Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
This is a posting to confirm that the KEF Reference 2 - two are still with me and, so far, no speaker that I have heard, either at dealer demos or at friends places, have made me want to change them!

They have 'mellowed' a lot and it took the best part of the first year of ownership to 'burn in' and sound their best.


In these 4 years of ownership, I auditioned speakers from B & W, Ruark, Sonus Faber, Naim, Totem, Audio Physics and Usher and none of them had me thinking that perhaps, I should be upgrading my speakers.

Electronics have also changed, they're at the end of Naim CD5i , Linn LP12, Meridian 501 preamp. Meridian 556 power amp and sometimes, a Densen DM 10 amp.

Still as relevant and sounding exciting in 2006.

Strengths:

Natural sound with acoustic Music, and voice both, male and female.

Warmth and non fatigue sound.

Imaging and soundstage second to none near this price.

Great for Classical, Choral and Opera as well as Jazz.

Enough low end to not need a subwoofer.

Weaknesses:
The one and only issue I have with them relates to the spikes used. They are OK but only just, Kef could do better with thicker ones.

Similar Products Used:
See my previous posting

Price Paid:  $0.00 from India

Summary:
I came across an advt so I bought the Kef Ref 3.2 a big leap for me from a proac tablette. My room size is 33'x15'. My speakers are about 5' ahead from the rear wall and 3'6' from the side wall. I have aSonyXA7ES cd player,a custom built pre amp, 2 custom built monoblocks 100w each, a seperate custom built power supply for the monoblocks. Cables are Van Den Hul revelation and van den hul 1st ultimate. With these cables the piano sounds better than many expensive speakers. The saxophone,violin simply great. The notes never get shrill. The only drawback a slighly laid back sound . vocals are also good. Like I read in 1 or 2 reviews the singer appears to be at a distance deeper than the rest of field. I would have prefered the bass like that on the proac response 3.8. It sometimes just does not feel right. Let me not disappoint any potential buyer there is hardly anything at the price of a3.2

Price Paid:  $3000.00

Summary:
I'm an advent KEF fan/owner. I truly love KEF speakers and have had the privilege to own many different models through out my life and induction into “high end” audio. I started with my Q55’s and went through the ranks until I finally had the money to purchase one of the reference line speakers. It was a choice between the Reference 3.2 and the 4.2. I went with the 3.2 model over the 4.2 model simply based on room size. I was impressed, on levels that I can’t articulate, with the 3.2 model and even more with the 4.2. But, my room size would have actually been a detriment to the 4’s and probably would have stifled them. The 3.2s are speakers, when partnered with the right equipment, can bring tears to your eyes. It can be the tool that is used to evoke the very emotions that the media you’re listening to is trying to bring out. On the flip side, it can reveal all the faults of a media as well. I put in an old CD of Ozzy’s first album and I ran out of the room for cover. I had to stop the CD with the remote from the hall way!! I know this is slightly dramatic, but that’s how horrible it sounded!!! This CD sounds better on my brothers’ boom box!! Yet, Korn’s issues CD sounded great! I enjoyed it as much as my Jazz/Classical CD’s that shine all so much. These speakers will reveal weaknesses through out your system so, be prepared to partner these with some worth components. When you do finally find the right combo, you will be in for enjoyment on a level you could never imagine!!

Strengths:
Exceptionally neutral
Best imaging this side of Electro Static
Widest sweet spot you’ll ever find
Not a slave to the room as far as imaging is concerned

Weaknesses:
Exceptionally revealing
Bass is very tight so it sounds thin
Like the 4.2s, they need a decent sized room to breathe!!

Similar Products Used:
Martin Logan SL3
Boston Acoustics
Thiel

Price Paid:  $3000.00

Summary:
Brilliant speakers for Classical Music, be it Symphonic, Chamber, Choral or Baroque.
Instruments sound convincing, especially strings, where the UniQ tweeter is at its best.
They need good amplification though, as their very revealing nature, will expose any component that is not up to the task.
They are very responsive to Valve amplification, with the extra warmth being projected in an extremely civilized way. I have tried both placements, with close to the rear wall giving a more 'warm' presentation at the expense of some depth, while when well into the room ( 2 mtrs from rear walls), the depth and presence is breathtaking. In this position, the music is also much more accurate.
Biwiring provides extra 'air' around instruments and voices, and good quality speaker cables deliver definite sonic benefits, and let these wonderful speakers show their capabilities.
One thing that you should be aware though, they are NOT forgiving of badly recorded material, but that's the price one pays for accurate reproduction of music.
Thouroughly recomended for serious music listeners, head bangers look elsewhere!
(Cerwin Vegas or Bose perhaps?).

Just for the record they are connected to the end of:
Linn Sondek LP12 / Meridian 500 CD transport/Meridian 606 DAC/ Audio Research LS2 pre/ Two valve monoblock amps.with 4x6550 output valves, at 100 W/ch.
Cables by Symo biwired, and MIT, Monster, Cardas and Audioquest interconnects.

Strengths:
Extremely accurate with 'real' instruments.
Great imaging, due to the UniQ tweeter, with life like soundstage.
Excellent build quality of both cabinets and driver units.
No gimmicks, what's on the recording you get, nothing more and nothing less.

Weaknesses:
Not cheap.
Can do with heavier duty spikes, given the weight for each speaker (35 kg).
Need above average quality amplifier to show their capabilities to the full.
Sonically no weakness at all.

Similar Products Used:
Infinity Kappa 8.1i
JBL L19
Rogers LS 7
..and a few others of lesser pedigree.

Price Paid:  $1850.00

Summary:
I have been interested in HiFi for many years, and buying these speakers (at a bargain ex-demo price)was the best purchase I ever made. The listening experience can only be described as 'real'. The balance is beautifully judged. The bass is there, but not overpowering, the mid range is clear and unforced. Speech is natural. High frequency sounds (cymbals, bells) sound real, rather than degenerating into a mush.

My R3s are positioned abount 14 feet apart, slightly toed in, and 15 inches from the rear walls (and well out from the room corners). They are bi-amped with Arcam Power Amps (FMJ P25 and Alpha 10). I use an Arcam 10 integrated as a preamplifier (when not in AV mode).

The overall sound is a knockout. CD replay is stunning, and as the main speakers in my AV setup, the R3s combine seamlessly with the Kef Reference 100C Centre Speaker.

Equally at home with classical music and rock, these speakers can handle everything from a whisper to a roar - huge headroom if you want it.

Probably now discontinued (I guess, due to the new range), snap 'em up second hand if you can.

Strengths:
Clarity, imaging/soundstage, beautifully balanced sound, excellent build and finish

Weaknesses:
Very deep bass (<30Hz), Need a big room (as do all large speakers)

Similar Products Used:
Too numerous to mention, including: Celestion Ditton 15s, Wharfedale Lintons, Kef Concertos, Hi-Fi News Transmission Line Monitors, IPL S3TLM (kit transmission lines - fabulous midrange), KLH317s