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KEF T101 Review (Thin Speaker)

Rate this speaker:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 161 89.9%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 12 6.7%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 2 1.1%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 4 2.2%

  • Total voters
    179

Chr1

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Minimalist design is not compatible with good sound. I will stick big center and floorstanders in my living room sans grills for the sound. I will choose monitor stand that allows 10 or 12 inch 3 way center placement. I will not install monitor in location that does not allow such placement.
Indeed. I am using large Mission 770 Mk2s for my surround speakers and love the sound. The problem will come if/when I eventually move in somewhere with my partner. She is very minimalist and I reckon that I will need some kind of bunker/mancave... Doubt I will be able to compromise to the extent of the KEFs for a common living room solution tho!
 

restorer-john

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Indeed. I am using large Mission 770 Mk2s for my surround speakers and love the sound. The problem will come if/when I eventually move in somewhere with my partner. She is very minimalist and I reckon that I will need some kind of bunker/mancave... Doubt I will be able to compromise to the extent of the KEFs for a common living room solution tho!

So, let me get this straight. You have a pair of these tiny little things and you/she are worried about 'minimalist' chit?

1641296132482.png


Advie: Dump her as# and move on to a girl who knows that big noise comes from big packages. :)
 

dasdoing

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acording to the marketing video they "implented smart tecnology that adjusts the sound", so there must be DSP. now was the "smart tecnology" confused by the Klipple? we need to know how the speaker "knows" how it is beeing used. Are there sensors? or are there just switches in the mounting holes of the 3 possible usecases? it probably thinks is is on a rack nearby the TV in the tested setup
 

Chr1

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So, let me get this straight. You have a pair of these tiny little things and you/she are worried about 'minimalist' chit?

View attachment 176618

Advie: Dump her as# and move on to a girl who knows that big noise comes from big packages. :)

Two pairs actually... Using them for surround L+R plus surround wide L+R. Tannoy V12s for L+R, plus several hefty power amps sourced by the AVR for 9.3 channels, so definitely not a "mini system".
(My neighbours thought that there had been some kind of terrorist attack when I first played a film with a large explosion just after the opening credits. Thankfully they are now in Holland.)

Aye, as to the Mrs. She knows that it's "my way or the highway" re my audio... Hence the fact that, as yet, we are not cohabiting!

Quite fancy a bumper sticker with a picture of one of the 12" drivers and the old adage "cold dead hands" ala guns in Texas etc...

I am however using Kef Eggs for the surround system in my bedroom, so not anti Kef by any means.
 
Last edited:

tecnogadget

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To hell with my plans to update my surrounds, which despite being small I wanted to get rid of the stands and visually free up my living room...

I knew from the beginning that this model would be a compromise as it is only 35mm thick...my current surrounds are not perfect but they are pretty good, as I apply EQ and Olive/Toole curve to them there is nothing I can complain about from a performance point of view...except that they take up physical space.

I want to replace them with thin speakers that I can attach to the wall, applying full DSP with lots of taps/filters to compensate for the compromises.

Here in Europe, I have seen this model discounted to 169€ per unit. Perhaps I could use it as the only "back surround" speaker in 6.1 config, as the discrete content of that channel or with upmixers is not that critical (assuming the response is very DSP corrected). It would be more than useful if some users could upload in-room measurements with Umik-1 or a similar microphone. @FBR is that your case?
 

Spkrdctr

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So, let me get this straight. You have a pair of these tiny little things and you/she are worried about 'minimalist' chit?

View attachment 176618

Advie: Dump her as# and move on to a girl who knows that big noise comes from big packages. :)
To get a feel for the size, what size woofer is that? Nothing else in the pic gives us a size comparison. Thanks!
 

Doctors11

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Here's some interesting thoughts on those.

 

tecnogadget

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Ikea Symfonisk picture frame spk. I have 2 and sound in 2nd system (TV + that's spk) is good.
Yes, those IKEA picture frame are awesome. Its a shame the don't offer them as simple actives you could plug to your existing AVR/amplifiers, I with that sonos constrain could be ditched in future iterations. Doesn't IKEA understand we don't n need more chairs? The world is hungry for good surrounds picture frames haha. Or any China-designed company to make some easy reverse engineering + DSP.
 
Last edited:

agiletiger

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I am still considering getting these as rear surrounds at some point. I can't find another speaker that would fit my specific needs:
  • Thin
  • wall mounting
  • Passive
None of the alternatives mentioned above fit all of these. I need to fit all three due to our living room space, its configuration, and a toddler that loves to run around. Basically, nothing in the rear on stands and nothing protruding from the wall. If you have nay other suggestions, I'm all ears...
 

Spkrdctr

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I am still considering getting these as rear surrounds at some point. I can't find another speaker that would fit my specific needs:
  • Thin
  • wall mounting
  • Passive
None of the alternatives mentioned above fit all of these. I need to fit all three due to our living room space, its configuration, and a toddler that loves to run around. Basically, nothing in the rear on stands and nothing protruding from the wall. If you have nay other suggestions, I'm all ears...

I don't follow thin speakers but I would "think" someone makes some thin passives? Come on ASR members help the guy out. :)
 

Doctors11

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I am still considering getting these as rear surrounds at some point. I can't find another speaker that would fit my specific needs:
  • Thin
  • wall mounting
  • Passive
None of the alternatives mentioned above fit all of these. I need to fit all three due to our living room space, its configuration, and a toddler that loves to run around. Basically, nothing in the rear on stands and nothing protruding from the wall. If you have nay other suggestions, I'm all ears...
How thin? Budget?
 
Last edited:

Everett T

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I am still considering getting these as rear surrounds at some point. I can't find another speaker that would fit my specific needs:
  • Thin
  • wall mounting
  • Passive
None of the alternatives mentioned above fit all of these. I need to fit all three due to our living room space, its configuration, and a toddler that loves to run around. Basically, nothing in the rear on stands and nothing protruding from the wall. If you have nay other suggestions, I'm all ears...
 

Dj7675

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I am still considering getting these as rear surrounds at some point. I can't find another speaker that would fit my specific needs:
  • Thin
  • wall mounting
  • Passive
None of the alternatives mentioned above fit all of these. I need to fit all three due to our living room space, its configuration, and a toddler that loves to run around. Basically, nothing in the rear on stands and nothing protruding from the wall. If you have nay other suggestions, I'm all ears...
I think in wall is a better option for many. There are some very good in wall speakers that will out perform thin on wall. Not sure if in wall would work for you or not but if it would, that may work very well...
 

sarumbear

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If it is sold by itself, yes. If it always comes with a sub, then no. Indeed I have refused to accept many speakers that come with mandatory subs as getting them strung together for testing is hard.
Even though the manufacturer sells the speakers as sets (T303, T205, T105) and the independent units are offered to extend the sets (they suggest add a pair to upgrade from 5.1. to 7.1) and the manual clearly says that the speaker should be used with a subwoofer only? Testing the speakers which are offered as an upgrade path is a punishment to the manufacturer, which is not fair.

These satellite loudspeakers must be used set as 'SMALL' in the bass management menu on the AV amplifier/receiver. Please refer to the table below. Bass output must be sent to 'SUBWOOFER' not 'MAIN' or 'BOTH.
 

sarumbear

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What was Amir supposed to do? Not perform the measurements? After the member sent it in?
Yes. He had replied to me that he doesn't accept sets. These speakers are sold as sets. The extra pair is offered for upgrading the sets. For instance from the 5.1 to 7.1 or more subwoofers.
 

sergeauckland

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One issue with in-wall, is that in the UK, and indeed most of Europe, our walls are solid masonry, with either wet-plaster render or drywall attached directly to the masonry and no gap into which one could put a loudspeaker. On-wall is pretty much the only option for somebody wanting something that's as flat as their TV screen.

S.
 

agiletiger

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I think in wall is a better option for many. There are some very good in wall speakers that will out perform thin on wall. Not sure if in wall would work for you or not but if it would, that may work very well...
Not possible in my living room. Also don’t plan on keeping the house for very long so I’d rather not poke holes when I don’t have to.
 
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