Kali LP-6 Review: Studio Monitor

[dorirod]

Anyone else experience woofer rattling with bass notes with these monitors?

I haven't had that happen, but I haven't played them at max volume or anything like that.

 

[KikoKentaurus]

How is this power connector type called? IEC? Lost my cables during relocation, now wondering which to buy...

 

[Bruce Morgen]

How is this power connector type called? IEC? Lost my cables during relocation, now wondering which to buy...
View attachment 333287

Yup -- it's the same type of power connector used for desktop computers, an IEC C13.

 

[ntuong59]

w/ sub

the way i understand that you measure with sub, right?
Can you tell me the name of the subwoofer used in, please?
I want more rumble in low freq get but I don't have any options yet.
Many thanks.

 

[MZKM]

the way i understand that you measure with sub, right?
Can you tell me the name of the subwoofer used in, please?
I want more rumble in low freq get but I don't have any options yet.
Many thanks.

No, it just means I ignore bass for the score (as if you cross to a sub then the speaker’s bass doesn’t matter).

 

[Ron Texas]

There is a version II of these available for $200 each with its preference score improved from 5.1 to 5.8.

 

[somebodyelse]

There is a version II of these available for $200 each with its preference score improved from 5.1 to 5.8.

Also reduced noise.

 

[Zaviex]

Between the LP6-v2 and the KRK Rokit 5 G5 what do you recommend? I would use them connected to my PC for everyday use (work, videos, and games), for listening to music, and occasionally for recording some guitar pieces. I've already tried the T5V speakers, I liked them for the mid and high frequencies but I had to return them because of excessive hissing. I also tried the KRK Rokit 5 G4 and I liked the bass and the lower hiss. Since I usually work in silence it's important to me that they have minimal hissing.

 

[Ron Texas]

Between the LP6-v2 and the KRK Rokit 5 G5 what do you recommend? I would use them connected to my PC for everyday use (work, videos, and games), for listening to music, and occasionally for recording some guitar pieces. I've already tried the T5V speakers, I liked them for the mid and high frequencies but I had to return them because of excessive hissing. I also tried the KRK Rokit 5 G4 and I liked the bass and the lower hiss. Since I usually work in silence it's important to me that they have minimal hissing.

If silence is vitally important get passive speakers and an amp with a high SINAD.

 

[Zaviex]

If silence is vitally important get passive speakers and an amp with a high SINAD.

Uh, I hadn't thought about that. Would something like the SMSL AO300 be okay? I already own an SMSL DL200. Would you recommend connecting the AO300 directly to the PC or using the DAC of the DL200 and only using the amp of the AO300?
Anyway, from the tests I managed to find it seems that the LP-6 V2 has low hiss noise(four times the v1). I've already ordered them and they'll arrive next week.
If I'm not satisfied I'll follow your advice. Thanks.

 

[Andrew.Y]

Hi,

Here is my take on the EQ.

Some data for the LP8 is available here
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...orama-and-eq-design-inside.16689/#post-539358

The raw data with corrected ER and PIR:

Score no EQ: 5.18
With Sub: 7.06
Spinorama with no EQ:

• Too bad for the resonances in the 600 - 1500Hz range
• The directivity is excellent, good candidate for EQ
• Decent LF for the size without large boost in the 100-200Hz range, may be temperature dependent.

View attachment 96583
Directivity:
Better stay at tweeter height
Horizontally, almost perfect 0 t0 +/-20deg maybe toe-in the speakers by 10deg and have the axis crossing in front of the listening location could help dosing the reflexions .
View attachment 96592
View attachment 96584
EQ design:
I have generated two EQs. The APO config files are attached.

• The first one, labelled, LW is targeted at making the LW flat
• The second, labelled Score, starts with the first one and adds the score as an optimization variable.
• The EQs are designed in the context of regular stereo use i.e. domestic environment, no warranty is provided for a near field use in a studio environment although the LW might be better suited for this purpose.
• It would be great if we had some measurements of the built in controls, they may make additional EQ redundant as we saw with the JBL 308p mkII

View attachment 96579

Score EQ LW: 5.72
with sub: 7.66
Score EQ Score: 6.24
with sub: 8.12

Kali LP6 APO EQ LW 96000Hz
November302020-180916

Preamp: -1.3 dB

Filter 1: ON HPQ Fc 45.7 Hz Gain 0 dB Q 1.01
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 126 Hz Gain -0.79 dB Q 3.48
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 326 Hz Gain -0.84 dB Q 6.08
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 991 Hz Gain -3.14 dB Q 13.5
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 1759 Hz Gain -2.1 dB Q 3.85
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 2302 Hz Gain -1 dB Q 4.73
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 14756 Hz Gain -1.11 dB Q 6.59

Kali LP6 APO EQ LW 96000Hz
November302020-175738

Preamp: -1.3 dB

Filter 1: ON HPQ Fc 45.7 Hz Gain 0 dB Q 1.01
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 130 Hz Gain -0.71 dB Q 2.42
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 331 Hz Gain -1.06 dB Q 3.7
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 983 Hz Gain -4.4 dB Q 14.3
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 1777 Hz Gain -2.6 dB Q 2.85
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 2448 Hz Gain -1.62 dB Q 7.22
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 3533 Hz Gain -0.95 dB Q 5.88
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 6973 Hz Gain -1.3 dB Q 0.84
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 14813 Hz Gain -2.26 dB Q 4.85

Spinorama EQ LW
View attachment 96580
Spinorama EQ Score
View attachment 96582
Zoom PIR-LW-ON
View attachment 96577
Regression - Tonal
View attachment 96578
Radar no EQ vs EQ score not night and day
View attachment 96581
The rest of the plots are attached.

At 300USD/pair including the amps go find something better...

Hi,
Sorry for the newbie question, but why is the overall preamp gain in the APO EQ set to -1.3 dB here?
Won't it be the same if I set 0 dB in the APO EQ and decrease the volume on my physical preamp (Topping L70) to the same -1.3 dB

 

[YSC]

Hi,
Sorry for the newbie question, but why is the overall preamp gain in the APO EQ set to -1.3 dB here?
Won't it be the same if I set 0 dB in the APO EQ and decrease the volume on my physical preamp (Topping L70) to the same -1.3 dB

I believe it’s because APO is doing digital EQ in the source signal, and with some boosting filters, you cannot boost over 100% of the dac output, so in segments with volume near 100%, only lowering physical amp won’t let the dac to boost past 100% output and hence at those situations without digital negative preamp you can’t get the desired EQresult

 

[bennybbbx]

Hi,
Sorry for the newbie question, but why is the overall preamp gain in the APO EQ set to -1.3 dB here?
Won't it be the same if I set 0 dB in the APO EQ and decrease the volume on my physical preamp (Topping L70) to the same -1.3 dB

setting a gain value is usefull so it is better possible to compare the sound with and without the EQ to hear what sound better.

 

[GratefulDAC]

@amirm is the LP-UNF going to be reviewed any time soon?

 

[Bruce Morgen]

@amirm is the LP-UNF going to be reviewed any time soon?

Erin has reviewed ti, with Klippel-generated measurements: https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/kali_lp_unf/

 

[GratefulDAC]

Thanks! I did see and read that review (as well as watched it). He seems over the moon but I don't remember him mentioning anything about the internal dsp. Is Erin associated with this site? Does Amirm not review products reviewed by Erin? Sorry, while I have visited this site many times, I am still a newbie considering the amount of information here and how little time I have to ingest it.

 

[Bruce Morgen]

Thanks! I did see and read that review (as well as watched it). He seems over the moon but I don't remember him mentioning anything about the internal dsp. Is Erin associated with this site? Does Amirm not review products reviewed by Erin? Sorry, while I have visited this site many times, I am still a newbie considering the amount of information here and how little time I have to ingest it.

At this point, Erin and Amir are somewhat friendly colleagues after some harsh acrimony acrimony over Erin violating ASR rules to promote his own site -- but when Erin was threatened with legal action by the (rather unhinged IMO) owner of a small speaker company, Amir stood tall and publicly supported Erin. AFAIK there's no arrangement between them regarding what they do or don't review -- but they're both technically credible and provide a valuable service to the objectivity-oriented audio community.

 

[GratefulDAC]

At this point, Erin and Amir are somewhat friendly colleagues after some harsh acrimony acrimony over Erin violating ASR rules to promote his own site -- but when Erin was threatened with legal action by the (rather unhinged IMO) owner of a small speaker company, Amir stood tall and publicly supported Erin. AFAIK there's no arrangement between them regarding what they do or don't review -- but they're both technically credible and provide a valuable service to the objectivity-oriented audio community.

Thanks for the info. So I guess Amir could still feasibly review the LP-UNF, but considering I have read he wants to proliferate as much objective data about gear as possible, and considers Erin capable, he probably will not because he considered it covered. Seems like a logical conclusion to me. I just like to get as many takes on an item as possible, because you know what they say about statistics.....