Kef, Tannoy or Acoustic energy for heavy metal? Which is the best buy?

[pererpan]

All good speakers. I have not a small room but it is in L-form and i listen in the smal part, 3,5m-6,5m. Listening distance is 3,5m.

1. Kef R5 for 1800,-- Euro pair new
2. Tannoy xt8f for 1100,-- Euro pair new
3. Acoustic Energy ae 509 for 1800,-- Euro second hand

 

[digitalfrost]

I don't think the genre matters much. The KEF R5 are the most technically competent out of the list. If you need to make any adjustments for genre (a BBC dip often does electronic guitar music good) you can easily apply that to the R5 because of their uniform radiation pattern. Plenty of reviews of the R5 confirm that.

The Tannoy don't seem to be half-bad either. https://hometheaterhifi.com/reviews...olution-xt-8f-floor-standing-speakers-review/ The bass hump could be either good or bad, for the money it could be interesting solution, I would still prefer the R5 though.

https://www.hifi-voice.com/testy-a-recenze/reprosoustavy-podlahove/2422-acoustic-energy-ae509 I would not buy that.

 

[alex-z]

I would go KEF R5. A neutral speaker is important even if you are targeting a specific genre, because within that genre there can be good and bad mixing work. If you want to tailor the timbre, just use EQ.

Strongly recommend a subwoofer with any speakers you pick. Even though most towers on paper offer good in-room bass response down to 40Hz, room modes leave you with a pretty uneven response. Even better if you can run 2 subs.

 

[pererpan]

Why not Acoustic energy? There is also the AE 309. Very good reviews, and good with rock. Never heard acoustic energy. Is it realy good or Kef and Tannoy better? Tannoy has fantastic bass and downport, a big pre in my room. The highs are bright but i read you can modify this with better caps.

 

[Vacceo]

Good speakers are, well, good, because they can play anything you send them. If it's Doom Eternal blasting industrial music, Dizzie Gillespie going crazy on Salt Peanuts or Lord Worm growling Crown of Horns with Cryptopsy.

I'm partial to Kef because that is the manufacturer I have listened to for a long time (and thousands of Black and Death Metal records), but anything that is relatively flat in it's response will allow you to EQ to your particular taste with ease.