KEF Reference 4C Review (Center Speaker)

[rynberg]

I certainly hope so. Still the C208 is a very good center channel

There is significant markup in high end speakers. When you sit back and look at speakers, especially the high end, it’s pretty interesting. For example my Salon2 retails for $22k a pair (when I bought it). Compare that to a Honda Accord LX. Cabinet, 6 drivers and crossover(s) etc. vs all those parts that make up a car.
To say high end audio is overpriced is an understatement.

Except they're selling 300k Accords a year compared to a couple of hundred pair of Salons. And there are parts on the Accord that are used in other Hondas. This is not a good apple-to-apple comparison IMO. Better comparison would be to a Bentley or other very expensive car that sells in low volumes and uses more bespoke components.

 

[pseudoid]

And there are parts on the Accord that are used in other Hondas.

Whistle on the playing field: KEF's Uni-Q is used in at least a few of their model lines.
Not that it should (or should not) be part of the price justification.

 

[sarumbear]

Ed

I’m sorry but I don’t see the relevance of your questions. I don’t see $11000 in this Salon2 nor do I see $8000 in this Voice2. Nevertheless, I love these speakers and I listen to them every day.

I do think this new KEF reference 4C is priced correctly, given its competitors in the marketplace.

Why would any manufacturer care what you think. They are obviously selling them. Jealous?

 

[pseudoid]

Jealous?

I am!

 

[laurelkurt]

Would be nice to know if the extended port tubes really work as intended. Just out of curiosity - I'll never be able to afford this!

 

[pseudoid]

Would be nice to know

I think the link I previously provided ('white-paper') discusses the porting attributes and design.

 

[sarumbear]

Would be nice to know if the extended port tubes really work as intended. Just out of curiosity - I'll never be able to afford this!

I will soon be receiving the in-wall version of this speaker and use it as LCR. They are closed baffle types, using the wall cavity as the enclosure. I have the tested model for test as well. I should be able to give you some indication about the bass change when mounted to the wall.

 

[Exprymer]

I will allow myself to display some ignorance now and ask: what is the main purpose of these types of speakers? Home cinema?

7500US for that is insanity. I don't see people buying it in pairs for music reproduction..

 

[amirm]

I will allow myself tl display some ignorance now and ask: what is the main purpose of these types of speakers? Home cinema?

Yes.

 

[Descartes]

I will allow myself tl display some ignorance now and ask: what is the main purpose of these types of speakers? Home cinema?

7500US for a center channel is insane.

Unless you like to listen to multichannel audio as well!

 

[anomaly]

Looking forward to hear how you like the sound. I recently got a pair of Reference 3's with a 2c for the center that I'm driving with @Buckeye Amps. They're leagues better than any speaker I've had before.

 

[Exprymer]

Crazy. Maybe they aimed to the non domestical cinema environment, which could accept this price.

Yes.

 

[JD_Spoon]

I will allow myself tl display some ignorance now and ask: what is the main purpose of these types of speakers? Home cinema?

7500US for a center channel is insane.

For my purpose, they are the front LCR for a system that does 5.2.2 home theater and 2-channel stereo. The supporting argument was the KEF Reference were the speaker family that sounded the best to me out of everything I auditioned that was in my price range, and I opted to invest in that best sound quality I could budget for because they are probably the speakers that will last me the rest of my natural life.

 

[bo_knows]

For my purpose, they are the front LCR for a system that does 5.2.2 home theater and 2-channel stereo. The supporting argument was the KEF Reference were the speaker family that sounded the best to me out of everything I auditioned that was in my price range, and I opted to invest in that best sound quality I could budget for because they are probably the speakers that will last me the rest of my natural life.

Amen.

 

[Lsc]

Except they're selling 300k Accords a year compared to a couple of hundred pair of Salons. And there are parts on the Accord that are used in other Hondas. This is not a good apple-to-apple comparison IMO. Better comparison would be to a Bentley or other very expensive car that sells in low volumes and uses more bespoke components.

My point was not related what you are saying, although I do understand your point. It was to simply say a pair of speakers cost as much as a car in absolute terms.

Of course I think my Salons are beautiful speakers and I listen to them every day so I obviously felt it was worth buying. My audio components are what I probably use the most so while I think these speakers are overpriced, I’ve wanted them for a while and don’t regret my purchase decision.

I actually got the voice2 not too long ago to match my salons. I wanted to get the C426Be but they didn’t match the salons and I’m not a fan of the Be design even if the speaker is potentially superior (to the voice2).

I initially wanted KEFs back when I bought the F208/C208 in 2013 but there were no KEF dealers in sight in the Chicago area with demos available. I always liked the KEF engineering and design principles but where are the dealers? In 2022, even the Revel dealers are drying out though….it’s a weird age for high end audio. Now people buy stuff without auditioning them and in many cases they have no choice.

 

[bo_knows]

Ed

I’m sorry but I don’t see the relevance of your questions. I don’t see $11000 in this Salon2 nor do I see $8000 in this Voice2. Nevertheless, I love these speakers and I listen to them every day.

I do think this new KEF reference 4C is priced correctly, given its competitors in the marketplace.

That is one sick-looking center channel! Love it!

 

[Lsc]

I will allow myself to display some ignorance now and ask: what is the main purpose of these types of speakers? Home cinema?

7500US for that is insanity. I don't see people buying it in pairs for music reproduction..

Yes, the center channel is mainly for home cinema. And this would generally be for someone who would be displaying their speakers and not hide it behind a screen.

If I had a home theater with an acoustically transparent screen, I’d get all JTR speakers where you aren’t paying for aesthetics and definitely not a horizontal speaker.

I would have liked a studio2 instead of my voice2 since they were the same price but…in my family room I had to compromise and get a compromise center channel speaker - don’t get me wrong it still sounds great and looks much more appropriate.

 

[pseudoid]

7500US for that is insanity.

Crazy.

You can be certain that the chances of any buyer hiring you as their financial advisor, just went down the porthole.
I continue maintain that there should be an ASR "rule" for all members:
DSOP$
(DSOP$ = DON'T SPEND OTHER PEOPLE's MONEY)

 

[Newman]

DSOP$ = DON'T SPEND OTHER PEOPLE's MONEY

OTOH it has to be okay to discuss the value that an audio product offers as a performance/price proposition.

Not sure what you are so stroppy about.

 

[pseudoid]

Not sure what you are so stroppy about.

Calling how much others' discretionary income is and how they spend it, is no ones business, especially when that no one starts using words such as 'insanity' and 'crazy'. Are you also not adult enough to stop calling people names? WTF yo?