General Asylum: REVIEW: KEF Q1 bookshelf speaker Speakers by ka7niq

Model:	Q1 bookshelf speaker
Category:	Speakers
Suggested Retail Price:	$495
Description:	Uni Q stand mounted speaker
Manufacturer URL:	KEF
Manufacturer URL:	KEF

Review by ka7niq ( A ) on April 19, 2003 at 21:53:14
IP Address: 4.41.7.164

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for the Q1 bookshelf speaker

Its Saturday night, before Easter Sunday, and I am feeling no pain.
I just got through an evening with the Q1 speakers.
These things never cease to amaze me.
I have them bi amped, using an Adcom 2535 4 channel amp, and a tube line stage on Osiris stands.
I like these speakers better than My B&W CDM1NT, and any other small speaker I have ever had, expept perhaps the Celestion SL 600.
I preferred them also to the Von Schweikert VR1 as well.
They need subwoofers, and they need to be bi amped to get the very best out of them.
They need to be bi amped, and one needs to have an amp with adjustable output levels, so you can give them just a tad more gain to the tweeters.
This keeps the low coloration, but gets rid of that touch of British politeness thaTt keeps them from being electrifying.
The Adcom 2535 is basically 2 adcom 535 amps on one chassis, so you can adjust the gain and voice them as you see fit.
Right out of the box, the Q1's are a good speaker, even non bi wired, or non bi amped,I still prefer them overall to most any small speaker.
The imaging of the uni Q is to die for, and vocal reproduction, especially speech, is first class.
Listen to a Q1 for awhile, and you will see what true accuracy really is.
But in voicing a small speaker, certain compromises have to be made, and KEF opted for some tweeter decrease to offset the lack of true bass.
BUT, if you bi amp this speaker, and use a subwoofer, simply revoice the speaker a bit by using a multi channel level adjustable amp.
That is what I am doing, and the sound is stunning.
I am using the Q1 with a cheap Pioneer 8 inch powered sub,, designed by Andrew Jones, once one of KEF's ex chief engineers.
It blends seamlessly.
The UNI Q IMHO, is a true advance in speakers.
It allows all the sounds to arrive from the same place.
It allows for awesome imaging and coherence.
The Q1 has a curved rear cabinet to cut down on coloration, and the metal dome tweeter has a minimum of tizz.
The Q1 isnt perfect, it can have a bit of congestion when pushed hard, and out of the box, non bi wired, and or non bi amped, can be a tad dark.
But, its speech reproduction and imaging, even out of the box, is better any other small speaker I have had, and when you bi amp it, watch out !
The bi amped Q1 w/subwoofer will simply blow you away.
Image height is maintained because the uni q isnt full of lobing problems like conventional 2 way speakers.
These speakers truly vanish.
An impressive acheivement KEF !
Hats off to our friends from England !
KEF has survived the death of founder Raymond Cooke, the looting of its head engineers Laurie Fincham and Andrew Jones to Infinity and Pioneer, and its sale to the Japanese.
KEF, you have fought back from this adversity, and you have overcome it.
You have clung to your patented design, and refined it, and you have won.
This generation of the uni q, the KEF Q1, is the promise of the Uni Q, delivered.

Product Weakness: congestion at high volume, bass in big rooms, darkness if not bi wired/or bi amped, touch of tizz.
Product Strengths: Imaging, speech, dissappearing act,

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Adcom 2535
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	tube line stage
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Oracle, Koetsu, Itok, Krell
Speakers:	a
Cables/Interconnects:	Tara Labs, Audioquest
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Classical, Chamber, Jazz, Celine
Room Size (LxWxH):	18 x 12 x 8
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Homebrew, Ham Radio Style
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	congestion at high volume, bass in big rooms, darkness if not bi wired/or bi amped, touch of tizz.
Product Strengths:	Imaging, speech, dissappearing act,