Natural sound. Good mid range. Good looks.

No bottom end bass. Even NAD C352 couldn't get the bass out of these speakers.

After I auditioned it in a demo room, I was tremedously impressed with this speaker. I tried only "Eagles - Hell Freezes over". It was like hearing an archestra live. However when I took one to home and tried various recording I got mixed results. Deep bass is one thing missing in these speakers inspite of having additional bass driver(6.5" ofcource) and being a tower. NAD C352's bass capability is not realised with these speakers. Feel like I need a subwoofer. Thin recordings sound really thin (this may not be a deficiency if a true speaker is supposed to reproduce it faithfully). Vocals are clear and strings are pleasing to hear. Overall a nice, natural sounding speaker. Looks good (dark apple) in my living room. Using with NAD C352 and Denon DVD 1910.

*The best upper end (treble/midrage) blend of musicality that you are likely to hear even for twice the price. *Not extremelly demanding positioning required *Extremely enjoyable and entertaining *Very forgiving.They cover limitations of cheap partering electronics,but become restained and flat when partenered with those *Beautiful looks(you don't want ugly boxes in your living room-dark apple finish recommended-classy!) *Bargain!!!!!!!!!!

*Do not use with electronics(amp/cd/tuner) at less than $1000 each.Buy mission instead... *Demand neutral amplification and cables.The more you invest in cables the more they deliver. *Not the accuracy and the bass definition of a ProAc,ATC or similar $3000+ speakers *Could do with pretier speaker spikes(like the Q4) *A bit lightweight(14kg each) *Could be 5-6 cm taller *When partenered with expensive partners seem that they lack the supertweeter or the Reference range but for the price you're asking a lot...

In absolute terms this is a far from perfect speaker.It doesn't have the surgical accuracy and imaging of others and the bass is not very 'punchy'.It also feels lightweight and finishing details(cheap speaker spikes) are not adequate.So why I chose this speakers for the main ones in my hi-fi set-up.Simply because these are to me the hi-fi bargain of the decade.After auditioning several others for much more money,I had no trouble in my final desicion.The midrage is one of the best ones I heard at any price.The new uni-q driver works wonders.With well recorded pieces you have the impression that the sounds come from all over and even from behind you,because of the wide dispersion of the treble (sacrifices accuracy over musicality but I bought them to listem music not to do hi-end exercises i.e not for the geek who spins test records all the time).Listen radio programmes with these speakers.A fantastic experience!You feel you are inside the studio!The uni-q driver and the bass driver blend seamlessly and the impression is that you are listening to standmound speakers from that point of view.The bass drivers are made from paper and thus demonstate a 'relaxed' character which helps the intergration. These speakers however are difficult to be appreciated by anyone.First from my experience of using them they demand biwiring and neutral speaker cables and amplification.Otherwise forget it! Althought entertaining when auditioned with a $400 intergrated maplifier and $3 per meter speaker cables they can sound bright and 'tiring' and imaging suffers.I use the Audio Magic Sorcerer biwire speaker cable at $2200 (seems like an overkill) but one week ago when I auditioned a pair of Lumley Lambros speakers($8,000+) driven by a moster Jadis amplifier a smile came to my face.My set up had nothing to be jealous of apart from a weaker bass definition.They are tricky speakers with high demand but they can really deliver music.Could they be better.Yes,and for that try the Kef reference range if you have the money.Personally I refuse to pay an extra $3000 for just a supertweeter and better constuction... As a bonus they look beutiful.If they were only a little taller...

Similar Products Used:

Mission 701 Monitor audio S6(awaaaaaaay!!!) (they were a present...)

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I have just bought the q 5´s and am impressed by the powerful bass and the diversity of the highs and mids. The music is very transparent, you can "touch" the instruments and the voice. They sound clear and warm at the same time. Last but not least they´re so beautiful...

Amazing sound definition & imaging, tight bass, styling

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I just bougth this pair of speakers with a Marantz AV 7300 receiver bi-wired them with extra huge monster cables and WOW! this setup sounds amazing. From trip-hop bands like Massive Attack and Portishead to new-jazz like Amon Tobin, Herbalizer and Cinematic Orchestra, to rock like Tool & The Red Hot Chili Peppers everything sounds amazing. You're able to get amazing bass without ever reducing the clarity and definition of highs and mids even at low volume. This speakers gives you the real music experience. After many listening sessions, these speakers are definitely a notch above anything else in that price range. They also look very good.(They look more expensive than their price tag)

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Mission 704(3 way) & m74(2 way), Boston Acoustic, PSB

clarity, soundstaging, imaging, uni-q design,

none for its price range

The q5 is a modern classic. In fact just like the past q series (1996-2002) this series and the q5 will be valued even after its retired. the q5 features excellent imaging, tight bass , 39-22khz frequency range. soundstaging and clarity are so good people will think the speaker cost 1200 a piece. I believe its the best in its PRICE range and I listened to many brands before I bought it.

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q9c center, q1s rear surrounds, klipsch sc-1 rear center, (to be replaced with a q9c eventually), earthquake m4 dual 10 inch sub.

- Their sound is spacious and with detail. - they look far more expensive than they are - Good building quality

Front cover sheet is sensitive, be carefull with playing kids... *s* No other disturbing matters whatsoever

After a Loooong listening session with several other speakers I first didn't noticed these speakers, but after a while I saw myself pushing the button to activate the KEF's Q5 repeatingly and I knew these where the one's for me. A week later I received them at home and was shocked about the strong low frequency that the Kef's Q5's produced. I took the plastic sound absorbers and put them into the bassreflex openings. the lower frewquency's where better controlled and they sounded much better. I put them a foot away from the wall and three feet from the nearest corner of the living room. These speakers are more than great, they sounded even better than some speakers twice their price and I won't mention their names that would be embarassing. Wether you will use them as Surround or as Stereo it doesnt matter they do a outstanding job. I highly recommend them to any serious listener with a moderate and not to large living room !!

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Translator Impact two with Vifa speakers. They sounded also real good, a clean tight bass but not so much detail as the Kef's Q5, but hey.. these speakers served my ears for almost twenty years witho

Beautiful maple finished speaker cabinets. Silver speaker bezzel, and overall design.

Cabinet vibration at high volumes

I have a pair of these KEF Q-5 for the fronts of my home theater system with Q-3s for the surround and Q-9c center. I have a Def Tech Supercube rounding off the low end. Driving the speakers is a HK 320 receiver. The soundstage is not as opened as my Martin Logans, but I am very impressed with the system's sweetspot. When i listen to the speakers in stereo, there is a sonic improvement over 5 channel stereo. Overall I am very pleased with the sound quality of the Q series speakers.

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Def Tech BP 10b Velodyne DF661 Martin Logan Aerius i

Gorgeous cabinets. Off axis response. Detail is perfect... not so peircing that you fatigue listening after two songs....

cabinets are not heavy enough.

Great speakers. Off axis response is incredible. The cabinets are light, but the bass remains tight and deep. They are gorgeous, and sound as good as they look. A screaming deal for the money.

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JBL g500's.