OK I've just got a single one of these for my home gym. From the listening position:
After listening to it for about 20mins it was enough to go looking for Erin's measurements to correlate with what I was hearing.
Some minor differences will be due to sample to sample variation; major differences will be due to room variation.
I agree with virtually all points with Erin's review. Here's my extra 20cents:
1. Bass and midrange tonality is spot on.
2. Yes, depending on your listening material, things may be a tad hot in the mid highs- around 5-8Khz.
Is that intentional by Kali? To give that showroom sound of "extra detail"?
If we took a sample of 10 random units; how much variation is there anyway?
It's not clear from his review whether Erin measured/listened to a single speaker, or a pair?
I thought my sample was a bit too “splashy”. And easy fix with a DSP update, should Kali choose to. But then some people might complain that speaker is flat or not exciting (neutral).
2A. Regardless, not problem for project studios to EQ out. I used two parametric notch filters, @ 4700 and 8500Hz, with a gain of -2dB and Q=6. That takes off the edge of the highs, and thus smoothens out the 2nd top octave globally (on axis, LW, ER and PW).
Here's what happens if I apply this EQ to Erin's reviewed speaker:
How do you know you might benefit from it?
Well the overall tonal balance really depends on you and your room.
If you start to find that the highs annoy you, or you find yourself turning down the volume because they are "too loud" - that's your ears complaining it’s a bit much. If so, then try it out!
If you have no problems with your listening material/room then Don’t Do It!
2B. Now if you don’t have access to a parametric equalizer (or don’t want to bother this) try flicking the Dip switch #6 to ON- that turns down the treble a tad.
3. All things considered, INcredible value.
How is Kali able to release these for US$400 pp retail?? Watch out for upcoming recommendation from Sonarworks…
Oh look: already recommended by Pierre Aubert :
https://pierreaubert.github.io/
@pierre Have you got a pair?
Here’s my usual listening room speaker (a custom on-off) that my ears are used to.
(For size reference those are 12” woofers and the TV is 55” TV)
To say I can buy a speaker off the rack, that are fraction of the size, and cost, of what I'm used too... well I never thought I'd see the day...
this is like a Miata to Ferrari...
Reserved: When I have time I will measure my sample to see if the top two octaves are similar to Erin's sample.