KEF Reference 1 bass response?


Just wondering if anyone owns or has listened to the KEF Reference 1 bookshelves? I hear they are amazing speakers, but wondering if they will still have good bass response in my apartment or if I’d need a sub. Of course the answer is subjective but I’m keen to hear what everyone thinks. I’d be pairing them with a Hegel H390 and a Mytek Brooklyn DAC+

andyboom

Anyway, the deepest bass (sub 50hz) is not really present in most recordings and will mostly benefit you in terms of room atmosphere and the "blackness" of the background. Other than that, most bass is between 80 and 120 Hz, of which the Ref 1s have plenty of.

I own the Reference 3s and I heard them with the Hegel H390, it's a great pairing, I would recommend without any doubt. Hegel also happens to do the in-house listening with KEF speakers, which says a bit about the pairing.

First of all, the Ref 1s are not "bookshelf" speakers.  They are pretty decent sized monitors and would not work in any bookshelf.

I have Ref 1s for my main system in a fairly large room in my house.  They have a surprising amount of bass for their size.  I think they might be perfect for an apartment. 

I have 4 subs in use with mine, but my neighbors can hear my system at times, so subs are probably not a good idea in an apartment. 

Detail, imaging and soundstage are fantastic and they are pretty neutral, maybe just a tad on the warm side.

Although I do not own them, I have heard the Ref 1s and they are fantastic speakers. The advice you have been given above is spot on. Live with them for a while and maximize their positioning before adding a sub. Be aware that the addition of a sub may be problematic for your neighbors in your living situation.

Add a couple subwoofers depending on the room size. If not, you will be missing at least 1.5 octaves on the low end.

Possibly the most disappointing speaker I have ever heard. Such great expectations but it did nothing right when I heard them.  Blown out of the water by the Legacy Calibre for example.