choose). Does it makes sense to have this done? How much will amplifier repair usually go for?

Thanks!

From you experiences, what receiver brands make KEF speakers sound the best?

Try it both ways. The port bung is there so that you can tune the speaker. When in place it can reduce low-end boominess when the speaker's output is being negatively affected by boundary reinforcement (walls and corners).

In the price range you are probably talking about, you are not going to hear any appreciable difference from receiver brand to receiver brand. Not one that you would be able to absolutely, definitively attribute to the particular brand, anyway. You may hear a difference between a receiver from Brand A and one from Brand B in a showroom or even in your own home, and you may prefer the sound of Brand A's receiver. But concluding that Brand A sounds better with KEF speakers would be a huge stretch.

So there is no really right or wrong answer? What have other Kef 3005se owners have done with the Port Bung? The manual is confusing one picture says its ok to have it and another interprets to remove it or not to remove it? This on page 13. Thanks for your help sivadselim. The reason I ask its because one if the satellite speakers was missing a Stand and the Port Bung!

Thanks for the response. I was just wondering if the XQ40s would not match well with the 3005SE satellites. But from your post, it sounds like it's not really a concern, and what matters most is having a matching front soundstage. I'll try the 7.1 setup with the XQ40s for the front speakers and the 3005SEs for the surround speakers, and I'll post comments in a few days.

I would try checking for loose wires first, if you don't mind taking the amp panel out. Did you move the sub around, by any chance?

What matters most is using those shiny, new (and expensive) speakers!



Well, of course this is the way to utilize what you now have. Unless you want 5.1 or 6.1. Either way, though, the XQs should obviously be used across the front.

If you need to use the XQ40s alone, for full-range, 2-channel playback, your receiver will afford you some way to do this.

Have you considered what speaker size you will set your XQs to and if SMALL which crossover(s) you will use?

You already answered this question for me, see your post from a month ago on 11-07-08 at 08:20 PM. It actually took a month for me to get these speakers, but I got a great price so it was worth the wait. I'm going to follow your advice in that post and set the XQ40s as small with an 80Hz crossover.

Thanks for the reply. I did take out the amp to check for any burned areas (we have regular power failures in our areas) and nothing seems out of the ordinary. I also noticed that the part do get warm when I turn the power on; just there is a. no sound, b. the power indicator isn't on and c. when I turn the power on you can always hear a thumb through the woofer itself; no that doesn't happen

Ok after I been reading a bit. Can the iQ3 bookshelf be hung on a wall? If so how does this system sound VS's a 3005se.

Left and Right iQ3
center iQ6 center
KEF iQ8ds rear surrounds
sub SVS pb+/2



I just want to spend the money I have the right way or should I just grab a set of 5.0 3005 SE.

I have the same Reference Series (The Reference Twos in burled rosewood, circa 1996-97) and the same TDM45B subwoofer to go with it. If I recall correctly, that THX-certified sub originally retailed for $1499 MSRP. It's a very good sub. Personally, if everything else on the sub is still in good shape and you still like it, I would spend the $75 for a quote. That's somebody's labor to take it apart and diagnose the problem and render an estimate for the cost of the repairs. You're not going to be able to replace it with anything comparable for a few hundred dollars anyway, I suspect. Well, not unless you luck into some deal (I bought my sub new in the box from ubid about 10 years ago for $700, and I think I got a good deal).

Good luck and I hope it doesn't cost much.

There is a right answer, but only you can answer it. It depends on your room, where you position the speakers, and what sound you prefer. So, try it out, and see which way you like better.

That setup will obviously best the 3005s, especially the subwoofer. I'm not at all a fan of surround-specific speakers so, personally, I would consider the iQ1s for the surrounds.

If you want to save even more money and you would even consider the 3005s, you may want to consider iQ1s for your fronts (and maybe surrounds) with the iQ2c center. An iQ1/iQ2c setup will give you identical 5.25" UniQ driver equipped speakers in all 5 positions.

Yes, since they are front-ported the iQ1s and iQ3s lend themselves well to wall-mounting. As discussed a few posts up, you may want to use the included port bungs if wall-mounting produces some unwanted boominess.

Exactly.

Since it's getting warm, it's likely not the power supply. Since the power indicator isn't on, it should be in the amp then. To make sure, maybe you can check the voltage off the power supply. Maybe they can tell you how much an "average" amp repair would cost, or at least what the range could be.

WOW, I'm so lost. Could someone build me a nice system that hangs on the wall and will rock my 12x10x^9. I want to spen about 1000.00-1200.00 for the 5.0 system.. I herd and liked the 3005se but I don't want to second guess myself and don't want to upgrade for a long time. I like the Iq10. Any help would be great. I'm getting a yamaha 1900bl for this system.

Can anyone explain how the iQ1 wall mount bracket works? The instructions show how the two bracket pieces fit together and I understand how the bracket mounts to the wall. However, I don't see how the speaker attaches to the bracket.

Thanks!

Yes, I like the sub as well, but hopefully it won't cost me a couple hundred of dollars to repair it... It's interesting though: I have my setup configured now to run without sub and I never knew the amount of bass that my front speakers can handle (I used to have 55Hz crossovers set for the fronts). My fronts are Kef Ref 3, I have Kef Ref 2 as sides, Kef 200C Center and Kef Q15 as rears.

You don't happen to know if that's the most expensive part in the Subwoofer, do you?

Thanks so much for the info.

In my ongoing quest to improve dialog with my 3005se setup I've decided to replace the center with either an iQ2c, or iQ6c, and perhaps even an XQ50. On the XQ50 I'm waiting for another poster who just received one to provide his impressions.

I'm wondering since I'm replacing the 3005 center if it would make sense to use that in the rear of the room for a 6.1 setup. At issue is that my couch goes right up against the wall it would be mounted on. Would having the 3005 center mounted on the wall facing downward (as much as possible) work well? Due to the couch being against the same wall the position of the speaker will actually be pointing well above my head towards the center of the room.

As always, thanks for any advice you can provide.

Ken

I do not know what the relative prices are, but I think that leap-frogging the iQs for the XQ center is a bit excessive. Sure, you want your center channel to be capable, but I do not think that that necessitates such a drastic disparity between it and your other speakers. A perfectly matched front soundstage is also very important and we all know that identical speakers across the front, although not always possible, is the ideal situation. Depending upon how much the XQ center is, consider the following setups, instead, for your front array:

1.) iQ1s with iQ2c
2.) iQ1s with iQ6c
3.) iQ5s with iQ6c
4.) iQ1s with another iQ1

Even though the iQ2c and iQ6c are not identical speakers to the iQ1s or iQ5s, the UniQ driver's coincidental array design makes them MUCH more so than many other manufacturers' center channel offerings.

For similar reasons, and because the tweeter is essentially identical, the 3005 satellites will work well as surrounds with the iQ speakers. And even allow you to consider 7.1. Or selling a pair of the satellites to someone who either needs a couple of small surrounds or is considering expanding their setup to 7.1. You may also be able to sell the center, too, btw, to someone who has, for example, the 2005s and desires a different center.



If it is not too much trouble to experiment, you can, of course, try it. I realize that you do not want to have a speaker sitting idly, but a proper 5.1 setup will sound better than an improper 6.1 setup. More is not always better. Don't use the center in that spot just for the sake of using it.

Well, do you really mean 5.0 and not 5.1? (Sorry, I didn't go back in the thread to see what you may have been proposing earlier.)

If the iQ1s (or even iQ3s) are still available at the close-out prices, and you are on a budget, honestly, I would not consider the newer iQs (i.e. iQ10). I do not know how much the 3005s are going for these days, but I think that, with the deep dioscounts, the jump in quality to the iQs is both fairly significant and worth it. Since they are front ported, both the iQ1s and iQ3s lend themselves well to wall-mounting. Again, I do not know what your previous posts and the answers to them entailed, but, provided you WILL have a subwoofer, consider 5 iQ1s. Someone here may be looking for a single iQ1. I am not certain, but I think that the iQ2c may be rear-ported, which would rule out wall-mounting it.

(Sorry if some of what I am saying is redundant or even contradictory to any previous responses to you. Many of the recent posters here are asking very similar questions. I feel like I am repeating myself.)

I cant decide because there is no local retailer that has these speakers so i am trying to decide between the two setups...

2 KEF iQ5 & 1 iQ6C
or
2 KEF iQ7 & 1 iQ6c


I like both setups...so....

I ordered 1 iQ5, 1 iQ7, and 1 iQ6c

I am going to try out the 5 and 7, make a decision and exchange it for the one i want...hows that?

You can read my response in your thread.

Since you will not be using a subwoofer (correct?), even though the iQ7s only go a few Hz lower, they MAY be the better choice. On the other hand, the iQ5 may sound better. I think that "why?" has already been discussed, but forgive me if it hasn't (with you). As I said above, I am beginning to feel like I am repeating myself.

Very nice system. For two channel music, is there much difference in how the Ref 3 and the Ref 2s, or have you tried two channel through the Ref 2?

I have the Twos up front, the 100C, and some KEF something 65s in the rear channels (they aren't voice matched, but it doesn't matter so much in the rear and that's where I scrimped), and two subwoofers -- the TDM45 and a smaller powered KEF I already had before I upgraded to the TDM45. I like mine.

Anyway, I hope your repair doesn't cost much either. I have what I believe is a blown woofer in one of my Ref 2s, so I am not running them full-range at the moment. I have spoken with Kieran at KEF USA in NJ, and he was very helpful in providing suggestions and faxing me a schematic for getting inside it. I haven't disassembled it yet, but when I do I suspect I'll be ordering two new woofers from KEF for the Ref 2s.

Thinking of buying a pair of iQ3 and a iQ6C for a bedroom setup. Would these match up. Mostly watch movies and some gaming. Eventually make it a 3.1 setup since its only my bedroom.

sivad how do you like your xq5s? Please give full expressions and opinions, much appreciate

Ok I currently have the 3005 SE system. However, after visiting a Magnolia showroom at Best Buy tonight, I realized I want more...especially from my subwoofer. They were playing Iron Man and it was so impressive that I decided to upgrade my system. (I tried to look at the brand of the sub and I think it was Fresco.)

I've been reading about all the iQ's that Kef has to offer. The XQ's are out of my price range. But I've been reading about so many possible combinations. The overall message I've gotten is that the front 3 speakers are the most important. Therefore I plan to use my 3005 speakers as surround speakers and get 3 brand new speakers up front.

But will all the IQ's be a definite upgrade from the 3005 speakers? I want a significant difference. My current possible combinations are listed below and I was wondering which one is best...

1.) iQ1 - iQ6C
2.) iQ5 - iQ6C
3.) iQ7 - iQ6C
4.) iQ9 - iQ6C

Is there a better combo than the one's above? My room is about 33' x 24' x 12'. I have hard wood floors and my couch is about 10 feet from the TV, which means there is about 23' of space behind me. So I need a system that will fill the room. I think the 3005 SE are a little weak for my room.

The sub is another issue. Does KEF have good subs or should I go with another brand?

I plan to spend about $1000-1200 for the front 3 speakers and another $600 for the sub. I'm hoping the iQ's will be a significant upgrade from the 3005 set. If not, then I guess I'll have to keep saving for the XQ series. The speakers will be mainly used for blu ray movies and not music. Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks!

Ok how does this sound?

1xiq6c
2xiq10 for the fronts
4x iq1's for the back

Room is 10x12^9 and I have a svs sub already and will be paired with a yamaha1900bl. Or should I just stick with the 3005's. All speakers but be hung on the wall.