M&K Xenon 5.1 speakers - are they any good?

[admin_exported]

I've got the LCR26 front, centre and dipole rears and the larger than standard KV12 sub and although it's amazing with BluRay movies - when it will quite literally shake the whole house - I've started to feel unimpressed with music - either via my Ipod or the DVD player.

The rest of the system is a Denon AVR3310 Amp with Denon BDP1800 Blu Ray player, 2 X Van den Hul flat HDMI's and QED Silver Anniversary XT Speaker cables all round.

Now the BluRay player is about to get replaced by the new DBP2011UDCI that I have on order - but I'm wondering whether the weak link is my choice of speakers and the rather heavy handed subwoofer.

Having looked at the Best Buys - my options include the B&W MT30 & Monitor Audio Radius R90 HD12, but I were to go bananas, I could stretch to the Monitor Audio Apex package.

Suggestions appreciated!

 

[Frank Harvey]

The Xenon 26's were a little weak with music due to the small mid drivers. Any of the MK speakers that don't use their 5.25" bass/mid drivers don't fair too well with music, and even then they need the right sub to back them up.

When I was reading your post, I got to your options, and as soon as I read the MT30, I thought, 'he could do with Apex'

I think if you went for the MT30's or Radius HD, you'd find something lacking compared to the MK's. Personally I think you'd be better off going with the MK 750's or 950's, which will be far better for movies as well as music, but they're going to be a lot bigger. If you want to stay small, the MA Apex package will fit the bill perfectly.

Alternatively, you could run a pair of hi-fi speakers off the B outputs (or configure your amplification to run a second set using any unused amplification) which means you'll get the best of both.

 

[Anonymous]

Have to agree

the MK 950`s are just superb for music driven properely and for movies as well

the accuracy using the pro tweeter is quite astonishing and they come a very close 2nd to the S150`s imho

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks both - I'll go and do some research / testing!

 

[Anonymous]

MadMark:Thanks both - I'll go and do some research / testing!

your welcome Mark

Al

 

[stuart123]

That is what I thought, and why my LCR 36 and MX7000sf package are on ebay at the moment.. I just bought a Arcam avr600 and PMC FB1I GB1I 5.1 package and have to say there is nothing better than floorstanders at the front and back. Sub sat systems just dont do it in the midrange by comparison! Also don't forget that AV amps at that price point are just that, Av amps. They are all pretty poor at stereo. You would get much better results with a standalone 2 channel intergrated amp fed from dennon.

 

[Anonymous]

Stuart

unless i`m mistaked you`re comparing some 4-5 grand pmc`s to some 1500 quid MK`s

is that a fair comparison

If you ever get the chance to listen to some MK150 satellite speakers you may well change your opinion

but we`re all different and like different things so hey ho !!

Al

 

[stuart123]

My M+K Package was 3k new and I have heard a few of the high end range. They are great at movies all the way through the range, But you will never get a Hi-Fi sound out of a non Hi-Fi speaker. M+K are all about massive dispersion and huge attack.

 

[Anonymous]

Surely MK are all about letting the listener hear what the director/composer wanted them to hear and that is not massive dispersion and attack.

M&K I think, got this label of not being good for music because they were primarily designed as studio monitors (where is music mixed I have to ask myself).

Where I think they are head and shoulders above mainstream hifi speakers is that they add no colouration to the audio at all, infact the new 950`s are just superb with music to me, not that i`m a massive 2 channel listener at all, infact i`m not.

But I can`t think of any movie i`ve sat and watched in a long while which doesn`t have a musical track in it somewhere, and i`m listening to more and more audio blurays now than ever I have and they just get better and better.

But the question wasn`t about getting a HiFi sound I don`t believe, it was "are Xenons any good?"

Well yes they are imho, but the 950`s are even better and I mean a lot better and thats includes for music as well.

Coupled to a good sub which is paramount, they are superb for movies and excellent for music