Experience with KEF IQ70 and IQ90 combining with Marantz PM6004 + CD6004

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Because there is no review on the KEF IQ90, and a not so positive one on the IQ70, I like to share my personal experience of the last two months.

When looking for a new hifi set for my living room with a good sound quality and a reasonable price, I decided to buy and Marantz PM6004 amp and a Marantz CD6004 cd player. On a German website (I live in Holland) i found a great deal with a PM6004 + CD6004 and a set of KEF IQ70 for just 1200 euro. Because the KEF IQ series is already replaced by a new Q series these ‘older’ IQ speakers are for sale now for low prices.

My own local hifi dealer agreed to supply me the same set for the same amount money as the German website. At first I was quite skeptic about the IQ70 due to the review on the website. After I have listened to both the IQ70 and IQ90 in the listening room at my local hifi dealer there was not much between the two, so I decided to go for the IQ70.

I do have a relatively large living room with quite bad acoustics in which I could just not seem to get this hifi combination to work. Just as in the review on the website, the integration with the (mostly higher) low frequencies with the IQ70 was annoying me. I basically tried everything from bi-wiring to a redecoration of- and alternative speaker positioning in my living room.

After a few weeks I decided to go back to my hifi dealer to trade the speaker for something else. My dealer suggests bringing my own pair of IQ70 to his listening room for a comparison. Strangely enough my pair of IQ70 sounded great in his studio! After two hours of listening to a variety of speakers I decided try the IQ90 instead.

Although there was not much of a difference between the IQ70 and IQ90 within the studio of my hifi dealer, the difference within my own living room could not be greater. These IQ90 sounded so much better that I could not believe my own ears. The setup/combination of these IQ90 with the PM6004 and CD6004 is just perfect and gives a fantastic value for the money.

So, as for the review on this website, they were right about the IQ70. Although they could sound great in a studio, the acoustics of your own room can spoil the sound completely. It’s a pity though that there is no review on the IQ90 on this website. Especially for the price at which you can buy these speaker nowadays, at least in my opinion (my ears), you could not find any better speakers out there. They even work great in an acoustic unfriendly environment.

I have learned that (1) the acoustics of you own room can make a huge difference and (2) the KEF IQ90 are very good speakers for today’s money (and in combination with the Marantz PM6004 and CD6004). I still hope that someone at whathifi finds it interesting enough to review the IQ90 at its current price point, although that probably wouldn’t happen.
 

CnoEvil

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Hi there and welcome to the forum.

I am familiar with the IQ9 which I owned for a while, and chose over the IQ7. It is a powerful, neutral and transparent speaker, with nicely controlled bass.....and was Hi-Fi Choice's top pick in its price range back in 06.

It can sound a bit forward in a reflective room or with bright electronics, but get it right and you are rewarded with an excellent and oft underrated speaker. I have always liked its match with Arcam.

Cno
 

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