Help CA Find New Speakers

[Hugo9000]

I think you owe it to yourself to at least investigate the KEF Muon!

 

https://www.avsforum.com/kef-muon-mk-2-vpi-titan-at-capital-audiofest-2016/

 

Only $10,000 US to upgrade an original pair to Mk 2 status, which includes the drivers, crossovers, and the technician flying to wherever the owner is in the world!  That's great support! 

 

 

(I'm going to mention for the record that I can't stand Andrew Jones.  He gets so much mileage out of having worked for KEF for a while, and all over the internet, people give him credit for things like the KEF Uni-Q.  Interesting that the patents only named Laurie Fincham, and that wherever Jones goes, he copies things KEF is known for, down to using a name like Uni-Fi on those Elac knockoffs on KEF's Q series.  Anywho, I'd love for insiders at KEF to speak out about him, but I doubt they would ever bother giving him even more publicity than he already gets.  That TAD monitor looks an awful lot like a KEF Reference 201 haha, including the curved cabinet.  Then he goes back to boxy designs after KEF did that.  He seems to play follow the leader, while his internet fans give him so many accolades as being an innovator of some sort.  I'm sure his "designs" are good, he did after all work with the masters for long enough to learn a few things.  Oh, and in case it is the manufacturers insisting they want to copy KEF, he could always refuse to do it, and come up with something fresh, especially since he's supposed to be such a brilliant designer and innovator) /SOAPBOX

[Hugo9000]

1 hour ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Wow. No need to argue other than to say there’s a lot of misinformation and insinuating there. 

 

I’m willing to bet you’ve never talked to him. He is humble enough to address each one of your points and give you a completely different take. 

 

Don’t all good designers learn from someone?

Regarding your last point, I agree, however, they don't typically move to other companies, copying everything from the original company over a decade and a half of their careers, do they?

 

No, I have never spoken to him.  He does seem humble and self-effacing on the videos I've seen with him, and as he was employed by KEF for a fairly substantial period, I'm sure he is a competent engineer, at the very least, or KEF would have terminated the relationship.  Perhaps it's unfair to blame him for the things his rabid fan club puts out all over the internet, just as it wasn't Mariah Carey's fault that marketing types at Sony and some crazy fans claimed she had a seven-octave range and could have been an operatic singer if she'd wanted (lol).  However, he could address some of the things when they are mentioned in articles and interviews regarding his work.  Actually, I blame the magazine writers and interviewers for not asking a few of those questions, more than I blame him for not bringing it up spontaneously.

 

I'm curious which things in my post are "misinformation."  The only information I have at my disposal is the timeline, and the patent filings, and all the years of fawning interviews and reviews, where any mention of KEF at the very least implies that Jones was responsible for KEF's greatest innovations.  If the situation is actually reversed, and Laurie Fincham and others at KEF stole credit* for Andrew Jones' work, then he should have challenged KEF in court.  As to the timeline of work since leaving KEF, are you suggesting that KEF spies on him, and manages to beat him to market on some of those speakers, making it appear that he is still copying them?  Otherwise, I don't see what you mean by misinformation in my post above.  If there is misinformation due to corporate espionage, etc., the misinformation is in the record itself, such as it is.  Other than the timeline and similarities of products, I think it's clear I was posting my opinion of him and his work ("I'm going to mention for the record that I can't stand Andrew Jones," is clearly opinion, and hardly the preamble to an objective recitation of facts lol).  I'm not an insider, so I'm not privy to hidden truths, if there are any.

 

*(I will acknowledge that I'm well aware that famous researchers/scientists/etc have been known throughout history to take credit for the work and ideas of assistants and coworkers, etc., so obviously that is a possibility.  And it's always possible that the assistant/underling may not be able to provide evidence to substantiate a claim.)

 

Final edit:  I didn't intend to derail this thread, so my apologies for that!

[Hugo9000]

48 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Now I feel like I need two systems!

 

i love DACs, but an active system with DSP makes a traditional DAC irrelevant. Given how many people still rely on traditional DACs there’s no way I can have a single active system and still write about external DACs. 

 

Ahhhhhhhh.  First world problems. 

 

Would love it if I could find a way to do this. 

I suppose you could have a really fine active system as your main, and a very good headphone system as a secondary, which could be used for evaluating DACs.  There is a huge readership out there who use headphones, as you're already aware, of course.  

[Hugo9000]

On 3/6/2019 at 9:21 AM, The Computer Audiophile said:

 

I have my shortlist done. Here it in alphabetical order.

 

Focal Maestro Utopia Evo

 

Rockport Technologies Cygnus

 

Wilson Audio Alexia Series 2 

I don't envy whomever will have the task of getting those up the stairs.  Heavy and awkward due to size.  😧 

[Hugo9000]

Wilson Sasha DAW?  Made in USA, shipping weight is around what you stated.

 

 

(I don't expect confirmation or denial, naturally, until your official unveiling haha!  Just getting in my guess early.  )