TAS - Hi-Res Music Streaming System giveaway

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Comments

  • OleBoot
    OleBoot Posts: 2,065
    I got that email the day after I got the speakers. Should be setting them up this weekend.
  • BlueBirdMusic
    BlueBirdMusic Posts: 2,066
    Great!!!
    "Sometimes you have to look to the past to understand where you are going in the future"


    Harry / Marietta GA
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,481
    So does this mean I can't enter??
  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,346
    edited April 2021
    Congrats on the win!

    But, whoever in the marketing firm put that photo together for KEF doesn't know jack about listening to a stereo. They do know how to put the pillow chop in and having chairs in the room that nobody can sit on comfortably. They do have the usual marketing thing of powered speakers that don't have power cords plugged in. :D
  • OleBoot
    OleBoot Posts: 2,065
    Soooo...........I finally got these setup at the beginning of the week. I realize they are far from broken in yet, but I am wondering whether I may have got a faulty pair. What I am hearing so far is akin to a boombox with bass. I have tried a couple of different placements and played with the DSP settings. I am not even going to try to describe the sound. I'll play them constantly for another week, but unless they improve 1000%, I will be getting in touch with Kef to talk about replacements.
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,560
    Can you share details about how they are set up, and/or post a few photos of the setup?
  • OleBoot
    OleBoot Posts: 2,065
    Clipdat wrote: »
    Can you share details about how they are set up, and/or post a few photos of the setup?

    Set up is very basic. Decided to put them in the family room with the TV - we are not big movie watchers, and stereo is fine. The speakers are connected to the tv HDMI ARC connection. I am not using a separate streamer, and have listened to music streamed wirelessly directly to the speakers from both a local JRiver setup and from Tidal. Also tried music from a Blu ray player connected to the TV. All sound similar.
  • tophatjohnny
    tophatjohnny Posts: 4,162
    How cool and congratulations! Looks like a great prize anyone would love to own! Looking forward to your reviews on the system!
    "if it's not fun, it's not worth it & remember folks, "It's All About The Music"!!
    *****************************
  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,309
    Are you using a sub with them?
    I disabled signatures.
  • OleBoot
    OleBoot Posts: 2,065
    msg wrote: »
    Are you using a sub with them?

    Not now, but in my plans if I can get them sounding good on their own.
  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,124
    Curious about your existing setup prior to these...ie what you are somewhat comparing them too?
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
  • OleBoot
    OleBoot Posts: 2,065
    The prior system in the room that they are in was an old NHT home theater system with VT-1 mains, Zero rears and a passive sub with NHT amp. At the moment the Kefs don't even sound as good as they did. My other system is a Musical Fidelity CD player/Manticore Mantra table - Musical Fidelity A300 integrated - refurbished Kef Q90's (previously Monitor Audie 8si's, which I got tired of).
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,560
    Try taking the TV and HDMI anything out of the equation and feed them as un-processed of a source as possible.
  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,163
    That certainly doesn't sound like What Hi-Fi?'s Verdict: "KEF’s revisions have paid off; these sequels are among the most thrilling speaker systems we’ve heard."

    Are you using the KEF Connect App to stream Tidal Masters? That would seem like the most "Native" way to do it and test things. By all accounts, it should sound vastly better than a boom box.
    For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore...
  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,288
    I have the original ls50W. I found them way better with a subwoofer. Without a sub, in the software, make sure the crossovers are turned off. You might need to go to the advanced settings. Have you tried them with Tidal or Qobuz?
    Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300, Audioquest Thunderbird Zero Speaker Cable, Tyler Highland H2, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
  • OleBoot
    OleBoot Posts: 2,065
    Occam's razor. After juggling many things, I realized what I hadn't done since I first fired these up was disconnect the power cords. Pulled them for 5 mins, reconnected and now I have speakers. No idea what had gone wrong or why this cured it. Listened for a few hours last night and so far they are a mixed bag. Still a ways to go on burn in/setup. More later.
  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,346
    From what I understand of them there are two amplifiers in each speaker, one class D for the midwoofer and one class AB for the tweeter. Could be one or the other was not firing up before.
  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,288
    You said you had an NHT amp and passive sub, If that is the NHT subwoofer amp, you can hook that up to the kef and use the advanced settings to set the low and high pass so you can get a taste of them with a subwoofer.
    Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300, Audioquest Thunderbird Zero Speaker Cable, Tyler Highland H2, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
  • OleBoot
    OleBoot Posts: 2,065
    erniejade wrote: »
    You said you had an NHT amp and passive sub, If that is the NHT subwoofer amp, you can hook that up to the kef and use the advanced settings to set the low and high pass so you can get a taste of them with a subwoofer.

    Yea, that occurred to me too, but what I had in mind was putting the NHT system on CL (along with a few other items) to get some money towards a new sub, so I may just wait. I'm sure the LS50Ws will sound better with a sub, but the NHT sub was never very good through the line level input (although fine with the speaker level which is obviously not an option here!), so I am not sure it would be a worthwhile exercise.

    In my initial listening I am finding that they sound very good on very good recordings and a selection of others, but on the majority of stuff (not just poor recordings) the treble seems a little hard rather than airy and there seems to be a suckout in the lower midrange/upper bass. I'm hoping this will improve when they have had more hours on them and I finalize positioning and the DSP settings.
  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,288
    Don't be afraid to change the settings. Even though it might be close to a wall, try the settings that show they are away from a wall and vice versa. On mine, even though they are close to a wall, I have it set on away from the wall. I thought this brought the mid bass out more.

    Now I have not heard the 2's but, from what I have read, they do need a solid source or decently recorded music since they are more reveling vs the original's.
    Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300, Audioquest Thunderbird Zero Speaker Cable, Tyler Highland H2, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.