New Amp For Kef R700 Speakers

[Andrewjvt]

I Recently purchased Kef R700s from Frank Harvey. I wont say for how much but it was the best deal in the country by far. A big thank you to David for the great service and great price.

When I auditioned them they sounded great but thought the bass was too much so we put the lower outer bung and made a very slight difference but when they got home they never needed any bungs in. the sound is so much better than the DC6 they replaced.

Now im thinking about getting a better amp. Something with more grip and a better top end. I like to listen to different instruments in the track sometimes.

So anyone with these speakers or anyone with r series: what amps are you using.

Im new to this forum so hope the forum prefects dont be mean haha

 

[Andrewjvt]

I forgot to mention - The kefs are so big that im getting rid of the Tannoys and denon avr 2100 and am going to just have stereo for movies and music.

 

[Andrewjvt]

I forgot to mention - The kefs are so big that im getting rid of the Tannoys and denon avr 2100 and am going to just have stereo for movies and music.

 

[Deliriumbassist]

When I was working in hifi retail, I would often pair the R700s with a set of Cyrus X200 Mono amps Whenever I was on my lunch and a demo wasn't on.

 

[Frank Harvey]

As a step up, I'd consider the Primare I32, Naim SuperNait2, ATC SIA2-150, Musical Fidelity M6Si, or even the Sugden A21se. (without going crazy with the budget)

Alternatively, you could add a power amplifier to the Roksan with a view to changing it for a dedicated pre-amplifier later on. Decent power amps to look at would be the Primare A34.2, Cyrus Stereo 200, Audiolab 8200MB or 8200M monoblocks, or the Caspian M2 if you want to keep things Roksan.

 

[Covenanter]

I don't use the bungs either.

I also threw out my AV system and just use the R700s. You don't get subsonic bass of course but as they deliver lots of bass anyway I don't find I'm missing it.

For my type of music (classical) the Marantz kit is super with the R700s. The SA8005 is a great source for CD, SACD and for my Blu-Ray player and the PM8005 drives the speakers effortlessly, and to my ears neutrally, to volumes louder than I require. I actually can't imagine changing my system until something breaks.

I hope that is useful.

Chris

 

[Andrewjvt]

Thanks ive only heard cyrus once and never liked the sound - not sure which one though

 

[Andrewjvt]

Thanks David

youve given me loads of reading - il get back to you in a few years ha

 

[Andrewjvt]

yeah they are great - Do you miss surround sound?

 

[chris_bates1974]

Nice new speakers.... I'm running the Q700 with Cyrus amplification, and although some way below your set-up, I can confirm that the combination works very well indeed!

As an aside, (and mentioning only because OP did) I had cause this week to be in conversation with the same store - I've decided not to buy just for the moment, but the standard of service was really top notch, so it's a thanks from me too...

 

[SteveR750]

If you can, add the Hegel H160 to your list. It works very well with the ATCs, which have a similar tonal balance to the KEFs

 

[Andrewjvt]

Also forgot to mention my music:

Korn QOTS Smashing Pumpkins Foo Fighters Neil Young Lana Del Ray Cat Stevens Pixies Cold Play Nivarna The Cure Katie Melua Red Hot Chilli peppers Rage against the machine Skunk Anansie Rammstein Limp Bizkit pearl jam plus a few more

 

[Andrewjvt]

If you can, add the Hegel H160 to your list. It works very well with the ATCs, which have a similar tonal balance to the KEFs

Hi Steve

Ive read a forum regarding the Hegel 160 and really intrested me

I need to listen to it - how long have you had it?

 

[Andrewjvt]

I don't use the bungs either.

I also threw out my AV system and just use the R700s. You don't get subsonic bass of course but as they deliver lots of bass anyway I don't find I'm missing it.

For my type of music (classical) the Marantz kit is super with the R700s. The SA8005 is a great source for CD, SACD and for my Blu-Ray player and the PM8005 drives the speakers effortlessly, and to my ears neutrally, to volumes louder than I require. I actually can't imagine changing my system until something breaks.

I hope that is useful.

Chris

Do you miss surround sound?

 

[Andrewjvt]

If you can, add the Hegel H160 to your list. It works very well with the ATCs, which have a similar tonal balance to the KEFs

Hows the dac in the 160?

 

[Frank Harvey]

Also forgot to mention my music:

Korn QOTS Smashing Pumpkins Foo Fighters Lana Del Ray Pixies Nivarna Red Hot Chilli peppers Rage against the machine pearl jam

I'm into those and a lot of electronic stuff, so I sort of know where you're heading (whether you know it or not *biggrin*)

 

[Frank Harvey]

Thanks ive only heard cyrus once and never liked the sound - not sure which one though

If it was an integrated amplifier you heard, I wouldn't judge anything on that - their pre/powers are a different ball game. We've used the DACxp with their monos for Reference and Blades, and we've had a number of customers buy those combinations, so rest assured they work extremely well.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Thanks David

youve given me loads of reading - il get back to you in a few years ha

I kept it to a minimum for you

 

[SteveR750]

Andrew, I've had it best part of a month now, bear in mind that in ££s terms it wasn't a huge upgrade, as I was coming from a Roksan Caspian M2 that just wasn't powerful enough for me.

The DAC is extremely good (read some of the reviews of their stand alone models, they all seem to review well in Europe and in the US), but I suspect that's about the integration into the amp. The dacmagic plus was no better when I compared them (and for me the DM plus was almost as good as a chord qute, and better than anything I listened to that was under £1k). The only downsides are the rather cheap feeling remote, though the media player controls work for both spotify and J River so that's useful; and the rather clunky looking display. It's had some critiscism for not having a bit rate display, or even some adjustable digital filters, personally I don't need either. It's like having comfort mode on a 300bhp hot hatch..like why??

The biggest revelation is the performance of the ATCs. I was expecting to not get on with them, as I thought I preferred a euphonic, warm "organic" tonal balance, and was expecting a cold, harsh unexciting presentation that was unengaging. They're not, they are the opposite. They sound huge, massively punchy, dynamic and above all smooth, apart from a couple of poorly recorded tracks, but they were horrendous with the M2 and D18s. In fact, the D18s are noticeably more sibilant and harsh in the treble. Now, whether the SCM40s would sound equally "better" connected to the Roksan, or whether it is the Hegel that has the ability to control them (they need a lot of power to generate realistic volumes) is a question I can't honestly answer, as I haven't listened to the ATCs with any other amplification, though this combination is better than Naim Supernait 2 + PMC Twenty.26, and ATC SIA150 + Spendor D30R.

Either way, I've never heard Back in Black sound so good at stadium SPLs in my living room. I was at a concert last weekend, listening to a small chamber orchestra perform several pieces, and it struck me how difficult it was to precsiely pinpoint every single instrument, much like listening sometimes to recorded music, and most importantly I wasn't sat there thinking that what I was hearing was signifcantly different from listening to recorded music, which means it's doing the job it is supposed to do. If I upgrade again in the future, it will probably to include more feature / function and sound pressure levels and transient attack. I think this is where recorded music generally fails, a drum kit live has that sharpness to it that is often missing when played back though a hi fi system. The system I've got to now comes closest to reproducing that snap.

Hope that helps

 

[Gazzip]

What is your budget, or did I miss that?

 

[Andrewjvt]

Andrew, I've had it best part of a month now, bear in mind that in ££s terms it wasn't a huge upgrade, as I was coming from a Roksan Caspian M2 that just wasn't powerful enough for me.

The DAC is extremely good (read some of the reviews of their stand alone models, they all seem to review well in Europe and in the US), but I suspect that's about the integration into the amp. The dacmagic plus was no better when I compared them (and for me the DM plus was almost as good as a chord qute, and better than anything I listened to that was under £1k). The only downsides are the rather cheap feeling remote, though the media player controls work for both spotify and J River so that's useful; and the rather clunky looking display. It's had some critiscism for not having a bit rate display, or even some adjustable digital filters, personally I don't need either. It's like having comfort mode on a 300bhp hot hatch..like why??

The biggest revelation is the performance of the ATCs. I was expecting to not get on with them, as I thought I preferred a euphonic, warm "organic" tonal balance, and was expecting a cold, harsh unexciting presentation that was unengaging. They're not, they are the opposite. They sound huge, massively punchy, dynamic and above all smooth, apart from a couple of poorly recorded tracks, but they were horrendous with the M2 and D18s. In fact, the D18s are noticeably more sibilant and harsh in the treble. Now, whether the SCM40s would sound equally "better" connected to the Roksan, or whether it is the Hegel that has the ability to control them (they need a lot of power to generate realistic volumes) is a question I can't honestly answer, as I haven't listened to the ATCs with any other amplification, though this combination is better than Naim Supernait 2 + PMC Twenty.26, and ATC SIA150 + Spendor D30R.

Either way, I've never heard Back in Black sound so good at stadium SPLs in my living room. I was at a concert last weekend, listening to a small chamber orchestra perform several pieces, and it struck me how difficult it was to precsiely pinpoint every single instrument, much like listening sometimes to recorded music, and most importantly I wasn't sat there thinking that what I was hearing was signifcantly different from listening to recorded music, which means it's doing the job it is supposed to do. If I upgrade again in the future, it will probably to include more feature / function and sound pressure levels and transient attack. I think this is where recorded music generally fails, a drum kit live has that sharpness to it that is often missing when played back though a hi fi system. The system I've got to now comes closest to reproducing that snap.

Hope that helps

Thanks Steve

Thanks for taking the time - Thats sound exactly what im looking for and if the DAC is as good as that then i'll even save money on a DAC - I'll have to sort a demo of this one.

 

[Andrewjvt]

What is your budget, or did I miss that?

I dont have a budget but it has to much better than kandy K2

 

[DocG]

What is your budget, or did I miss that?

I dont have a budget but it has to much better than kandy K2

Oh, in that case: where can you demo a Devialet?

 

[CnoEvil]

Here is a selection of amps that I posted on another thread (for the R300):

Arcam A39 or 49.

Creek Evo 100A

Rega Elicit R

Ayre AX-7e

Hegel H160

Electrocompaniet ECI-3 or ECI-5

Pathos Logos

Musical Fidelity M6si or M6 500i

If Devialet is in your price range, it's a must listen.

 

[Frank Harvey]

What is your budget, or did I miss that?

I dont have a budget but it has to much better than kandy K2

Oh, in that case: where can you demo a Devialet?

He knows where he can demo a Devialet

And if his budget goes that far, then Chord's integrated amplifier shouldn't be ignored, nor should an upcoming integrated I can't mention yet...