PLEASE READ *before commenting*! 1) All comments here are moderated by a third party 2) Polite comments that advance the conversation are most welcome 3) No URLs, racist/sexist remarks or conspiracy theories, please
This is my current system (with the Powernode). Yes, there are “better” speakers and amplifiers, but this got me off my laptop, into my living room, and listening to and enjoying music more than I have in 20 years. A huge return on an affordable (and visually appealing) investment. Your channel played a part, so thanks for encouraging others to do the same.
Almost same here! I have a POWERNODE and recently added a KC62 (thanks in no small part to John’s previous videos). Honestly I couldn’t ask for much more in terms of functionality, aesthetics, and sound.
Hi John, I’m a retired tech engineer. In 1987 I bought a Quad system and KEF 104. It’s more than 15 years since I gave the KEFs to my son. I have watched your videos for some time. Based on thees videos I have bought a Wiim Amp and KEF Q150. Can’t wait to hear what difference that will do compared with my B&W Panorama 3 soundbar. Thanks for bringing back my interest for music and gear. JS Norway.
I Had the Q150s. I love the relax sound. Never fatiguing, made ANY recording sound good. I am happy to sacrifice a bit of detail to be able to have longer listening sessions. They still have plenty of detail and the soundstage was amazing. Close your eyes and you could see the music.I paired them with an old but very good Yamaha AV amp and an old but very big Yamaha Sub. Sounded amazing. You do need a sub with Q150s :)
Don’t forget, when you add a sub with the Bluesound, you can remove the task of producing bass from the stand mounts and adjuster the crossover with the Bluesound.
I recently bought a used pair of Q150 for £200, a used Yamaha R-N803D for £300, a used BK XXLS400 sub for £250, and some used Atacama stands for £10. With some new cable and plugs, the whole lot was under £800 and sounds incredible.
This is definitely the way to go Tim I did similar with Quad 306, Q Concept 20's with stands and an Aune DAC/preamp Streaming Tidal and it sounds awesome!
Your point on soundbars I had a pretty good Yamaha soundbar for TV/movies and a two channel system consisting of Cambridge Audio's Minx XI streaming amp, with the KEF Q300 speakers. Sadly, the soundbar was stolen last year and for months I couldn't decide on a replacement. Until one Saturday afternoon I rearranged my lounge room and connected the tv's optical to the amp. It's been a revelation. The soundstage, the clarity (rain actually sounds like rain and weather instead of white noise), the dynamics, etc. TV and movies sound so much better through the amp and speaker combo. I'm never going back to a soundbar...not anytime soon.
I love that you drop in your music preferences in your reviews. As a Texan/Hifi hobbyist, it's usually someone I've never heard of, and I'll go check them out. Thank you for these videos!
Hi John, I really like your videos and attitude towards hi-fi! Recently I have built my first hi-fi system with kef's ls50 meta, kc62 subwoofer and bluesound powernode. And talking about deals, my ls50 meta + kc62 costed together 1860€ + 900€ for powernode which combined got me absolutly amazing sound! And all thanks to you (before watching your videos I would probably go for a soundbar).
Partially retired techno clubber here I also had a budget of around £1500 for my first proper hifi set up. I went for Powernode Edge, Acoustic Energy AE100 speakers and a REL Subwoofer. I just stuck on the 'No Photos on the dancefloor' compilation, cranked to 75% and closed my eyes, almost felt like i was in Berghain! Thanks for the tip!
Great video and props for mentioning SVS! I only wished the old hi-fi "diminishing returns" logic didn't extend to speaker stands, their prices remain obscene for what we get. It's about time we get budget-conscious, audiophile-grade pretty furniture (did you read me, IKEA, JOHN LEWIS, HABITAT, WAYFAR )
I used a pair of Kef Q100s with my TV for a few years but I really missed having a centre channel for dialog. (My use case was mostly tv.) Now I have them in my office for music. My standing desk is more of a dancing desk now.
Like some other commenters on here, I've had this setup but with the Powernode 2i, minus the stands for a few years now and I love it. It was my first foray into hifi systems and since then I expanded to setting up a Roon Server. It's subtle enough that it doesn't ruin the look of the living space. All thanks to this channel.
Just clicked on the video because of the Q150s :D 2 years ago I built my stereo system with them and a Yamaha S501 Amplifier. It seems the Amplifier is a bit too powerful as I can't turn the volume up more than 1/3 but apart from that I'm pretty happy with it. For futurefi I added a raspberry pi zero with the justboom digi zero connected via coax, pretty happy with that too as I like to tinker directly with the software running on that thing. Nice build though with the Powernode thanks for the video!
One thing that I love about your video reviews is how you know exactly what services are and are not supported on each platform. I think a super helpful-cool thing to have on your website would be a Future-Fi section with a three tier system for each streaming service. Lets say a Budget-fi, Mid-fi and Sky-fi option that is optimal for the particular streaming service. Perhaps something that you update only when you release a Future-Fi system video. Put in some lovely referral links to help support the channel and I think it would make for a great one stop shop when looking for that perfect system depending on the ecosystem one prefers. Thanks John!
I'll back you up on this one! Would be nice to have some pre-picked Hi-Fi systems that Darko has put together and show budget tiers, kinda like how someone may use the PCPartPicker website. I think TH-camr JoeNTell's website does something similar to what you're describing also, albeit with less detail.
This is pretty much my second system setup. Powernode, acoustic energy ae100.2, monitor mrw10 sub all in white. Love the benefits of hdmi arc, that's future-fi for me
I'm in this camp. Q300's + Andrew Jones sub on a Sonos AMP. Another AMP drives Boston patio speakers, and we've got Sonos BEAM2 and MOVEs all over the house. Any song, anywhere. I love it. Sure, I get tempted by a refurbished set of LS50's or R3's but then my better angels kick in. Well done - play some CAN
I just set up my node to an external power amp. I use HDMI eARC from my LG OLED TV to the node. The node even has a 12v trigger out to switch the amplifier on when the TV is turned on. It is fantastic. No need for preamplifier, and I have no desire for a full surround setup with AV receiver. One thing worth noting is there is a 15-minute delay for the 12V trigger out to turn off, and turn the power amp off, after the TV has been turned off - this may confuse some people when setting up. (As when using an AV receiver, the power off is instant)
Dear John, i think cool thing that not many people talk about is HDMI arc extractor. I bought one for around 40 EUR on Amazon, thanks to that i can control volume form tv remote. Rest of components was also not expensive. Elac ub52 on sale was 299 eur, SMSL A300 161 Euro, Wiim mini 99 EUR. It's not all in one but that all-black set will fit kallax easily and over deliver for the budget.
Kef Q350 are my favourite speakers, above JBLs 530, 580, DCM Timeframe.. I own them all and Kefs are so linear but pleasing. Paired with 100w p c solid state Sony ES separates, and Willsenton R8 is pure magic.
I have the KEF Q150 for about 4 years now. My first "Hifi" Speakers. With them I learned that audio isn't just bass or loudness. They are perfect for me on the desk where they get used in an 5.1 system for all things. Gaming, watching movies and music listening and DJing. Powered by an Yamaha aventage RX-A4A they sound really good and a SVS PB2000 pro Subwoofer gives the needed low end. Now I'm thinking of getting myself the LS50 Meta or R3. For desk use the LS50 just seem to be the better option. Even just in size. I just wish there would be a more fitting colour option for my setup. The non Meta version had an all black special edition... Or changing the drivers of the black LS 50 Meta to the silver red ones from the wireless II would look awesome. Would be possible but very expensive just for looks. Edit: I got myself the R3. After some research and just the comfort of size and automatically having the tweeters at the right high on my desk, I chose them. Awesome speakers. Didn't think it would be such an improvement!
White Q150 on white 10” subs with a 1 foot homemade white and chrome stand between. QC250 Center and HTS 3001se as back channels. WAF was on point, especially after loading the first BR :D
Thanks John. Great review as always. I agree wholeheartedly for the ease of use and the sound quality over a soundbar! I have had the 'original' (?) 800W Bluesound Powernode running into a pair of Fyne Audio F302 for over a year now and very pleased with the sound. The speakers are about 4m apart and wired with Audioquest flip4 loudspeaker cable. Not all white but saves on stands and works out a little cheaper overall.
I built a similar setup on a fluke a couple years ago, when the current-gen Sonos Amp had just come out - I’ve paired the Sonos Amp with a set of white KEF Q350’s, and HDMI ARC to my Apple TV (which allows me to train my normal tv remote as a replacement to the apple remote). One remote to rule them all, AirPlay 2 streaming Apple Music Lossless sounds gorgeous and I’ve never once had to tinker with the setup. Darko is right, these KEF’s have a lovely sound and deep soundstage. Considering adding a Sonos Sub Mini to upgrade the experience, but I agree that these kinds of setups are the future: easy, robust, wireless, aesthetic and much more experiential than a soundbar.
John, given I have pre-teen kiddos in the house I do most of my listening via headphones, either wired or wireless. But this video has made me want to upgrade my listening room kit. I have a 5 speaker Sonos system that is purely about TV surround sound and passive, entertaining music as a part of ambiance.
Same with me... fallen in love with goog head-fi. Which triggered upgrqdes to living room system as I fully understood how dreadful was my home theatre's sound... now in the run for "good enough" sounding stereo future-fi :)
Weird coincidence that today I went ahead and upgraded my secondary system to the KEF Q150 and the Bluesound Powernode (though not the Edge, got too good a deal on the powerful one), through some Totem Tress wires, and sitting on IsoAcoustics Apertas. And then noticed this video in my subscriptions. Love it.
Just for the record I have two separate systems hooked up to KEF LS50 meta speakers. One has a Blusound powernode and the other has a Denon PMA 600NE with a Denon DNP800 NE and the latter is soooooo much better than the former on so many levels. Just my two bobs worth😎
I am SOOOO in agreement with you John on the topic of a simple HDMI ARC equipped stereo amp plus speakers vs a soundbar. And not just for music. Those larger drivers, the width and expansive sound you refer to, not to mention the infinitely less compromised location of ear height speakers to the left & right of the TV vs a soundbar pointing at your knees, makes TV & movie listening so much more satisfying. And with the Bluesound you also have the opportunity to add a subwoofer and choose your crossover point, making a really decent 2.1 system for movie watching well in the reach of mid to upper price soundbar budgets. I do bleet on regularly about these viable and superior options to soundbars regularly to do my little bit in educating poor punters who spend their hard earned on inferior compromised products, so I applaud you for doing so. It does make me frustrated when magazines, TH-camrs and some websites extoll the virtues of their “5 Star” soundbars leading Joe Public to buy them in their droves on the strength of such reviews that fail to point out the limitations of soundbars and tge perfectly decent alternatives. And for those who wince at the visual impact of a pair of KEF Q150’s, smaller speakers that could pair nicely with a subwoofer are available: Monitor Audio Radius 90, Neat Iotas, Ophidian Minimo, DALI Menuet, and others, which can still give you a lovely spacious soundstage with very little visual impact in the room. Domestic considerations sorted AND superior sound experience. Win win.
Great video. I grew up in Detroit :) Techno came from Detroit with Derrick May, Juan Atkins and Kevin Saunderson. The Transmat label is a good place to look. Many of our artists took off to places like Berlin. It's cousin, House Music and it's evil cousin Acid House came from Chicago. House and Acid were the basis of the UK Rave scene. House and Techno were parallel developments. Both influenced by groups like Kraftwerk and the Italo Disco sound. Love your work and the touches of Electronica sprinkled in :)
Great as always John and I have a couple of Bluesound devices and like them quite a bit even though I came from a past of a "separates or nothing" attitude. But in fact in my wife's office a node, marantz receiver and the Q150s. I was shocked because the office is not particularly setup for sound and they actually do sound quite good. I can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve to rival this... I think quality options are important for the real world because not many people have the luxury of a dedicated listening area and sometimes you just want something to fill a space with musical enjoyment.
I just bought a pair of KEF Q150's, and I think they're outstanding in my home office. While I listen to some electronic music, most of it's classical, and I find them remarkably present, and at the same time neutral. What a value!!!
John.. I absolutely LOVE an all white system from an aesthetic perspective...so so cool in an already cool room. I also absolutely LOVE small, simple and elegant systems at affordable prices...the fewer boxes and gizmo's the better. And this system nails it!! This is all 98% of music lovers and modern audiophiles will ever need and be happy for decades, especially in small spaces. Kudos to you for bringing it to the attention of Darko nation!
I really liked this video. I've heard of you... I peruse your website from time to time. This got my sub... So Hello! and hello to the comment section! I like the future-fy ideology and how clean the setup looks. Thanks for sharing that Techno Album too. Sadly, I can only find volume 1 on streaming.
Thanks for the video. I see that KEF UK are offering £150 off these speakers today. I've already got different KEF speakers so I'm already happy with what I've got.
I found recently that there is a bit of a dilemma with Apple TV and movie watching with a 2.1 system, in that Netflix will now send an encoded virtual surround stereo track if you configure the audio output of the Apple TV to stereo, but otherwise apple or the tv will do the downmix from surround mix. The gotcha is that the stereo mixes almost always exclude the LFE channel, whereas the apple downmix does include the LFE channel. The stereo mixes unfortunately do tend to sound better, which I find frustrating. With the powernode you might get better bass management as well by configuring the Apple TV to send Dolby digital. For music you can send the output of the Apple TV to AirPlay to thr power node, which also allows you to turn off the tv and have 44.1 kHz
And suddenly I had white Q150s and a Powernode Edge too :p Gonna replace a 5.1 system in my new home, but it all has to stay boxed for a few more weeks... Gonna keep by BK sub for now, see if its a match for the speakers and the room. Gonna try to listen to music a bit more again.
Nice video. We have to point out that this video is mainly or only for viewers in the USA. I’ve tried to find these speakers for £250 or $299 and couldn’t find this price anywhere.
The q150s a quite reserved on the high end but are terrific playing a lot of source music at lower levels. I have mine sitting on my fireplace mantle. If I can isolate these speakers a little more from the mantle vibrations, I think they’ll brighten up just right. Bass is excellent for their size. These are little speakers that can be “tuned up” to fit many environments.
Hi John. I have an Audiolab 6000A (non Play) and recently aquired a Cyrus ONE Cast. This is now on sale for less than half price ie around £650 UK. A fantastic little amplifier (as is the Audiolab) and heartily recommended for anyone putting together a budget system. It, as the name suggests includes Chromecast. Unfortunately not available in white. Hope your health is on the up mate.
I won’t be embarrassed to say I purchased the KEF Q150s off of the back of this video primarily for music listening. They replaced an old set of Denon/Mission speakers that were passed down from my dad’s system. They are being powered by a very moderate Yamaha N470D integrated system. However, the sound from these two modest speakers and the stereo far surpasses what my Sonos Beam2 soundbar can produce (much to my annoyance!). Yes the soundbar can produce more bass. But the Q150s immerse me into the music, even at low volume. It’s just a different level of engagement. I am very tempted to replace the Sonos Soundbar with a Wiim Amp to power the Kefs. The idea of getting the Sonos soundbar was to double up as a living room speaker (in essence to replace the Stereo), but unfortunately it isn’t anywhere near good enough.
Can I ask a question I’m very very new . I have the beam gen 2 can I hook these up to it? Do I need a streaming device or can they connect to Apple TV?
@paulgal No you cant hook beam to these kef speakers as front left right channel. However, you can buy a sonos amp and set these as surround left and surround right speaker. I would suggest not doing it though because beam sound signature is very different from kefs sound quality. It will be mismatch.
Having a pretty basic system with a pair of Denon M10K speakers which sound decent, I decided to purchase the Q150. I don’t have them optimally positioned, but they sound excellent to my ears, and a solid upgrade to what I had. 👍
Great video, John, like always. 😊 Honestly, I don't really understand why someone with the requirements you mention wouldn't choose some active all-in-one speakers. I have the KEF LS50 Wireless 2 and they are white, roon ready, have an HDMI input, spotify, tidal,..., have a great look and sound amazing. They even have their own remote control. And if you add a subwoofer, there is nothing more you need for high-end sound (yes, I know, you can spend way more and therefore get more, but then you are in a different scope). So why an amp and passive speakers when you can get all you want and more from active speakers? Then there is not even an amp "disturbing" the optics of your room... 😉
I feel like everything stamped with 'future' looks like something an artdirector from a sci-fi flick from the sixties dreamt up. Im ready for the next future look I think.
Hi Darko, As always it's fun to see and hear your excellent reviews, I always wonder why you rarely do reviews of tower speakers, I think it is a more complete speakeri, anyway I wish you all the best health in the world, and that you always continue with the excellent reviews that are eagerly awaited. Ronen
I have opted for the kef LS50 wireless II, of course in white 😉 It is such a treat for my living room system with the TV. granted it is not 1500€, I paid 2200€ for those, that is the street price...
Something that I don’t see mentioned in terms of HDMI connectivity… using the Tidal app on my smart tv via Bluesound to hifi, watching music video playlists with fantastic sound quality has been a revelation.
You’re right John, this is a setup that people like me(🤔) are looking for. White bookshelves plus a powernode for spotify- and tv-connect. Would be nice to compare the KEF’s with similar priced speakers like the Acoustic Energy AE100 mk2…
A great affordable sub for this system would be the BK electronics XLS 300. Comes in gloss white at just over £400. I think they only sell in the UK, though. I've got four BK subs and love them. Tremendous value.
If you've ever heard an alcino amp you know future fi is going backward on fidelity. If you've ever heard full range sound versus a brick wall filter you'd understand how this is possible. What you're really spending on audio is QA. A matching set of 3001SE with some k62s tops the flag ship KEF blades. And if you don't have it optimised of course your gonna or get them to sound as good. And you won't listen as deeply. It's kinda lkme saying "take a deep breathe. Breathe in and out with me. Doesn't that feel better?" then selling you the air. I covered the 3001SEs when I figured out they were prototypes like 8 years ago before KEF now had a tech museum page where they're listed as icons of the 7th and 8th generation the 9th being the Blade. The Blade is a 500 watt variant 3 way design with full on woofers compared to the 3001SEs, same design, just minus the woofers and as is usually mismatched and with the swiveling mounts virtually impossible to find and tighten Z axis (forward and backward wobble, the only one that requires a distinct key) of course people on average aren't going to optimize them. You pay for the q a to make sure the variance is as low as possible and the rest is you. Since you paid so much you will make DAMN sure they have enough power are optimised and will find the volume sweet spot and everything. For speakers marketed as cheap you'll cheap put on yourself and just not get all you can out of them.
I much agree on the white stuff. I came so close to buying a Powernode because it would perfectly suit my white environment of Focal, Project, Samsung and Kantos but I opted for a Atom in the end. I wish they made a white Atom, it would look as awesome as it sounds (through Roon).
I had a pair of the KEF Q150 that I bought the last time they were on sale for below $300. They were really the weakest link in my system. Without a doubt, they need a sub. I ended up replacing them with the KEF R3 speakers - much more expensive, but now I’m quite happy. Still need a sub though. I pair them with a Bowers & Wilkins ASW608. Great combo overall. Quite happy with the R3 now.
I noticed on an episode you had Nav Katze "Never mind the distortion." which i have and love but have never met anyone else with it. Here's some electronica/IDM recommendations: Mr Projectile "Pug Times" on toytronic records, Various-"Documenta" on Agenda records, Brothomstates "Qtio" on warp. Peace
i have the q550 (tbh i think they're a steal considering you don't need stands) and i want to point out that they make a great pair with the SVS SB-1000PRO sub, as a more reasonable alternative to the kc62 price wise (and it's also all white :D)
PLEASE READ *before commenting*!
1) All comments here are moderated by a third party
2) Polite comments that advance the conversation are most welcome
3) No URLs, racist/sexist remarks or conspiracy theories, please
This is my current system (with the Powernode). Yes, there are “better” speakers and amplifiers, but this got me off my laptop, into my living room, and listening to and enjoying music more than I have in 20 years. A huge return on an affordable (and visually appealing) investment. Your channel played a part, so thanks for encouraging others to do the same.
I have exactly the same setup!
I've got the powernode with q950. I did consider q150 along with a sub
Almost same here! I have a POWERNODE and recently added a KC62 (thanks in no small part to John’s previous videos). Honestly I couldn’t ask for much more in terms of functionality, aesthetics, and sound.
@@Birmingham_racing the powernode are enough to move well the Q950?
Hi John, I’m a retired tech engineer. In 1987 I bought a Quad system and KEF 104. It’s more than 15 years since I gave the KEFs to my son. I have watched your videos for some time. Based on thees videos I have bought a Wiim Amp and KEF Q150. Can’t wait to hear what difference that will do compared with my B&W Panorama 3 soundbar. Thanks for bringing back my interest for music and gear. JS Norway.
I Had the Q150s. I love the relax sound. Never fatiguing, made ANY recording sound good. I am happy to sacrifice a bit of detail to be able to have longer listening sessions. They still have plenty of detail and the soundstage was amazing. Close your eyes and you could see the music.I paired them with an old but very good Yamaha AV amp and an old but very big Yamaha Sub. Sounded amazing. You do need a sub with Q150s :)
Don’t forget, when you add a sub with the Bluesound, you can remove the task of producing bass from the stand mounts and adjuster the crossover with the Bluesound.
How do I do that? I have a blousound, what’s the best way to set up a sup through it. I have set of Wharfedale Linton’s. Thanks
I recently bought a used pair of Q150 for £200, a used Yamaha R-N803D for £300, a used BK XXLS400 sub for £250, and some used Atacama stands for £10. With some new cable and plugs, the whole lot was under £800 and sounds incredible.
This is definitely the way to go Tim
I did similar with Quad 306, Q Concept 20's with stands and an Aune DAC/preamp
Streaming Tidal and it sounds awesome!
My first HiFi system was the KEF Q150 with the Bluesound POWERNODE (2021 version). That’s thanks to your channel, John.
Your rambling is often the best part.
Your point on soundbars I had a pretty good Yamaha soundbar for TV/movies and a two channel system consisting of Cambridge Audio's Minx XI streaming amp, with the KEF Q300 speakers. Sadly, the soundbar was stolen last year and for months I couldn't decide on a replacement. Until one Saturday afternoon I rearranged my lounge room and connected the tv's optical to the amp. It's been a revelation. The soundstage, the clarity (rain actually sounds like rain and weather instead of white noise), the dynamics, etc. TV and movies sound so much better through the amp and speaker combo. I'm never going back to a soundbar...not anytime soon.
I love that you drop in your music preferences in your reviews. As a Texan/Hifi hobbyist, it's usually someone I've never heard of, and I'll go check them out. Thank you for these videos!
Lovely video with the C/O Berlin side discussion. Now that the stage is set, looking forward to the play.
My all white setup~ Kef R3 + KC 62 + Hegel a120... Love it~
Keep on with the rambling John! These interesting asides are what make your videos personable and friendly 😎
Hi John, I really like your videos and attitude towards hi-fi! Recently I have built my first hi-fi system with kef's ls50 meta, kc62 subwoofer and bluesound powernode. And talking about deals, my ls50 meta + kc62 costed together 1860€ + 900€ for powernode which combined got me absolutly amazing sound! And all thanks to you (before watching your videos I would probably go for a soundbar).
Great video, as usual. Love your way of talking audio. Approachable and honest.
Very entertaining video, John. Loved the Aluminium euro v Aluminum US line.
Yess I'm actually so exited for your next video! 18:00 The teasing at the end there just made me have a little party with myself😂🥳
That is a great price and my Marantz PM8006 sounds great with my Kef Q350 and Q100 Thanks Darko appricate your hard work and dedication -
Partially retired techno clubber here
I also had a budget of around £1500 for my first proper hifi set up. I went for Powernode Edge, Acoustic Energy AE100 speakers and a REL Subwoofer.
I just stuck on the 'No Photos on the dancefloor' compilation, cranked to 75% and closed my eyes, almost felt like i was in Berghain! Thanks for the tip!
A point for arc’s ease of use is that makes your hifi as easy as your’s tv’s speakers , big thumbs up for arc , love your content John
No Photos - Happily in my music collection now ( paid for ) thank you. I watch, for the albums and artist mentions.. Awesome! great video.
Great video and props for mentioning SVS! I only wished the old hi-fi "diminishing returns" logic didn't extend to speaker stands, their prices remain obscene for what we get. It's about time we get budget-conscious, audiophile-grade pretty furniture (did you read me, IKEA, JOHN LEWIS, HABITAT, WAYFAR )
I used a pair of Kef Q100s with my TV for a few years but I really missed having a centre channel for dialog. (My use case was mostly tv.) Now I have them in my office for music. My standing desk is more of a dancing desk now.
Kef is my favourite speaker company after I bought the Q700's on a crazy sale...I've never looked back.
Like some other commenters on here, I've had this setup but with the Powernode 2i, minus the stands for a few years now and I love it. It was my first foray into hifi systems and since then I expanded to setting up a Roon Server. It's subtle enough that it doesn't ruin the look of the living space. All thanks to this channel.
Nice CD shelf ; Stewart Walker is one of my favs ; even today I still find such sound fresh
Just clicked on the video because of the Q150s :D 2 years ago I built my stereo system with them and a Yamaha S501 Amplifier. It seems the Amplifier is a bit too powerful as I can't turn the volume up more than 1/3 but apart from that I'm pretty happy with it. For futurefi I added a raspberry pi zero with the justboom digi zero connected via coax, pretty happy with that too as I like to tinker directly with the software running on that thing. Nice build though with the Powernode thanks for the video!
I'm definitely going to keep the KEF in mind, always enjoy your content.
One thing that I love about your video reviews is how you know exactly what services are and are not supported on each platform. I think a super helpful-cool thing to have on your website would be a Future-Fi section with a three tier system for each streaming service. Lets say a Budget-fi, Mid-fi and Sky-fi option that is optimal for the particular streaming service. Perhaps something that you update only when you release a Future-Fi system video. Put in some lovely referral links to help support the channel and I think it would make for a great one stop shop when looking for that perfect system depending on the ecosystem one prefers. Thanks John!
I'll back you up on this one! Would be nice to have some pre-picked Hi-Fi systems that Darko has put together and show budget tiers, kinda like how someone may use the PCPartPicker website. I think TH-camr JoeNTell's website does something similar to what you're describing also, albeit with less detail.
This is pretty much my second system setup. Powernode, acoustic energy ae100.2, monitor mrw10 sub all in white. Love the benefits of hdmi arc, that's future-fi for me
I love the Q-series. I have a pair of Q950 floor standing speaker. Big sound for a big room.
I had the q950 but was too big for my room
I'm in this camp. Q300's + Andrew Jones sub on a Sonos AMP. Another AMP drives Boston patio speakers, and we've got Sonos BEAM2 and MOVEs all over the house. Any song, anywhere. I love it. Sure, I get tempted by a refurbished set of LS50's or R3's but then my better angels kick in. Well done - play some CAN
I just set up my node to an external power amp. I use HDMI eARC from my LG OLED TV to the node. The node even has a 12v trigger out to switch the amplifier on when the TV is turned on. It is fantastic. No need for preamplifier, and I have no desire for a full surround setup with AV receiver. One thing worth noting is there is a 15-minute delay for the 12V trigger out to turn off, and turn the power amp off, after the TV has been turned off - this may confuse some people when setting up. (As when using an AV receiver, the power off is instant)
Dear John, i think cool thing that not many people talk about is HDMI arc extractor. I bought one for around 40 EUR on Amazon, thanks to that i can control volume form tv remote. Rest of components was also not expensive. Elac ub52 on sale was 299 eur, SMSL A300 161 Euro, Wiim mini 99 EUR. It's not all in one but that all-black set will fit kallax easily and over deliver for the budget.
THIS^^^^
(but yeah there goes the MONOCHROME SUPREMACY 😂)
Kef Q350 are my favourite speakers, above JBLs 530, 580, DCM Timeframe.. I own them all and Kefs are so linear but pleasing. Paired with 100w p c solid state Sony ES separates, and Willsenton R8 is pure magic.
Great info! I hope your health is on the right track, just keep moving. Cheers
I have the KEF Q150 for about 4 years now. My first "Hifi" Speakers. With them I learned that audio isn't just bass or loudness. They are perfect for me on the desk where they get used in an 5.1 system for all things. Gaming, watching movies and music listening and DJing. Powered by an Yamaha aventage RX-A4A they sound really good and a SVS PB2000 pro Subwoofer gives the needed low end. Now I'm thinking of getting myself the LS50 Meta or R3. For desk use the LS50 just seem to be the better option. Even just in size. I just wish there would be a more fitting colour option for my setup. The non Meta version had an all black special edition... Or changing the drivers of the black LS 50 Meta to the silver red ones from the wireless II would look awesome. Would be possible but very expensive just for looks.
Edit: I got myself the R3. After some research and just the comfort of size and automatically having the tweeters at the right high on my desk, I chose them. Awesome speakers. Didn't think it would be such an improvement!
White Q150 on white 10” subs with a 1 foot homemade white and chrome stand between. QC250
Center and HTS 3001se as back channels. WAF was on point, especially after loading the first BR :D
I've been running a set of q100s for a while and I'm happy with them.
Excellent as always! Thank you!
Thanks John. Great review as always. I agree wholeheartedly for the ease of use and the sound quality over a soundbar! I have had the 'original' (?) 800W Bluesound Powernode running into a pair of Fyne Audio F302 for over a year now and very pleased with the sound. The speakers are about 4m apart and wired with Audioquest flip4 loudspeaker cable. Not all white but saves on stands and works out a little cheaper overall.
Thanks for these suggestions, always something I would not have considered before.
I built a similar setup on a fluke a couple years ago, when the current-gen Sonos Amp had just come out - I’ve paired the Sonos Amp with a set of white KEF Q350’s, and HDMI ARC to my Apple TV (which allows me to train my normal tv remote as a replacement to the apple remote). One remote to rule them all, AirPlay 2 streaming Apple Music Lossless sounds gorgeous and I’ve never once had to tinker with the setup. Darko is right, these KEF’s have a lovely sound and deep soundstage. Considering adding a Sonos Sub Mini to upgrade the experience, but I agree that these kinds of setups are the future: easy, robust, wireless, aesthetic and much more experiential than a soundbar.
John, given I have pre-teen kiddos in the house I do most of my listening via headphones, either wired or wireless.
But this video has made me want to upgrade my listening room kit. I have a 5 speaker Sonos system that is purely about TV surround sound and passive, entertaining music as a part of ambiance.
Same with me... fallen in love with goog head-fi. Which triggered upgrqdes to living room system as I fully understood how dreadful was my home theatre's sound... now in the run for "good enough" sounding stereo future-fi :)
Weird coincidence that today I went ahead and upgraded my secondary system to the KEF Q150 and the Bluesound Powernode (though not the Edge, got too good a deal on the powerful one), through some Totem Tress wires, and sitting on IsoAcoustics Apertas. And then noticed this video in my subscriptions. Love it.
Just for the record I have two separate systems hooked up to KEF LS50 meta speakers. One has a Blusound powernode and the other has a Denon PMA 600NE with a Denon DNP800 NE and the latter is soooooo much better than the former on so many levels. Just my two bobs worth😎
Dear Sir,
Very entertaining rambling.
Love from Scotland 🏴
I am SOOOO in agreement with you John on the topic of a simple HDMI ARC equipped stereo amp plus speakers vs a soundbar. And not just for music. Those larger drivers, the width and expansive sound you refer to, not to mention the infinitely less compromised location of ear height speakers to the left & right of the TV vs a soundbar pointing at your knees, makes TV & movie listening so much more satisfying.
And with the Bluesound you also have the opportunity to add a subwoofer and choose your crossover point, making a really decent 2.1 system for movie watching well in the reach of mid to upper price soundbar budgets.
I do bleet on regularly about these viable and superior options to soundbars regularly to do my little bit in educating poor punters who spend their hard earned on inferior compromised products, so I applaud you for doing so.
It does make me frustrated when magazines, TH-camrs and some websites extoll the virtues of their “5 Star” soundbars leading Joe Public to buy them in their droves on the strength of such reviews that fail to point out the limitations of soundbars and tge perfectly decent alternatives.
And for those who wince at the visual impact of a pair of KEF Q150’s, smaller speakers that could pair nicely with a subwoofer are available: Monitor Audio Radius 90, Neat Iotas, Ophidian Minimo, DALI Menuet, and others, which can still give you a lovely spacious soundstage with very little visual impact in the room. Domestic considerations sorted AND superior sound experience. Win win.
Love the ramblin’
Thank you, enjoyed that.
What I've noticed with the stands is that they are just a stool without the seat :D
Great video. I grew up in Detroit :) Techno came from Detroit with Derrick May, Juan Atkins and Kevin Saunderson. The Transmat label is a good place to look. Many of our artists took off to places like Berlin. It's cousin, House Music and it's evil cousin Acid House came from Chicago. House and Acid were the basis of the UK Rave scene. House and Techno were parallel developments. Both influenced by groups like Kraftwerk and the Italo Disco sound. Love your work and the touches of Electronica sprinkled in :)
Thank you so much. This is a setup that I want
Great quick and simple system that your partner will surely approve of. Esthetics and simplicity can be important oftentimes.
These are great for a small Man Cave. The bass is deep and full for a small room system. I have three Q150's as my Front for Home theater.
Great as always John and I have a couple of Bluesound devices and like them quite a bit even though I came from a past of a "separates or nothing" attitude. But in fact in my wife's office a node, marantz receiver and the Q150s. I was shocked because the office is not particularly setup for sound and they actually do sound quite good. I can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve to rival this... I think quality options are important for the real world because not many people have the luxury of a dedicated listening area and sometimes you just want something to fill a space with musical enjoyment.
Nice vid. Love the bluesound gear
Great video😊
My current system is a Harmon Kardon Citation Amp and some Q Acoustics 2050i’s. Good video mate.
I just bought a pair of KEF Q150's, and I think they're outstanding in my home office. While I listen to some electronic music, most of it's classical, and I find them remarkably present, and at the same time neutral. What a value!!!
John.. I absolutely LOVE an all white system from an aesthetic perspective...so so cool in an already cool room. I also absolutely LOVE small, simple and elegant systems at affordable prices...the fewer boxes and gizmo's the better. And this system nails it!! This is all 98% of music lovers and modern audiophiles will ever need and be happy for decades, especially in small spaces. Kudos to you for bringing it to the attention of Darko nation!
I really liked this video. I've heard of you... I peruse your website from time to time. This got my sub... So Hello! and hello to the comment section!
I like the future-fy ideology and how clean the setup looks. Thanks for sharing that Techno Album too. Sadly, I can only find volume 1 on streaming.
Great episode!
cool !!... no way!! you got to meet Heiko, great guy, I worked with him a few years back.
Thanks for the video.
I see that KEF UK are offering £150 off these speakers today. I've already got different KEF speakers so I'm already happy with what I've got.
I found recently that there is a bit of a dilemma with Apple TV and movie watching with a 2.1 system, in that Netflix will now send an encoded virtual surround stereo track if you configure the audio output of the Apple TV to stereo, but otherwise apple or the tv will do the downmix from surround mix. The gotcha is that the stereo mixes almost always exclude the LFE channel, whereas the apple downmix does include the LFE channel. The stereo mixes unfortunately do tend to sound better, which I find frustrating. With the powernode you might get better bass management as well by configuring the Apple TV to send Dolby digital. For music you can send the output of the Apple TV to AirPlay to thr power node, which also allows you to turn off the tv and have 44.1 kHz
The Al-you-minnie-umm version?
I love that version 😂
And suddenly I had white Q150s and a Powernode Edge too :p Gonna replace a 5.1 system in my new home, but it all has to stay boxed for a few more weeks... Gonna keep by BK sub for now, see if its a match for the speakers and the room. Gonna try to listen to music a bit more again.
Hats off to KEF for making an Aluminum version cones for US market, and Aluminum ones a special for EU!
Ha!
Nice video. We have to point out that this video is mainly or only for viewers in the USA. I’ve tried to find these speakers for £250 or $299 and couldn’t find this price anywhere.
Perfect!
Solid system for the money. Great pairing.
The q150s a quite reserved on the high end but are terrific playing a lot of source music at lower levels. I have mine sitting on my fireplace mantle. If I can isolate these speakers a little more from the mantle vibrations, I think they’ll brighten up just right. Bass is excellent for their size. These are little speakers that can be “tuned up” to fit many environments.
Great video. Hope you’re doing well, John
you make it sound like americans and europeans get a different version of the driver, and I absolutely love that fact 😂
I love my white KEF Q350 😉
Hi John. I have an Audiolab 6000A (non Play) and recently aquired a Cyrus ONE Cast. This is now on sale for less than half price ie around £650 UK. A fantastic little amplifier (as is the Audiolab) and heartily recommended for anyone putting together a budget system. It, as the name suggests includes Chromecast. Unfortunately not available in white. Hope your health is on the up mate.
I won’t be embarrassed to say I purchased the KEF Q150s off of the back of this video primarily for music listening. They replaced an old set of Denon/Mission speakers that were passed down from my dad’s system. They are being powered by a very moderate Yamaha N470D integrated system. However, the sound from these two modest speakers and the stereo far surpasses what my Sonos Beam2 soundbar can produce (much to my annoyance!). Yes the soundbar can produce more bass. But the Q150s immerse me into the music, even at low volume. It’s just a different level of engagement. I am very tempted to replace the Sonos Soundbar with a Wiim Amp to power the Kefs. The idea of getting the Sonos soundbar was to double up as a living room speaker (in essence to replace the Stereo), but unfortunately it isn’t anywhere near good enough.
Can I ask a question I’m very very new . I have the beam gen 2 can I hook these up to it? Do I need a streaming device or can they connect to Apple TV?
@paulgal
No you cant hook beam to these kef speakers as front left right channel.
However, you can buy a sonos amp and set these as surround left and surround right speaker. I would suggest not doing it though because beam sound signature is very different from kefs sound quality. It will be mismatch.
John you mentioned techno started in Chicago and Detroit. If my memory serves me wel, I read it from the book Last Night A DJ Saved My Life.
i love those!!
Having a pretty basic system with a pair of Denon M10K speakers which sound decent, I decided to purchase the Q150. I don’t have them optimally positioned, but they sound excellent to my ears, and a solid upgrade to what I had. 👍
I did the q350’s (600), Cambridge CXA61 (600 on sale) with a Wiim Pro Plus (230). Awesome System for cheap 😅
i'm actually planning on pairing Q350 (450$ tho) with a Fosi ZA3 and iFi Zen Dac) How do you like your Q350's?
Great video, John, like always. 😊
Honestly, I don't really understand why someone with the requirements you mention wouldn't choose some active all-in-one speakers. I have the KEF LS50 Wireless 2 and they are white, roon ready, have an HDMI input, spotify, tidal,..., have a great look and sound amazing. They even have their own remote control. And if you add a subwoofer, there is nothing more you need for high-end sound (yes, I know, you can spend way more and therefore get more, but then you are in a different scope).
So why an amp and passive speakers when you can get all you want and more from active speakers? Then there is not even an amp "disturbing" the optics of your room... 😉
I feel like everything stamped with 'future' looks like something an artdirector from a sci-fi flick from the sixties dreamt up. Im ready for the next future look I think.
Hi Darko,
As always it's fun to see and hear your excellent reviews, I always wonder why you rarely do reviews of tower speakers, I think it is a more complete speakeri, anyway I wish you all the best health in the world, and that you always continue with the excellent reviews that are eagerly awaited.
Ronen
I have opted for the kef LS50 wireless II, of course in white 😉
It is such a treat for my living room system with the TV.
granted it is not 1500€, I paid 2200€ for those, that is the street price...
Something that I don’t see mentioned in terms of HDMI connectivity… using the Tidal app on my smart tv via Bluesound to hifi, watching music video playlists with fantastic sound quality has been a revelation.
Kef 150 need a lively bright amplifier to show its nice sound. The special thing about kef 150 is the easy long listening quality, no fatigue on ear.
Guess I’m old school. Powernode and Klipsch. Sounds great to these old ears.
You’re right John, this is a setup that people like me(🤔) are looking for. White bookshelves plus a powernode for spotify- and tv-connect.
Would be nice to compare the KEF’s with similar priced speakers like the Acoustic Energy AE100 mk2…
I was going to buy this marantz determined this was powerful enough for me. Ended up going with Anthem STR Integrated
Love KEF
A great affordable sub for this system would be the BK electronics XLS 300. Comes in gloss white at just over £400. I think they only sell in the UK, though. I've got four BK subs and love them. Tremendous value.
I think it’s beautiful
If you've ever heard an alcino amp you know future fi is going backward on fidelity. If you've ever heard full range sound versus a brick wall filter you'd understand how this is possible. What you're really spending on audio is QA. A matching set of 3001SE with some k62s tops the flag ship KEF blades. And if you don't have it optimised of course your gonna or get them to sound as good. And you won't listen as deeply. It's kinda lkme saying "take a deep breathe. Breathe in and out with me. Doesn't that feel better?" then selling you the air. I covered the 3001SEs when I figured out they were prototypes like 8 years ago before KEF now had a tech museum page where they're listed as icons of the 7th and 8th generation the 9th being the Blade.
The Blade is a 500 watt variant 3 way design with full on woofers compared to the 3001SEs, same design, just minus the woofers and as is usually mismatched and with the swiveling mounts virtually impossible to find and tighten Z axis (forward and backward wobble, the only one that requires a distinct key) of course people on average aren't going to optimize them. You pay for the q a to make sure the variance is as low as possible and the rest is you. Since you paid so much you will make DAMN sure they have enough power are optimised and will find the volume sweet spot and everything. For speakers marketed as cheap you'll cheap put on yourself and just not get all you can out of them.
Even the cables are white! 😉
I much agree on the white stuff. I came so close to buying a Powernode because it would perfectly suit my white environment of Focal, Project, Samsung and Kantos but I opted for a Atom in the end. I wish they made a white Atom, it would look as awesome as it sounds (through Roon).
I had a pair of the KEF Q150 that I bought the last time they were on sale for below $300. They were really the weakest link in my system. Without a doubt, they need a sub.
I ended up replacing them with the KEF R3 speakers - much more expensive, but now I’m quite happy.
Still need a sub though. I pair them with a Bowers & Wilkins ASW608. Great combo overall. Quite happy with the R3 now.
I noticed on an episode you had Nav Katze "Never mind the distortion." which i have and love but have never met anyone else with it.
Here's some electronica/IDM recommendations:
Mr Projectile "Pug Times" on toytronic records,
Various-"Documenta" on Agenda records,
Brothomstates "Qtio" on warp.
Peace
i have the q550 (tbh i think they're a steal considering you don't need stands) and i want to point out that they make a great pair with the SVS SB-1000PRO sub, as a more reasonable alternative to the kc62 price wise (and it's also all white :D)