Poll: Keep the old school KEFs or get new ones?

[Count Dacula]

Although testing revealed no issues with my old KEF Q65s, I'm building a new 25x25 Fun Room and am wondering the age old question: Keep the old speakers or get some new ones...?

KEF Q65 Floorstanding Speakers user reviews : 4 out of 5 - 29 reviews - audioreview.com

KEF Q65 Floorstanding Speakers user reviews : 4 out of 5 - 29 reviews - audioreview.com

www.audioreview.com

In this case some Q7 Metas or the old trusty Q65s that really work well. I had them over 10 years and paid peanuts for them, $300 max. Amp is an ADCOM 5400, I had a 545 MKII since birth. On one hand, I feel like I had my fun with the Q65s, and they have a lot more to give. Its still "fun" to listen to them. On the other hand, I will get the most of a new set too. No doubts about what speaker I want to buy, and I can get a decent deal right now! (before my room is finished, lol)

Not sure what to do. I'm happy with my old/new combos, but it might be time to move along. Money is no object, but I hate having unused equipment laying around. A big speaker is proportionally harder to find a home for in my world. I have lots of KEFs, inc LS50 Meta w/Hypex 252 ++sub in the bedroom/"office", nice pretty applewood Q55.2 with the "egg" shaped cabinets in the current living room, a Schiit Vidar did WONDERS for them, Q1 on D Class or vintage NAK receivers scattered in front of TVs, Q350s (the previous main speakers), etc etc. So I'm no stranger to the brand. I might have ten sets total.

So should I pull the trigger now, get the color cabinet I want and save $300, or drive myself crazy and buy them in a year anyway? lol.

 

[Power Pop 23]

Although testing revealed no issues with my old KEF Q65s, I'm building a new 25x25 Fun Room and am wondering the age old question: Keep the old speakers or get some new ones...?

View attachment 541246

KEF Q65 Floorstanding Speakers user reviews : 4 out of 5 - 29 reviews - audioreview.com

KEF Q65 Floorstanding Speakers user reviews : 4 out of 5 - 29 reviews - audioreview.com

www.audioreview.com

In this case some Q7 Metas or the old trusty Q65s that really work well. I had them over 10 years and paid peanuts for them, $300 max. Amp is an ADCOM 5400, I had a 545 MKII since birth. On one hand, I feel like I had my fun with the Q65s, and they have a lot more to give. Its still "fun" to listen to them. On the other hand, I will get the most of a new set too. No doubts about what speaker I want to buy, and I can get a decent deal right now! (before my room is finished, lol)

Not sure what to do. I'm happy with my old/new combos, but it might be time to move along. Money is no object, but I hate having unused equipment laying around. A big speaker is proportionally harder to find a home for in my world. I have lots of KEFs, inc LS50 Meta w/Hypex 252 ++sub in the bedroom/"office", nice pretty applewood Q55.2 with the "egg" shaped cabinets in the current living room, a Schiit Vidar did WONDERS for them, Q1 on D Class or vintage NAK receivers scattered in front of TVs, Q350s (the previous main speakers), etc etc. So I'm no stranger to the brand. I might have ten sets total.

So should I pull the trigger now, get the color cabinet I want and save $300, or drive myself crazy and buy them in a year anyway? lol.

View attachment 541238 View attachment 541239

but I hate having unused equipment laying around.

Me too

You've had a heck of deal for the past decade.

Order and enjoy the KEF Q7 Meta loudspeakers and 'let go' - at least mentally - about what to do with redundant Q65's

 

[kemmler3D]

Clearly you're a fan of the KEF sound and I can't argue, being an LS60 owner. For a $1K budget the only thing I could think of would be to branch out to some Ascilab stuff just for the sake of variety... but it looks like you have enough gear that you could sell a fraction and fund the Q7s no problem, so I won't try to talk you out of anything.

 

[respice finem]

Loose thought: Keep the old ones and get the new ones, thus diving into surround sound?

 

[terryforsythe]

In this case some Q7 Metas or the old trusty Q65s that really work well.

Listen before you buy. The slope of the estimated in-room response of the Q series is a little steep. Here it is for the Q11 Meta:

For comparison, here it is for the R3 Meta:

As far as my experience with KEF, I have the LS60 Wireless. Here is their estimated in-room response:

Don't get me wrong, I love the LS60s, but without EQ they are a little on the dark side for my taste. I use CamillaDSP to shallow the slope of the response a little, 1-2 dB.

* All of the above graphs came courtesy of Erin's Audio Corner.

 

[Count Dacula]

Clearly you're a fan of the KEF sound and I can't argue, being an LS60 owner. For a $1K budget the only thing I could think of would be to branch out to some Ascilab stuff just for the sake of variety... but it looks like you have enough gear that you could sell a fraction and fund the Q7s no problem, so I won't try to talk you out of anything.

Yes. I even have my orig C75 that saw a LOT of action. I guess I am willing to move along...

 

[Count Dacula]

Loose thought: Keep the old ones and get the new ones, thus diving into surround sound?

Nevar.

 

[Count Dacula]

Listen before you buy. The slope of the estimated in-room response of the Q series is a little steep. Here it is for the Q11 Meta:

View attachment 541256


For comparison, here it is for the R3 Meta:

View attachment 541257


As far as my experience with KEF, I have the LS60 Wireless. Here is their estimated in-room response:

View attachment 541258

Don't get me wrong, I love the LS60s, but without EQ they are a little on the dark side for my taste. I use CamillaDSP to shallow the slope of the response a little, 1-2 dB.

* All of the above graphs came courtesy of Erin's Audio Corner.

I pondered that, but figure Ill just grab the treble knob and twist a little. I've been using Fosi P4, they are spectacular. I think I might lose a little "sound" in a 25x25 room, but I am willing to take a chance.

 

[Count Dacula]

but the real Question remains, will there be a substantial upgrade in sound quality? Im not even sure how many generation newer they are. Everybody here says KEF is an earnest company. I've experienced good PR here, SMSL and Nord, for instance. Not a ton of time previously with audio forums, ASR is the exception.

I'm one of these guys who just sets things up and is happy without infinite tweeks. The room is the room. You'd never "correct" a live musician in a room, so that approach makes no sense to me. I guess I like a dead room anyway.

My club installs would occasionally get some sound guys to do a sweep or whatever, failing to account for a 100s of bodies in the room, dancing yelling and various reflections, or lack thereof. Their touch came through muddy and dark IRL, then I'd get the call to come fix it. I ask, what's wrong with sparkly highs that cut thru the crowd and XL bass within a hair of going nuclear?

Also, the Adcom 5400 just feels right. Like the old 545, a Parasound 2125, Nord Hypex 252, Vidar... all nearly the same power range, but the Adcoms feel right and takes me back to the 1990s, in a good way.

 

[terryforsythe]

but the real Question remains, will there be a substantial upgrade in sound quality?

Unless you have a full suite of measurements handy, it is hard to tell short of putting them side by side with other speakers and listening.

Also, the Adcom 5400 just feels right.

Adcom are good amplifiers. I had an Adcom GFA-5802 I really, really liked. But, when I decided to go all active in my other system, I needed to fit more amplification channels in roughly the same space - it was quite large. I ended up selling it. Sometimes I wish I had held onto it for potential future use, but it probably would have just sat in its box under the stair well for years and years. It may seem a little strange, but I miss it.

 

[jhaider]

That generation Q (Andrew Jones’s last IIRC) was a good sounding line. Built quality was not great and the vinyl wrap was crap. I’m surprised they still test well though given that the 3/4” tweeters have ferrofluid in their motors. But if they do that’s great!

If the baffle is press-fit plastic as it was on the Q15s I I had, damping it with plumbers putty may offer benefits. But if you want to swap them out then may as well strike now before the next round of global shortages and inflation caused by the orange menace hits.

 

[Count Dacula]

Yes, the port extension tube just inside has a seam that lets the tube wander around. I settled it with some painters tape a while ago, but it needs a reglue, thanks for the reminder.

 

[Count Dacula]

My wife is accustomed to me buying whatever used / new component that is cheap and correct. So in the $2k range got a lil reaction from her, of ....oh?

I explained it's sort of entry level for someone who's been around as long as me, and even entertained music celebrities with my systems, so it's still "correct" in that sense. My main point was that any sort of quality musical instrument is gonna be $2k, like a new name brand Chinese guitar, drums, keyboard....you get the idea. So she was like, ok that makes sense.
I captured the moment for everyone...

Frankly, $300 off sealed the deal, and it was indeed the last set. WAF is preserved, my walnut Q150s go on top with a little D amp for TV shows. I'm not actually sure my Fosi V3 will power them ok, but we'll see.....I mean hear.

 

[DavidEdwinAston]

And she's allowed you to disguise all her appliances as speaker cones! Wow. You are indeed a lucky man!