• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Focal Diablo utopia vs kef r3 vs kef reference 1?

  • Thread starter Deleted member 51459
  • Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
D

Deleted member 51459

Guest
Hi everyone i own kef r3 , made in china not happy with their performance ,but they was cheap price i also have m33 from nad,
brand new all.

i am considering upgrading kef r3 to either kef reference 1 meta or non i understand that i will gain extremely low benefit doing this not sure how much better is their quality, i cant hear them not available dealership where i live to test ot try them , they can only order them.

In my car i have focal utopia speakers and tweeters and i really like them , so i am highly considering FOCAL diablo utopia , i cant try or test them as well, how much better are there when its compared to kef r3 , and kef reference 1 meta and non meta? i cant find any review here about focal i like focal.

i have space for bookshelves only.
 

Elitzur–Vaidman

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Jul 13, 2022
Messages
502
Likes
534
Hi everyone i own kef r3 , made in china not happy with their performance ,but they was cheap price i also have m33 from nad,
brand new all.

i am considering upgrading kef r3 to either kef reference 1 meta or non i understand that i will gain extremely low benefit doing this not sure how much better is their quality, i cant hear them not available dealership where i live to test ot try them , they can only order them.

In my car i have focal utopia speakers and tweeters and i really like them , so i am highly considering FOCAL diablo utopia , i cant try or test them as well, how much better are there when its compared to kef r3 , and kef reference 1 meta and non meta? i cant find any review here about focal i like focal.

i have space for bookshelves only.
Aren't Focal Diablo Utopias 10k each? With a budget like that you'd be hard-pressed to do better than a pair of Genelec "The Ones" (8351B or 8361A imo).
 
OP
D

Deleted member 51459

Guest
Aren't Focal Diablo Utopias 10k each? With a budget like that you'd be hard-pressed to do better than a pair of Genelec "The Ones" (8351B or 8361A imo).

I Have focal utopia in my car
speakers and tweeters front stage
and i really like them,
way better than kef R3.
too bad i cant test focal utopia diablo.
I cant get genelec since no distributor or dealer in my country and i cant write them as accountant/company expense so it doesnt work for me. i can get only popular brands, like kef, focal. etcs..
also these speakers are with integrated amp inside genelec i already spend fortune for NAD M33,
close to 6000$ , what i should do with it collect dust and get genelec with tiny mizerable amps inside?
 

HarmonicTHD

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 18, 2022
Messages
3,326
Likes
4,829
OP
D

Deleted member 51459

Guest
Please some focal utopia speakers owner to give proper feedback about these, are focal utopia diablo any good or they are junk.
i have never been dissapointed in my classical car from focal utopia never.
i am very dissapointed from kef r3, not sure if i will give them that much money for kef reference 1 not sure if its worth it.
 

HarmonicTHD

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 18, 2022
Messages
3,326
Likes
4,829
I Have focal utopia in my car
speakers and tweeters front stage
and i really like them,
way better than kef R3.
too bad i cant test focal utopia diablo.
I cant get genelec since no distributor or dealer in my country and i cant write them as accountant/company expense so it doesnt work for me. i can get only popular brands, like kef, focal. etcs..
also these speakers are with integrated amp inside genelec i already spend fortune for NAD M33,
close to 6000$ , what i should do with it collect dust and get genelec with tiny mizerable amps inside?
Is this what you base your impressions of the Kefs 3 on?

Thread 'How to fine tune my kef r3?'
https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-fine-tune-my-kef-r3.37496/

What do you know about Genelec? Did you listen to them?
 
OP
D

Deleted member 51459

Guest
Is this what you base your impressions of the Kefs 3 on?

Thread 'How to fine tune my kef r3?'
https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-fine-tune-my-kef-r3.37496/

What do you know about Genelec? Did you listen to them?
By the end of this week NAD M33 will arrive or before the end of this week,
i will give it 1 more try of these kef r3
if they still sound terrible to me i will sale them much cheaper in order to get rid of them..
and i will get something quality not junk i normally dont like low quality things made in china.
Naim muso 2 which i bought way cheaper than these kef r3
was much better box which i have recently sold.
No dealership about genelec
i cant order them, i cant write them as company or accountant expense, so i dont plant to get them.
Even if they are best in the world.
i understand a lot of people here adore genelec , but in case i need servicing them i will need to pay extremely expensive shipping
which is no point for me.
 

Joe Smith

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Jan 4, 2019
Messages
982
Likes
1,027
Again, I urge you to get your new expensive NAD amp and give it a good listening period with the R3s before you make yet another post about yet another uptick need or impulsively order something else. Take some time with your equipment, get to know it. Your ears need to be given time to hear.
 
OP
D

Deleted member 51459

Guest
Again, I urge you to get your new expensive NAD amp and give it a good listening period with the R3s before you make yet another post about yet another uptick need or impulsively order something else. Take some time with your equipment, get to know it. Your ears need to be given time to hear.
How much is good listening period?
30 days? My car with premium mark levinson , and my other classical car with aftermarket fitted focal utopia both sound amazing so i have some high standarts.
Even muso sounded much better than kef r3.
 

Joe Smith

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Jan 4, 2019
Messages
982
Likes
1,027
30 days, sure, that's a lot better than listening for a day or two. Experiment with the speaker positioning once you have the NAD, and try different volume levels. Your older amp is somewhat underpowered for sure for those new speakers.
As others have said, it's hard or well nigh impossible to replicate the sound you are used to in a tiny/closed car environment in an apartment, without a lot of time and expense. And the room treatment and speaker placement being probably MORE important than specific pieces of equipment.
A two-channel system is a fundamentally different thing than a multi-speaker car stereo.
I like music in my car, and in my home systems, but am tuned to a two-channel presentation overall. So I'm easier to please, I guess.
 
Last edited:
OP
D

Deleted member 51459

Guest
30 days, sure, that's a lot better than listening for a day or two. Experiment with the speaker positioning once you have the NAD, and try different volume levels. Your older amp is somewhat underpowered for sure for those new speakers.
As others have said, it's hard or well nigh impossible to replicate the sound you are used to in a tiny/closed car environment in an apartment, without a lot of time and expense. And the room treatment and speaker placement being probably MORE important than specific pieces of equipment.
A two-channel system is a fundamentally different thing than a multi-speaker car stereo.
I like music in my car, and in my home systems, but am tuned to a two-channel presentation overall. So I'm easier to pleaser, I guess.
So far for 15 days on kef r3,

and if i listen to them another 30 days it will probably not change my mind
i compared kef r3 with naim muso 2 everything was the same song quality reproduction, and naim simply every time sounded way better several times better and i am not talking about loudness or bass or something , i am talking with better sound quality...
i am not sure what speakers to go after i sale these kef r3,
i also heard they have some flare issues, can mine have flare issues i attach photos.
i am sure if i have more space and floor stands for speakers they will improve but not such options where i am currently...
 

Attachments

  • 307823181_810645319966997_7431635845640209755_n.jpg
    307823181_810645319966997_7431635845640209755_n.jpg
    207.5 KB · Views: 231
  • 308128139_639404117896327_8153552013836297682_n.jpg
    308128139_639404117896327_8153552013836297682_n.jpg
    194.3 KB · Views: 234

Joe Smith

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Jan 4, 2019
Messages
982
Likes
1,027
So far for 15 days on kef r3,

and if i listen to them another 30 days it will probably not change my mind
i compared kef r3 with naim muso 2 everything was the same song quality reproduction, and naim simply every time sounded way better several times better and i am not talking about loudness or bass or something , i am talking with better sound quality...
i am not sure what speakers to go after i sale these kef r3,
i also heard they have some flare issues, can mine have flare issues i attach photos.
i am sure if i have more space and floor stands for speakers they will improve but not such options where i am currently...
Don't know what you mean by "flare issues"? They look fine to me.
While it sounds like you have already made your mind up about the R3s before you try them with the new amp, I do urge you to find a way to at least get some speaker stands that are right for your listening position and then toe them in correctly for your listening sweet spot. Probably the cheapest and easiest thing you can do in most cases to improve your sound, at least in a nearfield environment, which is what it sounds like you have (smaller apartment and desk oriented setup).
 

Galliardist

Major Contributor
Joined
Jun 26, 2021
Messages
2,558
Likes
3,273
Location
Sydney. NSW, Australia
There’s no way to my mind that the Focals will work in a desktop system as you’ve described elsewhere. I say this from listening to its predecessor in a small demo room.

I hadn’t realised that you have continued to use the R3 with the JVC amp. Don't. In the worst case you may have damaged the KEFs, though I doubt that has happened.

The setup you have won't suddenly improve or break in. You need the better amp - and to work hard on placement, running Dirac, etc. when it arrives - to improve the sound beyond what you have now.

If you still have the Muso use that in the meantime.

If you want to replace the KEFs you need to concentrate not on price, but on the right kind of speaker, to replace them. That means looking specifically at speakers that are designed for desktop/near field listening.

When you have the NAD, one experiment you can try before starting on the actual setup is to put the speakers on the front corners of the desk, removing the foam plugs if you did put them in, and listen from a couple of metres away or the other side of the room with your ears close to the level of the tweeter:point the speakers toward where you are sitting, and repeat the experiment with them closer to horizontal to the back wall. That is the closest you can get to what they are really designed for.

If that doesn't give you decent sound, we have a real problem somewhere.

We haven't at any stage discussed the computer setup either. The other thing when you get the NAD is to get the BluOS working and eliminate potential computer problems from the equation.
 

Streamc

Active Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2020
Messages
277
Likes
69
Hi everyone i own kef r3 , made in china not happy with their performance ,but they was cheap price i also have m33 from nad,
brand new all.

i am considering upgrading kef r3 to either kef reference 1 meta or non i understand that i will gain extremely low benefit doing this not sure how much better is their quality, i cant hear them not available dealership where i live to test ot try them , they can only order them.

In my car i have focal utopia speakers and tweeters and i really like them , so i am highly considering FOCAL diablo utopia , i cant try or test them as well, how much better are there when its compared to kef r3 , and kef reference 1 meta and non meta? i cant find any review here about focal i like focal.

i have space for bookshelves only.
Why don't you like R3?
 

Streamc

Active Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2020
Messages
277
Likes
69
So far for 15 days on kef r3,

and if i listen to them another 30 days it will probably not change my mind
i compared kef r3 with naim muso 2 everything was the same song quality reproduction, and naim simply every time sounded way better several times better and i am not talking about loudness or bass or something , i am talking with better sound quality...
i am not sure what speakers to go after i sale these kef r3,
i also heard they have some flare issues, can mine have flare issues i attach photos.
i am sure if i have more space and floor stands for speakers they will improve but not such options where i am currently...
So what amp you use with R3 now? If it is not M33?
Of course they wouldnt sound good with mean amp. Lol.
 

HarmonicTHD

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 18, 2022
Messages
3,326
Likes
4,829
Why don't you like R3?
Most likely because it sits on a desk full of junk, in front of a wall without plugs installed and fed by a 20 year old, most likely broken AVR. In a small room and listened at 1 to 1.5m without any room EQ (desk reflections, Desk stuff vibrating, room modes etc). And he only paid 1600 instead of 16.000. Watch the video he posted - says it all.

Thread 'How to fine tune my kef r3?'
https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-fine-tune-my-kef-r3.37496/
 
Last edited:

Streamc

Active Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2020
Messages
277
Likes
69
Most likely because it sits on a desk in front of a wall without plugs installed and fed by a 20 year old, most likely broken AVR. Watch the video he posted - says it all.
They should not be close to the wall despite manufacturer claiming letting them to be near 40cm. I tested in 40cm and 60. But it is about some bass not about overall sound.
When I changed Ayima 07 to Purifi moduls I have got significant improvement.
 

HarmonicTHD

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 18, 2022
Messages
3,326
Likes
4,829
They should not be close to the wall despite manufacturer claiming letting them to be near 40cm. I tested in 40cm and 60. But it is about some bass not about overall sound.
When I changed Ayima 07 to Purifi moduls I have got significant improvement.
It’s not only the wall. Did you see the vid?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom