Need Impressions of SoundKaos Vox


Hello All,
This is my first post here on Audiogon. I have been very intrigued by SoundKaos Vox 3 speakers (both 3F and 3A). Since there aren't many reviews or discussions out there, I would like to know if any of you members own any of these (Vox 3a or 3f) speakers or have auditioned them/heard them for good amount of time. In case if you do, then also please let me know of the chain that was used with them and any comparison to other speakers that you may have owned previously or heard.
Looking forward to hearing from someone.
Regards,Saurabh
128x128audio_phool

I’m really interested in these. At first glance they look like tiny bass light Japanese style speakers. But they go down low, as long as they are placed close to sidewalls apparently. Seems perfect for smaller rooms.

Audiophool how do they seem after longer term ownership? Did you get the lessloss firewall version.

@agisthos Yes, I have the lossless version viz. Vox 3afw. I thought that I should not contemplate later about not going for the topmost version available.

Yes, these are meant for smaller rooms or for near-field/semi near-field  listening. These are not the speakers for partying or playing out really really loud. If one can play these within this constrain then it can make one very happy.

In my room they are actually far from the side walls, but they are just 30 cm from the front wall (viz. from back of the speaker to the wall behind it). This is needed for the lower bass reach, else it will sound absolutely anemic in bass department. But once placed correctly you will find quality bass which is surprisingly deep given it's size. Besides the bass is very fast, no bloat what so ever. It brings out very nice texture out of the bass notes. But bass is not very hard hitting or having lot of emphasis or weight. It just satisfies me for wide range of genres that I listen to. If you are into large orchestral music or listen to a lot of metal, for rest of the genres the bass is absolutely sufficient (that's my opinion).

Most people notice it's top end at first which is just brilliant. A lot of air, very well extended, smooth, refined and delicate but never sounding harsh. Raal ribbon tweeter mounted on the top is very much responsible for this trait.

but for me the real strength is in it's mids. It just addictive. I am hard pressed to find such a beautiful mids/vocals in multi-driver speakers. One of fellow audiophile who visited my house said, it feels like you are sitting in a small club/bar and singer & band is performing right in-front of you. It's just intimate without having over emphasis on mids or lower mids, but has good body to the vocals wherever need. It's just magical for me.

Another trait of this speaker is it's just darn fast. I once played "B.̉Y.O.B. from Mezmerize album of System of Down" for another fellow audiophile when he came to my house & his reaction was "that's not how the metal is supposed to sound" (in positive way) because he way able to pick out all the individual elements in the song while being able to hear vocals very clearly.
 

For me this is very likely the first and very last speaker I will every buy. I might just add a RiPol sub from SoundKaos if I move to a larger room than my current one, otherwise I am completely happy with my setup.

And from aesthetics point of view they are darn pretty and got approval from wife as well as from the interior designer who designed the interior for my house. Now that's a big feat.

But one thing you will have to keep in mind is that the description which I gave you regarding the sound is because of my entire system. So you need to make sure you have right from the source to amplifier everything of the same caliber to get most out of the speaker.

If you are interested in seeing photo or read in detail about my impressions then I have posted it on Audiophile style with title "SoundKaos Vox 3a + Bakoon Amp 13R + Merging NADAC Impressions & Long Term Ownership Review" check it out.


Regards,
Audio_phool

I actually am a metal guy but I don’t listen to that genre on my audiophile system, or like to listen loud. I like an airy and intimate/forward soundstage. These could be the ticket with my 14 foot wide room.

I noted that Srajan gave them a lunar award (rare for him), and for the Hifi Knight guy it took the Borresen M1 to beat it. You took a big chance to buy such priced speakers unheard, but a well calculated decision considering these reports.

@agisthos If you have 14 feet wide room and I am assuming the length is also going to be similar in length,these can be very well suited. Besides if you can keep the listening distance in the range for 5-17 feet then it can give you all the qualities mentioned by Srajan & Dawid. And if you can spend even more to ad a sub, then you can even enjoy metal and large orchestras as well. But I fee that can be done later.

Good that you brought out the point of Srajan & Dawid. Yes, both of them have given it their highest award. But I take these awards and reviews with a dallop of salt, I need not say the reason wink. But in this case both had kept it as their reference, Srajan for 1-2 years and Dawid still has Vox 3afw as his reference and daily driver. Now this is the actual achievement in my books and indicate that they are actually performing good enough to match the their words. And this aspect is really rare if you search across various reviewers.
 
Another such praise came from unexpected place; viz. Lukas Fikus of Lampizator where he praised these to a very high level. Now given that both SoundKaos & Lampizator have not collaborated before it was a very honest praise. Here is that post

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3318777188354196&set=a.1569150376650228
 

So buying Vox3afw blind was actually a very well informed and researched decision which turned worked out for me.


And finally since I can vouch for Dawid's review of Vox3a & if I go by his words then, to improve upon Vox 3a in all regards would take one to spend $100K by buying Borresen's M1 is actually an even bigger praise for Vox 3 in my books.

Regards,
Audio_phool