Kef Q series vs. new iQ and surround balance

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AdrianMills

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I'm fairly new to this audiophile-speak and I've only recently taken an interest in all things audio so please forgive any foobars on my part.

I've been considering getting some decent speakers and a good A/V receiver to replace my feeble Philips all-in-one surround system.

Kef Q's have caught my eye because not only do they look good but most of the reviews have given them the thumbs up for sound and build quality.

I managed to get a demo of the older Q7's in a local hi-fi specialist today (much to my surprise as it's not easy to find a wide range of kit in small towns in Norway). To my untrained ear they sounded very good and better than anything else they had in the place. The shop didn't have any iQ's in though and it may be a while before they can get hold of any. No other Q's either.

So, my question is how much different is the sound of the iQ's compared to the Q's? The shop has just one pair of the Q7's left (one with a damaged tweeter which they'll replace) and they are offering a 25% discount - are the new iQ's worth that extra 25%?

My original thoughts were to get iQ5's for the front (or maybe 7/9's), iQ8ds for the rear and an iQ6c for the center. I'm a little concerned that this is will give the correct balance - especially if I insert the older Q7's as the front pair instead - or even the newer iQ7 or 9! :confused:

I'm also somewhat concerned about my choice in AV receiver - I was thinking of getting the new Denon 4306 but will hold off until some decent reviews have appeared and I've had a chance to demo it. But I read yesterday that the Kef's stated 8ohm impedance is a little misleading as they usually run a lot lower even below 4 so will the 4306 be struggling particularly if I go with the iQ9 route for the fronts?
 
I have the last generation of Qs (see below) and have heard the new ones a couple of times. The main difference to my ears appears to be a slight refinement in treble quality and to be fair the old ones are pretty good. The Q7s are a much larger speaker than the iQ5s. When KEF revamped the range they repositioned and renumbered the speakers to really confuse the issue. There are basically two driver sizes. 130mm die-cast chassis and 165mm pressed steel chassis. The direct comparrisons with the old range are as follows:

Q Compact (1x 130mm) - iQ1 (1x 130mm)
Q2ds (2x 165mm + 130 mm bass driver) - Q8ds (2x 130mm)
Q1 (1x 165mm) - Q3 (1x 165mm)
Q3 (1x 165mm) - No equivalent
Q4 (2x 130mm) - iQ5 (2x 130mm)
Q5 (2x 165mm) - iQ7 (2x 165mm)
Q6c (1x 130mm) - iQ2c (1x 130mm)
Q7 (1x 165mm + racetrack bass driver) - iQ9 (1x 165mm + 2x 165mm bass drivers)
Q8 (1x 165mm monopole) - no equvalent)
Q9c (1x 165mm) - iQ6c (3x 130mm)

As you can see the numbers don't match up anymore. My thoughts are as follows:

The 130mm driver with it's die-cast chassis is the best quality driver in the range. It is less coloured and in musical terms the most transparent. The reviews of the iQ5 and it's predessor, the Q4 seem to back this up.

The 165mm driver goes louder (no surprise) and if film viewing dominates your use is probably the route to go.

I had the Q6c (130mm) center speaker for a while and it really struggled with my Q5s. Dialogue was indistinct and it was differently voiced from the larger drivers. So mixing and matching can cause problems.

In my opinion and from my own experience, The old Q7s would be a poor match for the iQ range. If you decide to go with them it would make sense to seek out the older matching center and surrounds. I suspect the lack of 165mm center to partner the new iQ7 & 9 may be the source of some poor reviews in the future. Keeping the same main driver across all speakers reaps massive benefits, especially with multi-channel audio where the change in tone as a sound passes from one speaker to the next is really obvious.

I also feel Kef have made one step backwards with one speaker in the range. The Old Q2ds had 2 165mm Uni-Q drivers PLUS a 130mm bass cone. The new Q8ds has only 2 130mm drivers. In music the new model may edge it, but in movies the old Q2ds really is one ot the best surround effects speakers I have ever heard. It actually has a bass response that so many competitors stuggle to get near in a wall mount unit.

So my suggestions are as follows:

Q7 + Q9c + Q2Ds
or
iQ5 + iQ6c + iQ8ds

Please note that the Q7 system is MUCH larger than the iQ5 system, and I mean a lot larger. I would suggest a 6x4m room would be a minimum to accomodate it. It really does have prodigious bass output and features like stud walls, suspended and/or hardwood floors really could make it hard to live with.

As regards the speaker impedances, a lot of rubbish is spoken about it. 8 ohm speakers can frequently drop as low as 3 ohms across the frequency range whilst some 4 ohm speakers may hardly waiver at all. It is very much a nominal measurement and is about as useful as the wattage rating by itself. A 4306 will not struggle with either of the above setups. My MJ 250w sub bottoms out before my 3806 runs out of steam. At these volumes my uPVC double glazing is rattling and I have two alabaster vasses that migrate along the mantlepiece. Denon amps have good power supplies as is proven by their ability to reach rated power outputs all channels driven*. I noticed a couple of pioneers rated at 100w + that could only achieve this into 2 channels and dropped as low as 55w all channels driven. Even so they will still be bloody loud.

Regards

Russell

*Really good amps will double their output into 4 ohms. ie 8ohms - 100w, 4 ohms 200w. I can't think of a single one box AV receiver that will do this and I am including the mighty Denon AVC-A1XV.
 
Adrian, Russ summed it up quite nicely.
I personally think that your Q7 will be a good match for the IQ6C and IQ8DS.
Should I not have selected Monitor Adio RS8, I would have gone for exactly this setup (IQ9 instead of Q7). If your main concern is HT, go for them, they will do great. As a matter a fact, I heard them with Pioneer VSX AX2 which I found to be a good matching receiver for these speakers.

If you want to extend your listening pleasure to stereo, you must audition other brands as well.
No need to be an expert, take your favorite music and listen - let your ears decide. Pay attention to the combination speaker/receiver, you'll notice this makes an incredible difference.
 
Just my two penneth worth
My previous system consisted of Q5, Q9c,Q2ds and Q1, but one of my Q5's was accidently damaged and was replaced with iQ7's which I paid to upgrade to iQ9's, now I'd always been concerned about the Q9c's ability to compete with the Q5's as I found dialogue struggled, so with the iQ9's in place this was even more pronounced. So I upgraded to the iQ6c which is SO much better and works perfectly with the iQ9s, and also the Q2ds and Q1's.
Got to agree with russ re-Q2ds though, I think the're fab:smashin:
 
Thanks for the extensive response guys.

Russ, I actually noticed your setup today after reading your post in the SVS review thread (good post there too btw) and I was hoping you'd see this and respond.

So, you say it should be the iQ5, 6c and 8ds (which was my first choice before I started to procrastinate!) or the Q7, 9c and 2ds - interesting comparison between old and new and it's no wonder I've been confused when I've seen people talking about the older models.

There should be no problem with room size whichever route I go down as I'm moving to a new house in April and the area I'd intended to set this up in is fairly extensive - can't remember the exact measurements. It's a little weird space though; semi-rectangular, living room and dining room with a wall halfway into the room separating the two, and an open staircase leading up to the second floor – no doors.

I'm surprised by your comment on the 2ds vs. the 8ds though - I just read the spec and the 8ds has a greater frequency range even without the additional bass driver (65Hz - 40kHz as opposed to 80 to 27 on the older model) although the sensitivity is quite a bit down on the 8ds (83dB against 91dB) and understandably there's almost a 10dB difference in max output.

I just did a search and I can find a supplier in Norway with the full Q range (or at least it's on their web page) and the prices are actually better than the local shop even with the discount!

Now I'm in a dilemma - I can get the Q7, 9 and 2 for the same price as the iQ5, 6 and 8....!


Ghislain,

yes, I agree the best is always to demo these things with as close a match to your own kit as you can get but I'm a little limited in that respect; the market in Norway isn't as large as the UK and so it's not so easy to find good specialists that have the facilities to demo properly or have the equipment I'm interested in. There is a very good specialist chain (HiFiKlubben) that sells high end equipment that sells the Denon range, and I will be going there to demo the 4306 and probably buy from them unless there are some very poor reviews. They don't do Kef Q's though. And the shop I mention above with the older Q range, well, I've been there before and I can tell you that they're box movers, nothing more. Expecting a good demo there is like expecting it to snow in Wales on Christmas day.

Yes, most of my needs are HT but I do like my music too. :) I'm particularly interested in getting into SACD.

Um, then there's the sub... I've heard good things about SVS. :)

Thanks again for the extremely useful input guys, much appreciated.

Adrian.
 
dishdoc said:
Just my two penneth worth
My previous system consisted of Q5, Q9c,Q2ds and Q1, but one of my Q5's was accidently damaged and was replaced with iQ7's which I paid to upgrade to iQ9's, now I'd always been concerned about the Q9c's ability to compete with the Q5's as I found dialogue struggled, so with the iQ9's in place this was even more pronounced. So I upgraded to the iQ6c which is SO much better and works perfectly with the iQ9s, and also the Q2ds and Q1's.
Got to agree with russ re-Q2ds though, I think the're fab:smashin:

OK, another spanner in the works then.

So you say the iQ9, iQ6c and the older Q2ds go well together? Maybe, as everyone agrees the Q2's are top notch I should grab a pair before they disappear and decide on the others as and when.

I see you have a PSW2500 - how do you like it? I was considering it or the 3500 until I read everyone raving about the SVS 10 and 12plus which seems to give far more for the money. The range on the 2500 seems a little disappointing on paper too - only 5Hz lower than the iQ9!
 
AdrianMills said:
Ghislain,

yes, I agree the best is always to demo these things with as close a match to your own kit as you can get but I'm a little limited in that respect; the market in Norway isn't as large as the UK and so it's not so easy to find good specialists that have the facilities to demo properly or have the equipment I'm interested in. There is a very good specialist chain (HiFiKlubben) that sells high end equipment that sells the Denon range, and I will be going there to demo the 4306 and probably buy from them unless there are some very poor reviews. They don't do Kef Q's though. And the shop I mention above with the older Q range, well, I've been there before and I can tell you that they're box movers, nothing more. Expecting a good demo there is like expecting it to snow in Wales on Christmas day.

Yes, most of my needs are HT but I do like my music too. :) I'm particularly interested in getting into SACD.

Um, then there's the sub... I've heard good things about SVS. :)

Thanks again for the extremely useful input guys, much appreciated.

Adrian.

Adrian,

I live in Belgium and although access to different suppliers seems to be easier than in Norway, it is far from ideal either ;)

From my listening session with IQ7/9 I found that with music the imaging was better with rock and pop music compared to classical or jazz. The Kef sounds warmer then Monitor Audio RS but lacks the detail the latter has.
As stated before, for HT use these differences almost entirely dissappear.

Now for your sub question, I have read some very positive reviews in german audio magazines with regard to the Kef subwoofers. Only minus was their price - somewhat too expensive with regard to the competition. Google around - I'm sure you'll find some reviews.

I own an SVS sub myself, a very nice 2039PCi cylinder which simply sounds great (that's an understatement :D ), could not live without anymore (for HT). I am sure SVS will be a great match for your future setup as well.
Drop them a mail if you have any questions, their support is fantastic and objective - they are not trying to upsell - you'll get objective advice as to which SVS products would suit your needs best.

Pricing: have you considered bying abroad? German stores offer the best market prices for audio equipment in all of europe and there are quite a bit of reliable internet stores around. Guess you would have to add additional import taxes since Norway is not a member of the EU (but then again you can buy tax free - 16% in Germany - which compensates the final bill).

Good luck hunting!
 
ghislain said:
Adrian,

I live in Belgium and although access to different suppliers seems to be easier than in Norway, it is far from ideal either ;)

From my listening session with IQ7/9 I found that with music the imaging was better with rock and pop music compared to classical or jazz. The Kef sounds warmer then Monitor Audio RS but lacks the detail the latter has.
As stated before, for HT use these differences almost entirely dissappear.

Now for your sub question, I have read some very positive reviews in german audio magazines with regard to the Kef subwoofers. Only minus was their price - somewhat too expensive with regard to the competition. Google around - I'm sure you'll find some reviews.

I own an SVS sub myself, a very nice 2039PCi cylinder which simply sounds great (that's an understatement :D ), could not live without anymore (for HT). I am sure SVS will be a great match for your future setup as well.
Drop them a mail if you have any questions, their support is fantastic and objective - they are not trying to upsell - you'll get objective advice as to which SVS products would suit your needs best.

Pricing: have you considered bying abroad? German stores offer the best market prices for audio equipment in all of europe and there are quite a bit of reliable internet stores around. Guess you would have to add additional import taxes since Norway is not a member of the EU (but then again you can buy tax free - 16% in Germany - which compensates the final bill).

Good luck hunting!

From what I could hear of the older Q7 you're right that they are quite warm, or at least they sounded that way compared to the others I listened to that day. But that's good, I like warm - a few of the other speakers I listened to were just too bright in my opinion (I'm picking up this jargon fairly quickly ;) ). The Q7’s were also a good bit louder than the others. :D

And I'm much more of a rock person than classical anyway so that's no problem.

I was more or less set on getting the Kef 2500 or 3500 (I love the looks) until I started reading a little more and came across the SVS. But I think the 10 may be a little too small for that chest shaking feeling and the 12plus is just freaking HUGE. It's a pity there's no middle ground between the two. They do seem to give much more for the money though and I'm still tempted by the 12plus - any idea if it's stable enough to put things on top of it? That'd go some way to justify getting something of its size.

As for buying outside the country, then yes I have. I bought my plasma in Sweden and saved quite a bit (http://www.fyndborsen.se) and they also do iQ's too, all except the iQ9 anyway, which I don't understand. So if I do go the iQ route then I'll more than likely buy from them as the prices are good and the service I've had so far is excellent. The Denon 4306 - well, I think I'd prefer to get that locally just in case it needs repair - the price I found here is quite expensive but not so much more that I'd like to take the risk. SVS has a local distributor but only 3 sub models - the 12plus comes to 11,000kr (940GBP) with delivery - that's a VERY favorable price compared to the AVSales price of 975GBP. I assume that has a great deal to do with the current exchange rate (the kroner is very strong at the moment).

And yes, the import taxes here are awful!

I can't buy this kit until April anyway - I'm staying in a small apartment until I can move into my new house and I just don't have the space to set this up or even store it - so I'll continue to read and look around (and hopefully listen!) before I finally decide. It's very difficult to control the buying compulsion though! :D
 
Adrian,

In my opinion you are heading for a great system - Kef IQ with SVS and Denon 4306 cannot go wrong :thumbsup:

Now for your question with regard to the subwoofer, it is actually being answered here http://www.svsound.com/questions-faqs.cfm

SVS have altered their distribution channel (and their web site!) a couple of months ago, if you have a local distributor this now means that you are "restricted" to buying equipment from him instead of dealing with SVS in the States directly (as I did and which by the way was a very pleasant experience!). Most distributors do not (yet?) carry the full range of subs so that is pretty annoying should you be looking for a model that is not (yet) available.
As for the WAF, I sold my cylindrical sub as a complementary design item for the living room to my wife and after some reluctance she seems to have accepted it completly ;) That was actually before I hooked it up, now she (we) could not live without it any more - it enhances HT experience dramatically!!

I found the Swedish site as well, unfortunately, I cannot read swedish.
If you are happy with pricing and service there is no reason to look anywhere else but do compare (for fun) with some german internet traders - you might be surprised.
I know from my hifi specialist that there are large backorders for the IQ series which are expected not to be solved before the end of this month (depending upon required model and color). People having ordered 2 months ago are now getting their orders in (I am speaking for the belgian market).
 
AdrianMills said:
I'm surprised by your comment on the 2ds vs. the 8ds though - I just read the spec and the 8ds has a greater frequency range even without the additional bass driver (65Hz - 40kHz as opposed to 80 to 27 on the older model) although the sensitivity is quite a bit down on the 8ds (83dB against 91dB) and understandably there's almost a 10dB difference in max output.
Please note that a doubling of amplifier power is required to achieve a 3dB sound pressure level increase. For a given say 10w input to the Q2, the iQ8 would require 35-40w if your specs are correct (I haven't checked) to achieve the same volume.

This decrease in sensitivity is a result of engineering an extended low frequency response from a smaller driver. It needs to be driven harder to higher excurrsions for a given volume or frequency. This places higher demands an the amplifier to maintain control. It's worth noting that responsibilty for surround frequencies below 80Hz will likely as not be passed to your subwoofer so it may not make much difference. The 10dB louder level is a cone size thing, pure and simple. 265cm2 of cone versus 560cm2.

The increased higher frequency response is the single biggest difference between the old and the new series due to the heavily revised tweeter. Although you would have to be a bat to hear these frequencies, the overhaul was in response to the higher frequencies enabled by DVD and SACD sampling rates. You may not hear these sounds, but the harmonics of the distortion caused by the break up of a tweeters response in this range is audible further down the frequency spectrum. It may manifest itself as a harder edge or excitability (harshness and brightness) in the audible band.

Personally, I find the new tweeter to be slightly smoother than the old although I can only really notice this on music.

Incidentally I picked up my Q2ds as a never used ex-dem (?) pair for £250 - bargain or what?

The SVS PB10 is getting superb feedback from almost anyone who has had contact with it (I haven't yet) but it really is much bigger than the Kefs. Youv'e seen my posts on the WHF/PB10 thread so I'll sidestep that one for now (wait 'til you see the latest monster post - my fingers have gone numb), but I did demo the PSW2500 and 3500 when I last upgraded and as you can see I didn't buy them. Neither had quite the visceral impact of the Ref200 although musically they were nearer the mark. They were also, in the case of the 3500, double the size. If accomodation is no problem, the SVS bad boys appear to be well worth a look. I am starting to toy with the idea of one of their cylinder subs.

Best of luck

Russell
 
Hi Adrian, for what it is worth, I have been a big KEF fan for many years and I have consistently upgraded from one range of KEF Q series speakers to the next with a mix of two ranges at any given time.

I have never had a mismatch in my surround system due to having for example KEF Q35.2s as my rear speakers and Q7s as my main speakers. As long as you are careful with positioning and set your speakers to small regardless of their actual size you will not have any problems with indistinct voices etc.

I mention this last point as I have heard many fine systems not giving of their best because the owner has the speakers set to large in the setup menu when they should be set to small whenever a Sub-Woofer is present in the mix.

As advised by another poster you should attempt to have your potential purchase demonstrated with music and movies you know well, as the proof of how good a speaker system is, is down to you ears.

Regarding the point made by Russ on the new iQ series having a grater frequency range than the old series, that was the reason I added the Townsend Maximum super tweeters, they do exactly what will suggests in that they time align the drivers in your main speakers and seem to me to reduce the amount of sibilence, the Townsends reach up to 100,000 cycles and are all but inaudible when in the system.
 
Thanks for all the info guys - all this has really helped.

Unless there are some unexpected bad reviews on the 4306 I've more or less decided on that. I've also decided to go for the SVS 12plus; yes it's HUGE but at least in the wood finishes it looks fairly attractive (much nicer than the 10) and according to SVS you can bung stuff on top of it!

I'm still tossing and turning over the Kef's though - looks like I should definitely get the Q2ds for the rears and the iQ6c seems to be a better box for dialogue than the Q9c (would bi-amping help?). It looks as if the iQ9's are not an option as Norwegian suppliers don't seem to have it listed, and neither does my supplier in Sweden - maybe they'd be overkill for my main use of HT anyway?

So, it's either going to be the Q7's, iQ7's or iQ5's for the front pair. The only thing I'm concerned about with the Q7's it that they won't match the iQ6c as well as either of the other iQ fronts.

I think I'll ask for a quote for the price of the Q2ds and Q7's tomorrow - maybe I can get a an even better price as they're now "superseded" by the new models.

Phew, who'd have thought this would be so complicated?

Edit: I just read Fishys post so it doesn't seem like I have to worry about a mismatch. OK, smashing.
 
The Q9c is well matched with anything upto the Q5s, the Q7s are pretty huge by hc standards and the Q9c will struggle to keep up, but biamping and a decent stand (rather than on the floor under the telly or whereever it normally ends up) will boost the Q9c a treat, and if you have a sub you'll be laughing.

Ditto all the comments about the Q2ds :)
 
Just one more question; what crossovers do you guys use?
 
I was considering "upgrading " to M and K 55 surrounds but after reading here
I use the Q2 ds and i wonder has anyone compared the Kefs to the M&K's

Your comments would be useful
 
AdrianMills said:
Just one more question; what crossovers do you guys use?

The ones in the speakers, no-one was referring to active biamping (too expensive and hard to set up I'm afraid), just biamping to drive speakers harder and more reliably (more headroom = less clipping or whatever it is I mean you get the idea)
 
SeanT said:
The ones in the speakers, no-one was referring to active biamping (too expensive and hard to set up I'm afraid), just biamping to drive speakers harder and more reliably (more headroom = less clipping or whatever it is I mean you get the idea)

Actually I meant which crossover fequency is used for the sub. I'm particularly interested in answers from those who own the Q2ds as its stated lower end is 80Hz.
 
I use Q2ds see my other post ref M&K tripoles.
I was thinking of an "upgrade" or change to the K55 tripole surrounds
But reading here maybe I should stick with my Kef's
Anyway I use them in a system with am SVS sub and the rear Q2's are set to small so the Tag processor sends an 80hz cut off.

I may after doing more research on the M&K's being selling my Q2 DS
they are in applewood (chestnut colour) and in very good condition
 
Very interesting thread and relevant to my own dilemma (see other thread on centre speakers).

I have a Q95.2c which is bi-amped by a cyrus XPA. My fronts are Q55.2's.

I don't intend to change the main front speakers but have the itch to upgrade the centre. I assumed that with the newer Qs, the smaller 130mm drivers would not be as god as the 165mm ones and reading above about the die cast moulding was interesting.

Would the iQ6c be a significant improvement on the 95.2C? What about the older Q10c? Or to make it worthwhile do I have to stretch to the ref 202C?
 
I bought the Q7, Q2ds and Q9c combo a year or so ago. Was never really happy with the Q9c as the dialogue got drowned out in films. I upgraded it to the iQ6c. It is not the leap forward I may have hoped for but it definitely was not a step backwards so I would not worry about mixing it with the Q7. Certainly in the UK there have been some crazy prices on the old Q range in the last couple of months (ovver 50% old list) so there should definitely be some bargains out there. Can't comment on Kef subs as I have a Rel Strata that I am very happy with so I never considered changing it.
 
Muffled vocals was a problem for me and I thought that the Kef Q9C was the culprit, however, on purchasing the DVE disc and hearing their rule of thumb that you should always set your speakers to small regardless of the actual physical size, I took their advice and immediately cured my "Muffled" vocals on both music and movies.

The DVE disc can easily be considered the most cost effective £20.00 you will ever spend, I was about to drop the Q9C out of the window 'cause I thought it was a duffer, it turns out to be a clear and crisp performer when the user has it set-up properly.
 
dood said:
Very interesting thread and relevant to my own dilemma (see other thread on centre speakers).

I have a Q95.2c which is bi-amped by a cyrus XPA. My fronts are Q55.2's.

I don't intend to change the main front speakers but have the itch to upgrade the centre. I assumed that with the newer Qs, the smaller 130mm drivers would not be as god as the 165mm ones and reading above about the die cast moulding was interesting.

Would the iQ6c be a significant improvement on the 95.2C? What about the older Q10c? Or to make it worthwhile do I have to stretch to the ref 202C?

I too have long since stood firmly in the Kef camp.
Having owned (or borrowed) a 95c, Ref100, Ref200, tdm23c and now having owned the 202c for about 3 years, it is without doubt one of the best £1k i have spent. It consistantly pleases me (and i am anally picky about how boxy and nasally an awful lot of centers sound) and i have never, ever regretted a single penny, if it broke tomorrow i would buy another. It is so far past the 95/100/23c that in all honesty any comparison is worthless. It is much cleaner sounding than the 200c (which in itself is a wonderful center that can be had for £350 nowadays). The 200 retains the older smoother ref range sound whilst the 202c has the blisteringly clean presentation of the new ref range. When i bought the 202c i was currently using a 200 and 23c and borrowed the 202c for a week. It became immediately apparent that i was not going to be able to live with my centers having played with the 202c, and simply didn't return it! It does (as do the 100/200/23) benefit hugely from an amp of both quality and grunt. Personally (and it is my opinion only) i think you would be doing this type of center a tremendous dis-service connecting it to a mid-priced integrated type amp/reciever.
IMHO if your concern is primarily home cinema then the center and sub are the speakers to concentrate on. These channels have the largest effect on presentation with the others being almost "satelilite" by comparison.
Another thing to note (if you are after cohesion) is that even though manufacturers do indeed offer matching centers to a particular range of main speakers, matching a center to a pair of large mains almost invariably ends with a change in tonality. Even when using a crossover setting of 80hz, when panning from a speaker that has a large internal volume/large baffle to a smaller speaker with much less internal volume/small baffle there is an undeniable change in sound.
As far as rear speakers go, i have always thought the tdm34's were as good as sensible priced surround speakers get, they can be had for around £300-£350 s/h today and again are noticably/much better than the 2ds - as long as you dig the dipole thing.
I am awaiting delivery of the Kef 206 surrounds who's rrp (which i didn't pay i hasten to add!) is truely frightening for a dedicated surround speaker. I am expecting the usual Kef Ref performance based euphoria and will report when i have lived with them for a week or two.

Regards

Steven
 
Hello, :hiya:

Quick question for you all... Am currently running iQ9's (front) iQ6C and iQ3's (rears).

At present these are set to Large (fronts) and small for the centre and rear. Would I be better off (as some have suggested) to set all speakers to small? and would there be a noticable difference in the sound? (sounds pretty good to me at present but have not experimented with the above).

Anyway, wont waffle on any more and if anyone has any thoughts or suggestions then they would be much appreciated.

Cheers,

Alastair
 
Hoggers,
Yes I think you would benefit by setting all to small, but it's an easy test ... just see for yourself!
 
Hi,
I have just asked a very similar question in a new thread, having missed this excellent thread when I searched earlier. D'oh!

Some of my questions are answered here. Others aren't, so I will give details.

My current speaker setup all have 160 mm drivers:
KEF Q35.2 floorstanding main speakers
KEF Q95.2 centre
KEF Q85s rears.

I want to upgrade centre & rears first, possibly to iQ6c centre & iQ1 rears (these have 130 mm drivers)

Does anyone have any views as to how this centre/rear set up would work with older Q35.2 main floorstanders, since they have different driver sizes?

Ultimately I would replace the main floorstanders with iQ5, iQ7 or perhaps even iQ3 (I already have a subwoofer).

Would I be better off aiming for 130 mm drivers all round (iQ5 main, iQ6c & iQ1 rear).
Or do 130 mm & 160 mm Q drivers mix well enough?

Are dedicated rears iQ8Ds better than iQ1 or iQ3?

Which centre do most people use with iQ3 & iQ7 (160 mm drivers)?

Any real experiences and advice appreciated.
Dave
 
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