KEF Ref 100c Center Channels

KEF Ref 100c Center Channels 

DESCRIPTION

Reference 100 centre channel

USER REVIEWS

Showing 1-10 of 15  
[Nov 08, 2006]
bjm
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Clean, dynamic, doesn't draw attention to itself either visually of sonically.

Weakness:

None to note.

This is a wonderful center channel speaker, offering a clean and very dynamic presentation with fairly good scale. I used it for a couple of years with a Yamaha AV receiver before installing an all Linn AV system and it took a very expensive top-of-the-line Linn AV 5120 to surpass the smaller KEF. I have since given this to my best friend and he still uses it everyday in his livingroom system.

This is a great performer and and excellent bargain, highly recommended!

Customer Service

Never needed.

Similar Products Used:

Linn AV 5120

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Aug 11, 2006]
johans.m
AudioPhile

Strength:

Highs
Looks
Size/performance
Price

Weakness:

Terminals are a bit too small for large speaker-cables

This terrific speaker delivers a sound beyond belief when considering the modest pricetag and quite discrete size. It packs a decent (but far from overwhelming) bottom in a small room and delivers pin-point accurate treble. Perhaps even a bit too defined in the higher frequencies for some, but that's actually what is so enjoyable about this center speaker. Since 70-80 % of a movie is in the center (dialogue, music, amibient noise, effects...) it needs to be well defined. That not having to be in the bottom.

Tried several other center speakers the past month's. None of them, not even a Jamo Concert Center (850$ from new) could reach this sweetheart.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Mar 15, 2003]
emberstar
AudioPhile

Strength:

Everything.

Weakness:

Absolutely none.

This is no doubt the best Center Channel Speaker I have ever own or used. I have owned Polk, JBL, NHT and HK Center Channels Speakers and I liked the Polk Center Channel but I quickly took back the JBL, NHT and HK. Way to bright and off axis was very poor. KEF has done a very outstanding job. Very clear, clean and balanced sound with outstanding dispersion. This KEF is a very superbly designed speaker. I am still very impressed with it and it's been quite a few years now that I have been using it. I am using 2 polk RT7's, Polk surrounds and two Definitive 15" SubWoofers with this KEF Center Channel and it's blending in superbly with my Polks.

Similar Products Used:

NHT, HK, JBL and Polk.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Nov 05, 2002]
Daninthemix
AudioPhile

Strength:

Detailed, lucid quality to both dialogue and music.

Weakness:

Surprisingly, you need to throw a lot of high quality amplification at it in order to get good results.

I'm using the 101C with Reference Model One mains, and the front soundstage is fantastic as a result. I will say this though - pay very careful attention to positioning. I had the 101C on top of my TV and the result was some extremely opressive, boomy resonances. These are most apparent with lower female voices, and to a degree this is a charactereistic of this speaker, but it can be minimised by careful placement. I now have mine on two towers of pavement slabs, taped together with elephant tape. It might sound crazy but this provides a very sturdy left and right support whilst also giving the speaker some room to breathe. The speaker sits in line with the bass ports of the Model Ones, and at the height I achieve a good synergy with those speakers. Voices are very well projected, and indeed - multi-channel music plays well too. This is the first musical centre speaker I've ever heard, and perhaps the first ever made. The design is so good Kef still make it even 8 years later. When it comes time to replace it there will be only one choice - the new Kef 202C.

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
[Oct 27, 2002]
riteshkaushik
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

- Looks - Sound is awesome

Weakness:

- none

I am using it with KEF Q1 mains, and Marantz 7200 amp and Marantz 4200 DVD player. The center speaker is awesome, the sound is crystal clear with no distortiona whatsoever...

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Sep 09, 2002]
Dave Wong
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

ultra clear voices, incredible imaging.

Weakness:

none

The most awesome center channel available. next to the 200C

Similar Products Used:

Kef 90C Kef 200C

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Mar 17, 2002]
s_gilchrist
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

"best-in-class" off-axis response; natural, natural, natural dialogue.

Weakness:

None, for my setup it''s perfect.

Kills the NHT center it replaced in all respects. Sure, a new NHT setup across the front channels could give it stiff competition in the realism dept., but off-axis response title clearly goes to KEF. This is important if more than one person is watching the movie, and not everyone can cram into the "sweet spot." I couldn''t be happier with the beautiful sounds coming out of this speaker. It has opened up my modest home theater (Marantz AC-3 receiver, KEF Q series front end and surrounds, M&K MX-125) and made it sound new. Been waiting for a buying opportunity for a KEF center to match the rest of the system, but skeptical about how much impact the investment would make. What a bonehead I was. Now I know what the wiseacres mean when they say the center channel is the most important. Don''t skimp on your center channel. Even if you''re running other brands of speakers as mains, the KEF will let you enjoy voices from your screen much more from different seats in the room than anything else out there. Buy one and see what I mean.

Similar Products Used:

NHT model 1C

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Sep 13, 2000]
Blair G.
Audiophile

Strength:

Natural sounding voices, build quality, bi-wireable

Weakness:

Lack of deep bass, price

Despite being tempted by the deeper bass with the Paradigms, I found there top end slightly edgy. This KEF is the ost natural for vocals, one of only two speakers (the other being the big Paradigm) that almost 'disappear'. I'll let my full size mains handle the bottom end.
Very expensive, wouldn't have bought it if I didn't get an amazing deal. Goes well with my old KEF 104.2's.
Not perfect but I came to realize nothing is and compromises would have to be made somewhere.
Happy so far.

Similar Products Used:

Paradigm Studio CC, CC450 & CC350, KEF Coda C & Q95.2C, PSB Image 8c

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
3
[Jan 26, 2001]
Brian L
Audiophile

Strength:

Tonal accuracy, imaging and soundstage.

Weakness:

none

This is the best sounding center channel speaker that I have ever heard. It effortlessly reproduces on-screen action and dialogue to a tee. There is not much to say other than this is probably THE most accurate center channel speaker out there. If there was a scene in a movie where there was someone speaking in a small room, the KEF made you think that you were in that room! You won't get amazing bass out of this speaker, but that is what the subwoofer is for. This is simply a must have in home theatre! The size of the speaker is also just right. I have seen other center channels out there (for instance, PSB), that are so huge, that they will make a 27" TV look like a stamp! There simply is no need for a physically large center channel.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Nov 27, 2001]
Prateek
Audiophile

Strength:

Amazing dialogue

Weakness:

none

I have owned this for 9 years now and am still amazed. Seamless integration with Kef Reference 2s.

Similar Products Used:

Polk, Boston Acoustics, Klipsch, Paradigm.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
Showing 1-10 of 15  

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