Originally Posted by
Macca
I think you're oversimplifying something that is quite complex i.e amplifier-speaker- room combination. The KEF Reference 2 isn't inherently 'lifeless' but like any speaker it can be got to sound that way due to the other factors involved. Specifically with the KEF they are a very awkward load, the only time I have heard that particular speaker they were being driven by some POS boutique valve amp that wasn't up to the job and the sound was shrill and hard. But you could still tell that they were inherently a 'good' speaker.
if we take as the starting point a speaker that measures well then there is at least something to work with. It might sound poor or lifeless or whatever to begin with but since we know that is not an inherent issue with the speaker itself we can then move on to addressing the problem with a logical approach. Whereas with a heavily coloured speaker like the Audionotes we're starting on the back foot and will probably never be able to correct their issues so they sound good with all genres.
The 'measures well but sounds poor' is a good soundbite, problem is that despite what people claim there are not really any speakers (or amplifiers) that fall into that category. You might find a poorly measuring speaker or amp enhances some types of (simple) music like acoustic jazz over its well-measuring competitor, but then, as you've also found, that enhancement with simple music then becomes a drawback to enjoying something more difficult to reproduce - like 1960s rock music.
Well, I might find a speaker that does all that one day, its all a bit trial and error for me, but then every time I read 'what hi fi have you owned' threads, I can see I'm in no way alone! For now I'm loving these with jazz, not perfect, but there are a few things to check and sort out in my system, like my cdp for a start. Incidentally my impressions of the Kefs were bang on according to a dealer on here, remember posting about them at the time.
Current system 1210 GR. CDP - Meridian G08. Amp -Sugden A21I - Sig. Wharfedale Lintons.