Monitor Audio Pl 300ii vs. KEF Reference 5

@fast- good topic.  I heard the big PL500II's a while back locally here in Toronto area.  Whilst I could appreciate them from all the audiophile check boxes, for some reason they didn't gel for me into a complete package- I can't explain it.  They were a good deal, and my BAT VK-150 SE's and Rex II preamp were a great match with them, but I wasn't convinced enough to purchase.  Remember the X-Files?  'I want to believe' but something holding me back... I also heard the Kef Ref One's at another local dealer and really liked them- especially the wide dispersion staging- they appear very well made and had some addictive sound qualities.  Best of luck with your decision!

+1 Bensturgeon- thanks for saying what I have been thinking about 'Bo' this entire thread.  It almost feels like receiving 'spam' reading his multitude of non sequitur paragraphs...

@audiotroy   My local dealer has had a pair of trade in Blade 1's for a long time.  Can my BAT VK-150SE's, or Merrill Veritas monos both be able to drive these guys?  Also- they are saying I need to be at least about 10+ feet away from them for ideal listening- in your experience can the listener be any closer than that?  thanks!

It does not change, you still all focus on products. The truth has nothing to do with spam. You still need to learn to look further. Sound will always proof and tell the truth. No one can change that.

The loudspeaker you own is the last and most important part in your system. From here you will hear your music you want to play. When you cannot read the loudspeaker you have no idea which amps, sources, cables, conditioners etc you need to connect.

What you do it you connect an amp, source, cables and conditioners on it and you hope for the best. But the truth is, you still have no idea what you connect. Based on the fact that you still have no idea what the properties are of each part in your system.

This is what most people do not want to read. So they say to eachother it is spam. The fact remains that you still connect each part by gambling. And when you dare to say it is different . Just explain why you make your decisions..........

The Blade and Reference still own their properties. This cannot be changed. Not by you and not by Kef. It will stay as it is. Even in the most ideal situation you still cannot reveal and play all the different properties of sound.

But.......trial and error systems will be connected to the Kef Blade. Kef Reference and also to the PL-500 II. At the end they still are only able to use a very limited level of the potential they own. People make the same mistake over and over again.

And again they do not want to read this. So the people who have the insight of a child will make remarks that it is only a story told by Bo. But they forget one important thing. Tru-Fi can proof easily and even for them that it is superior to their trial and error decisions. The decisions they will make all there life will never have any kind of foundation.

Based on the fact that they only can listen to the endresult of connecting all the parts togheter. And never in there life they will understand what the properties are of each individual part in their system. Tru-Fi can proof how limited the endresult is of all their choices. When you create a system by Tru-Fi even for their loudspeakers. It will outperfrom and proof how silly their choices where they made.

And again this is not what you want to read. You can write down whatever you want. It will never make any change. Your systems will be and stay trial and error systems. Trial and error only can create and reach a limited level in result.

Based on the fact that you will never understand why the sound and stage is what your system is playing. You only can chnage parts in your system by gambling. You disconnect for example a cable and replace it by another.

But you still have no F. idea which properties you take out and which you bring in. This is why you will never be abel to control and understand each decision you make.

I did discus this with many different people who also work in audio for a long time. And they all agreed that their decions are taken by hoping for better. No one could describe the properties of the part they took out and of the part they brought in.

After this they understood that the way they do audio lacks any kind of foundation. And again this is not what you want to read. But this is the truth. And Tru-Fi can proof it. And we have done this many times. And there was not even one person who was able to explain how he founds his system.

So again.......just write and explain how you make your decisions by creating your audiosystem. And why you it this way. ........

As someone who owns the MA PL200 IIs, they handle detail well.  The bass is sounds just fine to me (I think I read here that the 200s handle base better than the 300s) and the whole business about being laid back is not, in my humble opinion, true.  This coming from someone who owned a pair of Magico S3s.  Look, the PL line from MA is a well built, well designed,  superior sounding and well reviewed (by professionals and consumers alike).  They get better and better with each upgrade.  They are worth an audition.  I would even go a step father and say you will not be disappointed if you go with the PL 200/300s.  I appreciate the fact that we all have different ears and hear things in our unique way.  While I am happy with the performance of my speakers, another may not care for the sound they produce.  It is the joy and magic of our hobby. 

bo1972 said:
"So again.......just write and explain how you make your decisions by creating your audiosystem. And why you it this way. ........"

Why should he...? You won't. You said you won't give away your knowledge for free, so why should he?

Good speakers can sound drastically different based on the room and components that are connected to them. I keep hearing that Monitor Audio speakers have no detail and/or lack resolution, but I submit they are neutral and really reflect what’s connected to them and the recording. Yes, there are speakers that are more "detailed" and some have a preference for speakers with a lot of detail. I’ve owned Wilson Audio, Aerial, Klipsch, Revel, Artemis, and a couple more speakers. I recently listened to KEF Blades 2s, Magico A3s, Magico S3 IIs, and Paradigm Persona 7Fs. All of the aforementioned speakers sound really good to me, but I wouldn’t sell my Monitor Audio PL500 IIs for them. I've tried to build a system based on my speakers and I know I would have to change components if a purchased one of the others speakers. At this point I'm not willing to change my entire system for new speakers. My PL500 aren’t better, they just present details differently. What bothers me more and more on Audiogon is when individuals disparage manufacturers. I don’t have to prefer speaker or component XYZ, but I shouldn’t disparage the manufacture. Unless you listen to someone’s "system", you have no clue of how it sounds. I’m not here to make anyone like Monitor Audio. I’m simply saying, THERE ARE NO ABSOLUTES IN AUDIO, ONLY PREFERENCES.