Kef r3 vs Wharfdale Linton 85 (My comparison)

[thewas]

Kef’s parent company is GP, which is Chinese.

To be more correct Gold Peak is a Hong Kong based company. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_Peak

 

[Zvu]

Hong Kong is heart of China so no mistake was made

 

[thewas]

Hong Kong is heart of China so no mistake was made

It is not the exactly same country but has its own government, similar to for example Serbia not being the same with Croatia.

Almost nobody in Hong Kong under 30 identifies as “Chinese”

The territory’s residents increasingly see themselves as distinct from mainlanders

www.economist.com

 

[Zvu]

It is not the exactly same country but has its own government, similar to for example Serbia not being the same with Croatia.

Almost nobody in Hong Kong under 30 identifies as “Chinese”

The territory’s residents increasingly see themselves as distinct from mainlanders

www.economist.com

Serbo-Croatian were like Czechoslovakia or Austro-Hungary. We are brotherly nations but are not one nation.

Saying that Kef is Hong Kong but not China company would be like saying that BMW is Bavarian but not German company.

 

[thewas]

If you ask most people living in bavaria they rather they are bavarians than Germans . Back to seriosity in the end HK ≠ PRC but they have many common aspects.

 

[Zvu]

As far as i understood it, German court doesn't allow for question even to be asked.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/01/04/a-german-court-has-shut-down-hopes-for-a-breakaway-bavaria/

Recent events show that the freedom/independence movement is very much alive. I do follow DW and SZ among other portals.

 

[thewas]

Of course, thats why I used the smiley and wrote after "back to seriosity".

 

[Zvu]

Didn't get it.
Small talk is much easier face to face and with some schnapps

 

[Kachda]

Added response of both speakers post bass correction, as well as impressions from mono listening. Stereo listening still to come.

 

[kolestonin]

If you intend to put them close to the wall behind (or if your couch is next to a wall), you will end up with too strong bass and that will mess up the midrange impression. That's one of the reasons i mounted wheels instead of spikes on speaker stands. During the day they are close to wall so they don't get in a way. When kids go to bed, i position them at best sounding spots, away from the walls.

I know each room is different, but what is the minimum required distance from back wall according your personal experience? Like the absolute first point the speakers start to sound as they should.

I would also like to have some info on stand wheels if you have the time to write two words. Do you use default stands? Do they come with threaded base so to fit castor wheels?

 

[Deleted member 36000]

GBL 1" inch Small Caster Wheels

These worked great for me, though I did add some washers. I’m using the stock stands.

 

[Zvu]

I know each room is different, but what is the minimum required distance from back wall according your personal experience? Like the absolute first point the speakers start to sound as they should.

I would also like to have some info on stand wheels if you have the time to write two words. Do you use default stands? Do they come with threaded base so to fit castor wheels?

In my case it benefits at about 75cm from side and front wall and when i move my listening chair about 1m from back wall.

I'm not using stock stands so i bought some generic casters. Since base of my stands is made out of multilayered mdf i just srewed them in with wood screws. I quite like the solution proposed by AtomicPumpkin.

 

[Deleted member 36000]

I wanted to add that if anybody adds those casters I linked above, you’ll need a slim 14mm wrench to tighten them. I got a cone wrench meant for working on bicycle hubs and it worked great.

 

[Kachda]

Added stereo listening impressions and conclusion (also some recorded songs from both)

 

[rentaclaus]

If you ask most people living in bavaria they rather they are bavarians than Germans .

Depends. If you ask people in the northern part of bavaria, they will tell you that they are franconians and not bavarians.

 

[AC1]

I think I was the person who stressed about issue of the Linton screws. The screws of my Lintons are Phillips screws, not the usual Torx screws, and they were very, VERY loose. At first I didn't realize that but I noticed that something was off with the mid-range. It sounded as if the lower mids were too strong and the high mids were too soft. I didn't know what the problem was until weeks later I decided to check the screws. These were new speakers and I expected there would be nothing wrong with them but that was far from the case. So I start to tighten them, one by one, while playing music (!), and I didn't notice a change until I started tightening a particular screw of the mid-range driver, namely the one that sits at 6 o'clock (closest to the woofer). As I was turning my screwdriver I could hear the mid-range changing as if I was using a notch filter on an equalizer. Now the mid-range no longer sounded too low. The problem was gone. Apparently most Lintons are fine so it's very rare, but if you want to check your screws, always make sure that you don't use too much force, otherwise you might damage the screw holes. They don't have to be super tight.

 

[cavedriver]

Apparently most Lintons are fine so it's very rare, but if you want to check your screws, always make sure that you don't use too much force, otherwise you might damage the screw holes. They don't have to be super tight.

I'll add that I checked mine after hearing about this and they were slightly loose but no issues. I will caution though that on the Lintons the screws have wood screw threads and are anchored in the MDF, making them easy to strip. For those of you (like me) with a penchant for over-tightening screws don't make them "good'n'tight" and you'll be fine.
As an aside I saw that the Emotiva speakers used a metal insert in the front baffle MDF for the driver screws. The screws then have machine threads. I wish more speaker companies did this- a very strong solution with less chance of damaging your cabinets (provided testing confirms it has no impact on sound quality).

 

[Kachda]

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

 

[ROOSKIE]

I'll add that I checked mine after hearing about this and they were slightly loose but no issues. I will caution though that on the Lintons the screws have wood screw threads and are anchored in the MDF, making them easy to strip. For those of you (like me) with a penchant for over-tightening screws don't make them "good'n'tight" and you'll be fine.
As an aside I saw that the Emotiva speakers used a metal insert in the front baffle MDF for the driver screws. The screws then have machine threads. I wish more speaker companies did this- a very strong solution with less chance of damaging your cabinets (provided testing confirms it has no impact on sound quality).

Yah, so my plan is to listen for awhile Sunday and then measure a few parameters and then take the midrange out and seal up the sub enclosure for said mid, give the caulking a day to dry and then listen. I will remeasure as well see if anything obvious pops up. I thought about doing one at a time and comparing in mono but decided just do both at once.

I am curious if anyone else wants to see check their mids and see if theirs have properly isolated space. Plug the ports and gently but decidedly push the 8" woofer in and see if there is movement in the mid. @Zvu did not have this issue, nor a loose screw issue.

Following up on my set of Lintons

Had to choose between many projects around here and now I finally am working on the Lintons.

There was a huge hole in the midrange sub enclosures. This was used to insert the wiring for the mid but the hole was 1/2" in diameter and was NOT plugged at all.

There was a wad of black butyl rubber that was supposed to 'plug' it but one was laying on the cabinet floor and the other had pulled away from the hole.

Terrible manufacturing solution here. I hope they changed it.

Anyway, the caulk is drying and I can try them in a day or two I hope.

WHAT WAS ATTENDED TO

• I properly sealed the hole passing the wire into the mid enclosure
• resealed a 2nd possible leak in one sub enclosure
• I will put it all back together with tightened screws, these could use some light lock tight

WILL IT HELP?

• The hole into the sub enclosure was large and easily passed air.
• This made the subs enclosure effectively bigger by about 0.2cuft, this could change the tuning a bit
• It is possible pressure from the woofer was negatively impacting the mid, it is also possible that it was not really affecting it
• Approx 1/2+ of all the screws were loose, will this matter? Again maybe, I can see why it could and I can see why it might be too small of an issue to create audible junk

I fixed both speakers and will not be able to have one fixed and one not fixed for a comparison that way.
I just need to manage the time here and fixing both at once is better for me.

 

[regan]

My decision - 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.

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.