psurquhart
Well-known member
- Nov 15, 2010
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psurquhart:
Having a bad day ?
Who me? No I was just curious as to why you might never post again.
Actually on-topic (I know! I'm scared too!), just on the off-chance I wandered into my local Pioneer/KEF dealer today (Bernard Smith, Barnstaple, I got my KRP from them) and heard the Q700s in their demo room, which is very small. Now I heard them playing a music blu-ray demo disk, rather than AV and none of the music was what I'd personally listen to (so I couldn't make an absolute judgment as I'm not familiar enough with the material), one was an acoustic guitar duo, which didn't tell me much (although the mid0range was lovely, so I guess it did, thinking about it), the other was apparently a runner up from American Idol singing live with a swing band but there was also a live performance from the Police and a Killers video, which at least had some bass in them.
Now this was set up with a Q400 sub and Q200C centre (he thought it was the 600C but then realised he'd sold it) and I have to say, for the tiny size of the room I didn't think the bass was especially over-powering (even turned up pretty high). I would like to hear them in stereo without the sub though but that wasn't possible (I'd only popped in to kill some time). I didn't really notice an enormous soundstage but I'd put that down to the size of the room, you have to sit so close to the speakers that I really don't think you're in the right place and they had them toed in, which I understand isn't necessary with the Q series. I didn't say anything because I was desperate to get out without buying anything, which I just about managed. Luckily they only had the Q300s in cherry, so I had an excuse there...
Having a bad day ?
Who me? No I was just curious as to why you might never post again.
Actually on-topic (I know! I'm scared too!), just on the off-chance I wandered into my local Pioneer/KEF dealer today (Bernard Smith, Barnstaple, I got my KRP from them) and heard the Q700s in their demo room, which is very small. Now I heard them playing a music blu-ray demo disk, rather than AV and none of the music was what I'd personally listen to (so I couldn't make an absolute judgment as I'm not familiar enough with the material), one was an acoustic guitar duo, which didn't tell me much (although the mid0range was lovely, so I guess it did, thinking about it), the other was apparently a runner up from American Idol singing live with a swing band but there was also a live performance from the Police and a Killers video, which at least had some bass in them.
Now this was set up with a Q400 sub and Q200C centre (he thought it was the 600C but then realised he'd sold it) and I have to say, for the tiny size of the room I didn't think the bass was especially over-powering (even turned up pretty high). I would like to hear them in stereo without the sub though but that wasn't possible (I'd only popped in to kill some time). I didn't really notice an enormous soundstage but I'd put that down to the size of the room, you have to sit so close to the speakers that I really don't think you're in the right place and they had them toed in, which I understand isn't necessary with the Q series. I didn't say anything because I was desperate to get out without buying anything, which I just about managed. Luckily they only had the Q300s in cherry, so I had an excuse there...
I was somewhat surprised by your review of the new Kef Q700. I have recently bought a pair and the overall sound quality is outstanding. There is NO bass muddle, just powerful and deep bass. The speakers only show up what the electronics and cables cannot do [or indeed shortcomings in the original recording]. Room matching is very important as is good spiking to the floor. The speakers require many hours of running in to sound free flowing and controlled. Smaller speakers such as the Spendor A5 which have nothing like the bass power or extension of the Kefs can sound subjectively "cleaner" and "faster" with rock music simply because they effectively filter out the very deep bass and therefore the bass notes heard are really the harmonics, which start and stop more quickly than the fundamental notes. Look at the fourier decay spectrum of any stringed instrument to see what I mean. A speaker that can accurately reproduce deep bass notes will show up any lack of bass control in the amplifier, in contrast to smaller bass light speakers. What the Kefs do that other speakers cannot is to produce a holographic stereo image and to enable every part of an orchestra or instruments in a complex rock mix to be identified. Vocals can be heard very clearly through a cacophany of other instruments. The Kefs can reproduce the authentic sound of a grand piano with all its complex resonances and dynamics - at a realistic volume! I can listen to a Steinway grand being played at work, so I know how they sound in real life.
The bass quality is very good as it enables the different bass frequencies to be clearly identified [because they are clean and free from significant artificial resonances or harmonic distortion]. Many rock/pop music recordings have enhanced bass content to make the music sound "good" through music centres or MP3 players. The same music played through a proper stereo system often sounds very poor.
The Q700's are my third pair of Kef speakers. They have all shared the ability to reproduce acoustic instruments believably. The Q700's just do this much better due to their very detailed, clean and dynamic sound. At the moment I am running them with Cambridge Audio 840C & 840A V2 plus QED speaker cables.
I think that WHF should reconsider their review of the Q700.
The bass quality is very good as it enables the different bass frequencies to be clearly identified [because they are clean and free from significant artificial resonances or harmonic distortion]. Many rock/pop music recordings have enhanced bass content to make the music sound "good" through music centres or MP3 players. The same music played through a proper stereo system often sounds very poor.
The Q700's are my third pair of Kef speakers. They have all shared the ability to reproduce acoustic instruments believably. The Q700's just do this much better due to their very detailed, clean and dynamic sound. At the moment I am running them with Cambridge Audio 840C & 840A V2 plus QED speaker cables.
I think that WHF should reconsider their review of the Q700.
Frank Harvey
Well-known member
- Jun 27, 2008
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I'm quite glad too.
Q700 - there are a number of our customers out there sharing your sentimentand some of those are our regulars who've listened to them in store and aren't even KEF owners (or even KEF fans for that matter!).
One thing I've noticed (nothing new, but worth mentioning) is their imaging abilities, aside from their three dimensional soundstaging abilits you mention. Sometimes I find myself listening to music while doing other stuff on the internet, and I suddenly realise I'm using all channels from my LX83, rather than just stereo. I then press the 'stereo' button on my remote, and nothing changes. It's then I realise that they're only playing in stereo, and that it just sounds like the centre speaker is in use! know I shouldn't be caught out by this, but sometimes I'd bet money that the centre speaker is on, but it's just the KEF's imaging abilities at work. And this happens while I'm sitting about a foot/foot and a half off centre!!
Q700 - there are a number of our customers out there sharing your sentimentand some of those are our regulars who've listened to them in store and aren't even KEF owners (or even KEF fans for that matter!).
One thing I've noticed (nothing new, but worth mentioning) is their imaging abilities, aside from their three dimensional soundstaging abilits you mention. Sometimes I find myself listening to music while doing other stuff on the internet, and I suddenly realise I'm using all channels from my LX83, rather than just stereo. I then press the 'stereo' button on my remote, and nothing changes. It's then I realise that they're only playing in stereo, and that it just sounds like the centre speaker is in use! know I shouldn't be caught out by this, but sometimes I'd bet money that the centre speaker is on, but it's just the KEF's imaging abilities at work. And this happens while I'm sitting about a foot/foot and a half off centre!!
MUSICRAFT
Well-known member
- Mar 23, 2009
- 2,601
- 1,083
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FrankHarveyHiFi:I'm quite glad too.
Q700 - there are a number of our customers out there sharing your sentimentand some of those are our regulars who've listened to them in store and aren't even KEF owners (or even KEF fans for that matter!).
One thing I've noticed (nothing new, but worth mentioning) is their imaging abilities, aside from their three dimensional soundstaging abilits you mention. Sometimes I find myself listening to music while doing other stuff on the internet, and I suddenly realise I'm using all channels from my LX83, rather than just stereo. I then press the 'stereo' button on my remote, and nothing changes. It's then I realise that they're only playing in stereo, and that it just sounds like the centre speaker is in use! know I shouldn't be caught out by this, but sometimes I'd bet money that the centre speaker is on, but it's just the KEF's imaging abilities at work. And this happens while I'm sitting about a foot/foot and a half off centre!!
Hi David
Q700's are impressive however (as a once KEF Reference owner of Model 3.2's in stunning Rosetta Burr finish which i proudly owned for many years) i have to say i would still easily prefer either a pair of the excellent Reference model 1.2's, Model 2's or Model 2.2's
Old is gold
Thanks
Rick @ Musicraft
Q700 - there are a number of our customers out there sharing your sentimentand some of those are our regulars who've listened to them in store and aren't even KEF owners (or even KEF fans for that matter!).
One thing I've noticed (nothing new, but worth mentioning) is their imaging abilities, aside from their three dimensional soundstaging abilits you mention. Sometimes I find myself listening to music while doing other stuff on the internet, and I suddenly realise I'm using all channels from my LX83, rather than just stereo. I then press the 'stereo' button on my remote, and nothing changes. It's then I realise that they're only playing in stereo, and that it just sounds like the centre speaker is in use! know I shouldn't be caught out by this, but sometimes I'd bet money that the centre speaker is on, but it's just the KEF's imaging abilities at work. And this happens while I'm sitting about a foot/foot and a half off centre!!
Hi David
Q700's are impressive however (as a once KEF Reference owner of Model 3.2's in stunning Rosetta Burr finish which i proudly owned for many years) i have to say i would still easily prefer either a pair of the excellent Reference model 1.2's, Model 2's or Model 2.2's
Thanks
Rick @ Musicraft
Frank Harvey
Well-known member
- Jun 27, 2008
- 567
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As a once owner of 104/2's, 103/4's, 1.2's, 4.2's, 201/2's and 207/2's, I'll agree to an extent. But I'd rather have the Q700's over a pair of 1.2's, as I feel the new UniQ driver digs out more detail than earlier offerings. I was never really happy with the bass from 1.2's, and felt that 'Reference' bass started with the 2.2's. This aside, it's fine going for these if you have a couple of K's worth of amplification, but most people don't, which makes the Q700 (and particularly the Q900) a great buy.
A lot of this was spoken about on the following thread....
http://community.whathifi.com/forums/t/573816.aspx
http://community.whathifi.com/forums/t/573816.aspx
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