Kef IQ7 SE for 250GBP, worth it over the IQ5 SE for 160GBP?

[admin_exported]

Hello all,

I am looking for a decent set of speakers to connect to my Onkyo 606 receiver.

On my budget those KEFs look like a very good deal but I couldn't decide between the two.

I will use them mostly to listen to classical and jazz with the occasional blast of rock.

Also, do you advise me to bi-wire them for better stereo purposes?

Any advice is much appreciated and thanks in advance.

 

[Anonymous]

If I was you, I might consider trying B&W speakers.

 

[Anonymous]

Nice suggestion Linn. Care to explain why you suggested it?

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your replies,

I have always been a great fan of B&W but the only ones I can afford are the 685s.

Would these be preferrable to the Kef IQ 7SE? (they are around the same price)

 

[Anonymous]

Octopo,

Because I know B&W sounds pretty good with rock. And in the past I had a pair of B&W's and played a lot of rock on them. And the punch from Dave Grohl's drum kit was very good too on the B&W's.

Just to say the music I played was Nirvana.

 

[Anonymous]

Once you have taken stands into consideration I make the 685's almost double the price you have for the iq7se. I wold much prefer the 685 over the KEF's though.

 

[Anonymous]

esalor:
Thank you for your replies,

I have always been a great fan of B&W but the only ones I can afford are the 685s.

Would these be preferrable to the Kef IQ 7SE? (they are around the same price)

I don't know, In my decision I would go for the B&W's. But please don't take my advice, as it's down to you!!!

Also, try looking on ebay, you might get good bargains on Kef and B&W speakers.

 

[Anonymous]

Is it such a sacrilege to place the 685 on a sturdy bookshelf at the right height?

 

[Anonymous]

I'm just going to get a little out of hand.

Are the Linn Sara 9 speakers good? At the moment I just can't make up my mind what to go for.

Linn sara 9 OR Linn Ninka speakers.

 

[Anonymous]

esalor:
Hello all,

I am looking for a decent set of speakers to connect to my Onkyo 606 receiver.

On my budget those KEFs look like a very good deal but I couldn't decide between the two.

I will use them mostly to listen to classical and jazz with the occasional blast of rock.

Also, do you advise me to bi-wire them for better stereo purposes?

Any advice is much appreciated and thanks in advance.

The KEF's at that price are an amazing deal (why so cheap?), and would be very hard to miss out on. They will be an easier load than the B&W's, which do drop to 4 ohms at certain frequencies, needing a more suitable amplifier - I'd say amps around £600/700 upwards.

Do get a demo though, as they both sound different. The B&W's give you more at the frequency extremes, whereas the KEF's gibe you more midrange information. Both will have their benefits for certain type of music for different individuals. The 7SE's will be quite a step up over the 5's.

 

[Anonymous]

esalor:Is it such a sacrilege to place the 685 on a sturdy bookshelf at the right height?

Problem with shelfs is there usually next to a wall.

 

[Anonymous]

Not so bad with 685's because they're front ported, they actually come with brackets to be fixed for a wall but I wouldn't recommend anything other than stands.

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you all for the very informative and helpful replies.

I went to a local dealer (RAF in Amsterdam) and had a very through listening with a variety of my music.

Here are my impressions, all these were hooked up to a Marantz 4002 amp:

The IQ5 SE's are absolutely amazing, both for their size and especially for their price. They create an an amazing soundstage and they never seemd to miss a beat, except when I really pushed them to mental levels with an aria from Renee Fleming's Alcina, at the hight of the vocals I have heard some clipping. But apart from them, they took Patricia Barber and Dave Mathews Band like ducks to water.

The 685's, compared to the Kef's sounded more accurate, precise and, for the lack of a better word, gentle. Their clarity was definitely a step up over the Kef but they could't create the whole enveloping staging, I'm guessing for the lack of sheer size. (They, too clipped at the same volume at the same place with Alcina by the way, but I have to re-emphasize, I was really pushing it)

Then I moved over to the IQ7 Se, well, they certainly give more substance and more space to the sound but they also take away some of the focus and precision of the 5's. I remember reading a similar comment on the review and I absolutely agree. So, I pretty much eliminated them. I figured, If I were going to blow the budget, I'd blow it throughly and go for a real step-up.

Then I figured, with the stands, the 685 would cost me almost the same as the 684s, which are my fetish speakers for years, so I gave them a blast. Well, I was simply in love. They combine the immersion of the Kef with the accuracy and clarity of the 685. But then, they are 500eur per piece.

While thinking about how I can manage to afford the B&W's, I did some more comparisons between the IQ5s and the 684s and to my surprise, the little Kef's held their honor very much intact.

So, if I had the budget, I'd certainly go for the 684's, if only for their presence, but value-for-money, I think the IQ5 SE's are quite unbeatable. (200 eur!)

If the price difference were a bit less, I would, again, go for the 684. But a pair of the Kef, less than a single B&W...Well, the 684s were fantastic, but not THAT fantastic.

But that won't mean I will stop lusting over the B&W's. I'll just lust over them while listening to my fantastic little Kefs. =)

Hope this was helpful.

Thank you again for your assistance and happy listening to everyone.

 

[fatboyslimfast]

Excellent review, and very helpful - thanks esalor.