Help with kef r900 issue

Thanks, folks, but I’ll go with what I know. I may be retired and rusty, but I’m not dead, and I will not be treated this way.

i do remember my way to the courthouse, and if they moved it my car has gps. 💸

@Jetter. I didn’t ignore you, I just forgot and so I apologize. As I’ve said several times, I’ve used two different sets of preamps and amps, and cables, the latter about 20 years difference in design. I’m dealing with probabilities....🤷🏿‍♂️

Again, I’m sorry I failed to reply in substance, and apologize.

Apparently, Mr, Sheinbaum, without limitation, fails to understand that payment was solicited, made and accepted under PayPal, so its terms, covenants and conditions supersede or displace those he relies on to substantively stiff arm me, and similarly, Mr. Sheinbaum fails to understand that unconscionable terms and warranty limitations are invalid, unenforceable and void or voidable at MY election.

i’ll certainly research the freight and insurance rates but it’s starting to look as though my costs to prepare and ship approximate $800 to $1,000, assuming I can find someone to palletize the load for a rational sum, to get the lowest rates.

Thanks. KEF appears to want a fight, and I’ll provide it to them so that others don’t stumble into this trap for the unwary such that substantively, the remedy is unduly burdensome or too harsh, and thus worthless.

I listened to your Mary Chapin Carpenter cut last night.  The speakers in situ at my summer home have aluminum dome teeters and I didn’t hear any nasty noises, but I will say that it is one bright recording.
A speaker with a silk dome tweeter would have a better chance of taming that recording.

It is moot for me. I believe what I believe as does KEF. If I can’t sell them to a local, Goodwill will pick them up.

Has anyone asked this question ? Could it be these specific recordings ( a handful ) ? Have you heard these recordings on another system ? I am only asking..... Enjoy ! MrD.

@maritime51

" If I can’t sell them to a local"

If these speakers have issues why would you be selling them to someone else

I will disclose and demonstrate the condition. (What you don’t know is that I expressly assumed the risk that no market exists for the speakers with this condition.) If that results in no sale, Goodwill gets them and I get a deduction. Your implied assumption is false and insulting. I’d say I’m the guy who bought them without being told....

Your underlying premise, that morally I should NOT sell them to anyone is, at best, silly, and at worst, calculated to mislead, confuse the issue, or inflame others.

Do people keep cars cars they hate? Houses? Amps? Whatever?

Thanks for your kindness.

Oh, by the way, KEF denies a design or fabrication defect, from which one must infer it denies the condition, so.....

@ Mr Decibel. Before I bought the kef 900, I used the McIntosh gear with Martin Logan SL 3’s, and neither any of these recordings nor others produced this terrible sound. It started with the KEFs, and then I suspected I needed more watts, thus began the replacement of all electronics and wire, yet the condition remains. Believe whatever you want, but I’m convinced it is these speakers, and I’m done chasing them with money.

Before you ask, I sold the ML’s when the KEFs showed up, basically for salvage just so a guy would take them away, and as the condition is truly a latent one, didn’t discover it for a time until random playing of CD’s. 

I have a pair R700 with the same coaxial unit.  I noticed an issue with some female vocals for the first 200 hours or so but only on mediocre pop/rock recordings. There was a bit of a metallic etch to the voices, almost like they were distorting, but I don't hear that anymore.  I listen to classical mainly and they sound great.  Very clean with great string tone. I did notice the internal jumpers may not have made full contact as the knobs had backed off due to cabinet vibrations.  I installed jumper wires instead.  I don't know for sure if extended break-in or the jumpers solved the problem.  

Thanks. 

@rotarius After resetting the rotaries several times, there is no change. Your description of a metallic edge is how it starts but it immediately degenerates into nothing but a harsh noise.  As you say, classical music is lovely. 

When I first started reading about your problem I thought that you should check that Link Connections are tight or replace the wire with thick basic OFC copper that can be bought for quite cheap price.

However when I read the last posts I can tell you it is the speakers you don't like and there is most likely nothing wrong with the speakers. I have one CD I personally like a lot and once I listened to that CD with a friend and he said that the female vocals on that CD are ear piercing for him and he can't stand it on higher volume. No one else hasn't complained about that particular CD but that one friend and I haven't experienced that at all with any of my CD's.

In my experience KEF's Uni Q driver is really accurate (I own R500 that has the same Uni Q driver as R900) and if you are sensitive to high frequencies you might face some uncomfortable situations with some recordings. Most likely the Logans you used to have smoothed the high frequencies and were more to your liking.

Sorry to hear about your situation - must be extremely frustrating. Hope it gets resolved to your satisfaction.

BTW which particular mary chapin carpenter song is the worst affected?

The calling, either cd or tidal. 

3 months?  I had a similar problem once with new speakers.  After the second pair I realized my amp was destroying the speakers.  I believe your original equipment most likely caused damage to the crossovers.  Something happened in your system and the problem persists after driver change due to internal issues.  KEF seems reasonable.  The 3 month thing puts the spotlight firmly on you as well.  What condition was your original equipment in?  I know ML’s are a tough load and could have stressed your previous amp.

Go to your EQ settings then lower your 8KHZ and 16KHZ till the sound disappears. Had to do this with R900s and Q900s. Drove me nuts till figured it out.

attys

LoL, right?

Why I read that entire post is beyond me. I’m guessing that he didn’t like how bright the KEFs are.  A system mismatch and a bright, detailed speaker not fully broken in can sound screechy on 3 or 4 poorly recorded tracks for sure.  LS50’s and LS50w’s are pretty bright right out of the box.  They tame down after 100-200 hours.