KEF Q150B Q150 Pregled

Netko je jednom rekao da prije nego što postignete inovaciju, prvo trebate predviđanje. Da biste proizveli izvrsne zvučnike, morate vjerovati da to možete učiniti bolje. Ali također trebate vjerovati da znate kako možete.

Najbolje zvučnike proizvode najbolje tvrtke. Znamo da je KEF proizvođač s velikom reputacijom. Ali odgovaraju li zvučnici KEF Q150B toj reputaciji? Jesu li ovi zvučnici oni koji se smatraju "vrhunskim"? Ili su samo još jedan set zvučnika s malo iznadprosječnim zvukom?

Upravo ćete saznati...

No, prije nego što zaronimo u recenziju KEF Q150B Q150, naučimo nešto više o KEF-u?

Tko je KEF?

KEF je bio zamisao britanskog inženjera Raymonda Cookea. Počelo je na komadu zemlje koji je posjedovao Robert Pearch u blizini Chathama u Kentu. Zajedno su osnovali tvrtku 1961. godine, nazvanu po Kent Engineering Foundry. Otuda KEF.

Iako je Pearch bio važan član tima, Cooke je bio genij. Njegove su ideje bile iza zvučnika i drugih sustava koje su dizajnirali.

Cooke je bio inženjer dizajna na BBC-ju. I shvatio je da se u produkciji zvuka može postići puno više. Nakon osnivanja tvrtke, velik dio njihovog ranog dizajnerskog rada bio je za BBC. I kvaliteta je bila dobra, vrlo dobra, a njihova reputacija, kao i proizvodi, proširila se na druga područja.

Stvaranje vođe...

Do 70-ih su stekli reputaciju proizvođača vrhunskih zvučnika i monitora. Godine 1979. Cookeu je druga kraljica Elizabeta dodijelila OBE, a njima je dodijeljena Kraljičina nagrada za industriju.

Recesija u Ujedinjenom Kraljevstvu u 90-ima teško ih je pogodila, kao i mnoge druge u drugim dijelovima svijeta. Izazvao je financijske poteškoće, a prvi su stradali vrhunski luksuzni predmeti. Napokon su prodani hongkonškoj tvrtki GP Acoustics.

Inovativni dizajn…

Sada su prepoznati kao predvodnici inovacija za zvučnike za sve discipline i primjene. Sami proizvode cijeli asortiman, kao i mini zvučnike za Appleov iPod.

Neki od sustava zvučnika sada se proizvode u inozemstvu u Kini. Vrhunski sustavi još uvijek se proizvode u njihovoj tvornici u Maidstoneu u Kentu. Raspon je opsežan, a serija 'Q' nalazi se u sredini.

Dakle, koliko su dobri?

Pregled

Postoji izraz. “Dobre stvari dolaze u malim paketima.” Ovaj KEF-ov set zvučnika za police mogao bi dobro dokazati to. Ovi su zvučnici daleko veći od svoje težine. A vjerujte nam, ovi, kao što ćemo vidjeti, prilično su teški.

Serija zvučnika Q150 jedan je od najnovijih primjera serije 'Q' iz KEF-a. Bilo je nekih poboljšanja. Ormar s puno stila i modernim 'chic' izgledom daje nam vizualna poboljšanja. Ali KEF ga nije ostavio tamo. Niz upravljačkih programa Uni-Q postao je još impresivniji, kao što ćemo saznati kasnije.

Mali moćnik...

Kao što ćemo vidjeti, ovaj novi pogonski niz podržan je novim dizajnom bas ulaza. To stvara visoku razlučivost i snažan zvuk. Ovaj snažan zvuk je posebno uočljiv u manjim sobama ili gdje je vaš prostor prilično ograničen.

Serija 'Q' malo je obnovljena, a Q150B je najmanji, a mogli bismo dodati i najisplativiji u nizu.

Oduvijek ste željeli posjedovati par izvrsnih zvučnika za police, ali su vam uvijek bili preskupi za vaš proračun? Razmisli ponovno. Možda su upravo stigli.

Dakle, pogledajmo pobliže...

Izrada

Sve u vezi dizajna i izrade je podcijenjeno. A conscious design to let the sound do the talking rather than flashy graphics or colors. Even the KEF logo on the front is the same black as the rest of the cabinet. You have to look twice to see it.

We mentioned earlier about them punching above their weight. Indeed, they are quite heavy, weighing more than twelve pounds each. They measure 12 by 7 by 11 inches making them almost as deep as they are high.

The feel when you pick them up is of a speaker that is well-made and very robust. The ample vinyl covering on the exterior adds to the design pluses. These speakers are manufactured in China.

Design with a difference…

KEF normally create a talking point with their designs, and here’s the first, these speakers do not come with speaker grilles.

We are not sure you actually need them as the totally black finish creates a great look. But for those who prefer them, they are available at a small extra cost.

They have a two-way bass-reflex design. And a few interesting design features are going to make a big difference to the performance.

Better sound quality…

First, the rear of the tweeter dampens down any overspill or leakage. This is to avoid any sound spillage and give greater accuracy.

Second, the bass port has been moved to the rear of the cabinet. And it has been mounted centrally in the cabinet, which is also an interesting, although not wholly original, idea. The design of the internal structure has also helped to reduce unwanted resonance from the inside of the cabinet.

The removal of any leakage of sound from the tweeter and these internal design changes ensures sonic clarity. Below the bass port are gold-plated binding posts.

Quality throughout the construction…

All good with the design then. Quality construction with good materials and a stunning look. But more important to most will be the sound and how they perform. How will they do? Čitajte dalje...

Zvuk

They certainly have enough power at 200 watts to make sure that the neighbors stay awake. But it is the quality of that sound that is the really important thing. So let’s take a look at the Uni-Q driver array.

This is a KEF innovation. They have designed it so that there is a one-inch, vented tweeter. Nothing surprising there. But this tweeter is at the center of the aluminum 5.25-inch mid-range driver.

So, what are the benefits?

First, it will smooth out any perceived rough edges to the higher frequencies. Working with the dampening effect on the tweeter design, it brings a cleaner top-end performance. The crossover between the tweeter and the driver is redesigned to operate at 2.5kHz.

This arrangement moves us closer to the optimum single point-source design for speaker arrays. This design gives a very detailed and accurate image to the sound. The sound is then dispersed on a much more even basis in the listening area.

The low frequencies, assisted by removing any tweeter overspill from inside the cabinet, are clear and accurate. Part of KEFs design architecture includes what they call CFD or Computational Fluid Dynamics .

What does that mean?

CFD is the study of airflow through and around objects. The application of these principles ensures that the flow of air through the cabinet delivers a better sound, rather than hindering it.

KEFs so-called ‘Tangerine ’ waveguide further enhances the centrally positioned driver and tweeter and rear-facing port. All adding to the wider dispersion of sound.

This is very noticeable with the bass frequencies. Considering their relatively small size, they certainly knock out an impressive and tight bass sound.

Balanced, bright, and clear…

The frequency range is 51Hz – 28kHz, giving a bright top end and a prominent mid-range with that extra warm bass. An altogether sonically attractive mix of the frequencies and with great detail in the sound.

Even across a range of different genres, the varying sonic colors of the music are drawn out. This is high-level audiophile performance where you can hear every detail.

Nit-picking?

Some critics have pointed to their perceived lack of presence in the higher mid-range frequencies. This might be true, and they produce graphs and mathematical models to back up their observations.

If you really train your ears, you can hear their point to an extent. And maybe the presence is slightly lacking. But for those who are going to buy these speakers, we doubt there will be too many performing such analysis.

The final question is, do they sound good? And the answer to that is they sound superb.

What do we think?

These are an exceptional pair of Bookshelf speakers. They have a strong design and a very visual attraction. They tick all the boxes as far as we are concerned with regards to the build and design.

The internal architecture of the cabinet is innovative and forward-looking. Important elements in the design of anything. This is a good example of a company thinking, ‘we can do it better.’

KEF Q150B Q150 Review Pros and Cons

Prednosti

• Higher frequencies are clear and sharp without ever becoming overwhelming.
• Bass is rich and warm and very present, again without swallowing the other frequencies.
• Mids are clear and not over-projected.
• The rear bass port and its design add the luxury of great depth to the sound.
• Impressive dispersion of sound courtesy of the centrally placed tweeter and driver.
• A wide soundstage with great width and dimension.

Protiv

• Some might prefer a higher level of presence in the upper mids.
• Does not include speaker screens.

Looking for more excellent speaker choices?

If so, then check out our in-depth reviews of the Best Sonos Speaker, the Best Computer Speakers Under $100, the Best Wireless TV Speakers, the Best Solar Powered Bluetooth Speakers, and the Best Tailgate Speakers currently on the market.

Or how about our comprehensive reviews of the Best Budget Studio Monitors Under $200, the Best Powered Speakers, the Best Bookshelf Speakers Under $500, the Loudest Portable Bluetooth Speakers, and the Best Floor Standing Speakers you can buy in 2022.

KEF Q150B Q150 Review Final Thoughts

It appears that good things can come in small packages. Do you remember that pair of speakers that produced stunning sounds that were always out of reach?

Ne više. At this price point, these speakers have broken through the price barrier.

So, let us introduce you to the KEF Q150B. The time is for high-quality audio at an affordable price is now.

Sretno slušanje!