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Damn you Ray Samuels, It's gonna cost me a fortune!-upgradeitus content-Kef iQ5 c

post #1 of 12
1/5/07 at 3:33pm
Thread Starter 
Well....... after listening to my tomahawk for the best part of a week and exploring my fav artists and many new downloaded ones i have to say that this little marvel of an amp is gonna cost me a small fortune in upgrading my home system to match the clarity of the ety/tomahawk combination.

The majority of my listening is through my home hi-fi system due to my house being a somewhat "prefered venue" for my friends to meet up during the week/weekends as i have the only table big enough to host our weekly "texas-hold-em" poker nights and as i have the best musical collection (of-course) and system to play music through then i tend to find myself inviting everyone "back to mine" yet again after the pub.

Anyway.........my current hi-fi system no longer excites me, my speakers (Tannoy 607) sound sloppy and tired in response and impact - not crisp and defined as in the ety/tomahawk combination.
My CD Player is a Technics SL-PS670A and has given me years of pleasure without a complaint as has my Technics SU-VX600 amp, despite the set-up being 12yrs old i have been happy with it until now, not any more...........I am away tomorrow to audition the Kef iQ5 Floorstanders partnered with the Arcam Solo, a fine £1500 worth of upgradeitus, i'm not taking my wallet with me though as i'll just end up handing over the c-card and selling another kidney on ebay when i get home.

I may come home with the Kef's though to audition, just upgrade one thing at a time, right?
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post #2 of 12
1/5/07 at 3:40pm
Same thing happened to me. I was perfectly happy with my Micro Stack hooked up to my X-Fi, but then of course I wanted a portable rig. I went all-out because I wanted to get "the perfect" portable rig for my needs, and now my Hornet/iMod combo sounds better than my home rig. Time to upgrade!

Well, after I get my recabled HD25-1s. Can't be on-the-go with my K701s, now can I?
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post #3 of 12
1/5/07 at 4:00pm
I'd like to extend this to Ken as well... damn you all.. My wallet will be perpetually empty and my wife will continuously beat the snot outta me because of this addiction!
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post #4 of 12
1/5/07 at 4:01pm
Doh! Damn Ray!

Maybe you can get him to subsidize your upgrade purchases?

Since you'll be buying stuff for the big rig... his B-52 would make an EXCELLENT preamp!
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post #5 of 12
1/5/07 at 7:18pm
i auditioned the KEF iQ line recently and wasn't terribly impressed. maybe they're just not my style, but i found the mids a bit smeared.

if you're not married to the coaxial driver design (being a Tannoy owner), and since you're already on the Island, try out the Rega R3 or R5 (i just brought home a pair of the latter, myself). they're spectacular, if i do say so.
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post #6 of 12
1/5/07 at 7:30pm
The etys is an extra-detailed IEM, but the Tannoys are not bad at all, are you sure you are powering them properly, usually Tannoy are not very efficient speakers, and you need a good amp to power them, givne them a second chance with a different amp to see....
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post #7 of 12
1/6/07 at 12:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sovkiller View Post
The etys is an extra-detailed IEM, but the Tannoys are not bad at all, are you sure you are powering them properly, usually Tannoy are not very efficient speakers, and you need a good amp to power them, givne them a second chance with a different amp to see....
2x Tannoy are not bad. your back-end needs alot more work for example your 10 yr old CDP is probably worse than the Sony CE595 that sells for $90. Oh sorry didn't realize your Tannoy is the non-concentric design ones. yeah get rid of those and go for the concentric tannoys (Westminster comes to mind )
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post #8 of 12
1/6/07 at 1:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by chesebert View Post
2x Tannoy are not bad. your back-end needs alot more work for example your 10 yr old CDP is probably worse than the Sony CE595 that sells for $90. Oh sorry didn't realize your Tannoy is the non-concentric design ones. yeah get rid of those and go for the concentric tannoys (Westminster comes to mind )
Even the non concentric are very good. The Reveals are non concentric and sound very good....porperly amp, they will blow away many heapdhones easily...
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post #9 of 12
1/6/07 at 1:05am
Thread Starter 
VicAjax : I've read that critic from a few reviews of the iQ7 but i've only managed to find praise from all sides for the iQ5, which i think (hope) will be perfect for my 6x4 room, although after having a read through a "google" of the R5's spec i could be persuaded to consider them, i'll have to source a dealer who'll let me audition them at home though. All i have in my living room is a fireplace central to the back wall with my current tannoy's either side of it and my listening sofa placed against the opposite wall with the hi-fi system placed within hands reach of my listening position.

I actually started to think about a new system last year after hearing a mates Creek CD/Amp setup with Acoustic Energy AE-1's, mine sounded flat and lacking any excitement in comparison, which to be fair is understandable considering the abuse they have put up with, many a time cranked all the way up past sensible levels.

Currently listening to Martha Wainwright through my rig in the sig below, she sounds amazing, this is the sort of detail and clarity i'm now looking for in a hi-fi system, not the Boom-Boom type of system i bought 14 odd years ago, beginning to realise it may end up costing more than expected.
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post #10 of 12
1/6/07 at 1:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sovkiller View Post
Even the non concentric are very good. The Reveals are non concentric and sound very good....porperly amp, they will blow away many heapdhones easily...
Having a non concentric Tannoy is like driving a BMW with automatic trany
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post #11 of 12
1/6/07 at 11:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by musicmonkey View Post
VicAjax : I've read that critic from a few reviews of the iQ7 but i've only managed to find praise from all sides for the iQ5, which i think (hope) will be perfect for my 6x4 room, although after having a read through a "google" of the R5's spec i could be persuaded to consider them, i'll have to source a dealer who'll let me audition them at home though. All i have in my living room is a fireplace central to the back wall with my current tannoy's either side of it and my listening sofa placed against the opposite wall with the hi-fi system placed within hands reach of my listening position.
when you say 6x4, you mean meters, right? feet'd be awful small, like a prison cell!

i give my recommendation as a completely satisfied, 3-year ER4 owner. i'm a sucker for detail and sparkle, and after 3 years, i still have no desire or need to upgrade my etys.

having said that the R5 are not quite as detailed as, but smoother than, the etys. they also have the one thing that i find lacking in the etys: groove. the timing is spot on, and they really get to the heart of the music. bass is tight and musical, no bloat. and they like to be placed near the wall, so they're simpatico with my small living room.

there are quite a few KEF fans out there, so i certainly don't begrudge them. they just didn't have enough in common with my etys to satisfy me.
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post #12 of 12
1/12/07 at 10:32am
Just wondering where you're auditioning? I'm having trouble finding a mid-high end hifi dealer in Edinburgh... Are you by any chance going to Audio Salon in Glasgow?
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