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Model: | KCIIs |
Category: | Speakers |
Suggested Retail Price: | $2499 |
Description: | Open Baffle 3 way with Concentric Tweeter |
Manufacturer URL: | Emerald Physics |
Review by hionfi on March 29, 2017 at 09:35:57 IP Address: 73.56.85.253 | Add Your Review for the KCIIs |
I replaced Magnepan 3.5Rs. I owned them for 5+ years. Alas,they were hard to drive in my 19 x 31 x 12 peak room. Being an open baffle fan, and having purchased from Underwood several times, The KC11s maxed out my speaker budget, but I also upgraded the wiring to WireWorld internal wires. They had never done that. Mark said it made a huge difference over the OEM wire.
The base and face come separately requiring help to assemble. The face should have anchors to prevent stripping from over-tightening. Also bracing to keep the face from rocking would be a nice touch, but fairly easy to DIY, which I would do, but finances improved and I will be upgrading to the EP 3.0 soon. Anybody interested in my KCIIs? Email for picture in my system. Quibbles aside...
Even though I have 2 SVS Ultra powered subs (needed in my large volume room) I have heard a different pair in a typical room size and they sounded amazing there, although a sub would still be welcome to get deep bass;just keep in mind you give up some pristine detail, unless you have a top notch XO, which can cost as much or more than the speakers.
They throw an incredible sound stage providing a lower mid that my 3.5Rs could not, AND they are much more WAF friendly. Just the other day a friend brought over a Equi-Core 300 which I plugged my P5 and Oppo into. This plc transformed the sound many fold over the speakers reasonable price point
Product Weakness: | see above |
Product Strengths: | Everything but deep bass. 95 dB |
Amplifier: | 2 EP 102.SE |
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | Parasound P5 |
Sources (CDP/Turntable): | Oppo 105 |
Speakers: | KC IIs + SVS Utra subs |
Cables/Interconnects: | WireWorld Equinox balanced |
Music Used (Genre/Selections): | Miles Davis Sketches of Spain, Patricia Barber, etcr |
Room Size (LxWxH): | 31 x 19 x 12 |
Room Comments/Treatments: | 4 Argent RoomLenses |
Time Period/Length of Audition: | Owned for ~ 6 months |
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): | WireWorld Equinox and Tekline |
Type of Audition/Review: | Product Owner |
Your System (if other than home audition): | my system |
Very nice. And I love that room !
Many audiophiles are leaving panel-type speakers for Emerald. Or for some type of waveguide/horn.
You wouldn't think of them as horns, but Emeralds probably are. The XO to the compression-driver is very low -then, it has a deep throat mounting the midrange.
Good luck
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