What's Inside the KEF R11s? | Quality or Garbage?

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  • čas přidán 29. 08. 2024
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Komentáře • 259

  • @kenparrish3176
    @kenparrish3176 Před rokem +12

    I have a pair of KEF 103/3’s from the 80’s and they are built like a tank. I had to take one apart to replace the binding post and was very impressed with the way were braced and put together.

  • @TokeBoisen
    @TokeBoisen Před rokem +20

    The gauge of wire is fine. In terms of comparing to speaker wire, the reason it needs to be thicker (but let's be honest, most of us run too large-gauge wire for our purposes) is to keep resistance low as distance increases. For short runs, like on the inside of an enclosure or other very short distances, using smaller gauge is perfectly fine, as the length of wire is also very small, so cumulative resistance is kept low regardless.
    Same for tuning: The ports might seem short, compared to how we usually think of them on subwoofers or larger speakers, but as the airmass in the enclosure goes down, and tuning frequency goes up, port length goes down. Usually you can look at the -3 dB point of the bass in the speaker, and the port tuning will be somewhere around that.
    IMO they seem to have made sensible choices for the internals, and as you say the quality is there in the most important bits, the drivers and the enclosure.

    • @Roof_Pizza
      @Roof_Pizza Před rokem +2

      The wires are part of a full, complete circuit, positive to negative so the whole circuit comes into play and extra gauge on a portion of it doesn't offer anything. It's like the weakest chain in the link theory, having monster links doesn't add to the overall strength when there are weaker links involved.

    • @TokeBoisen
      @TokeBoisen Před rokem +1

      @@Roof_Pizza, kinda true, but each length of wire in the circuit adds up to total resistance. Just because you have one foot of internal 20-gauge wiring doesn't mean you shouldn't use lower-gauge wire for the long runs leading to the speaker to keep cumulative resistance low.

    • @chrisrichards2827
      @chrisrichards2827 Před rokem

      The problem is for the money they're using crappy OFC wire which is the worst junk that you can use, OCC single crystal wire is far superior, anybody that knows anything when it comes to Audio knows that.

    • @AOmega72
      @AOmega72 Před 11 měsíci +1

      Iagree too many one dimensional thinkers here

    • @markrosenthal9108
      @markrosenthal9108 Před 10 měsíci

      @@chrisrichards2827 I've had great results for years with bulk 14-guage lamp cord from Home Depot. Are you measuring anything better with "non-junk" OCC?

  • @howardskeivys4184
    @howardskeivys4184 Před rokem +19

    I’ve had these speakers for a while. I purchased them after multiple auditions comparing them with similar priced speakers from the likes of B&W, Q Acoustic, ATC Etc. I was impressed by their transparency, dynamic capability, inert cabinet, driver configuration and ability to retain excellent tonality at low listening levels. They represent high value, high performance, outstanding build quality and aesthetics and offer uncompromising ‘bang for your buck’. I’ve no idea of the quality of the components used to fabricate the crossover network, I just know it works. If Kef have cut corners with the crossover components, which I doubt, it will have been because they were attempting to keep the retail price competitive.
    I’ve not seen these speakers dissected prior to this video. It’s not a task that I’d undertake myself. I’ve always regarded those speakers as ported, which they are. Vut, until I saw you open them up, I didn’t realise that only the 2 inner bass compartments are ported. The 2 outer compartments are sealed. That’s really interesting. Goes some way to explaining their bass weight, yet precision and agility.
    If I had to criticise them, I’ve found they lack a little in ‘mid-bass punch’. I listen to a lot of female vocal trance, with it’s synonymous 120BPM. They do punch, but lower down, in the stomach, not the chest!

    • @dougleydorite
      @dougleydorite Před rokem +2

      What kind of acoustic treatment do you have?

    • @howardskeivys4184
      @howardskeivys4184 Před rokem +3

      @@dougleydorite I don’t have the luxury of a dedicated listening room. My hifi has to fight for it’s right to be in our family lounge. I’m not the world’s foremost advocate of acoustic treatment. I believe that if you get the gear sounding right, you limit the need for room treatment.
      So, I’ve no room treatment. I believe the soft furnishings in my lounge are more than sufficient to prevent the room being overly bright and to keep the RT60 levels within acceptable limits. I sincerely believe that with hifi, sometimes costly solutions are fabricated to solve trivial issues.
      Enjoy the music! The

  • @zefrog7482
    @zefrog7482 Před rokem +9

    Crossover is actually pretty good quality, Clarity Cap on tweeter which is the most important part for good components. Plus the Kef R range measure really excellent. You'll find speakers costing many times the price with nowhere near the crossover engineering put in.
    For off the shelf speakers these are a home run, although DIY is where the real value and quality comes into play.

  • @gaurd3
    @gaurd3 Před rokem +19

    Cool video.
    Btw Can’t get around physics no matter what your mind wants to think. Those leads are more than enough for the length of the run. especially with you using 12 or 14 gauge to the speaker.

    • @Hulio2205
      @Hulio2205 Před rokem +1

      Exactly... i mean its per driver if you add them all up you probably surpass 12 or 14 gauge which goes to the speaker, so no problem at all

    • @qua7771
      @qua7771 Před rokem +2

      My thoughts exactly. It's a short enough run of wire not to have any substantial resistance, especially if the quality of wire is good. I'd focus on other things. I think these speakers sound amazing enough. There may me marginal gains in upgrading x-over components.

    • @waxmonkeys3841
      @waxmonkeys3841 Před rokem

      Default wire and leads look like 14-16 gauge on video.

  • @maximilienrobespierre1108

    That Uni-Q trim ring isn't designed to just cover up the screws of the drivers. The trim ring is called the Shadow Flare. Surface tension causes sound energy to travel along the front surface (baffle) of a loudspeaker cabinet causing diffraction. Upon reaching the edge the energy re-radiates acting like a series of additional drivers along the edges of the cabinet. This re-radiated energy competes and interferes with the current driver output. The result is time-smearing that impairs clarity and diminishes soundstage. The problem is multiplied the greater the distance between the edge of the cabinet and the driver. This becomes problematic with mid-range and HF drivers, such as the Uni-Q driver array, because they are inherently smaller than the LF drivers and therefore leave greater space from driver edge to cabinet edge. The Shadow Flare acts like a waveguide for the Uni-Q effectively narrowing the cabinet width. The Uni-Q Mid-Frequency driver acts as a waveguide for the High-Frequency driver. The combination of the Shadow Flare and the surface design of the MF driver completes a waveguide that attenuates diffraction to an inaudible level at the listening position. Shadow Flare elevates the standard trim ring beyond aesthetic dressing to an integral performance component.

  • @mechdude1
    @mechdude1 Před rokem +5

    GREAT video my friend 😊👍.... You did an incredible job between managing taking apart the speaker... The tools... and the camera. I've done that before and I know that it is CRAZY hard.

  • @progrock3603
    @progrock3603 Před rokem +8

    You can say that about 90% of the commercial speakers out there. “Better crossover parts needed”. Honestly I’ve tried No-Rez from GR-Research in place of the cheap damping material and it helps. Parts express has there version. The one thing I noticed which impressed me about Canton speakers is that the internal wire is always soldered to the drivers and binding posts.

    • @howardskeivys4184
      @howardskeivys4184 Před rokem

      I’ve watched dozens of Danny’s videos on speakers. It’s always same old, same old! “Swap the cheesy binding post for tube connectors. Replace the iron core inductors with air core inductors. Change the electrolytic capacitors for pollycaps. Upgrade the internal wiring and line the cabinet with No Res”. I would never spend thousands on speakers then spend hundreds more to upgrade/modify them. I’d purchase better speakers, which fulfilled my listening preferences.

    • @cruise2023
      @cruise2023 Před rokem

      @@howardskeivys4184 That's one thought, the problem with that is a lot of higher price speakers have the same cheap components in the crossover. Eg: Dynaudio special 40 $4,000 originally, has cheap components in the crossover. Looks like the Kef R11's have the same, though a little hard to see on this vid.

  • @AudioElectronicsChicago
    @AudioElectronicsChicago Před rokem +54

    can't go wrong with KEF, they make quality products

    • @chrisrichards2827
      @chrisrichards2827 Před rokem +3

      they make okay products judging by that wiring it's pretty cheap 18 gauge OFC garbage for speakers that expensive you think they'd be using something a lot better like OCC single crystal.

    • @chrisrichards2827
      @chrisrichards2827 Před rokem +3

      Boy those are pretty cheaply made speakers I'm shocked that they charge so much for them

    • @minuteskill
      @minuteskill Před rokem +1

      @@chrisrichards2827 Whats a lot better than oxygen free copper?

    • @chrisrichards2827
      @chrisrichards2827 Před rokem +4

      @@minuteskill Boy you're behind the times aren't you? OCC single crystal copper and silver is far superior to anything OFC on the market at any price and a lot of these companies are overcharging for it like $28,000 for a pair of speaker wire that's made out of cheap crap OFC what a joke these companies are ripping people off like that.

    • @DrZench
      @DrZench Před rokem +1

      I find single crystal and silver wire too bright! I prefer the sound of 10% oxidized copper! If over 15% oxidized it will make female voice sound unnatural!

  • @GamingRevenant
    @GamingRevenant Před rokem +8

    People saying the quality of the components being subpar are those poor rich people that got baited into buying a Reference 5 or insane B&W 801, of which yes and likely, the components are of a better build quality, but it's nowhere close or worth fourfold the price. It's just the idea that counts to these people, and that's why they will tell from any other speaker that they're 'bad quality' when in reality they are practically just as good.

    • @Ustaleone
      @Ustaleone Před 3 měsíci +1

      "poor rich people" I actually laughed at that. And you're right, it's more than just the parts on paper and what materials they use. And if I'm not mistaken, you can upgrade the parts in your R11 for a few hundred bucks instead of buying a reference 5 for four times the price. Seems like the better route if you really want to upgrade the speaker.

  • @trevorbartram5473
    @trevorbartram5473 Před rokem +5

    The iron core inductor in the crossover is most likely in the woofer circuit operating to a few hundred Hertz only and, as long as it's appropriately electrically rated, should not affect listening performance. When taking speakers apart I always deburr the screw holes before reassembly to ensure the driver or terminal plate etc seats flush.

    • @thomasschafer7268
      @thomasschafer7268 Před rokem

      Hoffentlich ist das auch großgenug dimensioniert!!👍🇩🇪

  • @gordthor5351
    @gordthor5351 Před rokem +1

    The main purpose of shadow flare is to extends the waveguide effect of Uni-Q. The tweeter no longer
    has line of sight of the cabinet edges, creating a ‘shadow region’ at the points where the potential for diffraction is highest, minimizing the acoustic impact to negligible levels. In other words it's main purpose is for better sound quality.

  • @cyclistman6358
    @cyclistman6358 Před 6 měsíci +1

    For the love of all that’s Holy. Please get an extension bit driver for your drill before you damage a speaker or cabinet with the spinning chuck. ☮️

  • @toddfolmsbee2429
    @toddfolmsbee2429 Před rokem +2

    Also have to think that the wire we run from amp or receiver should be larger than the wire in the enclosure is its a longer run and the wire in the enclosure is to individual drivers not the whole signal

  • @HomeTheatre101
    @HomeTheatre101 Před rokem +1

    Not sure if anyone else noticed but the back of the woofer was pressed into the bracing, you can see the marks @8:45, which would make the vented pole piece less efficient and could cause thermal buildup. 🧐

  • @mikeutube7888
    @mikeutube7888 Před 13 dny

    Great speaker! Only thing that bugged me about it when I was shopping is that the cabinet didn’t feel like it was made of granite as some other speakers in this price range. Take a knock on a pair of Sonus Fabers it’s like knocking on a slab of granite.

  • @robtsteiner
    @robtsteiner Před rokem +1

    thanks, glad to have seen this, i have the kef r3, have to believe they are built to this quality too, they sound good as well.

  • @Audio_Simon
    @Audio_Simon Před rokem +1

    The wires can be a little thinner than the main leads we use from the amp because they are short. Just like a fuse can handle the full power of your supply across a thin wire because it is short.

    • @Audio_Simon
      @Audio_Simon Před rokem

      P.s. you were giving me a heart attack with how close that drill chuck was to rubbing the lovely paint finish!! 😅
      Thanks for the video!

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před rokem

      @@Audio_Simon Do not try at home kids

  • @Roof_Pizza
    @Roof_Pizza Před rokem +5

    Yup, no need for monster wires when the internal wiring is pretty basic.

  • @egdueg
    @egdueg Před 3 dny

    Oversized speaker cables add resonance of high frequencies to the music. Many people like this high-frequency noise in the music and think that the sound becomes airy and open, and that more details come out in the music. But the truth is that they listen to noise.
    Thin speaker cables also make this noise, but at such a high frequency that it is above the range of human hearing.
    Large cables are also condensers, because they have a large surface area. This leaves you with less real treble and more noise treble from oversized speaker cables

  • @l.b.stringfellow2413
    @l.b.stringfellow2413 Před rokem +3

    Great video! Yes Xover parts make a big difference but like everything else KEF has to meet a price point and those would cost another $1000+ by the time they hit the retailer using some top shelf components. It really is worth it IMO if you really enjoy a speaker and want to keep them. Even buying more expensive speakers likely have same issues. Enjoyed your video!

  • @alexandermikhailov2481
    @alexandermikhailov2481 Před rokem +1

    The shorter the wire the skinnier it can be as resistance is directly proportional to the wire length and inversely proportional to the cross section area. I’m not talking full impedance here as R is the most important component of the wire impedance at audio frequencies.

  • @ec6843
    @ec6843 Před rokem +2

    6:55 also goes to show you why it's pointless to use expensive heavy gauge wire between amp/receiver and speakers

  • @savvas0711
    @savvas0711 Před rokem +5

    Just curious why you wouldn't pry open the screw covers with a plastic pry tool like the ones used for car audio ?
    I can see the damage threat the screwdriver did. Maybe next time.
    Good video BTW.

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před rokem +1

      Didn't have one that would fit

    • @GuyWicks
      @GuyWicks Před rokem +2

      @@Kpaceguy Tip: Get yourself some guitar / bass picks in different gauges.

  • @vinylcabasse
    @vinylcabasse Před rokem +2

    the thin lead to the woofer is OK because the power is being split between 4 woofers, and also its such a short run between the driver and crossover. (voice coil wire is much thinner that that even) also that pole vent on the woofer is thicc

    • @normanchristopher8387
      @normanchristopher8387 Před 7 měsíci

      True!...and also the 10/12 gauge recommended and used from amp/receiver is to the cross-over (coils, capacitors..), after that point the signal to the actual drivers dont believe a heavier gauge is needed, other that what KEF used.

  • @tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120

    Thanks Kspace- By Kef starting out with good drivers that are tuned for their cabneit you don't need an overly complex crossovers ' for the overall sound to be good those Engeeners know whats up !
    Also 'internal cables' if you added them all up in size they'd be pretty thick You change the size of the internal cables you also change the resistance, Conductance and Impedence ' Of drivers as well Atleast Kef twisted the cables that was goid for sure - I love KeF they have a Real Sparkle of top and crazy azz imaging and bass at low volume is outstanding in a properly sized room and Amp -
    Thanks Again on a side note I have My 52 pound Yamaha integrated amp and the new Vidar2.
    Bi amping my Polk lsim 703 😃 74 pounds of 2ch class AB 😮🎉The polks wont let me sale them !! Even though me 🔺 40th is another level or 2 above ' Polks aren't the most refined but dam they good on jazz/blues i am a sucker for some Both

  • @wayman10
    @wayman10 Před rokem +2

    Very good video. I was wondering what is inside the Kef speakers. I used to own Kef small bookshelf speakers. They sounded very good to me.

  • @jasonme3557
    @jasonme3557 Před rokem +1

    Good video not sure I would take apart my speakers. As for Cross-overs its a common area to put in less quality parts because its generally not seen.
    I just ordered a set of the Meta 3 which kef states they have improved the crossover components using cleary capacitors. I am sure you will still see iron-core inductors and sand caps.
    That's just the breaks. One can do a complete cross-over redesign, but the warranty will be gone. I myself just may do that. I had the R3 and found them ear-bleeding fatiguing.
    I auditioned the new Meta, they have made strides in improvements. I am waiting on the indigo blue.
    Good video.

  • @MichaelLHill-fd3kw
    @MichaelLHill-fd3kw Před rokem +1

    It looks like I saw orange caps in side on the crossover and that is a good thing also huge indicator,s doesn’t make the crossover better I found that out because of the Man that designed the DCM Time Window , Time Frame and the CX speakers because they are some of the best imaging speakers I’ve ever heard. KEF has some of the best coaxial speakers out there based off of Altec Lansing and Allied coaxial speakers design from way back and are still some of the most expensive coaxial driver on the market today even though they are no longer in business. I would say that they are solid speakers and don’t threat the small stuff because it just works.

  • @moneymaker251
    @moneymaker251 Před 6 měsíci

    I have R11's and they look good , sound good ..no problems at all ..The sound quality is outstanding ...

  • @mikestewart2912
    @mikestewart2912 Před 4 měsíci

    i believe that uniQ driver is used in all lines from LS 50 up to Blade, which would explain the magnet size on the driver.

  • @bruceandt
    @bruceandt Před 11 měsíci

    Great cabinet build. Good dampening.
    Crossovers? Not so great.
    This is the trade off that big speaker builders focus on. Grunt vs beauty. It’s a business.
    KEF has some incredible innovations.
    In truth… with KEF… it could be more icing than cake. It’s truly about knowledge in research.

  • @brooklynknightss
    @brooklynknightss Před rokem +1

    Great video!! Interesting to see how they are made

  • @davidcottle7346
    @davidcottle7346 Před rokem +2

    Remember everyone these speakers sound exactly our kef wanted them to sound people talking about changing anything is just not accepting what kef have done hear ,just buy something you do like the sound of surely ?

  • @Iron-Soul
    @Iron-Soul Před rokem

    I always wanted to see what a Kef speaker looks like from the inside. Thank you for your sacrifice. 😁

  • @klaymoon1
    @klaymoon1 Před rokem +3

    Great video. Very basic internal structure inside the cabinet. For the price, I think KEF should spend a little more money on the cabinet material and the structure.

    • @thomasschafer7268
      @thomasschafer7268 Před rokem

      Sowas findet man bei keinem bezahlbaren hersteller. Diy ist die einzige Variante nicht beschissen zu werden . Ist so.

    • @toneswinger
      @toneswinger Před rokem +3

      If you go up to the refrence models they are built much better but more costly

    • @martifilipponi1024
      @martifilipponi1024 Před rokem +2

      They are pretty heavy speakers compared to most. even the rc2 is close to 40 lb..r11s are heavier than Focal 936 k2 and B&W 705 s2 I was considering before purchasing the r11s

    • @michaeloconnor9465
      @michaeloconnor9465 Před rokem +1

      I think a lot of the speaker budget goes on advertising, and then you have the ever increasing dealer markup. I managed to get a 37.5% discount, and the dealer was happy because he was still making good money. £2500 instead of £4000. The new R11 meta markups that cost £5400 in the UK are eye watering. The rise in prices of mid-range speakers is eye water, considering the lower manufacturing cost in China, where most of them are made.

    • @martifilipponi1024
      @martifilipponi1024 Před rokem

      @@michaeloconnor9465 I got my R 11s when they went on sale.. they were almost the same price of than that is before that
      The Metas will come down also

  • @stevenkoski228
    @stevenkoski228 Před rokem +1

    I wouldn’t say garbage, but limited excursion = limited volume/SPLs. I had a set of their mid-sized towers a few years ago, played them daily at a high-level (they would only play just-so loud & nothing more afterwards). After 1 week, both Uni Q drivers seized-up🙈. The theory is like a high-tech version, of a car’s coaxial spkr from the 80’s concerning “time alignment”. Buy spkrs which have separate dedicated drivers, they’ll play louder & last much longer.

    • @viciadoemhalo3
      @viciadoemhalo3 Před rokem

      What seized up? The tweeters? What series did you have, the Q Series?

    • @viciadoemhalo3
      @viciadoemhalo3 Před rokem

      Midrange drivers don't need excursion. When you increase the height of the voice coil of a speaker driver magnetic flux is lost and mass is increased, something which leads to lower sensitivity. Inductance is also increased, and it generates more distortion.
      Only bass drivers need plenty of excursion. Most midrange drivers only have 2-3mm of max excursion.

    • @viciadoemhalo3
      @viciadoemhalo3 Před rokem

      If it is the Q Series they have only a first order crossover, which means the tweeters need to handle more lower frequencies, and therefore they can stand much less power than the R Series and they distort earlier.

  • @adamcfada5071
    @adamcfada5071 Před rokem

    First time watching one of your videos. Very informative and enjoyable. Thanks for your hard work. 🙏

  • @hypotheticallywhatiskyle

    Whilst larger gauge wire is better for long runs thin wire is fine. What everyone seems to forget is that the weakest link is always the internal traces on the amplifiers pcbs it’s 1x0.3mm on a good day. Let alone the trace thickness inside transistors…..

  • @Queensizemusic
    @Queensizemusic Před rokem

    My man, you’re a beaver soul than I am. But thank you for the peek inside.

  • @ryanschipp8513
    @ryanschipp8513 Před rokem +2

    Ok insides. Canton drivers are just as high quality if not better(and made in Germany)...crossovers in Cantons are higher quality for sure.

  • @musicman8270
    @musicman8270 Před rokem

    The speaker wire going to the speaker is going to all speakers. The ones inside goes to one speaker.looks a lot like my Bowers speakers, only I didn't have to take mine apart, there's a utube vid . I also have an orthoscope

  • @ec6843
    @ec6843 Před rokem

    5:40 taking the speaker apart at all isn't covered under warranty, regardless of whether or not you use power tools.

  • @av_rob79
    @av_rob79 Před rokem

    Nice, i have some Kef Uni-q ceiling speakers on order. Didn't realize those drivers are so heavy, I might have to reinforce my drop ceiling first

  • @dark4o90
    @dark4o90 Před rokem

    Considering the price of these they can add quality parts for the crossover for sure not just few bucks and the speakers will sound much better

  • @craigenputtock
    @craigenputtock Před rokem

    Thanks for the video! Everyone interested in audio likes to see "what's inside."

  • @soundblast8536
    @soundblast8536 Před rokem +1

    Most important thing to "check" is crossover parts ! you will never get fast transient response with basic capacitor ( compare sound with most active loudspeakers for exemple ) , all best high end speaker will use high end capacitor such as Magico , Focal Utopia , Vivid Audio ... for both filtering : bass and medium high.

  • @Darrylizer1
    @Darrylizer1 Před rokem

    Fun video! I'm considering buying the Meta version of these and so I found your video very informative.

  • @LAWTV7
    @LAWTV7 Před rokem +1

    Hey dude random question, Do the white speakers every bother you when lights off, I’m building out my theater that was going to be open to kitchen now closed off dedicated room. I have glossy white JTR Noesis 215 RT’s

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před rokem

      Nope ALTHOUGH I use a projector so light doesn't reflect the way a TV would

  • @joeydelmarsjr.646
    @joeydelmarsjr.646 Před 6 měsíci

    nice review and the internals is good to see whats inside

  • @colanitower
    @colanitower Před rokem

    I have a pair of 1980s vintage Dutch Translator 4-way floorstanding speakers. They're still excellent in the very high and deep bass departments. I planned to replace them with Kef LS50 Metas, but after some experimenting I ended up using the LS50s sitting on top of the old floorstanders. The Kef LS50s are at their best in midrange and lower highs. With the LS50s a little bit more toed-in than the Translators, the result of the "Just add Kef" trick is a set of four speakers that deliver stunning soundstage which the Translators couldn't create when operating without the LS50s. I guess Kef Blades are a lot better still, but I'd be curious how close this budget solution comes to a pair of Kef Blades.
    Very interesting to see what's inside these Uni-Q drivers 👍

    • @MissionFreiheit
      @MissionFreiheit Před rokem +1

      Interesting. What is the model on the Translators?

    • @colanitower
      @colanitower Před rokem +1

      @@MissionFreiheit Translator Impact 5 II (1987)

  • @Rustyybucket
    @Rustyybucket Před 3 měsíci +1

    the way you prised up those covers and left visible marks on both the cover and the cabinet hurts my soul.

  • @Pete.across.the.street
    @Pete.across.the.street Před rokem +1

    Those rings are part of the wave guide also.

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před rokem

      I'm going to say not so much since they don't sit flush to the driver, there's a gap, and the material would be a terrible choice to use. You don't typically see a wave guide on an speakers which waves aren't directional

    • @RobbyW_84
      @RobbyW_84 Před rokem +1

      I was at a show a few months ago and the kef representatives we're going over the specs and design of the speaker and actually said those rings work basically like a wave guide. Sound and speakers are directional. Subwoofers not so much because of the low frequency. That's why you'll see tons of speakers with waveguides or horns which are a form of wave guide. And 90% of them are made of plastic like those rings

  • @ENGBriseB
    @ENGBriseB Před rokem

    Thanks for sharing your content. How about the Wharfedale EVO 4.4 floorstanders which in the UK are around a £1200 a pair.

  • @davidminh4512
    @davidminh4512 Před rokem

    have you ever thought of ordering the mid range and tweeter assembly with the Meta and swap them into the R11? that would be a good video to showcase.

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před rokem

      Yes if that is at all possible but I'd also have to change the crossover

  • @kresimirsm
    @kresimirsm Před rokem +1

    I have kef q750 and uni-Q driver has lot's of excursion

  • @dougleydorite
    @dougleydorite Před rokem

    I think you’re a bit optimistic claiming you have the skill and knowledge to change that wire because if you really did… you’d know that splitting the wire (parallel) to each driver means you can reduce wire size

  • @crazycomments8038
    @crazycomments8038 Před rokem

    Thanks for sharing your knowledge! I honestly don’t know much about speakers especially when it comes to high end but I am looking at the r11’s meta and curious what is your thoughts? I will be using a Denon 4700h for them.
    Thanks for your time!!!

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před rokem

      Best thing in and around that price point

  • @bergkamp429
    @bergkamp429 Před 7 měsíci

    Just curious, the connecting cable inside the cable is just normal cable, and why we spend 1000 of dollars outside the speakers ?

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před 7 měsíci +1

      Because the distance is far longer. All the power has to make it the length of the wire with little resistance

  • @philipw7058
    @philipw7058 Před 19 dny +1

    Garbage in my engineering opinion I need more quality for my electronics,still using screws to hold drivers to the box is ridiculous look into monitor audio I have platinum 300ll they do it right top notch quality

  • @doc666ify
    @doc666ify Před rokem +1

    It looks well manufactured and should be for the price.

  • @AllboroLCD
    @AllboroLCD Před rokem

    Good stuff! Whats inside gear matters!

  • @sammy10001
    @sammy10001 Před rokem

    As consumers, I think it's fine to make observations about how a product may sound and the sonics of the speaker. That's all personal opinion and it's cool. A one year experienced audiophile may have something completely different to say than a 10 year experienced audiophile.
    But when making observations about the engineering of the speaker, and especially components, I think people have to really swallow their pride and just not make ignorant observations. We're not audio engineers, we haven't been MAKING speakers for 40 years.
    These guys know what they're doing, and it's better to trust the engineers rather than make low hanging fruit like comments about their choices in material and etc.
    Just my opinion of respect to any speaker manufacturer, especially KEF.

  • @shannonwilliams6623
    @shannonwilliams6623 Před rokem

    The uni q crossover is mounted behind the top woofer behind a baffle, the parts are crap, and it's a shame for the price they are, there are two cross overs one for the low frequency and one for the mid and high's.
    I built new crossovers for mine with better wire, problem was the new parts I used are to big and I had to build them external.

  • @DannerPlace
    @DannerPlace Před rokem

    Great video, well produced too. Thanks.

  • @devswarring383
    @devswarring383 Před rokem

    Awesome video with ample details

  • @blech71
    @blech71 Před rokem

    I’ve always found it ironic that we use upgraded power and signal path wiring with attention to good low resistance connectors and then the speaker manufacturers use mass bulk radio shack cheap wiring and same style connectors from Walmart/Autozone kits. Not saying that it matters but there is money left on the table for marketing and further profit…. Ince soeaker companies use higher end connection gear they will probably market that for further expense to the customer meaning more profit. I wonder what the delta in cost would be if say Kimber Cable licensed use of their cables in a set of speakers. I’m sure marketing would have a blast with that justifying even higher costs but how much? 😅

  • @hclandscapes
    @hclandscapes Před měsícem

    The speaker seems to wobble very easily when you tap the cabinet 🤔

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před měsícem

      @@hclandscapes they are standing on floor sliders

  • @ronbradshaw7404
    @ronbradshaw7404 Před rokem

    Nice mid/bass motor vent! but, stupidely blocked-off by the cab brace :( .........

  • @AnotherAnonymousMan
    @AnotherAnonymousMan Před rokem

    Kef are generally an excellent quality brand.
    Honestly, in Hi-Fi, a lot of the criticism thrown around is politically motivated and driven by a desire to defend and protect the perceived value of people's own purchases against competing products and brands.

  • @dicmccoy
    @dicmccoy Před rokem

    I was really disappointed when I opened up my Kef Q950's a couple years ago. Not much bracing and the crossover is brutal. At least your R-Series is much better internally than the Q-Series but my Martin Logan Motion 60 XTi's crossover looks much higher quality over the Kef R-Series.

  • @brianclass1988
    @brianclass1988 Před rokem

    @kpaceguy im not the biggest audiophile but i do understand the little nuances that premium speakers bring. I love the Kef sound.. the imaging that it displays im a huge fan of. From my 30's to 40's as my budget got better i went from Kef eggs, Q series, ls50 to the ls50 meta's and now deciding on the r series line... but if i really wanted..and not upgrading my current car for few more years.. i could get a pair of the reference 5. I was able to hear the r series (r11).. and im a huge fan of it. But never got to hear the reference.. my local carrier of kef does not have ref.. but can order it if i leave a down payment.. So long story short.. ( sorry ill get to the point)
    Does the sound difference of the r11 and the ref5 warrant the 15k difference. Mind you.. im doing ok.. but not rich enough where a big purchase like this wont put a dent in my account. But i would be ok with it.. if i thought i made a good decision. So what would you do? Thank you in advance

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před rokem

      I haven't heard them either. I don't think there's a 10k difference worth of sound BUT the reference series is 100% a better speaker. It does everything better than the R11s. But if you're not an audiophile I would stop at the R11s

    • @brianclass1988
      @brianclass1988 Před rokem

      ​@@Kpaceguy thank you so much for your response..in your best theory.. why is it better? why would it be better? the ref 5from the r11. Im super happy with the sound of the r11 i heard.. but i dont want that little whisper in my head saying. i could have done better.. like i do with my wife..(joke) i love you honey.. if your reading this..
      i dont know.. maybe in all honesty.. i just want someone to tell me.. get the r11.. you wont regret it. For nowhere in the internet does anyone make a comparison.

    • @brianclass1988
      @brianclass1988 Před rokem

      btw.. thank you for all the great content.. i saw all of them.. and learned alot.

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před rokem

      @Brian Kamaki the best comparison video you'll see is the kef R3 vs reference 1s. That's almost all you'll find

  • @SuperGeorge2112
    @SuperGeorge2112 Před 5 měsíci +1

    you just marked your speakers. use a spudger. its plastic it does not mark. never use a screwdriver jeezo.

  • @lionfromjam7282
    @lionfromjam7282 Před rokem +1

    Prying a speaker open, looking at the stuffing, weighing the magnet, and wire thickness, does not constitute a fully accurate jugement on it's build or sound quality..

  • @Andystuff800
    @Andystuff800 Před 10 měsíci

    The amount of electricity running through those wires is so ridiculously low the wires are way overkill.

  • @cruise2023
    @cruise2023 Před rokem

    Not to too critical as the R11's probably sound good ( never heard them ) What i saw in the vid doesn't exactly spell quality. That piece of mdf sticking from side to side as bracing is horrid. The wires are cheap. The mid/tweeter cavity could use better damping material eg: wool . Internal side of the cabinets could use damping material eg: felt The crossover parts what I could see are budget ( somewhat typical in speakers, regardless of price ) DIY loudspeaker crossover parts are way in another league. Binding posts appear of good quality ( but then it is seen by the buyer ) Unfortunately all this adds up and all speakers are made to a price point. At the end sounds good to you, it's all that maters.

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před rokem

      These speakers sound good to A LOT of people

  • @dtowntke
    @dtowntke Před rokem

    R11 for 3600 or Polk l600 with center for 3600 which is the better buy

  • @vicentvanmole
    @vicentvanmole Před rokem

    yes more inside look of other speaker s .thanks

  • @steveschwartz9771
    @steveschwartz9771 Před 11 měsíci

    Those "ring covers" primary function, in my opinion, is not to cover the screws. While they do accomplish that objective, and yes they are aesthetically pleasing as well, KEF goes to great lengths in their driver designs to minimize the edge diffraction where the soundwave, cone and surround interact with the cabinet baffle. Those rings insure an almost perfect transition from the driver to the listening area greatly reducing distortion and colorization that is present in many speaker designs. This eliminates or minimizes most all or irregular/sharp edge diffraction issues. As for the wire gauge, the fact that you use oversized wire to the speaker itself negates the need to use anything thicker in the verry short runs in the speaker cabinet itself. The only reason to run heavier gauge wire is to reduce resistance relative to the length of the wire, regardless of the quality. I design and assemble my crossovers using very expensive 18-22 gauge silver wire as it is top quality and there is no need to run thick wire internally at all. Kef designs and builds all their drivers from the ground up, their cabinets too. They do extensive modeling of all their designs from the inert isolation of all the drivers and the cabinet/driver interactions, etc. Excellent speaker/speaker designers.

  • @janonody5994
    @janonody5994 Před 3 měsíci

    I think thats kef speakers haf moost bigest tweeter smaal speakers or big tweeter is laways big ;) en also sound coming from the tweeter is very good

  • @Darkmatterme
    @Darkmatterme Před rokem

    What I am wondering/ question about is the cone material, looks like plastic.

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před rokem

      I'm not sure what it's made out of. Its on their website. Definitely not plastic

  • @mikedelara8226
    @mikedelara8226 Před rokem

    I didn't watch it yet, but I am now.

  • @rzegorzvvojda5890
    @rzegorzvvojda5890 Před rokem

    What's Inside the wharfedale elysian 4? can you check it? :) there is no information, no pictures, absolutely nothing... :( I have these speakers and I'm happy, but I'm interested in it

  • @linandy1
    @linandy1 Před rokem

    Maybe not a great design but definitely good quality components.

  • @webdimon
    @webdimon Před 5 měsíci

    What is the number of the low-frequency speakers?

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před 5 měsíci

      ??

    • @webdimon
      @webdimon Před 5 měsíci

      @@Kpaceguy What is the factory number of the speakers. Do I need to order a replacement from the R7 model or where can I find the speaker specification for this model?

  • @colourbasscolourbassweapon2135

    100% high End

  • @eddietours3728
    @eddietours3728 Před rokem

    Is quality and sound great

  • @whitecrowuk575
    @whitecrowuk575 Před rokem

    Bi amping on KEF R makes substantial difference - give it a go. Bi wording in my case did nothing. Btw do they produce any tactile response when watching movies?

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před rokem

      I don't bi-amp because they're already seeing 200-300 Watts from my power amplifier

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před rokem

      @DJ you guys keep mentioning bi-amping your receiver. It makes 100% sense to do that. But i don't have a receiver.

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před rokem

      @DJ so let's just say a receiver has 80 Watts of power on average. And you bi-amp to channels you aren't using so just to keep it simple let's say it doubled your power. You gained in sound quality because you now have enough juice to have the stereo image and separation your speakers need to do so. Sound quality didn't change from plugging your power amp to the RCA's because the DAC and processing and etc are all still the same. And quite possibly you gained more power in bi-amping than you did in your emotiva. MAYBE. But the point of bi-amping is to gain in power. One, my amp doesn't let you bi amp and two I wouldn't do it because there's no gain in upping the power. We're already at 300 Watts on a 15-300 Watt speaker. My upgrade in separation and spaciousness came from getting rid of a receiver and moving to a pre processor and getting the power to back It up. I chose to bi-wire because jumper cables add resistance to the amplifier and the more resistance, the less power drawn. I do agree with your comment about giving tweeter and mid bass drivers their own separate power. That's what bi-wiring does.

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před rokem

      @DJ no argument. Just audio talk

    • @pastaman6099
      @pastaman6099 Před 9 měsíci

      @DJ-ud3ruso it seems like the manufacturer purposefully changes the type of crossover and made the slope less steep on the bi-ampable model so that the processor HAS to do more work… lol

  • @michaelnyansafo7343
    @michaelnyansafo7343 Před rokem

    Have you hear the new r11 ….if yes do you like them….. is it worth to upgrade?

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před rokem

      I haven't yet. I've had one tell me it's not worth it and I've had one tell me it is worth it. So I'll have to try to hear for myself

    • @michaelnyansafo7343
      @michaelnyansafo7343 Před rokem

      @@Kpaceguy oh okay……hoping you will review it very soon😊

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před rokem

      @Michael Nyansafo me too. But kef is hard company to get in contact with.

  • @renechristiansen645
    @renechristiansen645 Před rokem

    I hope i am done with my home theater this year then i can send you some pictures and make a video on it

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před rokem

      Next subscriber showcase will be late fall

  • @raymondleggs5508
    @raymondleggs5508 Před rokem

    good quality sound emitting columns

  • @JukeboxAlley
    @JukeboxAlley Před rokem +1

    I think their nicely done and look great compared to other modern products I've saw. I can tell you I've had the kef ls50 and ls50 meta, and the q350 is a cheaper and overall better speaker than the meta or original model for less money, and a very very simple crossover compared to the ls50. So yeah, they made it happen on the q350, the bass is ridiculous on that size of a speaker, not bright, mids perfect.

  • @PatentRob
    @PatentRob Před rokem

    Great point about the difference between internal wire gauge and outside purchased wire gauge. Does it defeat the purpose of buying expensive wiring or bi-wiring/bi-amping when the internal wiring doesn't necessarily match in terms of gauge or quality for that matter?

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před rokem

      I mean buying good and thick wire insures that all the information makes it from the output device to the speaker itself. So it probably still is worth a certain degree of quality external wire

  • @Kowinaida
    @Kowinaida Před rokem

    Good video

  • @williamblackwell9558
    @williamblackwell9558 Před rokem +2

    KEF spent more money on the cabinet and finish than the crossover and drivers but still didn't spend over $700 to build the R11s.

  • @nathanvanstralendorff2405

    Crossover, wires and terminal are bad quality for this price of speakers. Question are these terminals magnetic? Looks like brass instead of copper or gold plated

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před rokem

      That are not magnetic

    • @nathanvanstralendorff2405
      @nathanvanstralendorff2405 Před rokem

      @@Kpaceguy most of time it's good. Could also by aluminum. Are you planning a filter upgrade? 🎉

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před rokem +1

      @Nathan van Stralendorff not planning to do anything to these speakers

  • @waynepollard6879
    @waynepollard6879 Před rokem

    Good job on this video ! I agree with you on gage wire , 12 should minimum ! Thanks for the look inside .

  • @issadad
    @issadad Před 11 měsíci

    What amp are you using?

  • @jedknutson8373
    @jedknutson8373 Před rokem

    full MSRP 6k retail back in the day not worth it....4800/pr i guess...

  • @michaeloconnor9465
    @michaeloconnor9465 Před rokem

    You could have shown the crossovers with an inspection camera that can get right into the speakers. How can you name the video 'what's inside the kef r11 quality or garbage' if you are not technically knowledgeable to know the difference. I always ask why kef hide pictures of their crossovers when other high end speaker companies are happy for you to see the crossovers in the advertising. What are kef trying to hide with their crossovers, cheapest and nastiness parts they can get away with while charging as much as they can for the product.

    • @Kpaceguy
      @Kpaceguy  Před rokem

      Buy me an inspection camera and I'll use it

    • @michaeloconnor9465
      @michaeloconnor9465 Před rokem

      @Kpaceguy They are cheap as chips. You are the one doing the content. You can use it for a hell of a lot more speaker videos. You can get one cheaper than I can being in the US when I am in the UK. I wasn't trying to dish your video, but you said your buddies told the parts used in the crossover are not the best, and that was the part of the video I was interested in, but it was a bit of a none event when it came to the crossovers. Sorry.