Saturday, May 28, 2011

KEF 207/2's have arrived!

KEF's flagship Reference speaker, the 207/2, has arrived at Hear No Evil.  Regarded by many around the world as one of the best sounding loudspeakers anywhere, even at five times the price (they are $20K), you have to experience them to appreciate what they do:  disappear into your room.  They are effortless, and beautiful to listen to.  Words can not describe the sense of invisibility one feels when listening to the magnificent KEF 207/2. 

Stereophile's John Atkinson said "While spaces remain in my heart for the Sonus Faber Amati homage, the mbl 111B, the Dynaudio Confidence C4, the original Revel Ultima Studio, and the Wilson Audio Sophia, I must say that the Series 2 revision of KEF’s Reference 207, the 207/2, is overall the best-sounding full-range speaker I have used in my current listening room...to all intents and purposes, it is without flaw. The lows are extended and well defined, the mid-range is pure, the treble is free of grain and naturally balanced, the dynamics are awesome, and the stereo imaging is accurate and stable. The 207/2 simply defines neutrality, but without losing sight of the musical message. $20,000 is still a lot of money, but for a pair of speakers of this caliber, it’s tempting to declare the big KEF a bargain, considering that you can pay five times as much for speakers that sound only as good.”  

The Absolute Sound noted "The 207/2 establishes a new benchmark for floorstanders at this price-level, combining useable bandwidth and a manageable load with superb musical coherence and timing. For once, the term “Reference” isn’t being abused…"

Other good speakers convey sonic detail (such as fingers dragging across guitar strings), but the 207/2s went beyond detail, truly lifting a veil from the music.

"I am not worthy, I am not worthy." That's what I thought when I first started listening to these speakers. But not surprisingly, I quickly grew accustomed to their luxurious sound, and I soon realized I could get very used to this level of fidelity. Clearly, at $20,000 a pair, I expect speakers to sound good. Fortunately, these KEF's did not disappoint in any way. Their level of transparency was simply marvelous. If your ears are sufficiently sophisticated, you'll be amazed to hear what other speakers have been concealing in your disc collection all these years. What more can I say? With the 207/2, KEF has earned its place as the Rolls-Royce of speaker builders.

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