Kef r3 vs Wharfdale Linton 85 (My comparison)

[Kachda]

Did you try the R3s with a sub? Thinking it would temper the fatiguing highs.
Also did you try EQ? That might help as well, maybe even more.

I don't have a sub. I did try the EQ from https://www.spinorama.org/ for R3 (along with bass correction for both speakers of course)

 

[uwotm8]

I sold the KEF R3 and decided to go for the Lintons. I can just go on listening to music on them without any fatigue

Basically what happens when you compare KEF hi-tech toy speakers to some real ones and listen to music instead of scrolling spinorama

 

[thewas]

Basically what happens when you compare KEF hi-tech toy speakers to some real ones and listen to music instead of scrolling spinorama

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

• Jan 26, 2023
• Maybe he listened the r3 without his special power cable

“… Good power filter and power cables completely change the whole aspects of sound.”

 

[regan]

Updated with my decision to sell the R3 and buy the Lintons

Would say one is better than the other at low volume listening?
I mainly listen at medium and low volume and I'm having issues picking between the two.

 

[Kachda]

Would say one is better than the other at low volume listening?
I mainly listen at medium and low volume and I'm having issues picking between the two.

I went with the Lintons because I felt that strings had more meat on them, they felt leaner with less body on the r3. I do not know if that makes one better than the other at low volumes

 

[ahofer]

I went with the Lintons because I felt that strings had more meat on them, they felt leaner wity less body on the r3. I do not know if that makes one better than the other at low volumes

The old air-meat tradeoff. I think the FR plots show what is going on pretty well.

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

Well this was the real contender for the R3, to be fair..

 

[cavedriver]

Well this was the real contender for the R3, to be fair..
View attachment 266677

why? Pricewise the Linton is the match to the R3.

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

why? Pricewise the Linton is the match to the R3.

Driver size.
8” is something like. 2*6.5”

 

[cavedriver]

Driver size.
8” is something like. 2*6.5”

To some degree that could be addressed by driver displacement, but isn't price the typical primary criteria? Otherwise the comparison would be R3 against Reference 3 against who knows how many even more expensive speakers with 6.5" drivers...

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

To some degree that could be addressed by driver displacement, but isn't price the typical primary criteria? Otherwise the comparison would be R3 against Reference 3 against who knows how many even more expensive speakers with 6.5" drivers...

In that case why not the Q750? Something in the Q because the R is expensier

 

[cavedriver]

In that case why not the Q750? Something in the Q because the R is expensier

Precisely my point. If you go based on driver size you would be comparing many speakers across many different price points, including multiple speakers from the same manufacturer. That might be fine if you want to see whether upgrading from a Q350 to an R3 (or from an R3 to a Reference 3) is worth the extra money, but that's not the question the OP posed.

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

Precisely my point. If you go based on driver size you would be comparing many speakers across many different price points, including multiple speakers from the same manufacturer. That might be fine if you want to see whether upgrading from a Q350 to an R3 (or from an R3 to a Reference 3) is worth the extra money, but that's not the question the OP posed.

Yes but i didnt answer any question.

I only pointed that because he prefer the linton because its warm/met, thats because the linton its much bigger.. like, you dont even need to listen them for know that.

 

[prerich]

Basically what happens when you compare KEF hi-tech toy speakers to some real ones and listen to music instead of scrolling spinorama

 

[jmillar]

This will be interesting. Been hesitating between the two quite a lot.

Two main differences (besides esthetics)
1) post 10 kHz FR (mellow vs balanced)
2) directivity, imaging and soundstage.

 

[MaxBuck]

People like different things. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[dougi]

@Kachda did you measure both of your Lintons? I found that the treble performance and mid distortion was quite varied between my two. Whether this is sample variation, or due to the mirror image of the offset tweeters, I don't know.

 

[regan]

Two main differences (besides esthetics)
1) post 10 kHz FR (mellow vs balanced)
2) directivity, imaging and soundstage.

In favor of which speakers?

 

[jmillar]

Did you try the R3s with a sub? Thinking it would temper the fatiguing highs.
Also did you try EQ? That might help as well, maybe even more.

Toe-out is the classic remedy for brightness. Containing surplus bass via placement, EQ, room treatment, etc is quite a bit harder.
Bass is an "assymetrical" issue. KEF engineer Oclee-Brown explains that they must cater for two different profiles: European listening spaces are smaller than (most) US ones. And European homes tend to have unyielding walls of brick and mortar while US homes make intensive use of wood and plasterboard that absorb bass (as a membrane bass trap would). This would help explain the European preference for smaller, precise, less bass heavy speakers such as the LS-50 meta and the great demand for Lintons in the US.
I lean towards the R3, but that's just me, in my location and listening room type.