Replacing a pair of KEF iQ3 with what?

[Golf]

Need to replace my some 15 years old KEF iQ3 speakers. They are part of a stereo set, powered by a DENON PMA-1600 NE, placed in a wooden bookshelf inside a 16 m² room.

I would want to approximately keep their size and weight. What I like about their audio performance is the crispness and the detail in midst and high frequencies, while I would be pleased if their successors would show a bit more precision in the lower frequencies.

I was thinking about the DALI Spektor 2 for a while, but that one seems to be designed to be part of a multi-channel system in the first place.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks a lot!

 

[maty]

I would try to improve them first.

Crossover components or/and a new crossover (by system7)
Viscoelastic material / alubutyl / bitumen...

x-over for Kef iQ30

Hello folks, on my second speaker setup Kef iQ30 x-over crossed over to the dark side... :) I tested the speaker without the x-over and was working fine (woofer and tweeter). I contacted Kef however didn't get any reply until now and it is already 4 days past. Does anyone in Canada do...

www.diyaudio.com

 

[Rednaxela]

iQ30 ≠ iQ3?

 

[maty]

You are right

kef IQ3 mod

Hi dear, I want to mod my kef iq3 speakers (capacitor´s, wires... ) anyone has the schematic of KEF IQ3 speakers ? I will apreciate, best regards

www.diyaudio.com

 

[maty]

[Russian] https://www.avreport.ru/tests/home/...d]=70&tx_amflexcat_pi1[template]=measurements

Only better componentes and the furniture, more easy.

 

[maty]

6moons audio reviews: KEF iQ30

 

[maty]

Kef IQ3 üres dobozok eladók - avxforum.hu

avx.hu

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Need to replace my some 15 years old KEF iQ3 speakers. They are part of a stereo set, powered by a DENON PMA-1600 NE, placed in a wooden bookshelf inside a 16 m² room.

I would want to approximately keep their size and weight. What I like about their audio performance is the crispness and the detail in midst and high frequencies, while I would be pleased if their successors would show a bit more precision in the lower frequencies.

I was thinking about the DALI Spektor 2 for a while, but that one seems to be designed to be part of a multi-channel system in the first place.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks a lot!

Budget?

 

[Golf]

Budget?

I believe my KEFs were around 400 Euros at the time of purchase. I’d like to stay below that with new ones.

 

[RobL]

Kef Q150’s are half price on the Kef webshop right now…at least on kef Canada they are!

 

[Vacceo]

I would try to improve them first.

Crossover components or/and a new crossover (by system7)
Viscoelastic material / alubutyl / bitumen...

x-over for Kef iQ30

Hello folks, on my second speaker setup Kef iQ30 x-over crossed over to the dark side... :) I tested the speaker without the x-over and was working fine (woofer and tweeter). I contacted Kef however didn't get any reply until now and it is already 4 days past. Does anyone in Canada do...

www.diyaudio.com

Not worth it. The current generation of KEF speakers have far more evolved cones, tweeters and a waveguide.

 

[maty]

Not worth it. The current generation of KEF speakers have far more evolved cones, tweeters and a waveguide.

Few speakers offer so much potential for sound improvement, since the starting point is very good but...

 

[Vacceo]

No crossover improvement will get you better directivity or dynamic range.

 

[maty]

I do not think it is the smartest move to buy new speakers for €400 (if you have KEF iQ3), but it is not my decision.

- The End -

 

[Golf]

it is not my decision

I agree with that.

 

[Vacceo]

You can try to find the Kef R3 non-meta. You'll get a lot more refined experience that what you're using.

 

[bodhi]

I do not think it is the smartest move to buy new speakers for €400 (if you have KEF iQ3), but it is not my decision.

- The End -

It's useful to tell the facts. OP might be OK spending money just to spend money, but I'm sure there are a few iQ3 owners that aren't.

For me the worst possible outcome is to buy something that ends up to provide the same performance as the old equipment. Now you are short some some money that could have been used for actual upgrade later on and have useless piece of equipment.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

I believe my KEFs were around 400 Euros at the time of purchase. I’d like stay below that with new ones.

That isn’t much to work with nowadays after 15years of inflation. KEFR3 (non-meta) are being discontinued and are a real steal but still twice your budget. Given your budget I would recommend to stick with your current speakers as you might end up with worse. Wait and safe up some more or look if you can get R3s used, but I doubt at 400EUR. And no I wouldn’t go with Q150, but rather keep your old ones. Good luck.

 

[Golf]

rather keep your old ones

I’m considering replacement for a reason: One of the units has been toppled off its stand a while ago, and exactly that unit was the one, my cute little granddaughter chose to poke a nice dent into the uncovered driver cone just last week.

I think I will re-run my room-EQ system. Maybe it is able of compensate any disadvantages caused by the dented driver cone.


Besides: Checking and comparing specs I realized that I wasn’t aware that my KEF iQ3 is said to have a 16 inch/165 mm Uni-Q driver. A quick ruler measuring seems to show only 130 mm instead. Strange ...

 

[HarmonicTHD]

I’m considering replacement for a reason: One of the units has been toppled off its stand a while ago, and exactly that unit was the one, my cute little granddaughter chose to poke a nice dent into the uncovered driver cone just last week.

I think I will re-run my room-EQ system. Maybe it is able of compensate any disadvantages caused by the dented driver cone.


Besides: Checking and comparing specs I realized that I wasn’t aware that my KEF iQ3 is said to have a 16 inch/165 mm Uni-Q driver. A quick ruler measuring seems to show only 130 mm instead. Strange ...

I understand. I guess the best bet would be to look for a single iQ3 in the used market to replace the damaged one.