I.Q. Speakers from Germany ????


I purchased a set of TED 400's for a local used electronics store. Does anybody know anything about them? there really isn't anything i can find on the web other than the German mfg produced some high end equipement at one time.
fivefasts
IQ (= Intelligent Quality, if my memory serves me well), were active in the 80ies and 90ies when they put a plethora of different series on the market. The TEDs were fairly high up in the hierarchy and depending on the model went for something between DM 2000 and DM 3000. The all time flagship was the System One consisting of 2 separate subwoofer towers + 2 mid/high towers, the design of which Manfred Diesterich (yup, now Audiophysic) had been involved in. These went well over DM 20k and were reference gear to a few magazines. I can't judge the sonic qualities of the IQs from personal experience, what I do recall is they always looked like they were really superbly built. The company doesn't exist anymore for quite some time, well, at least not that I know of.
Give me until the weekend, perhaps I can find something on the TED 400.
I found a A/B test in Stereoplay of Sep. 93 (reliable magazine, three decades in the business, tests always accompanied by extensive measurements).

TED 400 was indeed also designed by Manfred Diesterich and cost DM 2k at the time of its release in 1993. A 4 Ohm, 87,5db bass-reflex design as mentioned before with max. SPL quoted at 104db (at 400Hz, distance 1m). Stereoplay ranked it "top class, level 3", with the likes of Dynaudio Contour 1.3 or B&W Matrix 805.

I quote from the Stereoplay test: IQ TED 400 showed many positive aspects: balanced and colourful - as opposed to coloured though; add a powerful bass that was also very firm and a sustainable fundament. With the volume pumped up, the IQ was superior to the class best (ALR Nummer 3) and qualified itself as the unbeatable "party"-speaker. On the other hand the class reference sounded altogether more harmonious and at normal sound levels more refined, so that IQ closely missed the reference titel in its class. However, it deserves downright "very good" for price to quality.

If you can read German (or have someone to translate), I'll mail you the full test on the 5 contestants.
Wow, thanks very much Karelfd.
I was thinking that the bass should be more pronounced given the size of the woofer system, i think 2 8", but maybe one is passive. I suspect it is the power i am driving them with, so based on the info you have given me, i think i should upgrade my power before upgrading speakers.

Any power suggestions for a next step? Should they be bi-wired? Is speaker wire an issue at this level?

Any thank you for the offer to send the report. Turns out my Mother-In-Law speaks German.

Is there a way to share pics?