Need help! KEF R11 very subdued

[HelloAJ]

Hello everyone, new to this forum so apologies if not following soft rules. I just purchased a pair or KEF R11 speakers. The previous owner used the speakers with high -end McIntosh gear. Unfortunately before I picked up the speakers he had sold the amp, so couldn't test. But since speakers are still under warranty and seller seemed extremely reliable I took a leap of faith.

I have a pair of ML prodigy, 702s2, kef wireless 2...and used to their sounds and really like them.

After bringing R11s home, I hooked them up to emotiva xpa1 monoblocks (600wpc @8) - bi-wired. Turned the Link knob all the way counterclockwise. Ready for a listen, and I am shocked how subdued the sound is. Like remarkably poor high frequency response, poor volume... forget about soundstage! Volume seems quite low as well.

So wondering if you are aware if these sound like how I am experiencing or I have bad combination or something I am completely unaware of. Please chime in, and thanks in advance.

 

[raindance]

Hello everyone, new to this forum so apologies if not following soft rules. I just purchased a pair or KEF R11 speakers. The previous owner used the speakers with high -end McIntosh gear. Unfortunately before I picked up the speakers he had sold the amp, so couldn't test. But since speakers are still under warranty and seller seemed extremely reliable I took a leap of faith.

I have a pair of ML prodigy, 702s2, kef wireless 2...and used to their sounds and really like them.

After bringing R11s home, I hooked them up to emotiva xpa1 monoblocks (600wpc @8) - bi-wired. Turned the Link knob all the way counterclockwise. Ready for a listen, and I am shocked how subdued the sound is. Like remarkably poor high frequency response, poor volume... forget about soundstage! Volume seems quite low as well.

So wondering if you are aware if these sound like how I am experiencing or I have bad combination or something I am completely unaware of. Please chime in, and thanks in advance.

I suspect you turned the link knob the wrong way.

 

[Vini darko]

Hi welcome to asr. My first thought is to check the link knobs are atcually fully disengaged with a multimeter.
Edit also triple check the speaker wires are all in phase.
Hopefully it's something simple.

 

[HelloAJ]

I suspect you turned the link knob the wrong way.

Thanks! Checked. For biwiring they need to be all the way counterclockwise.

 

[HelloAJ]

Hi welcome to asr. My first thought is to check the link knobs are atcually fully disengaged with a multimeter.
Edit also triple check the speaker wires are all in phase.
Hopefully it's something simple.

Thanks, I just checked. Fully disengaged when counterclockwise and engaged while turned clockwise all the way.

 

[Laserjock]

I suspect you turned the link knob the wrong way.

If it’s Biwired it probably won’t matter.

 

[-Matt-]

If it’s Biwired it probably won’t matter.

Yeah, I was thinking the same. Could have more to do with the wiring between the amps and speakers. How exactly is it connected? Do the amps have bridged mode? Do you have 2 monoblocks or 4? Are you using y-split speaker cables? etc.

After that all checks out... maybe add subs?

 

[-Matt-]

Maybe see how they sound without biwiring and with links closed? Could help to find the problem.

 

[Laserjock]

Double/triple check wiring, use different/known good speaker to verify

 

[NTK]

It will probably be helpful to post pictures of your wire connections at the speaker and at the amp.

 

[pjn]

Yeah, I was thinking the same. Could have more to do with the wiring between the amps and speakers. How exactly is it connected? Do the amps have bridged mode? Do you have 2 monoblocks or 4? Are you using y-split speaker cables? etc.

After that all checks out... maybe add subs?

And, to simplify things, don't bi-wire. It won't add anything to the sound. If you have bi-wired, it won't actually make a difference either way for the Link knob - the bi-wires are connected at the amplifier end anyway. Unless you mean bi-amped? In which case that is a whole extra set of failures potentially and you definitely don't want to be using them with terminals connected together.

Try sticking your ear (or a microphone) right next to the drivers and see if the UniQ is actually being driven.
A sub would make a difference, crossed over at (probably) 60Hz.

(R7 owner - they sound great, but do need a sub.)

 

[Astoneroad]

Welcome to ASR. Seems like you're getting a lot of sound advice from the members. I suggest that while trouble shooting your problem to take deep breaths and not to freak out. (I wish I took this advice more often.) Unless they're "broken" you'll get to the answer by diligent trials. Good luck.

 

[HelloAJ]

Thanks folks, since at the amp side they're connected parallel (bridged), it didn't matter so I ended up turning the Link knob clockwise all the way (closed circuit). Compared with 705 S2 ( sorry I said 702 before). No issues with b&w. Edit: Also there are two monoblocks.

 

[thewas]

This R series is tuned a bit on the warm side, here a listening window measurements of the R11 where the treble is approximately 2 dB lower than the fundamental tone region

(source: https://www.soundstagenetwork.com/i...&catid=77:loudspeaker-measurements&Itemid=153 )

while the 705S2 has an almost 4 dB higher treble than the fundamental tone region

SoundStageNetwork.com | SoundStage.com - NRC Measurements: Bowers & Wilkins 705 S2 Loudspeakers

www.soundstagenetwork.com

These approximately 6 dB in treble difference of course generate a very different tonal perception.

More about it also here, here and here.

 

[-Matt-]

From the photos, the wiring looks to be ok.

Are all of the drivers moving during playback? Probably some will say that you shouldn't but I always test by lightly touching the edge of the woofer cone. (Don't touch the tweeter just put your ear to it and it should be obvious if it is not playing high frequencies).

If all drivers are working then you have probably become used to boosted highs with your previous speakers and it may take a while to get used the flatter response of the R11s.

If you installed a lot of thin absorption (room treatment) to tame the boosted highs of your previous speakers then this may be too much for the R11s.

 

[-Matt-]

I always think the tweeters on these Kef speakers seem quite low. Do you have a coffee table or anything else potentially blocking or interfering with sound from the now lower tweeters?

If so, perhaps they can be tilted back slightly to aim up to ear height at the main listening position?

 

[Laserjock]

I always think the tweeters on these Kef speakers seem quite low. Do you have a coffee table or anything else potentially blocking or interfering with sound from the now lower tweeters?

If so, perhaps they can be tilted back slightly to aim up to ear height at the main listening position?

+1. Look at the tweeter height vs the B&W

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

Id say its the difference of a kind of warm speaker vs a very bright speakers.. but he also says poor volume… i mean that speaker plays very loud..

 

[raindance]

Run the system single wired first to verify the speakers are working properly. It might be that the amps can't handle a common ground or some such weird issue. Connect the other speakers in their place and confirm that the performance is what you expect.

 

[HelloAJ]

Height of the tweeters are low but that's my usual listening height. B&W has these omnidirectional tweeters so height didn't matter I guess. Are KEF lot more directional? Do you tow in the KEF speakers? Maybe it's true I am used to bright speakers.