Kef Q300 - Amplifier?

Frank Harvey

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Jun 27, 2008
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Depends on your budget really. They're easy to drive so you don't need buckets of power, but they're revealing enough to present you with the difference between amplifiers, even far more expensive ones, and they'll respond well to more current. At the budget end, the Marantz PM6003, Yamaha AS500, Rega Brio and Rotel RA04se will all work well with them - which you prefer can only be determined in a demo. They really seem to come alive on the end of a Naim Nait 5i or Audiolab 8200A. If that's a little too far, the Arcam A18 will work well, and that can be had for around £470 at the moment. Other than that, there's not a great deal between £400-600 at the moment that's worth mentioning other than maybe the Rotel RA05se.

The best thing you can do is to get yourself a demo and try a few amps out and see what you prefer - there is no single type of sound that everyone likes, regardless of what some might say, and you're the one who has to live with the purchase, as well as pay for it.
 

Clare Newsome

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FrankHarveyHiFi:The best thing you can do is to get yourself a demo and try a few amps out and see what you prefer - there is no single type of sound that everyone likes, regardless of what some might say, and you're the one who has to live with the purchase, as well as pay for it.

Absolutely. Hence my use of the words 'audition' and 'list'
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matthewpiano

Well-known member
FrankHarveyHiFi:Depends on your budget really. They're easy to drive so you don't need buckets of power, but they're revealing enough to present you with the difference between amplifiers, even far more expensive ones, and they'll respond well to more current. At the budget end, the Marantz PM6003, Yamaha AS500, Rega Brio and Rotel RA04se will all work well with them - which you prefer can only be determined in a demo. They really seem to come alive on the end of a Naim Nait 5i or Audiolab 8200A. If that's a little too far, the Arcam A18 will work well, and that can be had for around £470 at the moment. Other than that, there's not a great deal between £400-600 at the moment that's worth mentioning other than maybe the Rotel RA05se.

The best thing you can do is to get yourself a demo and try a few amps out and see what you prefer - there is no single type of sound that everyone likes, regardless of what some might say, and you're the one who has to live with the purchase, as well as pay for it.

What a good and well balanced post Dave.
 

Cypher

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Last weekend I heard a Yamaha A-S500 with Kef Q100 speakers. Sounded very, very good. The new Q series seem to work with all kinds of amps.
 
A

Anonymous

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Hi.
It's interesting, I get asked this question all the time. I will be honest - I have my own favourite and use Q300s in my home system at the moment with the Electrocompaniet Prelude amp and CD player - an excellent combination, if not a touch pricey for some budgets.
I have used my demo set of Q300s now with a HUGE number of different amps, (too many to list), and without wanting to 'big up' any in particular, the better ones in my own opinion so far have been...

Marantz K.I. Pearl Lite
Electrocompaniet Prelude PI 1
Cyrus 6XP
Naim Nait 5I-2

If those bust your budget, try the Rotel but don't overlook the Arcam A18.

Hope this helps! And remember... trust your OWN ears :)
 
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Anonymous

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Cypher:The new Q series seem to work with all kinds of amps.

And therein lies the "problem"... Albeit a nice problem.
 

manicm

Well-known member
Alex Foxon:Cypher:The new Q series seem to work with all kinds of amps.
And therein lies the "problem"... Albeit a nice problem.

Sorry to hijack this thread ladeez and gentz, so I'll have it straight from the horse's mouth then :) Alex would the Q100 work well 15cm - 20cm from a rear wall? I'm looking at it to replace my larger speakers. I have an Arcam Solo Mini - a good match?
 
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Anonymous

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Hi.
That would be no problem. I have demo'd the Q300 on a Solo Mini and was pretty impressed to be fair.

Alex.
 
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Anonymous

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first of all I would like to say that I had an not so satisfying experience when paring q300 with marantz pm 6003 so it would not be top of my list, however I am intreauged with this speakers and would like to know (Alex any help is more than appricated) if they wold work well with creek evo 2 amp and cd player and also what is minimal recomended distance to the wall

thanks and good luck
 
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Anonymous

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Cypher:What didn't you like about the kef q300/marantz PM6003 combination ?

for me it was "flat" do not know how to express myslef better then again the show room was had bad conditions and i was listening to creek evo 2 and epos combo previous night and comparison could be somewhat unfair ...
 

manicm

Well-known member
sky_nm:

Cypher:What didn't you like about the kef q300/marantz PM6003 combination ?

for me it was "flat" do not know how to express myslef better then again the show room was had bad conditions and i was listening to creek evo 2 and epos combo previous night and comparison could be somewhat unfair ...

What source did you listen to?
 
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Anonymous

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Well I am also looking for amp to my Q300 . In general i like to listen to music louddd , My fav. genres : Rap, RnB , Soul , from time to time Blues/Jazz like K.Melua .

My max budget ~800 U.S Dollars . This will be only stereo system.

Any recommendations ?

I was thinking about CambridgeAudio Azur 650A , Rotel RA06se (cause 04 has no remote included) , Marantz PM7004 (too much for KEFs ? ) Any recommendations which will fit best my needs ?
smile.gif


Thank you for help.
 

ne5

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gasolin said:
ne5 said:
what about an old Rotel RA930BX ? How does that compare with those listed ?

Why such an old amp about 25 years, if you want an old amp try looking for a nad 3020i

because I'm still using it and basically quite like it but I'm open to getting a new one that is better with these speakers
 

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