KEF vs Aus

[AtmosFearIC]

I am going to start this with the statement of “I ain’t no audiophile”. I’m pretty much a Sonos guy as it’s suited my lifestyle of a number of years. I do have a Sonos amp that runs my wife’s OLD cheap speakers which sit on a pelmet in the study. They don’t sound that great but she doesn’t care as they were for background noise in what was her work nook during COVID. They don’t get that much use anymore.

 

My music area is a pair of Sonos Fives and a sub but I’m looking at replacing those and after a lot of reading across the interwebs and even an audition I decided on the KEF R3 Meta with the Sonos Amp with the idea of updating the amp into the future.

 

Much more reading and research later I started thinking that I should be supporting the local audio industry; maybe picking up a Redgum Amp before they close for good.

One of the big things that came up that I’d never considered was room acoustics. You mean you don’t just put speakers in a room, run Trueplay and you’re set?!?

 

Until recently I never knew how many Aussie speaker manufacturers there are! Being in Melbourne I can go and check out Osborn as I’d be interested in either the Eos Reference Elite or Titan.

 

Going back to auditioning the R3’s, their listening space is so far removed from mine that I have no idea what they’d be like at home, I have no doubt that they’ll be better than the Five pair I’m currently using but when deciding against a handful of speakers from across Aus how do you decide?

 

My current short list also includes:

Kingfisher A-16

Legend Accoustics (need to source a price list)

Lenehan Audio (need to source a price list)

VAF Signature i91 MKIII

Dellichrod FR-6

 

They’re all around the same price bracket, the R3 Metas the cheapest of the lot especially with Black Friday sales coming up (KEF often has big sales). 

 

I had been hoping to make it to the HIFI show this year but it happened to fall on the same weekend as a family holiday. 

 

I believe Osborn is my only local so I can choose and compare between his lineup but outside of that I’m left with online reviews of which there is not many from Australian products. 

 

So, how do you all experienced folk do it?

Any suggestions between the aforementioned assortment? 

[mwhouston]

16 minutes ago, AtmosFearIC said:

I am going to start this with the statement of “I ain’t no audiophile”. I’m pretty much a Sonos guy as it’s suited my lifestyle of a number of years. I do have a Sonos amp that runs my wife’s OLD cheap speakers which sit on a pelmet in the study. They don’t sound that great but she doesn’t care as they were for background noise in what was her work nook during COVID. They don’t get that much use anymore.

 

My music area is a pair of Sonos Fives and a sub but I’m looking at replacing those and after a lot of reading across the interwebs and even an audition I decided on the KEF R3 Meta with the Sonos Amp with the idea of updating the amp into the future.

 

Much more reading and research later I started thinking that I should be supporting the local audio industry; maybe picking up a Redgum Amp before they close for good.

One of the big things that came up that I’d never considered was room acoustics. You mean you don’t just put speakers in a room, run Trueplay and you’re set?!?

 

Until recently I never knew how many Aussie speaker manufacturers there are! Being in Melbourne I can go and check out Osborn as I’d be interested in either the Eos Reference Elite or Titan.

 

Going back to auditioning the R3’s, their listening space is so far removed from mine that I have no idea what they’d be like at home, I have no doubt that they’ll be better than the Five pair I’m currently using but when deciding against a handful of speakers from across Aus how do you decide?

 

My current short list also includes:

Kingfisher A-16

Legend Accoustics (need to source a price list)

Lenehan Audio (need to source a price list)

VAF Signature i91 MKIII

Dellichrod FR-6

 

They’re all around the same price bracket, the R3 Metas the cheapest of the lot especially with Black Friday sales coming up (KEF often has big sales). 

 

I had been hoping to make it to the HIFI show this year but it happened to fall on the same weekend as a family holiday. 

 

I believe Osborn is my only local so I can choose and compare between his lineup but outside of that I’m left with online reviews of which there is not many from Australian products. 

 

So, how do you all experienced folk do it?

Any suggestions between the aforementioned assortment? 

Not sure Osborn is doing speakers any more. 

[Satanica]

http://www.legendspeakers.com.au/prices/

[art of SOUND]

4 hours ago, AtmosFearIC said:

Until recently I never knew how many Aussie speaker manufacturers there are! Being in Melbourne I can go and check out Osborn as I’d be interested in either the Eos Reference Elite or Titan.

 

I heard the Elite speakers only last weekend and they were sensational - far better than I was going to give them credit for. They were also in an "everyday" listening environment and still punched well above their weight. Should definitely be on your list. 

I would also give good consideration to the Dellichord FR-6, exceptional bass from a small footprint speaker thanks to the somewhat Isobaric design.

 

A pic or two of the Osborns from last weekend:-

 

 

[AtmosFearIC]

4 hours ago, mwhouston said:

Not sure Osborn is doing speakers any more. 

According to their Facebook page he’s finished some renovations a few months ago but no mention of closing up shop so I assume he’s still in business. 

 

3 hours ago, Satanica said:

http://www.legendspeakers.com.au/prices/

thanks for that!

 

4 minutes ago, art of SOUND said:

 

I heard the Elite speakers only last weekend and they were sensational - far better than I was going to give them credit for. They were also in an "everyday" listening environment and still punched well above their weight. Should definitely be on your list. 

I would also give good consideration to the Dellichord FR-6, exceptional bass from a small footprint speaker thanks to the somewhat Isobaric design.

 

A pic or two of the Osborns from last weekend:-

 

 

Great to hear!

I’d be interested in hearing the difference between the Elite and Titan, the Titan is near twice the weight and a bit larger so it should dig deeper. 

[mwhouston]

9 minutes ago, AtmosFearIC said:

According to their Facebook page he’s finished some renovations a few months ago but no mention of closing up shop so I assume he’s still in business. 

 

thanks for that!

 

Great to hear!

I’d be interested in hearing the difference between the Elite and Titan, the Titan is near twice the weight and a bit larger so it should dig deeper. 

He may be selling gear but not speakers. 

[Analogueage]

I bought my Osborn speakers approximately six weeks ago so unless he has closed up shop in the last week or two he is still very much in business.

Rob

[Analogueage]

I have heard the EOS Elite and the Titan very recently. I bought the EOS simply from a space perspective. 
They are both fantastic speakers and extremely hard to beat particularly in their price range. Doubt if you would be disappointed with either.

Rob

[mwhouston]

3 minutes ago, Analogueage said:

I have heard the EOS Elite and the Titan very recently. I bought the EOS simply from a space perspective. 
They are both fantastic speakers and extremely hard to beat particularly in their price range. Doubt if you would be disappointed with either.

Rob

The word on the street was he was out of speakers but still selling gear. I guess the word on the street has been run over. I had a MKIV Eclipse and loved them. But I turned 100% DIY so they had to go after six years. Always good value. 

[Analogueage]

Just had a chat with Greg. Well and truly still making speakers .

Rob

[daviddsailor]

A simple phone call to Greg Osborn this morning confirmed that he is still making loudspeakers and selling equipment.

What's more, I've owned several of his speaker designs. I've had a set of Reference Monuments for about 14 years. In my opinion in my dedicated room and with my equipment the monuments are probably unbeatable.

Amen.

[mwhouston]

I will have to take my source off the books.

[Kaynin]

20 hours ago, mwhouston said:

I will have to take my source off the books.

Or get off the sauce….

[Mr_Gadget]

Try Richter Audio as well.

[Snoopy8]

Here are a list of ANZ made speakers that could explode OP's list! 

Please post on that thread if anyone has any updates.

 

[AtmosFearIC]

On 7/11/2024 at 10:30 PM, Analogueage said:

I have heard the EOS Elite and the Titan very recently. I bought the EOS simply from a space perspective. 
They are both fantastic speakers and extremely hard to beat particularly in their price range. Doubt if you would be disappointed with either.

Rob

Good to know! I would like to go and listen to both the Eos and Titan at some point as they're not that far away from me but it is about finding the time with a young family.

 

On 8/11/2024 at 12:43 PM, daviddsailor said:

A simple phone call to Greg Osborn this morning confirmed that he is still making loudspeakers and selling equipment.

What's more, I've owned several of his speaker designs. I've had a set of Reference Monuments for about 14 years. In my opinion in my dedicated room and with my equipment the monuments are probably unbeatable.

Amen.

They do look pretty monumental!

 

I'll be using them in a fairly small space, 4x5m or something around that with carpet, curtains, bookshelf and a lot of soft furniture. Anything bigger than a larger bookshelf is a bit of a waste in the room from what I've been able to ascertain.

7 hours ago, Mr_Gadget said:

Try Richter Audio as well.

I had looked at Richter for a while but I do have a memory of reading, correct me if I'm wrong, these days they're designed in Australia but manufactured in China. I figured that if I'm going to go through the financial effort of purchasing Aussie speakers they probably should be built in Australia.

 

5 hours ago, Snoopy8 said:

Here are a list of ANZ made speakers that could explode OP's list! 

Please post on that thread if anyone has any updates.

 

I did use this list as a reference for finding Aussie manufacturers. I did consider Kris as they've been in the space for a long time but in the end I figured that I was looking at dedicated stereo speakers and wasn't sure if Krix with their dedication to home theatre was what I was aiming for.

[Analogueage]

@AtmosFearIC the Osborn EOS REF bookshelf speakers would work in your space but I think the Titan would be even better. The attached pic is one of the EOS speakers on a Solidsteel tripod stand just to give you an idea of scale. These are the first white speakers I have owned and the cabinet work is first class.

Rob

[AtmosFearIC]

12 hours ago, Analogueage said:

@AtmosFearIC the Osborn EOS REF bookshelf speakers would work in your space but I think the Titan would be even better. The attached pic is one of the EOS speakers on a Solidsteel tripod stand just to give you an idea of scale. These are the first white speakers I have owned and the cabinet work is first class.

Rob

The Titan is certainly larger and much heavier, I would be going for an exposed wood finish, suits the TV stand that they’ll be sitting on. Stands MAY be an option but that would reduce WAF a lot!

The Titan may end up being too big, need to get out the measuring tape.

[Unedited5627]

if anyone is in canberra and wants to hear Eos or titans, let me know, i might just let them hear mine..

 

[AtmosFearIC]

40 minutes ago, Unedited5627 said:

if anyone is in canberra and wants to hear Eos or titans, let me know, i might just let them hear mine..

 

I went in and saw Greg last week and had a listen to the Eos, pretty damn fantastic! Think I’ll be going down the Titan route though very soon.

[Unedited5627]

I prefer the titan's they dig deeper and don't really need a sub in my opinion. 

[AtmosFearIC]

I’m considering the idea of getting a pair of Epitome bass units and using them as stands and turning the Titan into a hybrid 3-way.

I say hybrid as I believe the bass units cross over at 60 hz so it’s more of a sub.