i heard the Kef Ref 5 at 2 different dealers. The second demo was terrible compared to the first which was very good. Different acoustic space and different associated components.my suggestion would be to try replicating the same as the dealer or change speakers. i always do a home demo with my equipment before any purchase.
New KEF Reference 5 speakers
After many months of auditioning speakers (and probably testing the patience of several salesmen) I finally decided to get the KEF Reference 5s. I just loved the wide sound stage and almost holographic imaging, among other things. They were delivered in February and I’ve spent many hours listening. At first I was disappointed. They just didn’t produce the same imaging at my house with my equipment as in the store. Also, they sounded bright and harsh with violins and high end music. The dealer came to my house along with the regional sales rep from KEF to provide advice. They urged me to allow more break in time (at that point they had been played about 100 hours). After many more hours, I am becoming more acquainted with them. They are still improving with time. Them break in period seems to be very lon. They’ve played several hundred hours and are still improving. They are extremely source sensitive—meaning that a poorly engineered record or CD will sound terrible and a well recorded one can be great. I suppose this is a good thing with the KEFS-that they reveal flaws so well says something about their accuracy. Unfortunately there seem to be more bad recordings than good ones so I’m finding many of my CDs and records very difficult to listen to. I am still experimenting with speaker placement, learning which recordings are really good and which aren’t and other tweaks. Not totally convinced it’s love but we are at least in like and the relationship is moving in a positive direction. I’ve delayed posting anything until now because I didn’t want to share any premature conclusions.
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http://https//www.stereophile.com/content/kef-reference-5-loudspeaker-measurements Looking at the impedance of your KEFs in the Stereophile review they're not exactly an easy load and you should drive them from the 4 Ohm tap of your ARC amp. That impedance peak around 2.5kHz might also make your tube amp to highlight a little the frequencies in that region, making the speakers sound harsh. I would try a SS amp that wouldn't have a problem driving them properly. |
Avanti come on man your statements are just over the top The REF 1 come off as metallic and un-natural. If the REF 5s are voiced similarly I can understand your hesitation. The REF 1s were hugely over priced even at a substantial discount from original MSRP. Strongly consider exchanging them for something more natural sounding. The Ref Ones have won many awards for their sound quality and the LS 50 are similar sounding without the superior resolution and holographic sound of the Ref 1s, so if you like the LS 50 you should love the Ref 1. As per being overpriced again man compared to what a $9k pair of Focal Sopras, or an $8k pair of Vivids or any of the zillion $7-10k monitors that are on the market. The build quality of the Ref 1 is off the charts. The Ref 1 are hardly unnatural sounding they sound like what you use them with which means they are truthful and accurate. Let me guess what is natural to you could it be an overly colored loudspeaker? Fast you need to evaluate everything you are using with the Ref 5, we have sold them with Naim gear and the sound is stunning. The Ref 5 are amazing loudspeakers but must be used with the right gear which is the same issue you are going to have with any suitable high resolution low coloration design. Dave and Troy Audio Doctor NJ Kef REF and Blade dealers |
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