Question Kenwood Amp +JPW speakers vs Akai amp + speakers

[rashnxt004]

Hi all
I am a newbie to the whole hifi thing.. so started dirt cheap; After looking around found some used equipment: Kenwood ka-v3700 amp, JPW ML310i speakers, Akai AA-M3L amp and Akai SW-TM3. Bought em all for about £50.
Currently using Kenwood and JPW; I think the Akai looks better but it has volume buttons while Kenwood has a knob.. there is something 'cool' about them knobs lol.
In terms of sound I think both speakers are good. I know these are pretty basic equipment but coming from Anker soundcore BT speakers I feel quite good... Just wondering how low in the food chain I am though.. ?
Anyway it's only the start of a (hopefully) long journey. If I am to get rid of an amp and speakers which one would you recommend I keep?
Thanks

 

[Al ears]

Hi all
I am a newbie to the whole hifi thing.. so started dirt cheap; After looking around found some used equipment: Kenwood ka-v3700 amp, JPW ML310i speakers, Akai AA-M3L amp and Akai SW-TM3. Bought em all for about £50.
Currently using Kenwood and JPW; I think the Akai looks better but it has volume buttons while Kenwood has a knob.. there is something 'cool' about them knobs lol.
In terms of sound I think both speakers are good. I know these are pretty basic equipment but coming from Anker soundcore BT speakers I feel quite good... Just wondering how low in the food chain I am though.. ?
Anyway it's only the start of a (hopefully) long journey. If I am to get rid of an amp and speakers which one would you recommend I keep?
Thanks
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I think only you can answer that one.
however, whatever you do, keep the JPW speakers....

 

[aversaurus]

Keep the speakers change the amp and take it from there.
With hifi you choose were you start and were you finish once your happy with the sound

 

[nopiano]

They are all pretty budget items from several decades ago. However, if they’re working well you got a good buy. And most of us started with something modest.

The Kenwood amp looks more traditional but it’s an AV amp. Often they had inferior amplifier circuits because there are so many more connections , and more processing too. The Akai amp styling is very much of its day. DAD as a source is almost unknown! And the controls aren’t exactly obvious in their operation.

I suspect I’d prefer the JPW speakers, but the Akai pair might play louder if you have a large room, or like rock/metal. Try to hear a few current designs at somewhere like Richer Sounds to see if you feel you’re missing out.

 

[rashnxt004]

I think only you can answer that one.
however, whatever you do, keep the JPW speakers....

To be fair.. I've never heard of the JPW until I bought it. What's so special about them?

 

[rashnxt004]

They are all pretty budget items from several decades ago. However, if they’re working well you got a good buy. And most of us started with something modest.

The Kenwood amp looks more traditional but it’s an AV amp. Often they had inferior amplifier circuits because there are so many more connections , and more processing too. The Akai amp styling is very much of its day. DAD as a source is almost unknown! And the controls aren’t exactly obvious in their operatio.

I suspect I’d prefer the JPW speakers, but the Akai pair might play louder if you have a large room, or like rock/metal. Try to hear a few current designs at somewhere like Richer Sounds to see if you feel you’re missing out.

Thank you..will check it out.
I'm not keen on loud playing; Usually very low while working... but yes occassion outbursts do happen..
I've never heard of the JPW until I bought it. The moderator also mentioned about it. What's so special about them?

 

[rashnxt004]

Also, I am thinking of adding a DAC(AudioEngine D1 or Schiit Modi or Fiio K5 Pro or something else?). I really want to.. but not sure if this basic setup will show any difference with a DAC. Thoughts?

 

[Jigs]

Hi all
I am a newbie to the whole hifi thing.. so started dirt cheap; After looking around found some used equipment: Kenwood ka-v3700 amp, JPW ML310i speakers, Akai AA-M3L amp and Akai SW-TM3. Bought em all for about £50.
Currently using Kenwood and JPW; I think the Akai looks better but it has volume buttons while Kenwood has a knob.. there is something 'cool' about them knobs lol.
In terms of sound I think both speakers are good. I know these are pretty basic equipment but coming from Anker soundcore BT speakers I feel quite good... Just wondering how low in the food chain I am though.. ?
Anyway it's only the start of a (hopefully) long journey. If I am to get rid of an amp and speakers which one would you recommend I keep?
Thanks
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View attachment 4440

Nice speakers.

 

[Al ears]

To be fair.. I've never heard of the JPW until I bought it. What's so special about them?

Made very close to where I used to live by people that knew a bit about speaker design.
Well regarded in their day.

 

[12th Monkey]

I'm not one for retro, but find the look of that Akai strangely appealing!

 

[nopiano]

Thank you..will check it out.
I'm not keen on loud playing; Usually very low while working... but yes occassion outbursts do happen..
I've never heard of the JPW until I bought it. The moderator also mentioned about it. What's so special about them?

As Al has said, and in the UK we almost always preferred British made speakers to Japanese ones. Yours might be from when the original business changed and they became a brand name rather than a true legacy of the original business that was so well regarded. There seem to be videos of their history that you can watch if you’re curious for more. I’ve a hunch they became a discount brand, like Gale and Mordaunt-Short, but I can’t be sure (and haven’t time to research).

 

[Roger_A]

JPW went out of business in 2007. They were originally based in Plymouth and later moved across the river Tamar to Saltash in Cornwall. At one time I believe their cabinets were made in Dartmoor prison.

 

[nopiano]

JPW went out of business in 2007. They were originally based in Plymouth and later moved across the river Tamar to Saltash in Cornwall. At one time I believe their cabinets were made in Dartmoor prison.

That sounds familiar. Did the name get sold to Richer Sounds, or is that my memory playing tricks? Do the ones pictured above look like ’originals’ to you, because the ones that got the raves were all the very ‘homemade’ looking British boxes, whereas those above look like Chinese plastic to me.

 

[Al ears]

That sounds familiar. Did the name get sold to Richer Sounds, or is that my memory playing tricks? Do the ones pictured above look like ’originals’ to you, because the ones that got the raves were all the very ‘homemade’ looking British boxes, whereas those above look like Chinese plastic to me.

They are indeed the later 310i, and still British I believe
The original 310, from the '80s was boxier and had a different tweeter.

 

[nopiano]

They are indeed the later 310i, and still British I believe
The original 310, from the '80s was boxier and had a different tweeter.

Ah, thanks. It was that ‘new look’ that I didn’t recall. Shame they folded.

 

[Al ears]

Ah, thanks. It was that ‘new look’ that I didn’t recall. Shame they folded.

Yes, never actually owned any, I went the Heybrook route instead.