KEF Q300 or Monitor Audio Silver RX1

Helix

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Hello,

A friend of mine is asking for any opinion on system matching.

He currently owns a Beresford Caiman DAC & a Denon PMA-710 amp, which both are reviewed in WHF.

Now he'd like to add either KEF Q300's or Monitor Audio Silver RX1's, which both are also reviewed in WHF.

Which speakers would get on with the system he has?

I'd appreciate any help. Have a good day.
 

roger06

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Can't comment on the current system but I listened to both these speakers yesterday.

There really wasn't a great deal in it. If physical size is an issue then the MAs win. I thought the vocals sounded better and they had a bit more clarity.

The Kefs had a fuller sound, probably as they're bigger speakers.
 

Helix

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Thank you for the opinion, roger06.
emotion-2.gif


In addition to my post, maybe I should mention my friend would like to try biwiring.
 
Helix:
Hello,

A friend of mine is asking for any opinion on system matching.

He currently owns a Beresford Caiman DAC & a Denon PMA-710 amp, which both are reviewed in WHF.

Now he'd like to add either KEF Q300's or Monitor Audio Silver RX1's, which both are also reviewed in WHF.

Which speakers would get on with the system he has?

I'd appreciate any help. Have a good day.

Hi Helix

I'll recommend the Monitor Audio's Silver RX1's as these have a more even bass response which will help offset the rather full LF presentation of the PMA-710. I feel the RX1's also look classy as well.

Btw, keep the wiring simple. Single wiring the speakers with standard 79 strand OFC speaker cables will be more then good enough.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft
 
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Anonymous

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+1
This was also my experience when I compared the Q300s & RX1s with a range of amps.
 

Frank Harvey

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It's really down to personal preference. In all of the comparisons ive done in store between these two (and a couple of other brands), only one has chosen the RX1's. They just felt the MA's presentation was right for them.

Other than that, I feel, on extended listening, that the imaging qualities of the Q300's is superior due to it's coincident UniQ driver, meaning that ALL frequencies come from a single point rather than two points, which most other speakers do. Also, the revealing nature of the new UniQ driver delves deeper into the mix than other competitors too. They're just such a nicely balanced speaker that they seem to sound great regardless of music genre, and even regardless of amplification.granted, the Q's may not look as 'furniturey' as the RX's, but if they did, you'd be adding another £100-150 per speaker. Their design, as it stands, pushes most of the budget to the drivers and crossovers.
 
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Anonymous

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For me, I just didn't 'get' the Q300s when partnered with the Roksan Kandy K2 or a Creek Destiny amp. In particular the bass wasn't convincing and overall the sound wasn't terribly cohesive imho. CM1s, Epos M5i and RX1s were better to my ears and I am quite sure no amount of extended listening would have helped. Perhaps they weren't run-in - I don't know. But my recent demo'ing has helped me understand that the amp partnership is extremely important. And as David said above it is very personal - so perhaps I'm the exception not the rule.
 
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Anonymous

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Could anyone please comment specifically about the bass extension of the RX1 as compared to the Q300 ? Is it pretty much same or does the RX1 extend lower ? Is the perceived bass response of the RX1 any greater than that of the Q300 ?
 
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Anonymous

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I own a pair of KEF-300's. Awesome speakers in my opinion.

Many people refer to them as 'lean' in their sound. Not true if you ask me, they are fully able to reproduce bass frequencies if the recording intends it..

I demo'd them against B&W 685's before purchase and it was a no contest.
 

Frank Harvey

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Bass extension will fall in favour of the RX1's due to their rear firing reflex port. KEF's tend to give a leaner sound because their reflex port is on the front, and KEF's tend to sound that way anyway.
 
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Anonymous

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It is indeed tricky to say anything about the Q300's bass. Adequate at times and then almost non-existent at some other times. Couldn't say confidently without looking at the actual frequency response but to me it seems the low frequency response drops sharply after a certain point. I even asked the salesperson to make sure there was no subwoofer cutoff still in effect.

Unfortunately its going to be very difficult to listen to the RX1 before purchase (USA) hence my question to you about the low freq response of these speakers.

Didn't realize front and rear firing ports had that type of effect on the bass response of a speaker.
 
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Anonymous

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ive never heard the RX1's or kef q300's but have RX2's and i can say, these speakers are beast when it comes to bass and can be very overempowering if not positioned correctly. That might be due to the fact the midrange/bass driver is 8" whereas the RX1 is 6". I would imagine the RX1's as being pretty decent for bass as david has said, they are rear firing.
 

chebby

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Jun 2, 2008
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Given a situation where I was only allowed to buy Q300s or RX1s, then the Q300s would have to sound like £1000 speakers before I chose them. (Even if that were true, I would still be racking my brains to think up some way of hiding them!)
 
Helix said:
Hello,

A friend of mine is asking for any opinion on system matching.

He currently owns a Beresford Caiman DAC & a Denon PMA-710 amp, which both are reviewed in WHF.

Now he'd like to add either KEF Q300's or Monitor Audio Silver RX1's, which both are also reviewed in WHF.

Which speakers would get on with the system he has?

I'd appreciate any help. Have a good day.

Tell your friend to go and audition. From the reviews I've read they are both cracking speakers, so the only way to decipher the prefered make can only be determined by a nice mug of tea or coffee and a long listen with his/her own music.
 

SHAXOS

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Id go for the RX1s everytime. Just brought some and have them on the end of a Roksan K2 and think they are excellent. Much better finished and sounding than the kefs. Having said that i have never heard a Kef speaker i get on with regardless of amplifier having owned some xq30s and and had a lot of time with the old IQ5s. For me the sound is always thin and brittle and bright. The RX1s and the B&W 685s are bother better in my opinion.
 
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Anonymous

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I have heard the RX1s and the Q100s and I must say that I liked more the RX1s because of the richness of sound. I should be buying them very shortly. However, I intend to place them at a minimum distance from the wall and the rear port bass reflex feature worries me, in case of a bass distortion probability.

Can anyone advise me on that?
 
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Anonymous

Guest
I have heard the RX1s and the Q100s and I must say that I liked more the RX1s because of the richness of sound. I should be buying them very shortly. However, I intend to place them at a minimum distance from the wall and the rear port bass reflex feature worries me, in case of a bass distortion probability.

Can anyone advise me on that?

Sorry for the double post!!
 

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