I went for demo of the Kef Q950 today and I found them to be really good. The mids are really lush and the details were really top notch. All this while being run of a x4500h , tried the KEf R3 as well and in terms of overall performance I found q950 to be a close second . The Q750 seemed little dull after listening to the Q950s. Has also auditioned Focal Chorus 726, XTZ Spririt and 95.44, Sonodyne Avant 2 and SVS Ultra towers. So far the Q950 seem to be a better bet though have not heard the ultra enough followed by XTZ 95.44 as close second
Need help to select a pair of towers for Stereo
- Thread starter jarneevan
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I went for demo of the Kef Q950 today and I found them to be really good. The mids are really lush and the details were really top notch. All this while being run of a x4500h , tried the KEf R3 as well and in terms of overall performance I found q950 to be a close second . The Q750 seemed little dull after listening to the Q950s. Has also auditioned Focal Chorus 726, XTZ Spririt and 95.44, Sonodyne Avant 2 and SVS Ultra towers. So far the Q950 seem to be a better bet though have not heard the ultra enough followed by XTZ 95.44 as close second
i'm thrilled you liked the Q950! Its a shame the Q series is often overlooked which I found quite surprising! The top end seriously isn't sharp. Rather, its got a very pleasing sparkle to my ears without ever sounding tinny or harsh. Plus, Its got a fantastic sense of timing and rhythm and the sound is simply sweet and entertaining! I guess the looks mark it down! Otherwise, they are the pick of the range insofar as my preferences are concerned!
The fact that you liked them the most amongst such talented competition really speaks volumes about their abilities.
Also, its much easier to pair the Q seres with cheaper amps and its not very fussy about partnering. My Kef Q350 sounds really good with both Marantz PM 6006 and an SR6013 as well as a Crown (initially it didnt but i pinned it down to a placement issue.
USER=89986]@jarneevan[/USER] is going for a demo soon. It'll be interesting to learn his thoughts on them.
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I went to ProFx@BartonCenter yesterday for a demo of Q950. There is so much to write, feeling lazy to type it on a mobile keyboard. Will summarise my thoughts later in the day using the comforts of a computer keyboard.
For a little more money the KEF R3 gets you a lot more Reference tech trickle down.
It may be worth considering based if one's primary use case is music listening.
Cheers,
Raghu
What was the difference in price between the KEF Q950 and the R3? (you can mention only the difference without mentioning the price offered to you)
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I listened to few tracks from Diana Krall, Dire Straits, Eagles and few more tracks that I can't remember on Q950.
Few things that stood out are
1) Superb center stereo image with good depth and height
2) Good bass
3) Uncolored, neutral vocals.
Soundstage and Imaging: The stereo image was sharp and focused dead center between the speakers. It was almost like sound was coming from the wall between the speakers. It was also slightly above the tweeter plane. I couldn't locate the speakers when closed my eyes. But I don't recall the soundstage being wide, it was sort of narrow focused image but with good depth and height. Imaging wasn't great either. But to be honest I didn't get a chance to listen to tracks with lot of instruments spread out. Hotel California is one such track but unfortunately that one was poorly recorded Live version. I need another audition to properly assess Q950's imaging capabilities.
Top end: It was clean and neutral. Nothing that grabbed my attention
Mid/Vocals: Vocals sounded neutral and natural. There was quite a bit heft to vocals of Dire Straits tracks. Almost to the point that Vocals took center stage.
Lows: Punchy, precise and dry with short decay. Overall bass is well controlled and felt sharp and punchy.
Design: Plain and boring. It just a rectangular box with cheap looking finish. I would expect better finish and design for the money. Even the Polk S60s at roughly half the cost look better.
Overall Q950s create that wow factor within few seconds into listening, no doubt about that. I believe the sharp and center focused stereo image high up in the air is responsible for that. Speakers kind of disappear with a feeling of wall of sound being thrown at listener's face from the center. My concern is that such a strong center image coupled with free flowing vocals and dry and punchy bass could create listening fatigue over long listening sessions at moderate to high volume levels, especially with heavy vocals like Dire Straits, Leonard Cohen etc. But it just a thought, may or may not be true.
Comparison with Focal Aria 826:
Aria's have a wider and more diffused soundstage. It has a good stereo image with vocals focused at the center and rest of the sounds spread out between and beyond the speakers. The center image is less pronounced than Q950s though. The depth was just about the same but height of Aria's soundstage is much lower with center image at about 1 to 1.5 feet above the floor level. With the Q950s the image is centered high at the tweeter plane and the perception didn't change much when I stood up or moved sideways while maintaining my distance to Q950s. Personally, except for the lower height, I like Aria's soundstage and imaging as it is easy listen for long hours. At the same time I do like Q950's presentation for the impact it creates.
Aria's top end is undoubtedly better. It's super clean, has better resolution and sounds lot sweeter. No competition here.
Aria's mid is slightly colored, vocals sound bit warmish and sweet. It has better control and grip when there are sudden upward transients in mid frequencies (I suspect Q950s may not have that level of control). Mids never get shouty and uncomfortable with any tracks. However vocals sound a bit like they getting reproduced by speakers to sound smooth unlike Q950s where it feels natural. They don't completely disappear like Q950s, probably due to their wider sound stage.
The bass from Aria's in my large and open living area is bit weak. However it gets weighty and more pronounced when moved to a room with walls on all sides. I feel bass notes have more texture and warm sounding with more decay times. I do like bass from Q950s, it's more clinical. But I might actually prefer Aria's presentation for a long listening session.
Overall, Aria's don't produce that wow factor but I think they are easier to listen for long hours. I might actually get Q950s to have that different experience. Aria would be my pick, just for that delicious top end alone, if I have to choose one. Aria's sound more musical to me compared to KEFs which sound more clinical.
Please take my observations on Q950 with pinch of salt. It was a short listening session. I believe they were connected to a Denon PMA. They may sound completely different with another Amp/DAC. Also my first impressions might change if listen to them again. I didn't carry my own test tracks, I was hoping they would have all usual demo tracks. But I was wrong. I intend to demo them again with my selection of songs next week.
My observations of Aria is based on HiRes and CD quality tracks from both Tidal/Qobuz with Yamaha RN803 as streamer, DAC and amplifier.
Few things that stood out are
1) Superb center stereo image with good depth and height
2) Good bass
3) Uncolored, neutral vocals.
Soundstage and Imaging: The stereo image was sharp and focused dead center between the speakers. It was almost like sound was coming from the wall between the speakers. It was also slightly above the tweeter plane. I couldn't locate the speakers when closed my eyes. But I don't recall the soundstage being wide, it was sort of narrow focused image but with good depth and height. Imaging wasn't great either. But to be honest I didn't get a chance to listen to tracks with lot of instruments spread out. Hotel California is one such track but unfortunately that one was poorly recorded Live version. I need another audition to properly assess Q950's imaging capabilities.
Top end: It was clean and neutral. Nothing that grabbed my attention
Mid/Vocals: Vocals sounded neutral and natural. There was quite a bit heft to vocals of Dire Straits tracks. Almost to the point that Vocals took center stage.
Lows: Punchy, precise and dry with short decay. Overall bass is well controlled and felt sharp and punchy.
Design: Plain and boring. It just a rectangular box with cheap looking finish. I would expect better finish and design for the money. Even the Polk S60s at roughly half the cost look better.
Overall Q950s create that wow factor within few seconds into listening, no doubt about that. I believe the sharp and center focused stereo image high up in the air is responsible for that. Speakers kind of disappear with a feeling of wall of sound being thrown at listener's face from the center. My concern is that such a strong center image coupled with free flowing vocals and dry and punchy bass could create listening fatigue over long listening sessions at moderate to high volume levels, especially with heavy vocals like Dire Straits, Leonard Cohen etc. But it just a thought, may or may not be true.
Comparison with Focal Aria 826:
Aria's have a wider and more diffused soundstage. It has a good stereo image with vocals focused at the center and rest of the sounds spread out between and beyond the speakers. The center image is less pronounced than Q950s though. The depth was just about the same but height of Aria's soundstage is much lower with center image at about 1 to 1.5 feet above the floor level. With the Q950s the image is centered high at the tweeter plane and the perception didn't change much when I stood up or moved sideways while maintaining my distance to Q950s. Personally, except for the lower height, I like Aria's soundstage and imaging as it is easy listen for long hours. At the same time I do like Q950's presentation for the impact it creates.
Aria's top end is undoubtedly better. It's super clean, has better resolution and sounds lot sweeter. No competition here.
Aria's mid is slightly colored, vocals sound bit warmish and sweet. It has better control and grip when there are sudden upward transients in mid frequencies (I suspect Q950s may not have that level of control). Mids never get shouty and uncomfortable with any tracks. However vocals sound a bit like they getting reproduced by speakers to sound smooth unlike Q950s where it feels natural. They don't completely disappear like Q950s, probably due to their wider sound stage.
The bass from Aria's in my large and open living area is bit weak. However it gets weighty and more pronounced when moved to a room with walls on all sides. I feel bass notes have more texture and warm sounding with more decay times. I do like bass from Q950s, it's more clinical. But I might actually prefer Aria's presentation for a long listening session.
Overall, Aria's don't produce that wow factor but I think they are easier to listen for long hours. I might actually get Q950s to have that different experience. Aria would be my pick, just for that delicious top end alone, if I have to choose one. Aria's sound more musical to me compared to KEFs which sound more clinical.
Please take my observations on Q950 with pinch of salt. It was a short listening session. I believe they were connected to a Denon PMA. They may sound completely different with another Amp/DAC. Also my first impressions might change if listen to them again. I didn't carry my own test tracks, I was hoping they would have all usual demo tracks. But I was wrong. I intend to demo them again with my selection of songs next week.
My observations of Aria is based on HiRes and CD quality tracks from both Tidal/Qobuz with Yamaha RN803 as streamer, DAC and amplifier.
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@jarneevan
Nice comparison!!
What you described about Q950 is typical KEF house sound.
It is pretty much the same in all their series, with the higher versions bringing a bit of finesse here and heft there, etc.
Dead center vocals, neutral-to-bright signature with decent bass response.
Small or narrower sound stage happens when toed in. This is kinda music for one person in one chair
With drivers facing straight up or even a wee bit of toe-out, the width of stage improves.
The height factor is all about the Uni-Q driver. That's the way it projects into the room.
KEFs paired with the wrong chain behind them can get nasty and fatiguing.
And they don't like being near walls.
Have not heard the Focals, so can't comment on them.
Cheers,
Raghu
Nice comparison!!
What you described about Q950 is typical KEF house sound.
It is pretty much the same in all their series, with the higher versions bringing a bit of finesse here and heft there, etc.
Dead center vocals, neutral-to-bright signature with decent bass response.
Small or narrower sound stage happens when toed in. This is kinda music for one person in one chair
With drivers facing straight up or even a wee bit of toe-out, the width of stage improves.
The height factor is all about the Uni-Q driver. That's the way it projects into the room.
KEFs paired with the wrong chain behind them can get nasty and fatiguing.
And they don't like being near walls.
Have not heard the Focals, so can't comment on them.
Cheers,
Raghu
Some of you may actually cringe about what you are going to read next.
I haven't listened to whole lot of high end gear. My reference when it comes to "good soundstage and imaging" is actually my HT setup with Polk S60s driven by my humble Pioneer Elite VSX-LX 302 AVR. S60 towers are kept apart by about 12 feet due to a 150inch screen between them. The sound field that gets created is truly enveloping with sound reverberating wall to wall beyond the speaker's boundaries with instruments placed throughout the sound stage. I could hear each instrument distinctively and identify their location. It feels like instruments are hung in the air with vocals placed in the middle. The livelier treble of S60's makes it even more delicious with nice shimmering of high frequencies in the sound field.
For example, the shimmering that comes after a cymbal was hit hangs in the air nicely for longer duration than what I heard with other speakers/receivers. Even my Aria 926 with RN803 can't come close but they are more musical. Polk S60/Lx302 combo is far from being perfect but they sound lot more fun. Tracks like "You and Your Friend" from Dire Straits sound so delicious on this setup, the same goes for Hotel California. There are many other tracks I enjoy listening on this setup. Many times I just stop what I am doing and close my eyes to enjoy the music when tracks with lot spatial sounds play. The only thing that drags down the whole experience a bit is slightly brighter sound signature, especially vocals. And probably height of the sound stage being slightly lower than ideal. May be only KEF that can create a soundstage so high up.
The difference in soundstage and imaging between what I heard with KEF Q950 and what I hear with my S60/LX302 is best explained by the raisin analogy the reviewer used here,
perhaps raisins packed even more closely with Q950s than with Lintons 
But what's surprising is another pair of S60s in my Gym room paired to a Denon DRA 800H can't seem to create the same magic. That leads me to believe it's the Elite AVR that is responsible for that enveloping sound field aided by S60's lively top end. I can't believe a cheap AVR can do that. That's why I said some audiophiles my actually cringe to hear this. Do any other Pioneer Elite owners feel this way?
My ideal speaker/receiver combo would be something that can create such a soundstage and imaging with bit more finesse in other areas.
I haven't listened to whole lot of high end gear. My reference when it comes to "good soundstage and imaging" is actually my HT setup with Polk S60s driven by my humble Pioneer Elite VSX-LX 302 AVR. S60 towers are kept apart by about 12 feet due to a 150inch screen between them. The sound field that gets created is truly enveloping with sound reverberating wall to wall beyond the speaker's boundaries with instruments placed throughout the sound stage. I could hear each instrument distinctively and identify their location. It feels like instruments are hung in the air with vocals placed in the middle. The livelier treble of S60's makes it even more delicious with nice shimmering of high frequencies in the sound field.
For example, the shimmering that comes after a cymbal was hit hangs in the air nicely for longer duration than what I heard with other speakers/receivers. Even my Aria 926 with RN803 can't come close but they are more musical. Polk S60/Lx302 combo is far from being perfect but they sound lot more fun. Tracks like "You and Your Friend" from Dire Straits sound so delicious on this setup, the same goes for Hotel California. There are many other tracks I enjoy listening on this setup. Many times I just stop what I am doing and close my eyes to enjoy the music when tracks with lot spatial sounds play. The only thing that drags down the whole experience a bit is slightly brighter sound signature, especially vocals. And probably height of the sound stage being slightly lower than ideal. May be only KEF that can create a soundstage so high up.
The difference in soundstage and imaging between what I heard with KEF Q950 and what I hear with my S60/LX302 is best explained by the raisin analogy the reviewer used here,
But what's surprising is another pair of S60s in my Gym room paired to a Denon DRA 800H can't seem to create the same magic. That leads me to believe it's the Elite AVR that is responsible for that enveloping sound field aided by S60's lively top end. I can't believe a cheap AVR can do that. That's why I said some audiophiles my actually cringe to hear this. Do any other Pioneer Elite owners feel this way?
My ideal speaker/receiver combo would be something that can create such a soundstage and imaging with bit more finesse in other areas.
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@jarneevan
Did you try the Elite AVR and Denon DRA in the same HT room with the same speakers S60s?
The room itself plays a role in constructing (or destroying) the soundstage.
Cheers,
Raghu
Did you try the Elite AVR and Denon DRA in the same HT room with the same speakers S60s?
The room itself plays a role in constructing (or destroying) the soundstage.
Cheers,
Raghu
No, I didn't. I would try that out. Thanks for the suggestion.
Your comparison between the Polk and Aria and Kef are more or less similar to my experience.
The Polk are entertaining but bright. They do not suit all music. They are more suited to Pop to my ears.
The Kefs raised the level significantly when i changed the music and i couldn't go back to the Polk. They were both in the same room.
I listen to similar music like Diana Krall & Dire Straits.
The Focals are more refined and have better resolution.
If you do decide to upgrade your amp in the future, the Polk will be lacking imo.
However the Focal & Kef will still be good.
The Arias deserve better amplification from my experience.
So it depends on your individual choice of music- what type do you listen the most, your amp pairing and your room size.
Cheers
The Polk are entertaining but bright. They do not suit all music. They are more suited to Pop to my ears.
The Kefs raised the level significantly when i changed the music and i couldn't go back to the Polk. They were both in the same room.
I listen to similar music like Diana Krall & Dire Straits.
The Focals are more refined and have better resolution.
If you do decide to upgrade your amp in the future, the Polk will be lacking imo.
However the Focal & Kef will still be good.
It depends on the Yamaha amp pairing. Another amp could change and reverse it.
The Arias deserve better amplification from my experience.
So it depends on your individual choice of music- what type do you listen the most, your amp pairing and your room size.
Cheers
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Different rooms matter a heck of a lot. I installed a second setup in one of the guest bedrooms and i can't seem to get anywhere close to the sound quality I get in my main room, even when i deploy the same gear. The soundstage is terrible and lacks depth, instruments are all over the place and lack separation and the sound is harsh and brittle, irrespective of the speakers. The Positioning helps to some extent but certain rooms just don't react well or are flawed and require serious room treatment.
The Wharfedale Evos are indeed more airy than the KEFs and the raisin diagram explains it well though i won't say the KEFs are as extreme as the Lintons. I haven't heard the S60s so i haven't any clue about their abilities. The manner in which you described the Aria 926 reminds me of the Quad S5 while that of the S60 reminded me of my experience with the KEF Q350. Cheap (relatively speaking) can be cheerful!Some of you may actually cringe about what you are going to read next.
I haven't listened to whole lot of high end gear. My reference when it comes to "good soundstage and imaging" is actually my HT setup with Polk S60s driven by my humble Pioneer Elite VSX-LX 302 AVR. S60 towers are kept apart by about 12 feet due to a 150inch screen between them. The sound field that gets created is truly enveloping with sound reverberating wall to wall beyond the speaker's boundaries with instruments placed throughout the sound stage. I could hear each instrument distinctively and identify their location. It feels like instruments are hung in the air with vocals placed in the middle. The livelier treble of S60's makes it even more delicious with nice shimmering of high frequencies in the sound field.
For example, the shimmering that comes after a cymbal was hit hangs in the air nicely for longer duration than what I heard with other speakers/receivers. Even my Aria 926 with RN803 can't come close but they are more musical. Polk S60/Lx302 combo is far from being perfect but they sound lot more fun. Tracks like "You and Your Friend" from Dire Straits sound so delicious on this setup, the same goes for Hotel California. There are many other tracks I enjoy listening on this setup. Many times I just stop what I am doing and close my eyes to enjoy the music when tracks with lot spatial sounds play. The only thing that drags down the whole experience a bit is slightly brighter sound signature, especially vocals. And probably height of the sound stage being slightly lower than ideal. May be only KEF that can create a soundstage so high up.
The difference in soundstage and imaging between what I heard with KEF Q950 and what I hear with my S60/LX302 is best explained by the raisin analogy the reviewer used here,perhaps raisins packed even more closely with Q950s than with Lintons
But what's surprising is another pair of S60s in my Gym room paired to a Denon DRA 800H can't seem to create the same magic. That leads me to believe it's the Elite AVR that is responsible for that enveloping sound field aided by S60's lively top end. I can't believe a cheap AVR can do that. That's why I said some audiophiles my actually cringe to hear this. Do any other Pioneer Elite owners feel this way?
My ideal speaker/receiver combo would be something that can create such a soundstage and imaging with bit more finesse in other areas.
Thats quite the opposite of my experience with them i.e. the last quality that i would attribute to the KEFs is "clinical". People who've checked out my system always do a double-take when i inform them about the price discrepancy between the KEF and the Quad. They usually exclaim "inme kuch toh baat hai" referring to their sheer musicality. My better half refers to them as being akin to the stock speakers that came with the last version of the Ford Fiesta - they were not perfect by any means but extremely catchy and upbeat which made for an entertaining and engaging listen.
You might want to check out the KEFwith a different amp. For starters, they pair well with Marantz amps.
Ha Ha!The FM also ran it with a RN-803 , because the FM was Jarneevan itself
I stand corrected!!!I personally did not find them clinical , they were very musical , vocals were natural , tight bass and overall an unique presentation and enjoyable while at the same time not lacking in detail. However as Jarneevan said Aria 926 dominates the highs in terms of details and the guitar texture, literally felt like Nils Lofgren was playing live infront of you.
I also listen to quiet a bit of Bollywood music , tried Sawali Si Raat on Focal 926 and did not find the connect which i find quiet easily in the M20s and similarly found it on the Q950/XTZ 95.44 as well ( I attribute this to two things, the song has lush vocals which the Aria 926 might not be the best for and also it has a good amount of low end which was missing probably due to the larger room size and open nature of the room)
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