Demo Day Results....B&W 684, MA RX6, KEF Q500 & Q700.

[Frank Harvey]

Pistol Pete1:
The Yamaha is 85 Watts per channel....Rotels figures are normally very conservative....

The Yamaha amp has a sub output, so adding one would not be a problem.....not all have this feature though....

http://www.whathifi.com/Review/Yamaha-A-S500/

Te Rotel has pre-outs, so a sub can be added to this amp too.

 

[Nas88]

David and Pete thanks for all the advice....its much appreciated. Will let you know how my demo goes on Monday. Cheers!

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Enjoy your Monday demo....let us know what you think.....

 

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

I've read all posts on this topic and I've still some doubts. Please, could someone help me in my choice.

I've a large 70m2 living room and want a 5.1 system that remains competent listenning stereo cd's. Thinking about a Marantz SR-5005, with KEF's Q500 or Q700, with sub Q400 and central Q200c. As a alternative, I'm considering a set of Monitor Audio RX6. But more oriented to a Marantz + KEF package (I've allways loved these two brands...)

Will be the Q500 enough to thing living room? If I choose the Q700, will the Sr-5005 be competent?

Love to hear your thoughts...

Thank you very much.

Pedro Gordo

Portugal

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Welcome Pedro........

That's a big area you have to fill.......and I'm not completely convinced the Q500's will be enough for that space....mine are in a room 14' x 12' (approx 12m squared).....

I would definitely opt for the Q700's, if not the Q900's, to be honest......with the Q600 centre, budget permitting.....

As for the receiver......it would work, but perhaps not give the best of the Q700/900 speakers (maybe look at the 7005 for these speakers)....put with the Q500's and the combo would be ideal.....

Hope that helps.....

 

[Frank Harvey]

Well the Q's are very easy to drive, so I doubt the 5005 will have problems, but as Pete states, it may not get the bet from them - at least you're open to upgrading the amp at a later date. But in the meantime, nothing will sond mis-matched or out of place.

 

[Nas88]

Well after many delays and such I got a chance to demo the Q500s at Canterbury HiFi earlier today. They started off with the Marantz 6003 CD/Amp combo. I was especially surprised by the ABRs as I had read up on beforehand and was a little apprehensive. Very good all round sound I thought, great clarity and bandwidth. I told him I was a little flexable with the budget so he brought in a Rotel RA50se and to me it sounded a little better. Nice rounding and punch to the music.

So after a few songs, he brought in a brand new A-S500, which I was rather disappointed with, I could notice a lot more reach in symbols but not much else. After a while, I asked him about 684s as they were on my list as well. He said sure, brought them in plugged them into the RA50se and oh my God!!!!

That was exactly what I was looking for, range, silky and punch! My word these speakers could punch! I loved the sound and was nearly ready to say pack up and lets go home but luckily I was wearing my sensible cap on. Need to demo some more speakers, this time at richer-sounds but they got a hard fight to beat this combo.

This is what I concluded on the new Q500s, if you listen to your classical with lots of string and symbols.....these are great speakers. But as soon as theres deep bass, you can tell that those ABRs are struggling. Vocals were great with those alien looking tweeters which were kinda cool.

But my personal fav, according to my ears were the B&W 684s.

Oh and another thing, if you want to know why Canterbury Hi-Fi is still there after 30years, their customer service is something else. Absolutely amazing service!

 

[Pistol Pete1]

And that's why it's so important to demo these things.......

Nas88....glad you had a great day demoing speakers. I had heard that Rotel amps 'control' the B&W's well.....I guess better than my Denon receiver......

As I mentioned in my posting, I got the Q500's for their clarity (treble/midrange) and was expecting to have to use them with the subwoofer.......but with a window/curtain behind me, the bass response is much better than the demo, so I'm happy to use them without the sub.

What you going to listen to at Richer sounds?

 

[Anonymous]

Nas88:but luckily I was wearing my sensible cap on.

Nas88 great review and sounds like you had a great time with a mob who gives great service! Now... tell us where do you buy a sensible cap?

 

[Boca]

Nas88:
Well after many delays and such I got a chance to demo the Q500s at Canterbury HiFi earlier today. They started off with the Marantz 6003 CD/Amp combo. I was especially surprised by the ABRs as I had read up on beforehand and was a little apprehensive. Very good all round sound I thought, great clarity and bandwidth. I told him I was a little flexable with the budget so he brought in a Rotel RA50se and to me it sounded a little better. Nice rounding and punch to the music.

Thanks for the review.

What is a Rotel RA50se ?

edit: Nevermind... I found it

 

[Nas88]

Pistol Pete1:

And that's why it's so important to demo these things.......

Nas88....glad you had a great day demoing speakers. I had heard that Rotel amps 'control' the B&W's well.....I guess better than my Denon receiver......

As I mentioned in my posting, I got the Q500's for their clarity (treble/midrange) and was expecting to have to use them with the subwoofer.......but with a window/curtain behind me, the bass response is much better than the demo, so I'm happy to use them without the sub.

What you going to listen to at Richer sounds?

Yes I will say this about the Q500s, incredible vocals on these speakers. And it loves strings! The violin on these speakers were unbelievable.....no I don't mean unbelieveable, I mean believeable...as in it sounded like someone was playing it infront of me.

These would be my perfect front 2s for a 5.1 setup!

Have arranged a demo day at richersounds tomorrow morning in Maidstone, told them I was interested in the MS Aviano 6s. So will let you know how that goes.

dimmies:

Nas88:but luckily I was wearing my sensible cap on.

Nas88 great review and sounds like you had a great time with a mob who gives great service! Now... tell us where do you buy a sensible cap?

haha trust me, when you got a dad like mine....you can't help but hear a voice in the background "CONTROL YOURSELF!!"

 

[Pistol Pete1]

For anyone interested in the Q500's thinking they are good close to a wall........

Just been doing a few tests with mine, and I've found that you lose the openness of the speaker if you get too close to a rear wall (mine is a stud wall).

The perfect balance of bass and openness comes at around 16" away from the rear stud wall in my lounge set up.......put them 10" from the wall, and the bass really kicks in, but you lose so much as a compromise......

I imagine the Q700 and Q900's need even more space....??

 

[Frank Harvey]

All room dependent mate

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Pistol Pete1:

For anyone interested in the Q500's thinking they are good close to a wall........

Just been doing a few tests with mine, and I've found that you lose the openness of the speaker if you get too close to a rear wall (mine is a stud wall).

The perfect balance of bass and openness comes at around 16" away from the rear stud wall in my lounge set up.......put them 10" from the wall, and the bass really kicks in, but you lose so much as a compromise......

I imagine the Q700 and Q900's need even more space....??

I think the highlighted part above suggested that too, David.....

 

[Anonymous]

i think judging by some of the comments in this thread (not yours pete

), the new kef range of speakers are the best in their class, work great with any amp, in any surroundings, whether they're close to a wall or not, and whether they're bi-amped or not

..

if i didn't have my lovely dins i'd be simply frothing at the mouth for a pair

 

[SDIESEL77]

I have just bought the last WHF issue and was highly disappointed that the Q700 got only 3 stars out of 5

Now I am beg time hesitating to buy them...

 

[SDIESEL77]

Just read the last WHF issue and was highly disappointed that the Q700 were only given 3 out 5 stars

I don't know what to buy now...

 

[Anonymous]

SDIESEL77:
Just read the last WHF issue and was highly disappointed that the Q700 were only given 3 out 5 stars

I don't know what to buy now...
Why? It's just someone else's opinion, that's all. If you like them, buy them, the number of stars really don't count. I've a feeling my DAC rated badly in several reviews but for me I've yet to hear better, and I've tested some very well reviewed ones.

 

[SDIESEL77]

You're right Grottyash but I haven't heard them yet and won't be to do so before buying them, so I have to mainly look at reviews.

I am now hesitating with the B&W684

 

[Anonymous]

As Grottyash says it is their opinion.

I bought the Q700s because to me they sounded better than anything else I heard.

WHF could have given the KEFs 1 star but that would not change my opinion of the speakers.

 

[Anonymous]

FAO SDIESEL77

It is difficult if you are not going to hear them first as everybody has diifferent tastes as to what sound they like and that is why you cannot just go of a review alone.

What I can say is that if you are effectively buying "blind" (or should that be "deaf"?) then I would recommend calling or contacting through this forum a retailer like David at Frank Harvey who gives very fair and balanced advice and is very knowledgeable about most of the major brands around this price point as his store actually stocks the products including B&W, Monitor Audio, KEF etc.........He may be able to give you some good advice in relation to the speakers that would best suit you taking into account the music you listen to, what electronics you are putting the speakers with and also the sizing and layout of the room in which you are putting the speakers in.

Not listening to the speakers doesn't make for a straightforward decision for you but there does seem to be a number of people very happy with their new KEF Q Series purchases posting on the forums to tell everybody.

I hope this helps and I am sure whatever you choose you will be happy with them.

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Mr Mellie:

As Grottyash says it is their opinion.

I bought the Q700s because to me they sounded better than anything else I heard.

WHF could have given the KEFs 1 star but that would not change my opinion of the speakers.

I agree.....the Q700's sound awesome.......

 

[Anonymous]

did a similar review this week and concur the q7's sounded great and I am sorely tempted by the package to replace my sold Ikons'.

 

[fayeanddavid]

did a similar review this week and concur the q7's sounded great and I am sorely tempted by the package to replace my sold Ikons'.

I can only agree, Q700s, Q200 and T301s arrived this morning after much auditioning.

Looking forward to tomorrow so that I can set it all up.

 

[Anonymous]

Which sub did you take?