KEF Unicore

[Kachda]

That's soundstage network that uses the NRC (although what you mentioned is true about that as well). Sound and Vision used to include some measurements from their reviews but AFAIK has abandoned them of late.

I will say the review echoes my impressions very closely so far. Very Preliminary measurements appear to be roughly in line with KEFs.

Oops, my bad. Thanks for the correction.

 

[prmfeddema]

I got this yesterday and got to try them today. No calibration or FR adjustments made yet, so there's a big of disclaimer of expectation bias and new toy bias. But a few things appear to be obvious:

1) TINY. And so heavy for its size. I think it's even smaller in person than I expected it to be because the slight curvature makes its visual footprint even smaller. It's about half the size of the HDI-1600 bookshelf speakers I'm currently testing, for example.

2) KEF's Kube 8B, which is a bigger than the KC62, is not in the same league. The 8B just had so little energy below 35Hz or so. Maybe you could've EQ'd it to compete, but out of the box for TV and bass-heavy music, the KC62 is very, very obviously the better sub.

It's not fair to compare to the KC62 to the SB-1000 yet, which doesn't fit where I have the KC62 (tucked neatly in my TV console). But where they are right now, the KC62 sounds better.

3) The KC62 definitely gets louder than I need/want in my apartment without sounding 'compressed.' This obviously won't apply for everyone. The sub is currently about 7 feet away from me, a few inches from a wall but not a corner.

4) I ran a few test frequencies off of YouTube, Music and walked around my living room. Again, not accounting for peaks and dips, the lowest frequency I can clearly feel is 17Hz. or so 20 hz is comfortably audible. I can actually feel down to like 13 Hz if I pump up the volume, but it doesn't seem to be terribly useful. That's fine by me.

More to come.

Hi Napi

I've been reading your comments with interest and i'm currently torn between buying either a SVS SB-1000 Pro or a Kef KC62 (to be connected to my LS50W2). I'm interested in your point of view regarding sound quality of the subs assuming that price and size/dimensions do not play a role in the decision making process and factoring in that 90% of the time only music will be played (all different kinds) - so hardly any home theater/movies. Which one would you choose/recommend and why?

I'd appreciate your feedback here.

Thanks & kind regards,

Pascal

 

[napilopez]

Hi Napi

I've been reading your comments with interest and i'm currently torn between buying either a SVS SB-1000 Pro or a Kef KC62 (to be connected to my LS50W2). I'm interested in your point of view regarding sound quality of the subs assuming that price and size/dimensions do not play a role in the decision making process and factoring in that 90% of the time only music will be played (all different kinds) - so hardly any home theater/movies. Which one would you choose/recommend and why?

I'd appreciate your feedback here.

Thanks & kind regards,

Pascal

Hi Pascal, welcome to the forum! I have not heard the new SB-1000 Pro, only the older model, so I can't speak about say exactly which improvements SVS has made.

My intuition is that if size is truly not a consideration, the SB-1000 Pro is the safer bet. The SB-1000 is already quite good and the Pro is hopefully better.

My experience has been that I prefer the KC62 over the old SB-1000 in my home, but I don't have any data to back that up. I still feel more comfortable recommending a larger sub when buying blind if size is not an issue. If just listening to music, both will serve as a major upgrade over the LS50W alone.

 

[beren777]

I'm in a similar boat, caught between whether or not to go with a KC62 or SB-1000 Pro in a small room for mainly music. Availability has temporarily made the choice for me, I can't find the KC62 in stock anywhere at a sane price.

It's what I should be trying first anyway at 1/3 the cost of a KC62. You could get 2 of the SVS subwoofers and probably be better off than using one KC62 anyway and still save money. My SB-1000 Pro comes Friday so I'll be able to play with it over the weekend.

 

[AGLeS]

Hi Napi

I've been reading your comments with interest and i'm currently torn between buying either a SVS SB-1000 Pro or a Kef KC62 (to be connected to my LS50W2). I'm interested in your point of view regarding sound quality of the subs assuming that price and size/dimensions do not play a role in the decision making process and factoring in that 90% of the time only music will be played (all different kinds) - so hardly any home theater/movies. Which one would you choose/recommend and why?

I'd appreciate your feedback here.

Thanks & kind regards,

Pascal

Hi Pascal:

About a week ago I took delivery of two SB 1000 Pros to pair with my LS50s (passive). Very happy so far! I haven’t yet fussed with all the options via the app (parametric EQ, etc.) because I lack measurement equipment, but I’m glad to have the capabilities when I’m ready for them. I can recommend the 1000s without reservation.

 

[prmfeddema]

Thanks for all the feedback so far - i'll do some further investigation. I'll call a german dealer later today who expressed a clear preference for the KC62 when paired to the LS50W2's.

Sound quality aside and when looking at aesthetics only: i've took two cardboard boxes representing the sizes of the SB-1000 and KC62 respectively and i have to say that -when compared to LS50W2's i have - the SB-1000 seems to be a bit too big: the sizing of the KC62 seems to match the LS50's size better - but that is of course a personal preference.

The remaining concern is that while the SB-1000 pro might sound very very good the KC62 might end to be the better the sub: it seems to have more power and also in the wireless area it seems to be in a different league - and i keep wondering why Kef did this next to developing such a complex sub unless there are some real benefits next to size only. SVS connects using 16-bit/48KHz in 2.4GHZ band while Kef is providing 24-bit/48KHz in the 5.2 and/or 5.8 GHZ band, the latter allowing for lesser problems in crowded buildings and potential higher bandwidth - potentially resulting in more precision as it might be able to react faster.
That being said: i think i will like the equalizer on the SB-1000 better....along with the pricing thereof

Anyway - these are interesting times ...1,5 month to go before making a decision so i have still time to investigate a bit more. Looking forward to all the investigations everyone is doing.

Additional: review of the KC62 vs SVS tube (either PC-2000 pro or PC-4000) here >> https://www.soundandvision.com/content/kef-kc62-subwoofer

Still - the price level of the kc62 makes it hard to justify - unless the sound quality is _really_ better compared to the SVS SB-1000 pro

 

[prmfeddema]

This is what is just got from a bigger shop/dealer in germany when asking why they recommended the KC62 over the SB-1000 pro.

"The answer is very simple. The KC 62 is made for the LS 50. The SVS is okay for its money but nothing that stands out from the crowd. The SVS can in no way hold a candle to the KC62"

How do you all feel about this statement? I guess this all depends from one's point of reference. Any thoughts?

 

[Kachda]

This is what is just got from a bigger shop/dealer in germany when asking why they recommended the KC62 over the SB-1000 pro.

"The answer is very simple. The KC 62 is made for the LS 50. The SVS is okay for its money but nothing that stands out from the crowd. The SVS can in no way hold a candle to the KC62"

How do you all feel about this statement? I guess this all depends from one's point of reference. Any thoughts?

That the dealer makes more margin from the kc62 maybe a possibility

 

[prmfeddema]

That the dealer makes more margin from the kc62 maybe a possibility

That sure is a very likely possibility. I just got them on the phone and they told me this:

• The already sold 6 of them - customers are very satisfied
• They have not listened to the kc62 (go figure) - but in general they are less thrilled about SVS despite the good reviews
• The KC62 seems to pair very well with the LS50's - it looks like it is designed for it.

So i guess until we have a side by side comparision it's really difficult to say. What _is_ important is what napilopez states: "the KC62 sounds better" (compared to the SB-1000, not the newer pro version). What i will likely do is to see if i can get a listening session at the hifi shop and compare the two against each other by the end of april. For me i'm still inclinded to go for the kc62 as it's size matches better with the LS50's (factoring WAF here) - but i don't like the design of the KC62..

 

[Kachda]

That sure is a very likely possibility. I just got them on the phone and they told me this:

• The already sold 6 of them - customers are very satisfied
• They have not listened to the kc62 (go figure) - but in general they are less thrilled about SVS despite the good reviews
• The KC62 seems to pair very well with the LS50's - it looks like it is designed for it.

So i guess until we have a side by side comparision it's really difficult to say. What _is_ important is what napilopez states: "the KC62 sounds better" (compared to the SB-1000, not the newer pro version). What i will likely do is to see if i can get a listening session at the hifi shop and compare the two against each other by the end of april. For me i'm still inclinded to go for the kc62 as it's size matches better with the LS50's (factoring WAF here) - but i don't like the design of the KC62..

If size and SAF are the primary factors, definitely the kc62 wins. But if not, I’d wager the svs sb3000 pro (or equivalent from rhythmic and hsu) will outmuscle the kc62 for 500 dollars lesser. After all physics is still a thing

 

[prmfeddema]

I've booked a hearing session for April 3rd at the Hi-Fi store to compare the two (SVS SB-1000 pro & KC62). Looking forward to it

I just have 1 requirement: it needs to be available in white (i've had black boxes since the 70's..so no more black boxes). It's kind of interesting that no-one seems to offer custom coloring/wrapping like they do with cars. I'd love to have my LS50W2 (white) wrapped in matte dark blue (like the LS50 meta's). The same could be done to the sub's - as such they would blend in much better in the interiors (increasing WAF/SAF)

 

[digitalfrost]

There are plenty of DIY options available if you're up for it. Taking apart is a speaker is not that hard. For example look at 3M DI-NOC foil.

 

[prmfeddema]

@napilopez : you stated the KC62 "just sound better" - would it be possibe to describe this a bit more detail (of course i fully understand that this is subjective )?

In addition: as i will be listening/testing the KC62 vs the SLS SB-1000 pro in 3 weeks from now: are there any recommendations you can provide in how to best approach the comparision (sample sound files/music, IOS DB/frequence measurement app)?

 

[tecnogadget]

That sure is a very likely possibility. I just got them on the phone and they told me this:

• The already sold 6 of them - customers are very satisfied
• They have not listened to the kc62 (go figure) - but in general they are less thrilled about SVS despite the good reviews
• The KC62 seems to pair very well with the LS50's - it looks like it is designed for it.

So i guess until we have a side by side comparision it's really difficult to say. What _is_ important is what napilopez states: "the KC62 sounds better" (compared to the SB-1000, not the newer pro version). What i will likely do is to see if i can get a listening session at the hifi shop and compare the two against each other by the end of april. For me i'm still inclinded to go for the kc62 as it's size matches better with the LS50's (factoring WAF here) - but i don't like the design of the KC62..

Think about this. What is a dealer ? An individual that makes profit SELLING YOU speakers.
There are a lot of respectful and very knowledgeable dealers out there, but let’s don’t fool ourselves, there’s also a lot that have CERO technical background and if it wasn’t because of random causes they would be selling cars or microwaves.
They are getting more profits with the KEF than the SVS for sure.

I can’t get my mind with things like:
“The KC62 seems to pair very well with the LS50's - it looks like it is designed for it”

Aesthetically? Of course. But IMHO subs usually don’t “pair well” with X.
YOU make them pair well with whatever speaker you have by proper room placement, crossover frequency, acoustics measurement for precise phase-timing-frequency corrections, room eq, etc.

I do like KEF a lot, but if it was me, in this contest against SB-1000 Pro, numbers and priorities should have the last call, not dealers fairy tales.

 

[whazzup]

@napilopez : you stated the KC62 "just sound better" - would it be possibe to describe this a bit more detail (of course i fully understand that this is subjective )?

In addition: as i will be listening/testing the KC62 vs the SLS SB-1000 pro in 3 weeks from now: are there any recommendations you can provide in how to best approach the comparision (sample sound files/music, IOS DB/frequence measurement app)?

Personally, I would first recommend this, made by @wwenze, to quickly gauge by ear just how low it goes (although sadly it doesn't go to 11hz).

Then, you can pick your poison from some of the recommendations here:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/bass.18999/

 

[prmfeddema]

And another review (in german). Link >> https://www.areadvd.de/tests/test-a...s-kompakten-abmessungen-und-kraftvollem-bass/

Final verdict (translated):

"We start with the classification of the KEF KC62: The active subwoofer delivers an outstanding performance, but is primarily suitable for special applications. After all, 1,500 Euros is already a lot of money, and if you consider how extremely good, for example, the KEF KUBE 12b is for just 749 EUR, you start to wonder a bit. Of course, the KUBE 12b has significantly less power amp output, but the larger cabinet volume and the much larger driver increase the efficiency immensely. This means in summary: Who has the space to set up a larger active subwoofer, for example, can reach for the KUBE 12b. And if you're really looking for an absolutely stunning high-tech subwoofer, you can add another 700 EUR and get the KEF KF92. First impressions proved extreme performance, a test of the active bassist for 2,200 EUR will follow. Thus, the KC62 is perfect for the user who wants to combine maximum bass performance with minimum space requirements and is willing to pay a hefty purchase price for it. The value for money is right, without question, especially when you consider what high-tech is in the KC62. Everything here is innovative and powerful, which justifies the invested money. "

 

[whazzup]

And another review (in german). Link >> https://www.areadvd.de/tests/test-a...s-kompakten-abmessungen-und-kraftvollem-bass/

Final verdict (translated):

"We start with the classification of the KEF KC62: The active subwoofer delivers an outstanding performance, but is primarily suitable for special applications. After all, 1,500 Euros is already a lot of money, and if you consider how extremely good, for example, the KEF KUBE 12b is for just 749 EUR, you start to wonder a bit. Of course, the KUBE 12b has significantly less power amp output, but the larger cabinet volume and the much larger driver increase the efficiency immensely. This means in summary: Who has the space to set up a larger active subwoofer, for example, can reach for the KUBE 12b. And if you're really looking for an absolutely stunning high-tech subwoofer, you can add another 700 EUR and get the KEF KF92. First impressions proved extreme performance, a test of the active bassist for 2,200 EUR will follow. Thus, the KC62 is perfect for the user who wants to combine maximum bass performance with minimum space requirements and is willing to pay a hefty purchase price for it. The value for money is right, without question, especially when you consider what high-tech is in the KC62. Everything here is innovative and powerful, which justifies the invested money. "

Sigh, still no measurements. Barred by KEF from releasing?

 

[prmfeddema]

Sigh, still no measurements. Barred by KEF from releasing?

Nah - i think the kc62 is too new. I guess that the only person qualified/experienced to do proper measurements at this point in time is NapiLopez?

 

[Milan237]

Something tells me it’s gonna be for a wireless speaker. Which would be dissappointing for me.

similar to https://www.bowerswilkins.com/formation/bass

It's wery nice!

 

[Descartes]

So we need Amir to test it please!