Which is better for Music - KEF or Klipsch?

[Enkay78]

Hi all,

Been a lurker for a while....and have been gaining many insights from the many threads. Started with small setups.....but now having a entry level Klipsch 5.1(R601F et al) + Denon x2500h HT.....which is ok for movies.


But the itch for music is ever........so I am planning to get a:

1. Cambridge Audio cxa80/Marantz pm 8006

to pair with

2. KEF Q950 or Klipsch 8000F


So help me guys, which combination will be more suitable?

My room size is around 18x20 sq.feet.

 

[elangoas]

My room size is around 18x20 sq.feet.

That is a large room..

but now having a entry level Klipsch 5.1(R601F et al) + Denon x2500h HT.....which is ok for movies.

Which is the speaker model ?

But the itch for music is ever........so I am planning to get a:

1. Cambridge Audio cxa80/Marantz pm 8006

to pair with

2. KEF Q950 or Klipsch 8000F

You already have a good set-up.. You can make it better by adding a 2nd identical sub, which can help with low freq in the room and on top of that you have an AVR with Audyssey (inbuilt EQ) to cut room resonance..

IMO, a new stereo set-up with stereo amplifier wouldn't be better than the existing one with AVR..

 

[milestoneseeker]

But the itch for music is ever........so I am planning to get a:

The itch is because you find the current sound not conducive in a particular way or just because you can afford a new set up? Btw, I am perfectly OK with the latter being the reason! Unless we know the reason of itch, it is sort of difficult to proffer an opinion on a better set up.

 

[Enkay78]

That is a large room..



Which is the speaker model ?

Towers is the Klipsch R 610F (typo in my op)



R-51M for the surround
R-52C. for the center
R- 120SW. for the subwoofer


Actually I have planned a dedicated HT room for this setup.


And I listen to music which I prefer in my living room. Hence the stereo setup


To be frank, I find the SQ with my current setup for music, a little less enthusiastic. And the wife wants to listen to a clean two channel sound also

 

[Enkay78]

The itch is because you find the current sound not conducive in a particular way or just because you can afford a new set up? Btw, I am perfectly OK with the latter being the reason! Unless we know the reason of itch, it is sort of difficult to proffer an opinion on a better set up.

It's not just about affordability .....it's about the never ending search for nirvana , I suppose


The place I live, it's hard to get audition of system.......it's mainly from forum like this and online reviews I can base my decisions. So my OP.

 

[rpmahale]

I have auditioned KEF Q500 with Denon AVR x2300 and Q900 with Marantz SR-6012.
To me KEF Q900 is
Clean,clear and musical with strong and focus center image and have life size sound stage. You will be fooled like there is a center speaker in between two front speakers in stereo listening. Little polite towards low end extension and agility. Will work with both mentioned amplifier easily
Next speaker come in my mind Monitor Audio Bronze 5 with Pioneer VSX 9xx and 6 with Marantz SR-6012
Similar to KEF but more detailed and insightful. Midrange is similar to KEF but low end extension and agility better than KEF. Better micro dynamics in high frequencies than KEF. Careful selection of electronic and IC necessary else entire sound signature turns to bright side. Mostly work best with Marantz or NAD.
KEF cost 115k but heavily discounted due new release of Q950
MA Bronze 6 cost 100K.
Have not auditioned Klispch so can't comment....
Paradigm Monitor 11 need to consider. Little attacking, aggressive and forward sound signature. Cost almost same 110k.

 

[milestoneseeker]

It's not just about affordability .....it's about the never ending search for nirvana , I suppose


The place I live, it's hard to get audition of system.......it's mainly from forum like this and online reviews I can base my decisions. So my OP.

You haven't answered the question though - is it just greater refinement you are seeking or something more specific? E.g. better separation, better imaging, more refined mids, less harsh top end etc etc. If you want less harsh top end then Klipsch is not the brand for you (with its horn setup). If you want better separation then Paradigm Monitors are worth a look (I used to own Monitor 9 and can vouch for it). For better mids, KEFs are a good bet provided they are paired with a warm amp. I have heard KER R300s with Denon and it sounded harsh. Then there are bookshelves from DynAudio or ProAc which have superb mids. ATC's SCM19 are another set of speakers with a very neutral and clean sound but need heavy amp pairing.

Which gets us to the budget you have in mind? A good speaker will need a good amp and then there will be the element of source. Music follows the principle of garbage in, garbage out. A poor DAC or low bit rate music will defeat the purpose of all these upgrades. But then I am rambling as you already know of these elements

Hence trying to understand what exactly is that you are seeking?

 

[tuff]

Agree with @milestoneseeker completely. As you go up the ladder, you have to taste the flavour before you go ahead with the dish. Else you would be upgrading forever or stay wondering what else you could have gotten.

 

[Enkay78]

I was thinking of budgeting ~1L to 1.5 L for the speakers.

Let's say I want better imaging ......in a rather balance way. (I sort of heard KEF LS50 wireless from YouTube reviews .....and like what I heard, though I am at loss what the actual audition wouldbe like.)

And yes, off course I plan to go for vinyls. No tubes at the moment. (Savouring a slow path)

 

[Enkay78]

So I am keeping the options open then :

Monitor bronze 6
Dynaudio
Paradigm monitor


Had to say this though- prefer towers....without subs.


Currently I have no DAC....but thinking of getting a Schiit Modi/bifrost multibit.

 

[tuff]

What kind of music do you listen to? And what source do you intend to use? This can help deciding what flavor of speakers to get. The secret to better imaging is the room. Low cost speakers also image well if setup properly. Do think of a budget for stereo amplifier along with it. An inadequate amp can make things sound crappy.

 

[raghupb]

I was thinking of budgeting ~1L to 1.5 L for the speakers.

Let's say I want better imaging ......in a rather balance way. (I sort of heard KEF LS50 wireless from YouTube reviews .....and like what I heard, though I am at loss what the actual audition wouldbe like.)

And yes, off course I plan to go for vinyls. No tubes at the moment. (Savouring a slow path)

I will give impressions on KEF here. I am a KEF user. Have the R300s.
Have listened to LS50 and they are not for everybody.
They are monitor speakers and can put you off, if you are not looking for clinical rendition.
KEFs like a beefed up amp. Yes, they shine when there is muscle behind them

During my audition phase, I listened to Q series (all of them FS and BS).
Really liked the sound signature, so when I got the opportunity bit the bullet and got KEF R300 (jumped a range up).
I came from B&W standmounts (DM303s). Really laid back set of speakers.
KEFs sound bright compared to my older B&W. They get the imaging, soundstage and balance right though.
But they have a rowdy side, if robbed of space around them.

Now the real questions are:
How to adapt to listening space?
- Something like KEF will need generous space around them (3 feet from walls is ideal)
- They are very finicky about placement; not for small rooms; in big rooms listening sessions will demand power
What kind of music do you listen to?
- KEFs do a very good job on mids/highs and vocals are great; bass depends on model
Audition?
- Can understand your predicament; but when putting down large monies, trust your ears only
Electronics?
- CA, Marantz, NAD, Rega, etc will pair well with KEF

One more option you have is to go all active. In which case do consider LS50 Wireless.
Have heard them; they are fabulous. Again, finicky about placement and content fed into them.
Compared to all the pairings of LS50 with various amps etc, I found KEF has got it right with LS50 Wireless amp design/pairing.
There is a new LSX model too. Have not heard them; but looks promising.

My chain:
Marantz PM7001 (pre) --> Outlaw Audio M2200 (monoblocs) --> KEF R300
Have tried Marantz PM7001 --> KEF R300 too.
Other than oomph factor, this is very good match up too.

Cheers,
Raghu

 

[mandeep]

Don't forget to try SVS ultra bookshelfs, they offer the best of both worlds, they are also a very good option for both movies and music.

 

[Enkay78]

I am more of rock and heavy metals type.....more in the past. Now have mellowed . So enjoy almost all genre except EDM . Big time fan of pink Floyd, deep purple, iron maiden, Metallica, black Sabbath.....

Nowadays more into jazz, acoustics, and usual pop/rock with bits of country music. It's early steps into audiophile music...maybe it's the age thingy

 

[sandeepmohan]

KEF would be my pick. Their Uni-Q concentric driver does produces excellent mid range. Do note that out of those 3 eight inch drivers, two are passive radiators as auxiliary bass radiators. If you are after chest thumping bass, this ain't your speaker. What it will give you is nice clean bass and some sub bass.

An excellent alternate option is the Usher N-6361

 

[raghupb]

I am more of rock and heavy metals type.....more in the past. Now have mellowed . So enjoy almost all genre except EDM . Big time fan of pink Floyd, deep purple, iron maiden, Metallica, black Sabbath.....

Nowadays more into jazz, acoustics, and usual pop/rock with bits of country music. It's early steps into audiophile music...maybe it's the age thingy

Kinda what I used to listen to. KEFs will surely do well. Audiophile music (didn't know such a genre exists)
Except instead of Jazz, I listen to blues. My boy listens to metal, hip-hop, new stuff.
Wife listen to a very wide range of music too.

Can you comment on how you plan to use the 18x20 listening space?
Here is a reference pic of my rig.



Cheers
Raghu

 

[Selvin]

+1 to Kef because now days you are more in to Jazz... Suggest also to listen Focal Aria series. Finally all these are home theater speakers. If you love high tonal accuracy stereo music try once Spendor Classic series also...

 

[lalit09]

In my experience kef uniQ driver does some magic and i love it.

 

[milestoneseeker]

KEF LS 50 Actives all the way!!! They sound good and I heard them during the Bangalore What HiFi show. They are my next purchase if I would move away from my Dali Kubik. Simplicity and great sound in one nice rounded package, with wireless to boot!

 

[rpmahale]

Recently our two popular FM @celester340 and @sunand777 have set up excellent stereo system. Both went with Tannoy xt8f speakers with Cambridge audio and creek audio amplifier. Both of them might have auditioned most of the speakers and amplifiers in your range. So it's better to consult with them for help. They may help you in better way. Again audition is the key of great system building..