KEF KC92 powered subwoofer Associated Equipment

Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment

Digital sources: Custom Intel/Win11 music server running JRiver Media Center v32 and Roon 2, Merging Devices Hapi II and Okto Dac8 PRO multichannel DACs. QNAP TVS-873 NAS. Oppo Digital UDP-103 universal disc player.
Power amplifiers: Benchmark AHB2, NAD M23.
Loudspeakers: KEF Blade Two Meta with IsoAcoustics GAIA II feet, KEF LS60 Wireless, PS Audio Aspen FR5.
Cables: Digital interconnects: Mogami Gold AES TD DB25-XLR0 snake.Analog interconnects: Mogami Gold AES TD DB25-XLR snake, Benchmark Studio&Stage XLR–XLR. Speaker cables: Blue Jeans Canare 4S11.
Accessories: Furman Elite 15 DM, HDPlex 300W Linear Power Supply (for server).
Listening room: 24' L × 14' W × 8' H, furnished with GIK Monster Bass Traps built into each front corner. Sidewalls lateral to L/R speakers have 2" thick, 2' wide floor-to-ceiling OC 705 panels. Front wall has large windows variably covered by solar shades. Rear of room opens into 10' × 7' foyer and a 12' × 8' dining area.—Kalman Rubinson

COMPANY INFO
KEF, GP Acoustics (UK) Ltd.
Eccleston Rd.
Tovil, Maidstone
Kent ME15 6QP, England, UK
(732) 683-2356
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
Glotz's picture

And with Dirac, the overall performance is way smoother and far more linear. Nice to see they work with a large range of speakers, as assumed- 'without the thumbprint of room acoustics'. (Those 'room' features also look intriguing for apartment owners...)

I need to hear a pair with the R-11 Metas!

CrankTaintly's picture

… Unlike their other active speakers, their subwoofers are not what I would call a value proposition. They are too expensive for what they’re offering.

Also, without running these through JA test bench, I’m dubious of several things stated in their specifications:

• 500W into a 9 inch woofer? I’d need to see some hard specifications on that because there’s not a 9 inch woofer on the planet that can take 500 W of continuous power.

• Also, those little woofers are flat to 11 Hz? Really? I sincerely doubt that unless of course you’re talking at 80 dB.

• Also, I’d love to see what the distortion is that’s being produced by this sub one is being put under some real stress.

• There are a good number of subwoofers that are half the price that will surpass what this subwoofer can do in the real world. $2000 is way too much to pay for what this subwoofer can give you.

supamark's picture

just lol. Btw, one KC92 has the same pistonic radiating area as one JL Audio Fathom f112V2. Won't play as loud but it will actually go a touch lower with *less* distortion. Those JL's have like 2 kW of output power. I have a pair of KC92's (and 62's, which work better with small monitors), Kal is accurate in his evaluation.

The more you know!

supamark's picture

The effective radiating area of the KC92 is about 10" pistonic, same as the JL Audio Fathom f112V2 (and the Blade 2 Meta's 4 woofers, which are acutally 5" cones). I have a pair of KC92's (accurate review, btw) and did the measurements and the math.

shaynet98's picture

I noted in the associated equipment that you are using the HAPI and OKTO DAC, as opposed to Storm. Is ART now available via Dirac RCS for PC?

Kal Rubinson's picture

As far as I know, DL-ART is still in beta for PC.

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