# KEF Bookshelfs



## Old Skewl (May 30, 2011)

I've been kicking around the idea of trying a set of KEFs with the Uni-Q technology. Everything I have read states that this point source configuration gives beautiful imaging and soundstage. There seems to be quite a few different models & generations of them and of course many prefer the older ones. 

I have stands that are I think 19" tall so an oversized book shelf is fine. I don't want a floor stander as they will be in my living room and I don't want the huge box. I have been using B&W 602 S2s and sometimes I love them and sometimes I don't. I recently picked up a set of a/d/s L780's. For the most part, I like them, but they received some cabinet damaged in shipping and its bugging me.

So what have you listened too and which models do you recommend and obviously, why?


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## Victor_inox (Apr 27, 2012)

I have two pairs right now Uni-Q compact and uni-Q3 floorstanders.
I also have 7 "Eggs for surround sound... you can tell I love kefs huh?


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## Old Skewl (May 30, 2011)

Victor_inox said:


> I have two pairs right now Uni-Q compact and uni-Q3 floorstanders.
> I also have 7 "Eggs for surround sound... you can tell I love kefs huh?


That's right! You had the Cacoon hooked up to those Compacts. 

Do they have a good bottom end?


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## quietfly (Mar 23, 2011)

how are the eggs? i've been interested in them....


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## [email protected] (Jun 12, 2008)

I run the smaller eggs with 3.5" drivers on my pc setup. I love them. Listened to some towers at Todd's during the Oklahoma meet. They were phenominal.


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## Victor_inox (Apr 27, 2012)

[email protected] said:


> I run the smaller eggs with 3.5" drivers on my pc setup. I love them. Listened to some towers at Todd's during the Oklahoma meet. They were phenomenal.


ditto.


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

What's the purpose? I own the q300, owned a pair of r500's and now have DIY'd 3-way active towers with the r-series concentric (pictured below). I'm a Kef fan. 

Room size, budget and needs will be determining factors.


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## Old Skewl (May 30, 2011)

Nice DIY KEFs there bikinpunk  I've thought about some DIYs but that will need to be a winter project.

I will use them for Music only. I listen to a little bit of everything(Classic Rock, some Pop, Jazz, etc.) I am not sure of the room size, but can check tonight. I would guess around 14'x16' with a cathedral ceiling. Budget would be $400 or less, preferably less 

I started looking at Q10s then I cam across Q100s and then IQs and some C series. I guess I am just getting overwhelmed and just looking for some guidance. I don't mind searching for some on the used market.


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

Q100s on ebay for less than $400.


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## Lorin (May 5, 2011)

Im using the q 100's (bookshelf) in a 14 x 20 room. Like them a bunch. Wont have a tremendous (lower) midbass presence, as it is a 5.25 inch driver. Im running a stand-alone sub with mine and enjoy them. Money well spent


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

^ agreed. I used the Q100's from time to time with and without a sub. As stated, it's only a bookshelf with a 5.25" driver (that has even less effective radiating area due to the tweeter taking up about 1" in diameter) so it's not going to get very low and very loud levels. But 80 or 100hz typical crossover with a subwoofer should suffice.


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## cajunner (Apr 13, 2007)

if you have the scratch, I'd get a pair of newer technology units with the higher compression tangerines, based on Kef's white paper.

as an aside, it's curious how few XQ models are available on auction as used units, when it was splashed all over the place when they came out.

these are the first tangerines, with very light compression, and thin individual spokes.

I believe the success went up with Kef paying closer attention to the tweeter's interface with the mids, and I'd also always run a sub with a pair of bookshelves, any bookshelves, but especially the Kef since the movement of the cone in deep excursion can produce doppler distortion for the tweeter at the crossover region.

go big, and tell everyone about it, because that's the 'murican way.

look at the amp stack bikinpunk posts with his DIY towers, there's your sigh...


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## teldzc1 (Oct 9, 2009)

I heard the LS50 at a show and was really impressed. Also check the used listings on Audiogon.com. Far more stuff than on ebay.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

IME: People on audiogon are crazy. Nearly every listing I see is asking near MSRP for used stuff.


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## Victor_inox (Apr 27, 2012)

bikinpunk said:


> IME: People on audiogon are crazy. Nearly every listing I see is asking near MSRP for used stuff.


Just like here or on CL.


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## teldzc1 (Oct 9, 2009)

Just gotta negotiate

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk


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## Victor_inox (Apr 27, 2012)

teldzc1 said:


> Just gotta negotiate
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk


Exactly why sellers asking crazy prices at the first place, because of cheap **** low ballers starting negotiating by slashing asking price in half.


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

teldzc1 said:


> Just gotta negotiate
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk


Of course... but on the flip side, if you set your asking price too high, I won't even bother starting the process.


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## Old Skewl (May 30, 2011)

Thanks for the recommendations and advice. I think I am leaning towards the Q300 or IQ30. I may have to stretch the budget a bit and wait another month or two. I like the styling of the older Q series and the IQs cabinets. I would prefer to have the larger 6.5" mid bass and I seem to be buying into the tangerine tweeter design. Seems logical.

I'd have an older M&K MX-150 sub that has newer M&K drivers and amp in it due to a power surge taking out the amp and a driver. Sometimes with music though I prefer a 2 channel setup. Seems more natural to me.

BTW, I was way off on my room measurements. My room is fairly open with an open foyer and dinning room. Not good for acoustics I'm sure, but we spend a lot of time there while listening to music. Theoretically the room measures 18'x28'. 

I've seen some equipment on Audiogon as well but the asking prices shy me away and I've never even made an offer. I guess I didn't want to insult anybody. He he. Maybe this is the time.


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

Check this site:
http://www.accessories4less.com

Great prices on b-stock gear that looks untouched.


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## quietfly (Mar 23, 2011)

thanks for the link, i'm totally gonna pick up that denon E400. too much of a deal to pass on...


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

not sure if you guys care, but KEF just displayed the following at a show in Germany:
KEF Revolutionizes Two Iconic Lines - San Diego, California News Station - KFMB Channel 8 - cbs8.com

New speakers. Drool.


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## quietfly (Mar 23, 2011)

is that a newer version of the uni-Q than the one in the LS50?


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## Victor_inox (Apr 27, 2012)

bikinpunk said:


> not sure if you guys care, but KEF just displayed the following at a show in Germany:
> KEF Revolutionizes Two Iconic Lines - San Diego, California News Station - KFMB Channel 8 - cbs8.com
> 
> New speakers. Drool.


$24000 a pair, keep drooling, I do too.


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

they have other lines. the new Reference line would be more along what I'm talking about. And used.


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

quietfly said:


> is that a newer version of the uni-Q than the one in the LS50?


which one?

all the series of Kefs have a different driver. The Q, R, LS50, and Blade all have a different Uni-Q dirver. Some are similar, but none are the same between each respective model. Additionally, within the R-series, the R100 driver is different than the rest of the R-series drivers.


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## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

quietfly said:


> thanks for the link, i'm totally gonna pick up that denon E400. too much of a deal to pass on...


Also check out the Denon referb outlet on their web site. They come with a one year original factory warranty. I got an $1100 AVR-3312Ci for $650. And it looks and works like brand new. The one way to tell it was used is by the slight finger nail scratches on the remote.

Refurbished Products | CD Players, Home Theater Systems | Denon

They have an E400 for $299. 

Don't buy from the site though, it was broken for me a double charge the credit card. Call them direct and order on the phone.


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## quietfly (Mar 23, 2011)

heh being that they just came out, it will be some time before any "used" ones get on the market....


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## Victor_inox (Apr 27, 2012)

bikinpunk said:


> they have other lines. the new Reference line would be more along what I'm talking about. And used.


I`ve had ref 107 20 years back, awesome towers. I know I sound old but they don`t make them like that anymore.


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

The new speakers look to have a very similar concentric as the blade.


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## quietfly (Mar 23, 2011)

this one the uni Q from the Reference series looks different.


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## quietfly (Mar 23, 2011)

Is it bad that i still dream about getting LS50 drivers for my car.....


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

Yea. That looks like the blade driver. At least by the cone. The LS50 driver is more like the r-series. Fewer ribs than the blade concentric. But similar suspension as the q-series which uses the z-flex surround.


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

quietfly said:


> Is it bad that i still dream about getting LS50 drivers for my car.....



Depends on what you want to do with them. 

I had three of them. Sold them to my friend. Was going to use them in my towers but for dedicated midrange, the r-series made more sense.


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## quietfly (Mar 23, 2011)

i want to use them as the high and mid in a 3 way system mounted in dash pods. i have anarchy's in the doors for midbass... i just can't bring myself to buy them at 1200/pr.... well that and buying a new house and all has crippled my addiction...


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

They wouldn't be useful for that purpose anyway. The r-series concentric is better suited for that.


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## Old Skewl (May 30, 2011)

Lorin said:


> Im using the q 100's (bookshelf) in a 14 x 20 room. Like them a bunch. Wont have a tremendous (lower) midbass presence, as it is a 5.25 inch driver. Im running a stand-alone sub with mine and enjoy them. Money well spent


Did you compare the Q100 to the Q300? Just curious on your opinions of how they compare.



bikinpunk said:


> ^ agreed. I used the Q100's from time to time with and without a sub. As stated, it's only a bookshelf with a 5.25" driver (that has even less effective radiating area due to the tweeter taking up about 1" in diameter) so it's not going to get very low and very loud levels. But 80 or 100hz typical crossover with a subwoofer should suffice.


Thanks for the link to accessories for less. Seems like a reasonable way to get near new speaks! Sounds like you have listened to both the Q100 and Q300. What are your opinions of each? From what I have read, some people seem to think the Q100 has a nice bass range and a cleaner midrange. Where as some feel the Q300 has exaggerated bass and the midrange is not as clean. I can't go listen to these speaker so I need to form opinions from other audio gurus. I'm sure I would be pleased with either.


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## teldzc1 (Oct 9, 2009)

The blade sounded awesome when I heard it. For the money I thought the LS50 were really nice.

On the side, give a listen to the MBL Radialstrahlers if you get a chance. Those things are crazy!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk


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## Old Skewl (May 30, 2011)

Those LS50s really get some sweet reviews. Way outta my league ATM. Those Radialstrahlers are just sick! Cost half what I paid for my house 15 years ago! He he!

So can anyone give me comparative opinions of the Q100 vs Q300?


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