Kef R100 vs small floorstanders

[David Parkes]

Listed to my friends small Neat floorstanders and was really impressed. Should I consider going down the same path? Will I get a better performance with more expensive speakers at around the £1500 mark? Rest of system is arcam A19, Denton 720 streamer, marantz cd6004 both through an arcam iDac.

thoughts appreciated. Thanks

 

[nopiano]

Floorstanders are typically:-

Fuller in sound, more obvious bass.

More impressive looking

Less likely to fall over (though still can)

Tidier looking, cables less visible

Standmounters do need stands, which can add 20% to 50% to the cost. They can sound more subtle and detailed. They are less likely to boom. Can seem less imposing in a smaller room.

The decision is very much a personal one, and both Neat and KEF have their advocates. KEF tend to be more measurment oriented; Neat are more listening oriented - but both are popular and well reviewed. Both will get significantly better with higher quality amplifiers and source material. So it depends what the rest of your friend's system is, as to how likely that you might get similar results yourself.

Your system as it is probably wouldn't benefit from £1500 speakers, but these might be a better long-term bet if you find some you like. Worth hearing other KEF R series and their LS50 models.

 

[CnoEvil]

I agree with NP.

If you like what the R Series do, pick the one that suits your room.....but the quality of the amp will have a big impact on how the speaker will sound. Have a listen to what an Arcam A49 sounds like (with an appropriate source, like a Linn Akurate DS), if you want to see what I mean.

 

[Deleted member 116933]

Short answer is no. You have a different room so will instantly sound different. What sounds warm in his room might sound bright in yours for example.

And to be brutally honest I don't get the current trend of putting expensive speakers on cheaper amps. It should be the other way round imo. I would be matching 2k amps to those speakers ( the neats im talking about)

I would look to get one of Arcams more powfull power amps. Either secound hand or new and then look at the speakers. You may be suppised what a better amp can do to your current speakers. Good examples can be picked up on eaby for really prices

 

[David Parkes]

My mate's got an old rega integrated amp. How does that effect your advice? Is it the better grunt that improves things?

 

[Covenanter]

To put the alternative view, I think people tend to spend far too much on electronics. The speaker is IMO the key element and as long as your amp has enough HP to drive the speakers and has no obvious flaws then it will be sufficient. 90% of the stuff spoken about amps ("fast" for example, the most meaningless twaddle known to mankind) is BS.

I would never buy anything other than floorstanders.

Chris

 

[CnoEvil]

To put the alternative view, I think people tend to spend far too much on electronics.  The speaker is IMO the key element and as long as your amp has enough HP to drive the speakers and has no obvious flaws then it will be sufficient.  90% of the stuff spoken about amps ("fast" for example, the most meaningless twaddle known to mankind) is BS.

I would never buy anything other than floorstanders.

Chris

I suppose it depends how many amps you have heard driving your speakers.

IME. Fast is a way of describing how well an amp controls the bass driver/s. If the bass unit starts and stops quickly, it sounds fast compared to an amp that has one bass note merging into another.

 

[rainsoothe]

Hi. You should audition for yourself if you can, matching components is important. Imo, a pair of Focal Aria 906 would match the A19 better then Neats, but that's just me.