Considering some hi-fi speakers

[Timmyfox]

Right, so I'm considering an upgrade to my front speakers and I've got about $700-ish saved up right now.

 

My current setup is from a mid-priced Yamaha 5.1 kit (don't remember exact models) which have served me pretty well and still isn't really having any issues. Why I want to upgrade is just because I'm slightly urging to step up a bit in audio quality. I've got a Yamaha RX-V773 AVR which I believe should be enough to power most speakers. Since I hardly use anything but the 2 front speakers and the sub as the primary usage is music listening in a fairly small room (I need smaller bookshelf speakers as the only place I have to put them right now is my desk).

 

Either way, I've done quite a lot of research and am primarily considering these options:

• KEF Q100
• KEF Q300
• KEF R100

I was originally considering between the Q100 and Q300 as either of them should just manage to fit my budget. However, I then also found the R-series which supposedly is said to be a major improvement over the Q-series (also I much prefer the aesthetics of it), so I might be able to save up a bit longer to stretch my budget.

 

I'm probably leaning more toward the Q100 over the Q300 as it is a bit smaller (which is good due to the desk environment) although I'm still unsure whether the R100 is worth the nearly $500 higher cost compared to the Q100

 

EDIT: I know that the best would be to demo them in store, but the problem is that nearest retailer to where I live that sells any KEF-products seems to be over 100km (~70 miles) from where I live, so it ain't really an option.

[ShearMe]

I'd ask on /r/audiophile as they have more people with more experience with expensive speakers.

[BoredErica]

I'd ask on GearSlutz. They deal with monitors, you know, speakers for audio production. The fact that they look at that and not headphones/other audio hardware makes them more specialized and probably more able to answer your questions.

[Timmyfox]

I'd ask on /r/audiophile as they have more people with more experience with expensive speakers.

I'd ask on GearSlutz. They deal with monitors, you know, speakers for audio production. The fact that they look at that and not headphones/other audio hardware makes them more specialized and probably more able to answer your questions.

I was kinda hoping there'd be someone on here who would be able to give me some decent answers already here, but I guess it'll have to do.

[ShearMe]

I was kinda hoping there'd be someone on here who would be able to give me some decent answers already here, but I guess it'll have to do.

 

We have a hard enough time convincing people to not buy headsets - how're we gonna have time to review $700 speakers?

[Timmyfox]

We have a hard enough time convincing people to not buy headsets - how're we gonna have time to review $700 speakers?

It's a fairly large forum, maybe SOMEONE might have some experience and input?

[ShearMe]

It's a fairly large forum, maybe SOMEONE might have some experience and input?

 

Maybe @mr moose, @t0wer, or @Stefky

[bob345]

Bowers&Wilkins 686's or 685's may be a good choice if they are available in your area.

[mr moose]

Yer nah, I'm afraid all I can say is go and listen,  they all sound different in different environments.  I have heard awesome Yamaha speakers and I have heard crap Yamaha speakers, I have heard Kefs they'll make you cry and others that'll make you sing. 

 

One thing I will say, if you have to buy without actually being able to listen to them then start giving thought to room treatment.  This is the rear wall of my listening/theatre room:

 

 

That is 1 foot thick glass wool,  it will absorb most sounds down to about 600Hz before not being very effective.  What it does is remove reflections from behind me so having the effect of there not being a wall at the back.  This can be bad if you have bad speakers because a little bit of reverb can hide a nasty midrange, but it can also make your room feel bigger if you have good speakers.

 

 

Just something to think about anyway.

[Timmyfox]

Bowers&Wilkins 686's or 685's may be a good choice if they are available in your area.

The only place I found the 685's at it's priced somewhere in between the Q's and the R100. Reviews seem to say they are comparable in audio quality (depending on which 'sound' you prefer) although I'm not too keep on their aesthetics.

I found the 686's at a slightly lower price however, still not really on top of my list as I want something that blends in well and can last me many years forward.

[FatalityDiablo]

 deal with monitors, you know, speakers for audio production.

Studio monitors are totally not for casual music listening and not hifi-speakers whatsoever. knowing stuff about studio grade schiit is not essentially knowing stuff about good hifi audio.

[Timmyfox]

Hmm, I'm probably gonna wait a month or two and see how well my current summer job pays off before I make a decision.

[mr moose]

Studio monitors are totally not for casual music listening and not hifi-speakers whatsoever. knowing stuff about studio grade schiit is not essentially knowing stuff about good hifi audio.

 

There is no real difference between studio monitors and hifi speakers. In fact there are many articles explaining how they are designed to be similar in many regards. Also I would argue that knowing about how the studio and recording side of things works gives you a much better foundation for understanding it in the domestic market.

 

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/Jun02/articles/monitors.asp

[SSL]

There is no real difference between studio monitors and hifi speakers. In fact there are many articles explaining how they are designed to be similar in many regards. Also I would argue that knowing about how the studio and recording side of things works gives you a much better foundation for understanding it in the domestic market.

 

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/Jun02/articles/monitors.asp

 

But that can't be right, audio fits neatly into little discrete bins of marketing.

[mr moose]

But that can't be right, audio fits neatly into little discrete bins of marketing.

 

IKR.  marketing at its best. 

[FatalityDiablo]

There is no real difference between studio monitors and hifi speakers.

I'm out

[SSL]

I'm out

 

Don't let the door hit you.

[Timmyfox]

Let's not turn this into a massive debate whether one type of speakers is better than another... It's not my question and it's not what this thread was about, either way, here's my thoughts..

 

There is no real difference between studio monitors and hifi speakers. In fact there are many articles explaining how they are designed to be similar in many regards. Also I would argue that knowing about how the studio and recording side of things works gives you a much better foundation for understanding it in the domestic market.

 

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/Jun02/articles/monitors.asp

They are different, at the very least in terms of the way they are marketed:

• Monitors are, in theory, designed to appeal to those wanting a very neutral sound and/or want a good reference for general audio production. A flat response curve would probably be a good keyword for a studio monitor. These don't need to be "Hi-fi" and produce the best cleanest audio with minimal distortion to be that.
• Hi-Fi speakers are more consumer oriented and, just like different headphones, come with different sounds signatures for different models, can be more colored and have many different sound characteristics that different people may or may not like. Some have a warmer bass-oriented sound, others may be more bright and analytical.

These are both very loose terms from what I've seen however and I don't know much about audio to say a lot about it, but as an end consumer, that's just my 2 cents.

 

---

That said, I don't care if they are called monitors or Hi-Fi speakers, I just want a pair of speakers that fit my budget and offer the best subjective sound quality.

[EmoRarity]

Don't let the door hit you.

But dont the audio only works right with Right speakers

[mr moose]

Let's not turn this into a massive debate whether one type of speakers is better than another... It's not my question and it's not what this thread was about, either way, here's my thoughts..

 

They are different, at the very least in terms of the way they are marketed:

• Monitors are, in theory, designed to appeal to those wanting a very neutral sound and/or want a good reference for general audio production. A flat response curve would probably be a good keyword for a studio monitor. These don't need to be "Hi-fi" and produce the best cleanest audio with minimal distortion to be that.
• Hi-Fi speakers are more consumer oriented and, just like different headphones, come with different sounds signatures for different models, can be more colored and have many different sound characteristics that different people may or may not like. Some have a warmer bass-oriented sound, others may be more bright and analytical.

These are both very loose terms from what I've seen however and I don't know much about audio to say a lot about it, but as an end consumer, that's just my 2 cents.

 

---

That said, I don't care if they are called monitors or Hi-Fi speakers, I just want a pair of speakers that fit my budget and offer the best subjective sound quality.

 

This is where reality and marketing go their separate way.  There are (in reality) only two distinct ways a speaker can be designed, near field and far field.  Due to the nature of sound waves and using multiple drivers you can either design a pair that measures well up close or you can design a pair the measure well from a distance.  In the recording world manufacturers don't try to bamboozle audio engineers because it just can't be done, they know the score and can't be taken for a ride with fancy words.  They also don't care about how speakers look, they only care about how they sound.    However in the home hifi market, people will pay for a particular finish, color, and last but not least they will pay if they think they are getting the best sound for their money.  We have shown time and time again in this forum that price != SQ.  It is no different in the speaker world,  I would not pay more than $3000 for a set of speakers.  and you'll probably find most studio engineers won't either. regardless of whether they are sold as monitors or hifi speakers.

 

Also hifi means high fidelity or highly true to the original, which means if something is marketed as a hifi speaker, they they are claiming the speaker will reproduce a sound signal very close to the original (in most cases a monitor).

[Timmyfox]

But that can't be right, audio fits neatly into little discrete bins of marketing.

But dont the audio only works right with Right speakers

Could you guys please shut up with your unhelpful and meaningless replies? If you don't have anything useful to contribute to this thread (how about actually giving me some genuine input like giving me suggestions for other models to consider or any own thoughts about the ones I've already listed?)

 

Also @EmoRarity, I'm not sure if your grammar is usually that terrible or if you're doing it for the sake of trolling, but either way that post was pointless and I'd actually go as far as to say that you just broke rule #4:

4. Spamming

• Posting nonsensical messages.
• Do not intentionally derail threads. Off-Topic is there for a reason.

4.1 Trolling

• Causing disturbances in forum threads such as picking fights or insulting other members.
• Making non-constructive posts for the purpose of causing unrest.

[Timmyfox]

This is where reality and marketing go their separate way.  There are (in reality) only two distinct ways a speaker can be designed, near field and far field.  Due to the nature of sound waves and using multiple drivers you can either design a pair that measures well up close or you can design a pair the measure well from a distance.  In the recording world manufacturers don't try to bamboozle audio engineers because it just can't be done, they know the score and can't be taken for a ride with fancy words.  They also don't care about how speakers look, they only care about how they sound.    However in the home hifi market, people will pay for a particular finish, color, and last but not least they will pay if they think they are getting the best sound for their money.  We have shown time and time again in this forum that price != SQ.  It is no different in the speaker world,  I would not pay more than $3000 for a set of speakers.  and you'll probably find most studio engineers won't either. regardless of whether they are sold as monitors or hifi speakers.

 

Also hifi means high fidelity or highly true to the original, which means if something is marketed as a hifi speaker, they they are claiming the speaker will reproduce a sound signal very close to the original (in most cases a monitor).

Well, as I said, I don't really care either way.. Whatever it is marketed as I just want a speaker that fits within my budget and, for the price, offers the best listening experience for me.

[mr moose]

Well, as I said, I don't really care either way.. Whatever it is marketed as I just want a speaker that fits within my budget and, for the price, offers the best listening experience for me.

 

It's just a shame you can't get to a place to hear them for yourself . 

[SSL]

Could you guys please shut up with your unhelpful and meaningless replies? If you don't have anything useful to contribute to this thread (how about actually giving me some genuine input like giving me suggestions for other models to consider or any own thoughts about the ones I've already listed?)

 

Also @EmoRarity, I'm not sure if your grammar is usually that terrible or if you're doing it for the sake of trolling, but either way that post was pointless and I'd actually go as far as to say that you just broke rule #4:

 

 

Do not back seat moderate. Report an offending post using the report button located at the bottom right of each post. Please do not make posts in the thread or send messages reprimanding other users about rulebreaking, this may be considered off topic/spam. Let the moderation team deal with the situation via the report button.

[Timmyfox]

Thanks for reminding me why I hate asking forums like these for buying advice...