KEF Owners Thread - Page 4

Yeah, if it can cover the same range just as well, then this would "re-unify" the UniQ driver making for an awesome single point presentation of most of the sound.

Still too expensive, though.

what's the difference between the Q1 and the iQ3? is there a difference in aesthetics? (i'm just not seeing it)

does anybody know how many binding posts there are at the back of the q1? are these bi-ampable?

The Q series is the previous model series to the iQ series. The iQ series replaced the Q series. Regarding the Q1 and iQ3, essentially, they are the same size driver-wise. The iQ3 woofer is made of a different material than the Q1's. Not sure whether the tweeters are different or not. I also do not know how different the internal electronics (crossover) are. The cabinets, although very similar, are not identical.

The Q1's have 4 binding posts and ARE bi-ampable/bi-wirable.

In my experience KEFs always favored music over film. But I think they have crossed that bridge with little loss in the journey. I think that's a better bias though than the other way around.
I had a pair of 104/2s that I really made me an audiophile also (as someone posted early on).
I sold them eventually, and certainly to someone who wanted the 'name' and never really appreciated what they do. I regret it now.
Looking into the iQ series, same combo recommended by S&V and several other reviewers.
Need to do a personal audition.
Earlier ones (like the 104) had little bass extension. KEF offered an electronic equalizer to improve it, which it did, but tended to muddy up the the pristine midrange.
Now, I don't think they lack much of anything, depending on your room and budget, of course.
Time to go back and listen to some more KEFs again. Too bad there is not more interest on the forum.

I still have my 104/2s that I use for my front speakers. I don't use the electronic equalizer any more, but they still sound pretty darn good. Bass is not that great, but these old speakers coupled with a great sub (with bass management from my processor) breathed new life into them. They still sound fantastic especially in the mid-range. I'm starting to get the upgrade bug and will likely replace them. I want to get full range speakers with a more tightness and response. Interesting that I have replaced everything else in my setup many times over the years, but the old 104/2s still have a place. The new KEF reference series that just were announced look great, but come with a high price tag. SJ

Good luck with that. I never had an opportunity to experiment with a sub and my KEFs. That would be interesting, and no reason it should not play right with a quality sub, the right crossover, and better electronics. The first time I heard the 104s I ended up buying a lower model, can't remember now what it was. The dealer gave me full credit on a trade up for one year on any other KEF. I was back only 2 weeks later to get the 104/2s, I could not get that sweet sound out of my head.

Yeah, I've listened to several new speakers, but can't get the mid range that my 104/2s deliver. If you looked at mine, you would think they were brand new. Not a scratch on them I'm going to listen to the new KEFs to see how they sound. I listen to a lot of jazz and the old 104/2s still sound great. They actually hold up fairly well with movies. I have a KEF 100 center and KEF Q surrounds (7.1 setup). Still not bad given the age of the 104/2s. I really think that my sub and the new electronics have really helped them survive for me..... SJ

I'm glad. Supertweeters are IMO more trouble than they're worth. On both previous KEFs and recent Tannoys, they take what was a nice controlled-directivity system and do strange things to the mid-treble that don't need to happen, for a HF extension bump that is of little practical consequence. The supertweet also dramatically shrinks the sweet spot, and provides further problems because the optimal listening angle for any coincident or concentric driver is NOT directly on-axis but a bit off.

I'm at my lowest level of KEF speaker ownership since I was 17. Right now the only KEF speakers I'm running are Q-Compacts as my rear surrounds in the main system, and the old-school KAR System 160Q in my project car. Mostly that's because my tolerance for dynamic compression has gone down, and I've kind of graduated to the logical next step, Tannoys using their Dual Concentic drivers. Tannoy Duals give me everything I loved from my KEFs but with higher efficiency and less compression. In the past, I have owned the following KEF speakers.

-Q15 + Q95c
-Q35 (different residence)
-RDM one (outstanding desktop monitor)
-RDM two
-Reference Two + 200 center
-A second pair of Q-Compacts

All of them were excellent, honestly.

I would be very interested in your impressions on the newer KEFs as you do your listening. I would be more than willing to share mine also.

Will do. My local KEF dealer told me they would have them within a few weeks. SJ

I picked up the 3005 system and I am loving this system. I am really interested in the IQ9s for music. Does anyone here have these speakers? Whats your take on them?

Glad to see the KEF owners thread gettin' a little action.

Now, if they would only improve their marketing strategy in the states.

No comparison. The KEF's kill those Polks. A more accurate comparison might be the Polk RM6880. Even then, they don't sound as rich as the KEF's.

Ditto here, can't find anything to replace my 105.3 fronts and 104.2 rears. well at least can't find anything in a reasonable price range. people don't realize, speaker technology has not really advanced significantly in 20 years, so all that high end vintage stuff is very reasonably priced compared to new high end stuff.

i added a psb subsonic 6i sub and use the optimization mic on my yamaha 2600 to map out the response. and then the user can tweak it to their liking.

Keff should be really happy that CC picked up their 3005 egg shells. There just aren't that many places to hear Keffs since they are a higher end product. I guess the fact that Keffs will not be discounted off their list is part the reason retailors in the states don't carry them. Vanns.com out of MT. had a killer deal recently giving a free pair of eggshells with the 3005 system to take it to 7.1.

I still have a pair of 105.2's in my storage unit, my 9 yr old damaged a woofer when she was 3. Never have gotten them fixed. Still have my 101.1's too, they are heaven IMHO. Had them running rear channels in an old Carver setup w/ sonic holography.

Anyway, I can't hear as well anymore (20yr pilot) so am looking at a simple arrangement for my new basement HT. Probably an SVS speaker setup.

Have always loved Kef's, and the speakers from the 80's are still very competitive IMHO.

Anyone have a take on the difference in sound quality(not technichal differeneces) between the 2005.2 and the 3005.2 systems. And what would be a solid receiver(for the money$) for either?

Right now am using the KIT100 with my Samsung 6187 in a 10X13 room, but while it sounds good for 2 speakers am looking for a little more umph! Im not a huge audiophile but i can usually tell if something sounds bad, and it seems to me that these speakers are below the radar online,ebay,and even on the avs forums. Are Kefs seen as a second class citizen? Just asking as someone that has little clue. Thanks

Hey guys, last weekend I went out to look for some cheap floorstanders and ended up lucking into a pair of open box iQ9's for $179 each. Obviously I couldn't pass these up, so now I have been thrust from the world of budget speakers to the realm of high class audio.

The iQ9's overpower everything in my setup with the best sound I've ever heard. So now I'm forced to complete the set. I want to go with the iQ6 for the center, and my sub is good already so I'm set with that.

For the surrounds, what did you guys go with? I'm looking at the iQ3's for $450 a pair. What's the difference between the 2's and the 3's? The 2's seem to retail at Amazon for $300 each (it doesn't say pair on them) while the 3's seem to have better stats for $450 for two? I don't have walls around the theater area so I don't think the iQ8's would be that great for me, and they're pricier than a pair of 3's. I see some people using 5's or 7's as surrounds, and Circuit City has 9's as the surrounds, is that necessary?

That's a great deal.


There are no iQ2s. There is the iQ2c center channel speaker. And there are iQ1s.

CC has the iQ9s as the surrounds "because they can". But the iQ3s should easily suffice, unless you're really into multichannel music and matching the surrounds exactly to the fronts is that important to you, in which case you'd probably want a 5th iQ9 as your center speaker.

Get the iQ3s as your surrounds, or even the iQ1s.

Sorry, I meant 1's. I was reading the names too quickly at amazon and saw iQ1 2-way speaker as "iQ2".

I'm not into multichannel music at all, mainly Bluray/HD DVD movies, gaming, and hidef cable.

I really couldn't afford to get all iQ9's, although it'd be cool. I can barely afford any of this to begin with, I wasn't even considering getting into this quality of audio and probably never would have if I hadn't found this deal on the fronts. Now I pretty much have to finish the set because after hearing them I can't go back

What's the difference between the 1's and 3's?

The iQ1s are $299.99/pair at amazon.com. The iQ3s are $449.99/pair. It says "speakers" with an "S" on the end.

Notice how the prices for the iQ9s and iQ5s are per speaker (no "S" on the end). And notice how good a deal you got on the iQ9s; they're usually $599.99/each!

The 1s have a 5.25" driver. The 3s have a 6.5" driver; the same size as your iQ9s drivers.

The iQ6c center you're looking at has 5.25" drivers (albeit 3 of them). If I were you, I'd save a little dough and just get the iQ1s for your surrounds. They should work fine as surrounds since this is mostly for movies.

As of last saturday I am also the proud owner of a pair of KEF 103/3's. I first heard them at a friend's the saturday before, and immediately fell in love with the sound - very clear and crisp, very easy on the ear. As luck would have it, two days later my friend pointed out a pair for sale on the internet. Auditioned them, paid for them, schlepped them home, and I'm still grinning. 18 years old, perfect sound, and for only 350. What a bargain!

Walter Zed

Well my iQ6 is coming in tomorow, so that should fill the center quite nicely. I listened to it at CC this weekend playing Ice Age on BD and it sounded terrific. I can't wait to replace my current center, it sounds so muffled compare to the iQ9s.

I should be set for a little while, so I can pay off the the front three. Now I have to decide what to get for the surrounds, something smaller (like the iQ 1s or 3s) or a bit bigger (5s, 7's or open box 9's).

What do you guys use for surrounds?

thanks for the info. I ended up getting a pair of Q1's for my bedroom.

Hi,

I'm a "budget" user of the KEF family, just a pair of iQ1's with the iQ2C center
channel driven by Onkyo 504 receiver. This was my first part of first home theater
ever to be built, that was some months back, before this thread was started.
In any case, I love these speakers, but obviously have nothing to compare them
to with credible experience. I was looking to get a more budget type setup but
when hearing these speakers at local store, and getting 25% discount on the
whole package, I was happy to get them

In any case, anyone could recommend a decent, but still "budget" type sub for
this setup ? I'm not going to worry about surrounds as I don't have an easy place
to put them for now. But a sub could add to the movie experience easily here.
Thanks.

Then you never heard 'Phantom of the Opera' on HD DVD in TrueHD through 5.1 analog? Incredible!

If that's not your taste, other TrueHD copies should yield similar results. Nine Inch Nails was just released in TrueHD for both formats.

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?

For what its worth, i bought some Canton's from that KEF importer, Accessories4less.com, and never found the blemish, they seemed perfect.

So if your looking to save a little money, that dealer may not be a bad source.