Choosing new speakers Kef vs PMC vs Fyne

[Mr. Reeee]

Hello, I been using a pair of Whaferdale Diamond 12.3 for a while with great results. Although the bass is a bit boomy with some vinyl records.

I am going to change speakers, and I was thinking about Fyne 501E or 501S, Ket Q7 Meta, or PMC Prodigy 5.

I don’t have a fixed listening position and I’m looking for speakers that offer good dispersion, so the sound remains clear and balanced no matter where I’m sitting or standing in the room. Which of these models would be a good choice, with a good sound as well, besides dispersion characteristics.

Having two KEF systems (LS60 and LSX and KEF subs for both) that I’m very happy with, I’d definitely go for the Q7 Metas.
The Uni-Q drivers are excellent in terms of dispersion and not needing a sweet spot for listening.

 

[snookpatrol]

If you find that the Q7s are boomy near the wall, you can use the foam port bungs that come with the speakers. That's what I did with mine and it worked well. Then I got a subwoofer and low-passed the Q7s, which ended any bass boom.

 

[dfuller]

So the KEF may be boomy if placed like 30cm from rear wall? What about the Super Lintons or the Q5040?

You'll pretty much always need to cut low end if you're up against the wall.

Don´t look at me, look at the calculated in-room FR (which contains overrepresented direct and early reflection windows response, so in the real world of a small room, expect it to be even more tilted):

View attachment 515513

Can you show any data that reflects this?

 

[berjine]

If ´boomy´ translates to excited room modes, leading to overly long bass decay, which is not uncommon in a small room (or ´dull´ translating to uneven directivity/treble dispersion in the room), room equalization is most likely not to help here.

That's the point of room eq, to put less energy into the modes. The decay will always be there of course but the amplitude will be more acceptable

 

[Arindal]

Can you show any data that reflects this?

Is the quoted in-room frequency response not shown in your browser? Which other data would persuade you other than a calculation showing +5dB in bass overshoot compared to reference band around 1K, and -4dB attenuation around 10K? That is a tilted downwards FR in the region of -9dB in a rather conservative calculation exaggerating the importance of direct sound and early reflection windows, compared to real world measurement which would add bass boost due to wall reflections, room modes, and direcitivy-related imbalance is rear wall is closer. Rear-wall bounce calculation of the Q7 is seemingly not available, but Q11 should be similar. Please take a closer look at the green graph:

If you find that the Q7s are boomy near the wall, you can use the foam port bungs that come with the speakers. That's what I did with mine and it worked well.

That might indeed help if the room-induced problems are excited by the reflex ports mainly. In a smaller room, bass boost can easily originate from higher frequencies, so that would not have an impact here.

The decay will always be there of course but the amplitude will be more acceptable

My guess would be that just ´acceptable´ bass by reducing the frequency band around the resonance frequency might be achievable without new speakers.

 

[somebodyelse]

You'll pretty much always need to cut low end if you're up against the wall.

Unless the speaker has been designed with this in mind and rolled off the bass early. But by then we're into room modes anyway, so EQ is probably more benefit, bringing down the room response peaks.

 

[FBech]

If I am using the speakers at 30 cm from the wall, I feel afraid that with the Q7 Meta and the Super Linton I could get a boomy bass, is that the case?

The Fynes have a 360 bass port, maybe that could work better, what do you guys thin? Would you still choose the KEF over the Fynes?

 

[Purité Audio]

‘Boomy’ bass is just room gain from a standing wave whose wavelength is twice the width/height/length of your room and is easily treated with EQ.
KEF are a ‘measurement led’ manufacturer which means they are going to accurately reproduce the record, Fyne are something else.
Keith

 

[dfuller]

If I am using the speakers at 30 cm from the wall, I feel afraid that with the Q7 Meta and the Super Linton I could get a boomy bass, is that the case?

The Fynes have a 360 bass port, maybe that could work better, what do you guys thin? Would you still choose the KEF over the Fynes?

The "360 bass port" doesn't mean anything.

‘Boomy’ bass is just room gain from a standing wave whose wavelength is twice the width/height/length of your room and is easily treated with EQ.

Or it's bass boost in general from boundary effect.

 

[FBech]

My amp does not have EQ, that could be an issue

 

[FBech]

The "360 bass port" doesn't mean anything.

Why is this?

Or it's bass boost in general from boundary effect.

 

[Purité Audio]

EQ is available in dacs/streamers, playback software and an increasing number of active loudspeakers.
Keith

 

[dfuller]

Why is this?

Bass always radiates omnidirectionally unless a speaker is specifically built for that to not happen.

 

[FBech]

Bass always radiates omnidirectionally unless a speaker is specifically built for that to not happen.

Do, a rear Port is the same than a 360 Port?

 

[dfuller]

Do, a rear Port is the same than a 360 Port?

There's no such thing as a "360 port". It's just a downward firing one.

 

[Mr. Reeee]

If I am using the speakers at 30 cm from the wall, I feel afraid that with the Q7 Meta and the Super Linton I could get a boomy bass, is that the case?

The Fynes have a 360 bass port, maybe that could work better, what do you guys thin? Would you still choose the KEF over the Fynes?

Found a drawing in the KEF Q Series manual with recommended distances from walls and corners.
With and without bung plugs.

 

[Chanur]

Hello, I been using a pair of Whaferdale Diamond 12.3 for a while with great results. Although the bass is a bit boomy with some vinyl records.

I am going to change speakers, and I was thinking about Fyne 501E or 501S, Ket Q7 Meta, or PMC Prodigy 5.

I don’t have a fixed listening position and I’m looking for speakers that offer good dispersion, so the sound remains clear and balanced no matter where I’m sitting or standing in the room. Which of these models would be a good choice, with a good sound as well, besides dispersion characteristics.

I tried the EVO 5.3, and my impression was the vertical dispersion was not very good


Thanks for your help.

I really liked the Fyne Vintage series. I would have bought some of those if not for the BMRs.

 

[FBech]

There's no such thing as a "360 port". It's just a downward firing one.

Ok, but can still a better option for room placement than a rear port, does that makes sense or is just marketing?

 

[FBech]

Found a drawing in the KEF Q Series manual with recommended distances from walls and corners.
With and without bung plugs.

View attachment 516494

Thanks, from what I read using plugs is not the best option,since It can affect the sound, is this accirate?

 

[Matt_Holland]

Thanks, from what I read using plugs is not the best option,since It can affect the sound, is this accirate?

Obviously it affects the sound otherwise it wouldn’t be recommended as something to try. The bung will reduce the low frequency output level and make the bass roll-off more progressive.

I would say the Q7 actually needs a bit of boundary re-enforcement. But if there’s some excessive output you can simply reduce it with EQ. Better to have more output without the bung and use EQ than to throw away bass output using the bung in my opinion.

All rooms are different and all things are worth trying though.