Beautiful finish, sweetness, control

None as yet

I'm a Kef fan, such 'natural' sound and a wide sounstage. Look gorgeous in cherry finish (had to pass 'the wife test'. Still running in, but sound detailed and full. Front ported bass is a godsend because they are near to rear walls. Could probably do with a 'warm' CD amp combo for best results. Quality finish at this price is 2nd to none>

Similar Products Used:

kef C75, AE Aegis 3

Treble; midrange; bass accuracy; quality of finish/looks; low frequency response; small for a floorstander; wife friendly(!); good with all types of music; thrive on expensive equipment.

not as powerful as some rivals; thrive on expensive equipment.

(price I quoted was £sterling,not $american)

the first thing that striked mewith these speakers was the clarity in the midrange and treble,even when they were brand new,without any run-in period. the bass frequencies are very accurate. by this i mean that u can actually hear the frequeny of the note, rather than it being an upper bass boom like with the mission products ilistened to. the clarity and resolution of the kefs was much better than the missions, which sounded dull in comparision.

these are very beautilful speakers, i would describe them as 'wife-friendly'. the naturalchery veneer is a belter and look much nicer than the missions.

the sensitivity specs are accurate. they reallydo sound quite loud. their tonal quality doesn't change at volume although they are not amazingly powerful.

the 50hr run in period really made a difference, and is worth leaving them on for a while before proper listening.

overall, incredible speakers for the money in terms of everything. the clarity cannot be beaten at the price.

PS i use,
sony str db 840 av reciever with cyrus XPA power amps
sony mds fe 520 md deck
sony cdp xe 320 cd player
toshiba sd 100e dvd player
tannoy precision centre speaker
mission 702e rear speakers
paradigm pdr8 sub
qed qunex 2 interconnect
ixos 105 digital coaxial
van der hul cs122 speaker cable for the lows
orthofon spk200 for the highs

i listen to any music ever made

Similar Products Used:

mission 773e; mission 702e

Clarity, Strong Bass, Clean & Simple Design.

None yet!

The first thing to say is that these speakers need a long run-in, about 100 hours. Once there, they really open up.
Wonderfull bass and sweet midrange.... Listening to the beauty of Jeff Buckley's rendition of Halleluia through these nearly brought a tear to my eye!

They are driven by a Marantz SR5200 & a Marantz DV4200. I'm Using QED Silver Anniversary Speaker Cable, IXOS Optical interconnect & Profigold phono leads.

The store where I bought them was having a relocation sale so I paid £300 IEP, they retail at £500 IEP.

These speakers are probably the best you can buy under £500 and are simply stunning, 5 stars all around.

Similar Products Used:

Jamo e850, Tannoy Revolution R2.

Midrange, phenomenal imaging

Not as much bass as some may like

The first to review! Well, after spinning about 100 discs with which I was most familiar, I guess I am qualified.

These are great boxes. They throw an image much wider than the separation of the speakers may be. Vocals -- simply appear as though they are in your room. Acoustic music excels with these. They transmit most faithfully the recorded sound. That's what HIFI is all about -- high fidelity -- great truthfulness.

I really cannot recommend these much higher. You'd probably have to spend a ton more to get more accurate sound. Dance enthusiasts will probably require a subwoofer. For my tastes, it's all I need.

1 -- NAD C340
2 -- Yamaha CDC-765 changer
3 -- Bi-amped using Monster cable for the bass, lamp cord for the highs (I know, I know -- the upgrade is coming)
4 -- Cableplex (homemade) interconnects -- got 'em off Ebay -- great deal for fabulous wire.

Five stars at both levels for value and overall -- four stars are too few for these speakers. I paid $470 delivered. The Q35.2's simply disappear when they're playing. I like that.

Similar Products Used:

KEF K160's

detail, imaging, finish

could go louder, maybe?

Tested these out in the shop along with the Keosa and M74s. While these other two models were full of punch and excitement, the KEFs won the day. For any legnth of listening, you can't beat the Q35.2 - They're very controlled, have plenty of depth (frequency range, stereo imaging) and look the business. For £250 I think you'd be hard pushed to find a better speaker.

Similar Products Used:

linn keosa, mission m74

Tranparent, good midrange and high frequency

None

It really sing with my YBA Integre Amp and Sony SCD-XB770.
Listening to the SACD reminded me of all the records which
I used to spin them on the Micro-Seiki turntable.

Similar Products Used:

B+W, Acoustic Energy and Castle

Crystal clear with total clarity. Musicality. Transparency. Soundstage

Longish burn in but musically superb.

Used with Arcam 8R amp, and NAD CD540}, Qnex interconnect, Cabletalk 3.1 biwire speaker lead. Atacama Nexus speakerstands.

I own a pair of Kef Cresta 2's which I was very happy with. They are a great speaker getting their brownie points through excitement and involvement. Occasionaly the Cresta's can lose a little control. U2,s, The very best of 1980-1990 album, which is highly compressed, becomes chaotic on some tracks. For a medium size standmount the Cresta 2's have a full but well defined midbass bordering on the thumpy and projected slightly too far forwards in the soundstage. Nevertheless they are a 5* speaker.

So I was with a friend who went to audition the Q35.2's against the lauded Wharfedale Diamond 8.3's. Well the Kef's blew my mind. My friend took the Wharfedales home, didn't like them at all. And got the Kef's. I was so impressed by the Q35.2's I thought this is upgrade time.
The unidriver is at the root of the 35's capabilities. With the treble melting from the centre of bass and midrange. The sounstage opens up in the most amazing way, sometimes instruments thrown way to the side of the speakers. At times there is a melting of the treble lines giving an amazing musicality. The clarity and transparency seem to make the speakers disappear...as others have pointed out.
Bass takes time to open up, but it's beauty is that it is does not overwhelm at the forefront of the soundstage, so giving room to take everything in. Yet the bass is there. Nitin Sawhney's Beyond Skin album will test any systems bass. Track 2, Letting Go, and Track 9, Anthem Without a Nation, are one of the great tests for low bass and control. Here the the bass was fully in control and deep but not overbearing. Unlike the Cresta's they will enhance any type of music. The wharfedale 8.3's cannot even approach the Kef 35's involvement and clarity. Positionaly the 35's are interesting... because of the Unidriver you can be almost in any position in a room to pick up the soundstage. Only on albums like John and Bert(Jansch), an amazing acoustic guitar duet from the 60's, the Cresta 2's are slightly less full, strangely giving a lighter but more involving presentation.
If you can pick up a pair of the 35.2's for £199 like I did you will be a shiny happy person, no doubt. The Crestas are good too, though.

Similar Products Used:

Kef Cresta 2(owned), Tannoy Mercury's (owned), Eltax Monitor 3 (owned),Wharfdale 8.3 (auditioned), Kef Q15 (auditioned), Mission 773e (auditioned)

Bass power for the size; Midrange; Finish; Look; Compact; Stereo imaging

Not as powerful as I expected

Although I have only had these a few days and they are not run in yet I was eager to review them. Their strebghs seem to be on music with not too big a beat, an example could be music by Sting. I also listen to Dance and Rap though, and they can only take about as much power as my old missions or maybe less. In home cinema they are incredibly clear and I have noticed a power improvement in the few days i have had them. I expect they'll get better with time and their talent at the moment is with acoustic music.

The price i have quoted is in british pounds but i don't know what that is in dollars.

My equipment is
Sony STR-DB840 dolby digital/DTS reciever
Sony minidisc and CD player

I will re review them soon when they're run in properly

Similar Products Used:

Mission 702e

COMPACT, NEAT SIZE. BUILD AESTHETICS. CLARITY, SOUNDSTAGE AND DYNAMICS.

NOT A BASS FREAKS FRIEND.

THIS SPEAKER DESERVES ALL THE MEDIA'S PRAISE. THERE REALLY IS NOTHING LIKE THE KEF SOUND, CLEAR, PRECISE AND VERY INVOLVING, THE UNIQ DRIVER DESERVES ALL THE CREDIT. THESE Q35.2 ARE A VERY BIG INPROVEMENT OVER THE OLD NONE POINT TWO MODEL. IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE MORE POWER HANDLING, AND A MUCH BETTER BASS RESPONSE. I THINK THE MOST INTERESTING COMPLIMENT MOST PEOPLE GIVE OF THE SPEAKER IS THE COOL LOOKING DRIVERS. YOU REALLY DO OWE IT TO YOURSELVES TO LISTEN TO THESE SPEAKERS. I PURCHASED THE WHOLE SURROUND SET-UP OF Q95.2 CENTER AND Q15.2 REARS. BECAUSE THEY -ALL- CONTAIN THE SAME WOOFER TWEETER COMBINATION THERE IS A VERY SEAMLESS TIMBRE MATCH THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE SURROUND ARRAY.THE ULTIMATE PRAISE I CAN GIVE THESE SPEAKERS IS THE FACT THAT I HAVE PLAYED AND CONTINUE TO PLAY CD'S THAT WHERE SITTING IN MY DRAWER FOR YEARS !!

JUST HERE THEM TO BELIEVE THEM.

Similar Products Used:

ACOUSTIC ENERGY, PARADIGM, PSB, MONITOR AUDIO