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Kef 205/2

Good Morning All!

My setup consists of:

Kef 205/2
Mcintosh MC501's
Audio Research Ref 3
Fully Mod Primare CD31
PS Audio PPP (CD, Pre)
Shunyata Hydra 2 (Amps)
Nordost Quattro Fill CD to Pre
Nordost Red Dawn Pre to Amps
Nordost Red Dawn Bi-Wired Speaker cables
Analysis Plus Oval 9 Power Cords

My current issue with the above setup is that the Kef 205/2 produces very little bass comparing to my smaller system (in the same room with the same speakers positioning , etc) which consists of Dynaudio Focus 140 bookshelf, Cambridge Audio 740c and Meixing integrated tube amp (75w/ channel)! Due to the lack of bass, my main system seems to be brighter. I’ve tried to play the Kef on my smaller setup but the amp seems not to be to drive them.

Has anyone experience with the Kef205/2 or similar setup?
Can you please let me know how to improve the bass response?
I’ve tried with cables e.g. Chord Anthem, Cardas Golden Cross with mix result and ended with Nordost due to their high resolution. I do believe make differences but not substantially

Thanking you in advance for your advices
Primare_Cd31
primare_cd31
thesoundhouse
250 posts
 
You need to better match your amp to your speakers and play with speaker placement in your room. I think that a different amp or amps & moving the speaker arround should help the bass problem. Ie move the speakers further from the wall and listen and closer to the back wall and listen for improved bass response. Also play with distance between the left and right speakers. You can gain alot with speaker placement. I have freind who had a pair of MC 501s on B&W 802Ds and the bass was not right. It was not deep it was completely lacking with no snap. The placement in my friends system helped the bass response along with the midrange, highs and imaging but the bass was still a bit challenged until he sold off the MC 501s and got a set of Classe CAM 350 mono blocks. Those MC501s can have good bass but they are ver speaker dependent. Find out what amp or amps were used to developement the KEF 205/2 and that is the amp you should audition.
stanwal's avatar
stanwal
3,147 posts
 
Several years ago I visited a friend and noticed that his new ML hybrid did not have the bass I expected them to have. He later found out that they had been wired out of phase at the factory by mistake. There are many test records that have in and out of phase material to check this, also good for test tones to see what the bass response is at various frequencies.
primare_cd31 OP
66 posts
 
Thank You all for your responses
I don't think i have polarities issue as the speakers do produce bass but very little for the speakers size!
I'm thinking going down the path of lossing the Kef or having them mod. Do you have any comment in modding speakers?

primare_cd31
fplanner2010
283 posts
 
I know this is very simple, but DID YOU CALL KEF??? THAT's the place to start. They will know their speakers better than anyone else.

Your biggest problem might be your cabling - Nordost has never been known for strong bass. Adding VD cables is also a very good suggestion, before you even CONSIDER modifying those speakers.

The 501's should drive the KEF's fine - they are much more efficient than the B&W's referred to by an above poster. It could also be your room at fault, but in your case I'd say there's an even better chance your bass choke-point is the cabling.

You can demo some different cabling from The Cable Company and they can give you some suggestions as to what might work better for your application. They are good to work with and usually very helpful. That way you can try different cables without paying much out-of-pocket and your "rental money" counts towards whatever you purchase.

Good luck - this sounds very fixable.
defride
89 posts
 
Do check phase if you can and haven't already, its a very easy error to make and the symptomns are as you describe. Did so myself a couple of weeks back when moving some kit. I switched back on and it all sounded pretty good but where was the bass? Sure enough I'd wired up incorrectly at the amp.
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