Got a lovely pair of early Keilidhs delivered today, complete with upgraded bases. Aim is to use them in the living room with the second system and move the Kans on. I levelled the speaker and played with positioning to the rear wall but didn't spend long on it.
The two Colrane/Hartman tracks are just off a cheap Mercury reissue. I've not played this LP for a very long time, but I think I need to get more of these, rather than not buy anything cos I don't want to splash out on expensive originals.
I recorded the Bee Gees cos the Keilidh is supposed to boogie and wanted to test that in particular.
More together vs more detail, or does it only sound like more detail because it's not as together?
I never really kared for the Keilidhs with Linn electronics but they seem to like the Nait1... Question is: do these klips hasten the exit of the Kans, or are you now inklined to keep the Keilidhs & Kans, and move the M140s?
I think I prefer the 140’s, but the Keilidhs are a great party speaker - they’ve probably got more boogie per buck than any other speaker. I wonder what they sound like stacked?
I won't comment on which one I find more musical just yet.
There are some sound differences that are interesting. The M140s are more nuanced. The Keilidhs provide a simplified version of the same peice of music. This I think you can hear in the jazz instrumental clip.
I prefer the drums on the Keilidhs. They punch better, whereas the M140s have more of a puff. Perhaps this is the ported design. You can hear this a bit in the Bee Gees clip, but it's more obvious in the room.
I'm surprised how different the speakers sound in overall character in the clips. They sound very different. Yet, in the room, that never struck me. Weird.
So, I’m finding the M140s more tuneful and engaging. There is ‘something’ nicer about the Keilidhs though - perhaps a more seamless sound? - not sure what it is.
Charlie1 wrote:There are some sound differences that are interesting. The M140s are more nuanced. The Keilidhs provide a simplified version of the same peice of music. This I think you can hear in the jazz instrumental clip.
That's very similar to what I was trying to convey with my post after the clips: are the Keilidhs more together/simplified, and the M140s more detailed/nuanced, or do the M140s just sound more detailed because they separate things more (not sure if it's better) It feels to me like there's more fun and natural expression to the Keilidhs, but I was trying to work out if it was a "simplified version". When do you get the K20 for a stereo shootout? ;)
Have you checked the tightness of the mid bass drivers Charlie1? Very important.
Also, wind the rear spikes in as far as possible without the stands touching the carpet. Then wind the front ones out until their top ends are halfway down the tubes. Then level and lock as usual.
Enjoy.
So, I’m finding the M140s more tuneful and engaging. There is ‘something’ nicer about the Keilidhs though - perhaps a more seamless sound? - not sure what it is.
I think you are picking up on the midrange that seems a bit more natural and unforced on the Keilidhs. Voices, piano (Lego comment) and saxofone comes out with an unforced quality where the M140 seems slightly more “metallic”.
Something appears more tight in Keilidh, maybe due to the cabinet and sealed design. But the upper registers are more nuanced and melodic in the 140's. Not easy to choose.
There were two different manufacturers of the granite polymer bases for Keilidh/Kaber. One is thicker (same thickness across the whole base), harder to find and sounds tighter and more controlled. The later and more common one has thick edges and then a cavity in the middle (cross section like and upside down U).
If you can spare some of the bass, the last Index II with ku-stone columns and a big duck-like foot is in some ways better than the more rock'n'roll Keilidh. Probably due to its single mid/bass unit, that doesn't introduce the phase problems inherent in the dual mid/bass designs.
beck wrote:I think you are picking up on the midrange that seems a bit more natural and unforced on the Keilidhs. Voices, piano (Lego comment) and saxofone comes out with an unforced quality where the M140 seems slightly more “metallic”.
Funny, I'd come to the same conclusion - i.e. the midrange sounds better.
Another observation. At low volume this evening, sat off to one side, it's much more obvious the sound is coming from the speaker. It's not radiating out very much.
sunbeamgls wrote:Have you checked the tightness of the mid bass drivers Charlie1? Very important.
Also, wind the rear spikes in as far as possible without the stands touching the carpet. Then wind the front ones out until their top ends are halfway down the tubes. Then level and lock as usual.
Enjoy.
Thanks for the tips sunbeam! I'll check them out tomorrow.
lejonklou wrote:If you can spare some of the bass, the last Index II with ku-stone columns and a big duck-like foot is in some ways better than the more rock'n'roll Keilidh. Probably due to its single mid/bass unit, that doesn't introduce the phase problems inherent in the dual mid/bass designs.
lejonklou wrote:
There were two different manufacturers of the granite polymer bases for Keilidh/Kaber. One is thicker (same thickness across the whole base), harder to find and sounds tighter and more controlled. The later and more common one has thick edges and then a cavity in the middle (cross section like and upside down U).
This is interesting Fredrik.
I've seen many Keilidh and Kaber bases, but never one with a flat underside. My Keilidhs had the very first pair of stands shipped to The Sound Org in York in the week they were first available and they had the hollow. Perhaps the flat underside version were either a prototype or a third party copy?
lejonklou wrote:
There were two different manufacturers of the granite polymer bases for Keilidh/Kaber. One is thicker (same thickness across the whole base), harder to find and sounds tighter and more controlled. The later and more common one has thick edges and then a cavity in the middle (cross section like and upside down U).
This is interesting Fredrik.
I've seen many Keilidh and Kaber bases, but never one with a flat underside. My Keilidhs had the very first pair of stands shipped to The Sound Org in York in the week they were first available and they had the hollow. Perhaps the flat underside version were either a prototype or a third party copy?
No, they were not copies or prototypes, but I suspect Linn had several manufacturers and perhaps a problem with that one. The finish was a little different, so with some practice one could tell them apart. When they went out of production, there was a shortage of the bases for a while (at the time I worked in retail) and when they came back in stock, they were all hollow in the middle.
lejonklou wrote:
There were two different manufacturers of the granite polymer bases for Keilidh/Kaber. One is thicker (same thickness across the whole base), harder to find and sounds tighter and more controlled. The later and more common one has thick edges and then a cavity in the middle (cross section like and upside down U).
This is interesting Fredrik.
I've seen many Keilidh and Kaber bases, but never one with a flat underside. My Keilidhs had the very first pair of stands shipped to The Sound Org in York in the week they were first available and they had the hollow. Perhaps the flat underside version were either a prototype or a third party copy?
No, they were not copies or prototypes, but I suspect Linn had several manufacturers and perhaps a problem with that one. The finish was a little different, so with some practice one could tell them apart. When they went out of production, there was a shortage of the bases for a while (at the time I worked in retail) and when they came back in stock, they were all hollow in the middle.
Fair enough, although mine were in the first week they came out of the factory.
The M140s are back in. The Keilidhs weren't really doing it for me, musically speaking. I did play with some driver torques for a bit but it didn't make that much difference. They should be good for the 2nd system though.
I've tightened and cleaned up the 140 drivers and they are sounding better. I like the way the sound is not so obviously coming from a smallish box, plus they are more engaging.
Charlie1 wrote:The M140s are back in. The Keilidhs weren't really doing it for me, musically speaking. I did play with some driver torques for a bit but it didn't make that much difference. They should be good for the 2nd system though.
I've tightened and cleaned up the 140 drivers and they are sounding better. I like the way the sound is not so obviously coming from a smallish box, plus they are more engaging.
Having listened to the clips - that’s what I would have done.
Keilidhs were quite good musically - but I much preferred 140s.
Good to see the amp/ cable match is working nicely.
