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New from the Netherlads KADaudio K7 loudspeakers

NYfan2

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One of the dutch online audio magazines is interviewing small audio stores/manufacturers to give them some extra attention during the covid pandemic and the problems that they face (we are more or less in a total lockdown again since the 3th week of december).

This week they had an interview with the owner of KAD audio.

It is a new loudspeaker brand that just released their first model.
The specs are promising, an active closed box, WMTMW design with 2 backfiring woofers at the back.
Connection is over WISA, the amplification is by Hypex and the used speaker units are from SEAS (not sure about the woofers)

Some photo's:
FSK-4046.jpg


FSK-4049.jpg


Specification:
Type: 3-Way

Enclosure: Closed (Q= <0.7
Frequency response: 20 - 35.000 Hz
Crossover frequencies: 245 Hz / 3000 Hz
Tweeter: 1x SEAS DXT Alu dome, wide dispersion control
Midrange: 2x SEAS Excel, Magnesium cone - 120 mm
Woofer, front: 2x A-704 Alu cone, long throw (Xm=12.5cm) - 180 mm Ø
Woofer, rear: 2x A-704 Alu cone, long throw (Xm=12.5cm) - 180 mm Ø
Output power (total): 850W RMS @1%THD
Connectivity: WiSA, S/PDIF (optical)
Size (h x w x d): 120 x 21 x 37 cm
Weight: 40,0 kg

Website:
https://kadaudio.com/HOME/

No measurements or price available on the website.

I'll try to contact the designer for more information.

Best regards, Marc.
 

RobL

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£16000/pair...holy hell.
 
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NYfan2

NYfan2

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I had contact with the owner and designer of KAD audio today, the K7 msrp is € 14.950,- including VAT (21%) so for people outside the EU price would be € 12.356,-
At the moment there is an introduction discount untill summer and the discount price is € 11.960,- including VAT (€ 9885,- without VAT)

So that's about the same amount of money as a pair Dutch & Dutch 8C and twice the price of the Buchardt A700.

I haven't heard any of these loudspeakers so I can't give any judgements of the price and quality, the owner invited me for a listening session so I'll try to plan this in the coming weeks.
 

Draki

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Those front woofers are most likely Satori 19-series paper coned units. Why would they say it's aluminium?
 
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NYfan2

NYfan2

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Very skeptical. Especially with such a price.

Yes, I agree, a lot of money for a new unknown small brand but to me the specs look interesting.
When I have more details about the design, measurements etc. I'll share them here (if the designer agrees with that)
 
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NYfan2

NYfan2

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Those front woofers are most likely Satori 19-series paper coned units. Why would they say it's aluminium?
I will ask that.
 

TabCam

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Are the back woofers active or just passive radiators?
 
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NYfan2

NYfan2

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Are the back woofers active or just passive radiators?

The back woofers are active woofers with their own amplifier.
The design idea is to create a cardioid-like radiation pattern

carioid%20diagram.jpg
 
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NYfan2

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I will visit KAD audio on the 2th of April to listen to the loudspeakers and discuss the design with the designer.
If there are any questions please let me know so I can ask them to the designer.
 

abdo123

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Literally all good brands are either astronomically priced boutiques or Fugly looking speakers meant for mixing or ‘Studio’ work.

What the hell happened to the consumer friendly brands?
 

1200W

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I will visit KAD audio on the 2th of April to listen to the loudspeakers and discuss the design with the designer.
If there are any questions please let me know so I can ask them to the designer.
It will be interesting to know what you think of these speakers.
 

Mnyb

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Those front woofers are most likely Satori 19-series paper coned units. Why would they say it's aluminium?

There are also back woofers for the cardioid these seems to be aluminum .

7 actively driven drivers in each speaker :) seems fun .
it looks like an active 3 way + extra "cardiod" drivers on the back to shape the bass
 

Koeitje

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Yes, I agree, a lot of money for a new unknown small brand but to me the specs look interesting.
When I have more details about the design, measurements etc. I'll share them here (if the designer agrees with that)
Dutch & Dutch is also small and has barely released any speakers. Same for Kii (although the people behind it are well known).
 

RobL

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I had contact with the owner and designer of KAD audio today, the K7 msrp is € 14.950,- including VAT (21%) so for people outside the EU price would be € 12.356,-
At the moment there is an introduction discount untill summer and the discount price is € 11.960,- including VAT (€ 9885,- without VAT)

So that's about the same amount of money as a pair Dutch & Dutch 8C and twice the price of the Buchardt A700.

I haven't heard any of these loudspeakers so I can't give any judgements of the price and quality, the owner invited me for a listening session so I'll try to plan this in the coming weeks.

Is that a single or pair? The price I saw was here: https://oracleoftime.com/the-best-high-end-audio-to-buy-in-2020/
 

Mnyb

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I had contact with the owner and designer of KAD audio today, the K7 msrp is € 14.950,- including VAT (21%) so for people outside the EU price would be € 12.356,-
At the moment there is an introduction discount untill summer and the discount price is € 11.960,- including VAT (€ 9885,- without VAT)

So that's about the same amount of money as a pair Dutch & Dutch 8C and twice the price of the Buchardt A700.

I haven't heard any of these loudspeakers so I can't give any judgements of the price and quality, the owner invited me for a listening session so I'll try to plan this in the coming weeks.

Buchardt seems to have worked a bit on the production and sales part of their offering and are thus very good at value for money part.

KAD seem to offer one product with mostly European sourced parts built in Europe at a small scale ?
Even if the product performs well it' still going to be costly . But you must start from somewhere ?

Buchardt strategy works if you are a bigger operation, but you must also move more units and gamble that there going to be a reasonably sized customer base from day 1 or have owners willing to take a loss the first years while your building a market presence .

KADt , DD and Buchardt do offer complete systems , you just need a digital source then you go . So price should be compared to passive speakers and all the electronics needed to run them + subs(to have a stab at bass management similar to what these products do ).

I do wonder about KAD's take on controlled directivity ? the tweeter has a waveguide and the dual midranges are not to big his sales material does not mention that part at all, it's all about the controlled ceiling and floor bounce , but sure there is something going on here to with the midrange tweeter integration too ?

The sales material hints about a well thought out design but naturally don't dive into nerdy details , it is a sales pitch after all :)
 

Eetu

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The SEAS DXT tweeter seems to be a very popular choice (this, Kii Three, Grimm LS1, the Directiva project etc..).
 
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NYfan2

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NYfan2

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Those front woofers are most likely Satori 19-series paper coned units. Why would they say it's aluminium?

You are correct, the loudspeaker in the photo has the Satori MW16P-8 (http://www.loudspeakerdatabase.com/SB/MW16P-8/SB_MW16P-8.pdf)
Satori WM16P-8.png

The woofers in the back are always Exodus Anarchy, an aluminium cone 6,5" woofer

" The Anarchy has class-leading output for a 180mm mid-woofer. The massive 25mm peak-peak xmax allows it to deliver the bass output of two typical mid-woofers of this size/format. This is achieved by an XBL motor along with a highly optimized suspension and careful design of the aerodynamic performance of the spider/pole vent assembly. The result, is a mid-woofer that is near silent in free-air under full stroke. The highly linearized suspension and motor assembly give the Anarchy world-class distortion performance "

Exodus Anarchy.png


There is also a model of the K7 with the Anarchy Exodus in the front and in the back.

The designer told me that the version with the Satori is more suited for rooms till 40m² and a listening distance untill 3 meter, the version with the Anarchy Exodus in the front is more suited for rooms till 80m² and a listening distance untill 5 meter.

Here is a photo with both models:
KADaudio.jpg


At the moment KAD audio is also working on a referene model with all speaker units from Seas.
The designer told me some of the specs but that's for another post when the model is finished ;)
 
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