Is KEF Uni-Q technology really good?

[ItsBabu]

Hello All,

I have been auditioning some speakers from last one month. I liked the sound of KEF Q350. What I noticed is that when I was auditioning KEF Q350, I felt like I was sitting in a sound bubble. I did not even focus about the speaker placement. on the same day, I auditioned Wharfedale Evo series but my focus clearly shifted towards speakers. I felt sound is coming from some boxes. I do not know what it's called in Audiophile world(Soundstage or imaging)

I started watching Youtube videos that are comparing KEF Q350 with other speakers. May youtubers mentioned that KEF's throwing almost same sound where you sit.

My initial thought was to setup a 5.1 with Wharfedale 12.1+12.C+Surrounds - I felt sound is coming from boxes.
Option 2- Acoustics - Sounded little harsh to my ears.
Option 3- ELAC Debut B6.2+B6.2C+B5.2(Surrounds) - these are very smooth and nice but I some reviewers mentioned that one should be sitting in a right position to get the right sound.
Option 4- KEF Q350+KEF Q250+KEFQ50a(Surrouns) - KEF is the winner in my search so far but expensive.

Do you guys have any experience/thoughts on KEF Uni-Q technology?

 

[ajuvignesh]

Most speakers if set up properly, throw sound behind or in front of the speakers. Having said that, Uni-Q drivers are very good for coherence and imaging. If you sit close to the speakers, then UniQ will sound just right. Give more distance and with proper equipment and setup, even with other speakers, you will find sound detached from the speakers. This is my experience. Check out Fyne F500. It's a little bit more expensive than the kef but better. Has better coaxial implementation than kef.

 

[ItsBabu]

Thanks for your response Vignesh.

So any speaker can produce the same if we configure it properly? They used Arcam AVR with KEFs while demo. does it make any difference in sound stage and imaging?

 

[sound1]

Most speakers if set up properly, throw sound behind or in front of the speakers. Having said that, Uni-Q drivers are very good for coherence and imaging. If you sit close to the speakers, then UniQ will sound just right. Give more distance and with proper equipment and setup, even with other speakers, you will find sound detached from the speakers. This is my experience. Check out Fyne F500. It's a little bit more expensive than the kef but better. Has better coaxial implementation than kef.

After listening to youtube sound demos, i think these sound great! How much do they cost in India? How to get them?

 

[Mayasandra_l]

I have the Q300 KEF (older gen of Q350) for more than a decade and I wont part with them. The co-ax drivers have pin point imaging that I love. Speaker placement is crucial as the drivers should fire straight rather than being angled at the listener. Also they need a bit of current to sound their best. AVRs wont have the drive and you would need to invest at least in a 2 channel integrated amp. Good luck with your hunt.

 

[ajuvignesh]

After listening to youtube sound demos, i think these sound great! How much do they cost in India? How to get them?

Kripa Electronics is the authorised distributor of Fyne in India. I don't think they sell directly. You can contact them for Bangalore dealers. I guess, Hifimart. You can talk to them for much better prices if you choose to buy online.
The Tannoy engineers joined together in founding this new company, Fyne Audio. Hence, it will have the characteristics of Tannoys a lot. No wonder it sounds beautiful. It is a great piece of equipment at this price because the Floorstanding version would cost a loooooot compared to this.

 

[ItsBabu]

I have the Q300 KEF (older gen of Q350) for more than a decade and I wont part with them. The co-ax drivers have pin point imaging that I love. Speaker placement is crucial as the drivers should fire straight rather than being angled at the listener. Also they need a bit of current to sound their best. AVRs wont have the drive and you would need to invest at least in a 2 channel integrated amp. Good luck with your hunt.

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[ajuvignesh]

Thanks for your response Vignesh.

So any speaker can produce the same if we configure it properly? They used Arcam AVR with KEFs while demo. does it make any difference in sound stage and imaging?

I don't know the science behind it but as per a few YouTube videos, it should. Besides, equipment also contribute to it. In a thread in this very forum, a person using SMSL D300 had the sound coming from the speakers and when he upgraded to Chord mojo 2, the speakers disappeared. But in my case, I have smsl D300 and the speakers still disappear.

In one of the videos by Hans Beekhuyzen he mentioned that wiim mini made the sound stuck to the speakers and when he upgraded to the wiim plus/pro (I don't remember correctly) the sound got detached from the speakers. In my case, when I was using the wiim mini, I still got my speakers disappear. May be because mine is a coaxial design, the speakers disappear easily.

 

[ItsBabu]

I don't know the science behind it but as per a few YouTube videos, it should. Besides, equipment also contribute to it. In a thread in this very forum, a person using SMSL D300 had the sound coming from the speakers and when he upgraded to Chord mojo 2, the speakers disappeared. But in my case, I have smsl D300 and the speakers still disappear.

In one of the videos by Hans Beekhuyzen he mentioned that wiim mini made the sound stuck to the speakers and when he upgraded to the wiim plus/pro (I don't remember correctly) the sound got detached from the speakers. In my case, when I was using the wiim mini, I still got my speakers disappear. May be because mine is a coaxial design, the speakers disappear easily.

Noted. This is a good information.
May I know what is is your speaker setup. are you using Fyne audio F500?
I heard from YouTube reviewer that Dali Oberon 5 has good soundstage and imaging. One can easily forget about their speakers but only focus on sound. any opinion on Dali Oberon 5?
Or any coaxial speakers that sounds as good as KEF or better than KEF in the same range?

 

[Analogous]

I don't know the science behind it but as per a few YouTube videos, it should. Besides, equipment also contribute to it. In a thread in this very forum, a person using SMSL D300 had the sound coming from the speakers and when he upgraded to Chord mojo 2, the speakers disappeared. But in my case, I have smsl D300 and the speakers still disappear.

In one of the videos by Hans Beekhuyzen he mentioned that wiim mini made the sound stuck to the speakers and when he upgraded to the wiim plus/pro (I don't remember correctly) the sound got detached from the speakers. In my case, when I was using the wiim mini, I still got my speakers disappear. May be because mine is a coaxial design, the speakers disappear easily.

In addition to the quality of electronics, Speaker placement could have something to do with this. Generally pulling the speakers out into the room and experimenting with toe in, listening distance etc can help find the right positions and bring out the best in most speakers. Well engineered and designed speakers will do this much better projecting a three dimensional sound stage/image with instruments and their notes seemingly floating at spots and decaying as recorded.
Good to keep in mind that well recorded music will bring out these characteristics better than poorly recorded and heavily compressed ones.

 

[Analogous]

coaxial speakers

Check Fyne audio, MoFi and Tannoy brands for coaxial models

 

[ajuvignesh]

Noted. This is a good information.
May I know what is is your speaker setup. are you using Fyne audio F500?
I heard from YouTube reviewer that Dali Oberon 5 has good soundstage and imaging. One can easily forget about their speakers but only focus on sound. any opinion on Dali Oberon 5?
Or any coaxial speakers that sounds as good as KEF or better than KEF in the same range?

Mine is a Tannoy XT6F powered by schiit aegir. SMSL D300 DAC and Minidsp shd studio Streamer and room correction.
I am not sure about dali oberon 5 but a floor standing speakers doesn't disappear as good as a bookshelf speaker. Also, you would need sufficient distance between you and the speakers for sound from all the drivers to merge in. This is where coaxial speakers shine. Even with a nearfield setup, they shine.

Fyne F500 is a great speaker and is often compared to kef ls50. There is a video by 'jay's iyagi' youtube channel about F500, if I remember correctly.

As Analogous said, the space between the speakers and the wall plays an important role in the soundstage, especially the depth. With proper acoustics, you can still get depth with speakers positioned close to the wall but that is complex.

 

[ajuvignesh]

In addition to the quality of electronics, Speaker placement could have something to do with this. Generally pulling the speakers out into the room and experimenting with toe in, listening distance etc can help find the right positions and bring out the best in most speakers. Well engineered and designed speakers will do this much better projecting a three dimensional sound stage/image with instruments and their notes seemingly floating at spots and decaying as recorded.
Good to keep in mind that well recorded music will bring out these characteristics better than poorly recorded and heavily compressed ones.

Speaker placement can fix so many issues. Pulling in the speaker from the side and front walls is almost mandatory. You said it right

 

[ItsBabu]

Thanks @ajuvignesh and @Analogous.

what is ideal distance that needs to be kept between Speaker and wall? I have 1 feet distance between my projector screen and the wall both sides.

 

[ItsBabu]

Mine is a Tannoy XT6F powered by schiit aegir. SMSL D300 DAC and Minidsp shd studio Streamer and room correction.
I am not sure about dali oberon 5 but a floor standing speakers doesn't disappear as good as a bookshelf speaker. Also, you would need sufficient distance between you and the speakers for sound from all the drivers to merge in. This is where coaxial speakers shine. Even with a nearfield setup, they shine.

Fyne F500 is a great speaker and is often compared to kef ls50. There is a video by 'jay's iyagi' youtube channel about F500, if I remember correctly.

As Analogous said, the space between the speakers and the wall plays an important role in the soundstage, especially the depth. With proper acoustics, you can still get depth with speakers positioned close to the wall but that is complex.

Seems you have a great setup
Dali Oberon 5 are small towers which are suitable for small to mid room sizes but I couldn't find the dealers here in Bangalore.
I will definitely do some research on Fyne Audio F500 and compatible center and surround for future extension. I'll check with Kripa Electronics if they can arrange a demo.

 

[ajuvignesh]

Thanks @ajuvignesh and @Analogous.

what is ideal distance that needs to be kept between Speaker and wall? I have 1 feet distance between my projector screen and the wall both sides.

I have placed 2 feet from the side wall and 3 feet from the front wall.
If you can You can divide the room length by 3 parts and place the speaker 1/3 of the length from the front wall and you sit 1/3 of the length from rear wall. If that is impossible, divide the room length by 5 parts and place the speakers at 1/5th of the distance from the front wall and you sit 1/5th of the distance from the rear wall. The same applies for side to side as well. If that is also not possible, please leave 2 feet from the front wall, 1 feet from the side wall and place the speakers. Then make an equilateral triangle between you and the two speakers. The distance between you and the speakers can be 6 feet or more. Please experiment with what works best for you. I have followed the 1/3 rule for the front wall and 1/5th rule for the side wall and still make an equilateral triangle. I have only a little space behind me.

 

[Analogous]

Thanks @ajuvignesh and @Analogous.

what is ideal distance that needs to be kept between Speaker and wall? I have 1 feet distance between my projector screen and the wall both sides.

There is no fixed distance recommendation. You will have to try different positions and discover which sounds best in your room. There are links to several guidance videos and tutorials on speaker placement in the “room and acoustics” forum here that you could check out.
Spending time and effort on this is probably the best investment possible now that you have the equipment.

 

[chander]

KEFs are interesting speakers, I have been eyeing them for a while, though I am focused more on the LS 50 Metas. In the few demos I have taken, they "can be" special for the price.

An interesting way to get concrete information on how the speakers are behaving in your room that can help you with placement a fair bit is a measurement microphone & a free software like REW. It allows you to see even the smallest of changes based on your placement. If you are in for a deep dive go this route, you will learn a lot.

In the end let your ears be the judge. Cheers & best of luck.

 

[Amarendra]

Hello All,

I have been auditioning some speakers from last one month. I liked the sound of KEF Q350. What I noticed is that when I was auditioning KEF Q350, I felt like I was sitting in a sound bubble. I did not even focus about the speaker placement. on the same day, I auditioned Wharfedale Evo series but my focus clearly shifted towards speakers. I felt sound is coming from some boxes. I do not know what it's called in Audiophile world(Soundstage or imaging)

I started watching Youtube videos that are comparing KEF Q350 with other speakers. May youtubers mentioned that KEF's throwing almost same sound where you sit.

My initial thought was to setup a 5.1 with Wharfedale 12.1+12.C+Surrounds - I felt sound is coming from boxes.
Option 2- Acoustics - Sounded little harsh to my ears.
Option 3- ELAC Debut B6.2+B6.2C+B5.2(Surrounds) - these are very smooth and nice but I some reviewers mentioned that one should be sitting in a right position to get the right sound.
Option 4- KEF Q350+KEF Q250+KEFQ50a(Surrouns) - KEF is the winner in my search so far but expensive.

Do you guys have any experience/thoughts on KEF Uni-Q technology?

KEF with their Uniq and now with their meta technology are excellent speakers. I haven't heard the Q350 but I have their LS50 Meta speakers. Lot of times I prefer to watch movies in 2 channel given how clear the LS50s produce dialogues/ mid range. A good test for me is if I can follow all dialogues without using subtitles- particularly hollywood movies which are dialogue intensive. I do have the Wharfedales (Diamond version) which cannot be compared to the KEFs given the price difference. But again in the case of the Wahrfedales I have seen that my Pioneer AVR can deliver better dialogues as compared to the Denon. So do consider the KEFs but not in isolation- there are many factors that can impact the sound such as amplification, placement, room response, calibration, etc.

 

[ItsBabu]

I have placed 2 feet from the side wall and 3 feet from the front wall.
If you can You can divide the room length by 3 parts and place the speaker 1/3 of the length from the front wall and you sit 1/3 of the length from rear wall. If that is impossible, divide the room length by 5 parts and place the speakers at 1/5th of the distance from the front wall and you sit 1/5th of the distance from the rear wall. The same applies for side to side as well. If that is also not possible, please leave 2 feet from the front wall, 1 feet from the side wall and place the speakers. Then make an equilateral triangle between you and the two speakers. The distance between you and the speakers can be 6 feet or more. Please experiment with what works best for you. I have followed the 1/3 rule for the front wall and 1/5th rule for the side wall and still make an equilateral triangle. I have only a little space behind me.

Interesting. I'll try this for sure once I got my speakers. Thank you.

There is no fixed distance recommendation. You will have to try different positions and discover which sounds best in your room. There are links to several guidance videos and tutorials on speaker placement in the “room and acoustics” forum here that you could check out.
Spending time and effort on this is probably the best investment possible now that you have the equipment.

Thank you. There is a lot to learn about speakers configurations, calibrations, acoustics, amplications...etc. I've just started my journey

KEFs are interesting speakers, I have been eyeing them for a while, though I am focused more on the LS 50 Metas. In the few demos I have taken, they "can be" special for the price.

An interesting way to get concrete information on how the speakers are behaving in your room that can help you with placement a fair bit is a measurement microphone & a free software like REW. It allows you to see even the smallest of changes based on your placement. If you are in for a deep dive go this route, you will learn a lot.

In the end let your ears be the judge. Cheers & best of luck.

KEF with their Uniq and now with their meta technology are excellent speakers. I haven't heard the Q350 but I have their LS50 Meta speakers. Lot of times I prefer to watch movies in 2 channel given how clear the LS50s produce dialogues/ mid range. A good test for me is if I can follow all dialogues without using subtitles- particularly hollywood movies which are dialogue intensive. I do have the Wharfedales (Diamond version) which cannot be compared to the KEFs given the price difference. But again in the case of the Wahrfedales I have seen that my Pioneer AVR can deliver better dialogues as compared to the Denon. So do consider the KEFs but not in isolation- there are many factors that can impact the sound such as amplification, placement, room response, calibration, etc.

Thanks @chander and @Amarendra for sharing your opinions. I too heard good things about KEF LS 50 Meta. When I auditioned KEF Q350 with Q250 as centre channel, ProFX team played Topgun Maverick. I too felt that dialogues were very clear and no need of subtitles.