Would you still buy M&K?

mrapbp

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Evening all,

From the onset let me say that the below is no fact just what I have heard and how I am currently feeling. Ido not want to start lods of discussion about what could be happenning etc, all I am asking is for opinions on if I should buy.

I am (or was) about to buy some M&K Xenon speakers (36's and 26's) and was wondering what peoples views were on if I still should??

Now I know there is a lot of rumour etc about what is and has happened with M&K and I am now not sure of they are a safe bet.

From what I have heard the factory where they were being built are going to continue to do so but possibly without without the quality control they used to have (again I know this may be rumour but it makes sense to me as they will now want to produce kit as cheaply as is humanly possible!? In reality who knows but £1800 for a set of speakers is a lot!).

So my question is would you still buy them? (also with no price drop which I think is a bit off with all that has gone on!).

Cheers!!
 
I think with the Xenons in particular there is a lot less to choose from with the same size and performance. M&K have always been pretty solid products and I haven't heard of any going wrong... I would be pretty happy spending my money although as per usual the M&K PR machine is a joke and no one seems to know what is going on....things would be so much clearer with a bit of explanation from M&K.

Adam
 
I would have no hesitation in purchaseing M&K speakers and none recommending them either, they are very well made and with something like the Xenon range i have heard that there is plenty of stock of that particular range so parts and stock will not be an issue.
 
My post (which was deleted from PPPPPP's M&K Sad news thread) about my quite recent experience of purchasing a set of M&K speakers, unfortunately led to the announcement that currently appears on M&K's website.

My post was in two parts: The first part basically just stated that I had received three M&K speakers from a UK authorised M&K retailer, one of which had an internal short. I e-mailed M&K about this.

The second part of my post was a copy of an in-depth reply from Ken Kreisel (M&K).

It was decided by Stuart Wright that it was not in the best interest of the Forum to have Ken Kreisel's e-mail made public on his Forum, so my post was deleted.

My decision in the end was to return the speakers back to the retailer for a refund, rather than have a repair or wait for a replacement speaker.

My own current thoughts on M&K are that I would possibly still buy M&K speakers, but either older M&K's second-hand, or, brand-new sometime in the future...if I felt certain that what I would receive would be exactly what they were supposed to be - genuine, authorised and fully tested M&K speakers.
 
It is a difficult one to be sure!

The problem for me is that I think there is very little to touch them interms of sound etc and very little else that has the over all package (looks, size, quality etc). I have been after a set of these for ages and I now finally have the money and they fit the bill exactly!

The thing that worries me is that they are expensive/premium speakers and spending that kind of money with doubts and concerns and little or no support does not feel like a good idea!

Is there anything else I should be looking at in this kind of price bracket (£1600 for 3 fronts and 2 rears) that will have the same kind of 'package' that the M&K's have?

Cheers!
 
I'm not actually an M&K fanboy, but I really rate their surrounds in particular. I couldn't see you having any problems with the Xenons. Speakers either do or don't and if they're not going to, then they won't pretty much as soon as you've fired them up. There after they should give many years of trouble free use as long as they're used within their limits.

I would be slightly more wary of buying their subs. The electronics involved make it a more complex and (statistically) more likely to go wrong, although there's no intrinsic reason why it should. I can't remember a forumite ever having a dud.

Whatever, I'd be looking to secure a serious deal on them. They're not made anymore. That should be worth a discount. If the best offer you can get is list price, then I'd walk.

Russell
 
I love my M&K's and would have no problem recommending them to others. They're well made, well packaged and are cracking performers. I'm seriously tempted to find a couple of K4's for ES/EX duties whilst I can still get hold of them. Not had a days problem with them in 6 years.

Just upgraded my cables to the front 3 from QED Silver Anniversary to Chord Odyssey 2 this weekend and they already sound even better !
 
If you don't mind me asking where did you get the chord?Was it dear?How has it improved?
 
So my question is would you still buy them?
Without hesitation! I have heard nothing yet to replace M&K in a serious home cinema system. Other speakers may match them for dynamics and volume level, but nothing can present the detail of a movie soundtrack like M&K. After living with M&K, you can immediately hear where hi-fi and lifestyle 5.1 packages lack. They may not look fantastic, but they're streets ahead of the lifestyle pretenders.

Even at their rrp's, they're still well worth it.
 
My concern is still the amount of rubbish that may have been coming over from China.

I agree that nothing comes close to them in terms of quality and sound etc but I have massive reservations about what is actually in the box of some of the kit that has been coming through!

I think my point is that for a premium brand there should be no concerns and if there are concerns then I am not prepared to take any kind of risk.
 
As long as you buy from an authorised dealer, you'll have no problems.
 
I'm not sure if it helps but if you look around some stores are clearing out Xenons on ex-dem - I would guess that these represent great value as you get a discount on products that were probably made a few months ago.
 
Pity they aren't shipping out the columns :(

Another pair would be nice.....:smashin:
 
I am not so sure that is the case. If the kit coming into the dealer channel is duff then how would they know?
It's not coming in through the dealer channel. This stuff is coming in through places like Ebay. An authorised dealer in the UK will be buying from Gecko, and Gecko buy from M&K in America, regardless of where it's shipped from.
 
Anyone know where the ex-dem stores are?
Thanks, James
Just search for M&K dealers on the net, they're not too hard to find.
 
If that were the case then fine!! Sadly I think it may not be..............:(

It's not coming in through the dealer channel. This stuff is coming in through places like Ebay. An authorised dealer in the UK will be buying from Gecko, and Gecko buy from M&K in America, regardless of where it's shipped from.
 
...An authorised dealer in the UK will be buying from Gecko, and Gecko buy from M&K in America, regardless of where it's shipped from.

Who has convinced you of that? I very much doubt that it was anyone from M&K in the USA! Have you been in touch with Ken Kreisel recently?
 
I recently bought a pair of K4's for rear duty, they were ex-dem from my usual store and in the demo they were amazing - far better than the Kef Eggs etc i was looking at... and at less than half the original RRP with full warranty etc i was happy :)
 
It looks like a lot of people are selling off their M&K speakers now,
No doubt to 'cash in' before the prices all drop :eek:.

I have to say, given the choice, I would NOT buy M&K at the moment,
I'd rather wait and see what happens, also I'm sure they'll be much cheaper in a few months.

Paul.
 
The main reason they might be cheaper in a few months is that dealers, if they have any M&K left, may be down to their dem models. But seeing as most dealers never really kept a lot of stock in back up due to fast delivery from Gecko, this stock will disappear quickly i think.

Then again, if M&K are resurrected and the products find their way back into the UK, they'll be going back up again. It really is a 50/50 call as to what the situation will be in a months or so.
 
have a set of xenon 26 surrounds and am looking to by the lcr's in gloss black if anyone see's any deals on there travels please post or send me a pm!!!
 
Likewise, LCR25 in Maple!

PMs please. Come to think of it, I'll post a wanted in the Trading Forums.

Russell
 
I would ! I've just bought 3xK17s and 2xK4s :thumbsup:

K17s were exdisplay from sevenoaks audio (www.ssav.com - see specials)
and K4s new from av-sales.
Just fitting them up now :)
Oscarp
 

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