KEF Q100 Speaker Review

[thewas]

Seems like you should patent it, and trade the design to Klippel in exchange for some of their other expensive software.

Isn't the Klippel NFS cage only to be used from preliminary tests to make sure there is collision and then to be removed?

 

[thewas]

Razor sharp imaging is a party trick of the mixing of stereophonic recording. Anyone who thinks that any real performance has imaging like that needs to get out more and go to live music. The recording process unavoidably leads to a different overall sound. Just the positioning of the microphones should tell you that.
I go to a lot of concerts, many are recorded for broadcast. So I get to hear them both live and later as a recording. The same concert will have a totally different sonic signature recorded. So much of what the golden eared value is basically invented. They, most of all, need to get out more.

A stereo recording is of course just an art product of its own as it's by far not possible to capture the original 3D audio event, often not even from dynamics point of view for most common loudspeakers. Also about imaging, a just audio recording needs much sharper imaging then the often almost non-existing one in a big real gig, as the visual clues which otherwise help for it, are missing.

 

[QMuse]

I know linkwitzlab, open baffle with right setup is good, but due to the reflection the image can never be pin point.

It can, with well designed speakers.

 

[thewas]

I am thinking another thing, their x300a (wireless) basically thane the q100 driver. Rear potted them and make them active with a TI dac inside, would that actually tamed the things a bit as it supposed to have some dsp in it or did kef did that cheaply to milk more money is interesting

The KEF X300a had problem with an internal resonance and is also voiced much warmer than the Q100 and I think was quite quickly discontinued

Source: https://www.hifitest.de/test/aktivlautsprecher/kef-x300a_7951

 

[maty]

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...stion-for-monitors-speakers.11120/post-315180

-> https://averagejoeaudiophile.blogspot.com/2017/01/im-back-yamaha-hs8-studio-monitor.html

Yamaha HS8 (studio monitor) vs KEF Q100, on axis

I wrote:

To solve the HF peak of the KEF Q100 you just have to listen to them off-axis, about 30-40-50 degrees to enjoy very good recordings. In the rest of the frequencies it is flatter than the HS8 and many other active monitors but it is passive. New model: KEF Q150...

As the recordings are bad the sound will be worse than with other much more forgiving Hi-Fi speakers. So we have to be very selective with the subjective opinions that are read on the net if we do not know almost everything about the type of recordings they play and others things as the amplifier used.

 

[YSC]

The KEF X300a had problem with an internal resonance and is also voiced much warmer than the Q100 and I think was quite quickly discontinued

View attachment 53931

Source: https://www.hifitest.de/test/aktivlautsprecher/kef-x300a_7951

That really looked bad

 

[QMuse]

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...stion-for-monitors-speakers.11120/post-315180

-> https://averagejoeaudiophile.blogspot.com/2017/01/im-back-yamaha-hs8-studio-monitor.html

Yamaha HS8 (studio monitor) vs KEF Q100, on axis

I wrote:



As the recordings are bad the sound will be worse than with other much more forgiving Hi-Fi speakers. So we have to be very selective with the subjective opinions that are read on the net if we do not know almost everything about the type of recordings they play and others things as the amplifier used.

Interesting - it really does seem they were built for non-axis listening. What does Q100 manual say about recommended toe-in?

 

[Juhazi]

https://www.hifitest.de/test/aktivlautsprecher/kef-x300a_7951

But they liked it in Hifitest.de! (another website/mag to not follow!)

Fazit
Als Plug&play-System empfiehlt sich die KEF X300A als sehr hochwertiges Stereosystem für den unkomplizierten Musikgenuss. Darüber hinaus ist sie dank 96-kHz-USB auch eine perfekte Wahl für audiophiles Digital-HiFi bis hin zum Hauptlautsprecher für die schlanke Wohnzimmeranlage. Dafür sind 800 Euro ein reelles Angebot.

 

[Wombat]

What makes a loudspeaker 'forgiving' of poor recordings? Some inherent positive manipulation, perhaps?

I would tend to think that better loudspeakers are more forgiving of better recordings.

 

[maty]

BTW: KEF LS50 (rear bass-reflex)... at least 900 mm 500 mm to rear wall. Something that many do not. Probably because they have not bothered to investigate it, as is so common: people detest any intellectual effort (to read the manual). And a amplifier with a lot of watts at 4 Ohms. And much better with stands. Then they comment that it does not sound good to them, that they do not understand that others speak so well of them ... For many, as with so many other objects, they are merely compulsive purchases, without properly informing themselves before making them, reflecting, taking time.

 

[maty]

KEF X300 is a bad active speaker without any doubt.

 

[wwenze]

That bump in 1k followed by a dip followed by reduced treble, where have I seen it before... oh right the Tannoy 600

I'm starting to wonder if it is intentional, or just 40yo design policies.

The KEF X300a had problem with an internal resonance and is also voiced much warmer than the Q100 and I think was quite quickly discontinued

View attachment 53931

Source: https://www.hifitest.de/test/aktivlautsprecher/kef-x300a_7951

 

[maty]

You can change the response to your taste (for example: "V" curve with PEQ) with a good minimum phase PEQ.

And DSP, VSTplugins....

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ds/revel-m16-speaker-review.11884/post-344991

You can try with different DSP but it is not the same. Sometimes, if the recording is not very good it can improve the sound...

 

[QMuse]

https://www.hifitest.de/test/aktivlautsprecher/kef-x300a_7951

But they liked it in Hifitest.de! (another website/mag to not follow!)

Fazit
Als Plug&play-System empfiehlt sich die KEF X300A als sehr hochwertiges Stereosystem für den unkomplizierten Musikgenuss. Darüber hinaus ist sie dank 96-kHz-USB auch eine perfekte Wahl für audiophiles Digital-HiFi bis hin zum Hauptlautsprecher für die schlanke Wohnzimmeranlage. Dafür sind 800 Euro ein reelles Angebot.

Some people like putting pineapple in pizza, too.

 

[wwenze]

Some people like putting pineapple in pizza, too.

Pineapple with fried pork and ketchup. Stir fried.

 

[QMuse]

Pineapple with fried pork and ketchup. Stir fried.

Thank you, but I think I'll pass.

 

[bigjacko]

It can, with well designed speakers.

Do you mean open baffle can have pin point imaging?

 

[maty]

KEF Q100 wire connections

 

[QMuse]

Do you mean open baffle can have pin point imaging?

Yes. Linkwitz Lab speakers have perfect imaging.

 

[bigjacko]

Yes. Linkwitz Lab speakers have perfect imaging.

I think Linkwitz said that dipole speaker's imaging is "realistic", whether it is perfect or not is not known. The sound comes from the room and walls not from two point sources like box speakers, that is what he means "realistic". I never heard of dipoles, so does not have any comment on perfect imaging.