A kick-ass FUTURE-FI system (feat. KEF Q150)

👉🏻 This episode is brought to you by Marantz:
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🎥 Camera: Olaf von Voss
🎬 Editor: John Darko
🕺🏻 Motion GFX: John Darko
💰 Ad segment: Jana Dagdagan
🛋 My listening room in 2022:
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🎵 Song IDs? Playlists of all music heard in this video - and other videos - can be found on PATREON: / johndarko
0:00 Intro
0:54 KEF Q150 sound quality
4:50 more on KEF Q150 sound quality
7:22 NO PHOTOS
9:38 Bluesound / SVS / Sonos
16:50 The punchline
18:37 Outtakes
KEF Q150 (white)
🛒 howl.me/cix1peY60ni
KEF Q150 (black)
🛒 howl.me/cixYvvBDYup
Bluesound Powernode Edge
🛒 howl.me/chZe9nBN9A8
Bluesound Powernode
🛒 howl.me/cixEgO2CwBa
Solid Steel SS6
🛒 howl.me/cixEgPlK0I0
AudioQuest speaker cables
🛒 (US) amzn.to/3VfdmIT
🛒 (UK) amzn.to/3USq0xD
NO PHOTOS ON THE DANCEFLOOR! 2CD
🛒 (US) amzn.to/3GwrN6Y
🛒 (UK) amzn.to/3Erhv5w
NO PHOTOS ON THE DANCE FLOOR! Exhibition
co-berlin.org/en/program/exhi...
SVS Prime Wireless Pro Soundbase
📖 darko.audio/2022/11/svs-annou...
Sonos AMP
🛒 howl.me/cixEhVk9bVx
Atacama speaker stands
🛒 www.atacama-audio.co.uk/c/spe...
Mushroom table lamp
🛒 (US) amzn.to/3GiZFnR
🛒 (DE) amzn.to/3IAECet
🛒 (UK) amzn.to/3Gcy1W9
Is THIS the FUTURE OF HI-FI? (I think it might be)
📺 • Is THIS the FUTURE OF ...
#futurefi #SONOS #KEF
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[@DarkoAudio]

PLEASE READ *before commenting*! 1) All comments here are moderated by a third party 2) Polite comments that advance the conversation are most welcome 3) No URLs, racist/sexist remarks or conspiracy theories, please

[@kevinmoore9757]

This is my current system (with the Powernode). Yes, there are “better” speakers and amplifiers, but this got me off my laptop, into my living room, and listening to and enjoying music more than I have in 20 years. A huge return on an affordable (and visually appealing) investment. Your channel played a part, so thanks for encouraging others to do the same.

[@chasemason5129]

I have exactly the same setup!

[@Birmingham_racing]

I've got the powernode with q950. I did consider q150 along with a sub

[@spencerjones2035]

Almost same here! I have a POWERNODE and recently added a KC62 (thanks in no small part to John’s previous videos). Honestly I couldn’t ask for much more in terms of functionality, aesthetics, and sound.

[@gatobakuniano]

@@Birmingham_racing the powernode are enough to move well the Q950?

[@Jarle-andmyGoldwing]

Hi John, I’m a retired tech engineer. In 1987 I bought a Quad system and KEF 104. It’s more than 15 years since I gave the KEFs to my son. I have watched your videos for some time. Based on thees videos I have bought a Wiim Amp and KEF Q150. Can’t wait to hear what difference that will do compared with my B&W Panorama 3 soundbar. Thanks for bringing back my interest for music and gear. JS Norway.

[@lincolnabc1]

Your rambling is often the best part.

[@ryanmiles05]

Excellent as always! Thank you!

[@kjltube]

Don’t forget, when you add a sub with the Bluesound, you can remove the task of producing bass from the stand mounts and adjuster the crossover with the Bluesound.

[@KEF1987]

How do I do that? I have a blousound, what’s the best way to set up a sup through it. I have set of Wharfedale Linton’s. Thanks

[@LeeMaverick]

I Had the Q150s. I love the relax sound. Never fatiguing, made ANY recording sound good. I am happy to sacrifice a bit of detail to be able to have longer listening sessions. They still have plenty of detail and the soundstage was amazing. Close your eyes and you could see the music.I paired them with an old but very good Yamaha AV amp and an old but very big Yamaha Sub. Sounded amazing. You do need a sub with Q150s :)

[@chasemason5129]

My first HiFi system was the KEF Q150 with the Bluesound POWERNODE (2021 version). That’s thanks to your channel, John.

[@buzzmachinemedia]

Great video, as usual. Love your way of talking audio. Approachable and honest.

[@briteboy79]

I love that you drop in your music preferences in your reviews. As a Texan/Hifi hobbyist, it's usually someone I've never heard of, and I'll go check them out. Thank you for these videos!

[@Mr.P001]

Thanks for these suggestions, always something I would not have considered before.

[@angelorasmijn7306]

Great episode!

[@stevezeidman7224]

Very entertaining video, John. Loved the Aluminium euro v Aluminum US line.

[@HowieHaigh]

Keep on with the rambling John! These interesting asides are what make your videos personable and friendly 😎

[@democritus37]

Nice vid. Love the bluesound gear

[@JeffHeon]

Lovely video with the C/O Berlin side discussion. Now that the stage is set, looking forward to the play.

[@tommsla123]

Thank you so much. This is a setup that I want

[@bruffyb3796]

I'm definitely going to keep the KEF in mind, always enjoy your content.

[@supernehc]

My all white setup~ Kef R3 + KC 62 + Hegel a120... Love it~

[@bartboonstra948]

Yess I'm actually so exited for your next video! 18:00 The teasing at the end there just made me have a little party with myself😂🥳

[@pistachiobandanos904]

I've been running a set of q100s for a while and I'm happy with them.

[@VictorTe11]

Like some other commenters on here, I've had this setup but with the Powernode 2i, minus the stands for a few years now and I love it. It was my first foray into hifi systems and since then I expanded to setting up a Roon Server. It's subtle enough that it doesn't ruin the look of the living space. All thanks to this channel.

[@joemabry9643]

Thank you, enjoyed that.

[@syanhc]

Great video😊

[@ivanbister3431]

Hi John, I really like your videos and attitude towards hi-fi! Recently I have built my first hi-fi system with kef's ls50 meta, kc62 subwoofer and bluesound powernode. And talking about deals, my ls50 meta + kc62 costed together 1860€ + 900€ for powernode which combined got me absolutly amazing sound! And all thanks to you (before watching your videos I would probably go for a soundbar).

[@BorjaLopezFernandez]

Nice CD shelf ; Stewart Walker is one of my favs ; even today I still find such sound fresh

[@timarnold558]

I recently bought a used pair of Q150 for £200, a used Yamaha R-N803D for £300, a used BK XXLS400 sub for £250, and some used Atacama stands for £10. With some new cable and plugs, the whole lot was under £800 and sounds incredible.

[@patrickfarrell4751]

This is definitely the way to go Tim I did similar with Quad 306, Q Concept 20's with stands and an Aune DAC/preamp Streaming Tidal and it sounds awesome!

[@peterbuckley9731]

Love the ramblin’

[@paulconnelly9206]

No Photos - Happily in my music collection now ( paid for ) thank you. I watch, for the albums and artist mentions.. Awesome! great video.

[@boballard6040]

Great info! I hope your health is on the right track, just keep moving. Cheers

[@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120]

That is a great price and my Marantz PM8006 sounds great with my Kef Q350 and Q100 Thanks Darko appricate your hard work and dedication -

[@ChateauScholt]

Just clicked on the video because of the Q150s :D 2 years ago I built my stereo system with them and a Yamaha S501 Amplifier. It seems the Amplifier is a bit too powerful as I can't turn the volume up more than 1/3 but apart from that I'm pretty happy with it. For futurefi I added a raspberry pi zero with the justboom digi zero connected via coax, pretty happy with that too as I like to tinker directly with the software running on that thing. Nice build though with the Powernode thanks for the video!

[@MrVuvu]

Your point on soundbars I had a pretty good Yamaha soundbar for TV/movies and a two channel system consisting of Cambridge Audio's Minx XI streaming amp, with the KEF Q300 speakers. Sadly, the soundbar was stolen last year and for months I couldn't decide on a replacement. Until one Saturday afternoon I rearranged my lounge room and connected the tv's optical to the amp. It's been a revelation. The soundstage, the clarity (rain actually sounds like rain and weather instead of white noise), the dynamics, etc. TV and movies sound so much better through the amp and speaker combo. I'm never going back to a soundbar...not anytime soon.

[@TPQ1235]

Perfect!

[@N1NA607]

Partially retired techno clubber here I also had a budget of around £1500 for my first proper hifi set up. I went for Powernode Edge, Acoustic Energy AE100 speakers and a REL Subwoofer. I just stuck on the 'No Photos on the dancefloor' compilation, cranked to 75% and closed my eyes, almost felt like i was in Berghain! Thanks for the tip!

[@markos675]

A point for arc’s ease of use is that makes your hifi as easy as your’s tv’s speakers , big thumbs up for arc , love your content John

[@dmd7472]

Unbelievably good information 👏 fantastic

[@Captain-Donut]

Dear Sir, Very entertaining rambling. Love from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@tomkoetting5954]

I'm in this camp. Q300's + Andrew Jones sub on a Sonos AMP. Another AMP drives Boston patio speakers, and we've got Sonos BEAM2 and MOVEs all over the house. Any song, anywhere. I love it. Sure, I get tempted by a refurbished set of LS50's or R3's but then my better angels kick in. Well done - play some CAN

[@pappsa8]

i love those!!

[@lukemarvin]

I used a pair of Kef Q100s with my TV for a few years but I really missed having a centre channel for dialog. (My use case was mostly tv.) Now I have them in my office for music. My standing desk is more of a dancing desk now.

[@apparentlyretrograde]

Weird coincidence that today I went ahead and upgraded my secondary system to the KEF Q150 and the Bluesound Powernode (though not the Edge, got too good a deal on the powerful one), through some Totem Tress wires, and sitting on IsoAcoustics Apertas. And then noticed this video in my subscriptions. Love it.

[@waltzie]

Kef is my favourite speaker company after I bought the Q700's on a crazy sale...I've never looked back.

[@maxpower7504]

I just set up my node to an external power amp. I use HDMI eARC from my LG OLED TV to the node. The node even has a 12v trigger out to switch the amplifier on when the TV is turned on. It is fantastic. No need for preamplifier, and I have no desire for a full surround setup with AV receiver. One thing worth noting is there is a 15-minute delay for the 12V trigger out to turn off, and turn the power amp off, after the TV has been turned off - this may confuse some people when setting up. (As when using an AV receiver, the power off is instant)

[@g-mav]

I built a similar setup on a fluke a couple years ago, when the current-gen Sonos Amp had just come out - I’ve paired the Sonos Amp with a set of white KEF Q350’s, and HDMI ARC to my Apple TV (which allows me to train my normal tv remote as a replacement to the apple remote). One remote to rule them all, AirPlay 2 streaming Apple Music Lossless sounds gorgeous and I’ve never once had to tinker with the setup. Darko is right, these KEF’s have a lovely sound and deep soundstage. Considering adding a Sonos Sub Mini to upgrade the experience, but I agree that these kinds of setups are the future: easy, robust, wireless, aesthetic and much more experiential than a soundbar.

[@chawonytube]

Solid system for the money. Great pairing.

[@ryanchappell5962]

I think it’s beautiful

[@BJyelhsA]

This is pretty much my second system setup. Powernode, acoustic energy ae100.2, monitor mrw10 sub all in white. Love the benefits of hdmi arc, that's future-fi for me

[@RogerBergqvist]

I love the Q-series. I have a pair of Q950 floor standing speaker. Big sound for a big room.

[@Birmingham_racing]

I had the q950 but was too big for my room

[@Scrufboy]

I really liked this video. I've heard of you... I peruse your website from time to time. This got my sub... So Hello! and hello to the comment section! I like the future-fy ideology and how clean the setup looks. Thanks for sharing that Techno Album too. Sadly, I can only find volume 1 on streaming.

[@AlcatrazCrylake]

I have the KEF Q150 for about 4 years now. My first "Hifi" Speakers. With them I learned that audio isn't just bass or loudness. They are perfect for me on the desk where they get used in an 5.1 system for all things. Gaming, watching movies and music listening and DJing. Powered by an Yamaha aventage RX-A4A they sound really good and a SVS PB2000 pro Subwoofer gives the needed low end. Now I'm thinking of getting myself the LS50 Meta or R3. For desk use the LS50 just seem to be the better option. Even just in size. I just wish there would be a more fitting colour option for my setup. The non Meta version had an all black special edition... Or changing the drivers of the black LS 50 Meta to the silver red ones from the wireless II would look awesome. Would be possible but very expensive just for looks. Edit: I got myself the R3. After some research and just the comfort of size and automatically having the tweeters at the right high on my desk, I chose them. Awesome speakers. Didn't think it would be such an improvement!

[@chrumczyk5494]

What I've noticed with the stands is that they are just a stool without the seat :D

[@juanmillaruelo7647]

Great quick and simple system that your partner will surely approve of. Esthetics and simplicity can be important oftentimes.

[@mattymmmm2362]

My current system is a Harmon Kardon Citation Amp and some Q Acoustics 2050i’s. Good video mate.

[@der94alex]

you make it sound like americans and europeans get a different version of the driver, and I absolutely love that fact 😂

[@SimonTroll]

Thanks John. Great review as always. I agree wholeheartedly for the ease of use and the sound quality over a soundbar! I have had the 'original' (?) 800W Bluesound Powernode running into a pair of Fyne Audio F302 for over a year now and very pleased with the sound. The speakers are about 4m apart and wired with Audioquest flip4 loudspeaker cable. Not all white but saves on stands and works out a little cheaper overall.

[@theluggage7131]

White Q150 on white 10” subs with a 1 foot homemade white and chrome stand between. QC250 Center and HTS 3001se as back channels. WAF was on point, especially after loading the first BR :D

[@masons1510]

Great video. Hope you’re doing well, John

[@fhaquuu]

Kef Q350 are my favourite speakers, above JBLs 530, 580, DCM Timeframe.. I own them all and Kefs are so linear but pleasing. Paired with 100w p c solid state Sony ES separates, and Willsenton R8 is pure magic.

[@pgsahlman]

I just bought a pair of KEF Q150's, and I think they're outstanding in my home office. While I listen to some electronic music, most of it's classical, and I find them remarkably present, and at the same time neutral. What a value!!!

[@bumbozambumbazebulon6738]

Great video and props for mentioning SVS! I only wished the old hi-fi "diminishing returns" logic didn't extend to speaker stands, their prices remain obscene for what we get. It's about time we get budget-conscious, audiophile-grade pretty furniture (did you read me, IKEA, JOHN LEWIS, HABITAT, WAYFAR )

[@jacquesvilleneuve754]

Great budget setup John. I was looking at this and then I couldn't resist buying a set of PSB Alpha iQ at a discounted price of $1299. Very pleased with them, setup is super easy and BluOs app is fantastic. HDMI Arc does wonders for TV listening. Maybe a sub will be added but I could live without. Your Kef/Powernode setup is very similar I would think. Thanks again.

[@_fakeklg]

The Al-you-minnie-umm version? I love that version 😂

[@TheWkd111]

Great as always John and I have a couple of Bluesound devices and like them quite a bit even though I came from a past of a "separates or nothing" attitude. But in fact in my wife's office a node, marantz receiver and the Q150s. I was shocked because the office is not particularly setup for sound and they actually do sound quite good. I can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve to rival this... I think quality options are important for the real world because not many people have the luxury of a dedicated listening area and sometimes you just want something to fill a space with musical enjoyment.

[@kuugeli]

"or aluminium if you get the european version" 😂

[@adaboy4z]

These are great for a small Man Cave. The bass is deep and full for a small room system. I have three Q150's as my Front for Home theater.

[@leewilcox4044]

I am SOOOO in agreement with you John on the topic of a simple HDMI ARC equipped stereo amp plus speakers vs a soundbar. And not just for music. Those larger drivers, the width and expansive sound you refer to, not to mention the infinitely less compromised location of ear height speakers to the left & right of the TV vs a soundbar pointing at your knees, makes TV & movie listening so much more satisfying. And with the Bluesound you also have the opportunity to add a subwoofer and choose your crossover point, making a really decent 2.1 system for movie watching well in the reach of mid to upper price soundbar budgets. I do bleet on regularly about these viable and superior options to soundbars regularly to do my little bit in educating poor punters who spend their hard earned on inferior compromised products, so I applaud you for doing so. It does make me frustrated when magazines, KZbinrs and some websites extoll the virtues of their “5 Star” soundbars leading Joe Public to buy them in their droves on the strength of such reviews that fail to point out the limitations of soundbars and tge perfectly decent alternatives. And for those who wince at the visual impact of a pair of KEF Q150’s, smaller speakers that could pair nicely with a subwoofer are available: Monitor Audio Radius 90, Neat Iotas, Ophidian Minimo, DALI Menuet, and others, which can still give you a lovely spacious soundstage with very little visual impact in the room. Domestic considerations sorted AND superior sound experience. Win win.

[@alanmodimages]

Great video. I grew up in Detroit :) Techno came from Detroit with Derrick May, Juan Atkins and Kevin Saunderson. The Transmat label is a good place to look. Many of our artists took off to places like Berlin. It's cousin, House Music and it's evil cousin Acid House came from Chicago. House and Acid were the basis of the UK Rave scene. House and Techno were parallel developments. Both influenced by groups like Kraftwerk and the Italo Disco sound. Love your work and the touches of Electronica sprinkled in :)

[@barbaroja.mp3]

cool !!... no way!! you got to meet Heiko, great guy, I worked with him a few years back.

[@christiankunde8146]

I love my white KEF Q350 😉

[@MuzzaW2000]

Thanks for the video. I see that KEF UK are offering £150 off these speakers today. I've already got different KEF speakers so I'm already happy with what I've got.

[@VMVarga-yf6eg]

Just for the record I have two separate systems hooked up to KEF LS50 meta speakers. One has a Blusound powernode and the other has a Denon PMA 600NE with a Denon DNP800 NE and the latter is soooooo much better than the former on so many levels. Just my two bobs worth😎

[@landpro28]

Love your content, thanks a lot - I am learning a lot. Could you please suggest if LS-50 Meta and Cambridge Audio Evo 75 is a good pair? Or I would need to go for Evo 150, or may be you will say that Canbridge Audio isn’t the best fit here. 👍🚀🥳

[@ChrisWhittenMusic]

Love KEF

[@MrRoeltej]

And suddenly I had white Q150s and a Powernode Edge too :p Gonna replace a 5.1 system in my new home, but it all has to stay boxed for a few more weeks... Gonna keep by BK sub for now, see if its a match for the speakers and the room. Gonna try to listen to music a bit more again.

[@SpiderslidePics]

Guess I’m old school. Powernode and Klipsch. Sounds great to these old ears.

[@stuart.s.]

Having a pretty basic system with a pair of Denon M10K speakers which sound decent, I decided to purchase the Q150. I don’t have them optimally positioned, but they sound excellent to my ears, and a solid upgrade to what I had. 👍

[@ShaneTheGeek]

One thing that I love about your video reviews is how you know exactly what services are and are not supported on each platform. I think a super helpful-cool thing to have on your website would be a Future-Fi section with a three tier system for each streaming service. Lets say a Budget-fi, Mid-fi and Sky-fi option that is optimal for the particular streaming service. Perhaps something that you update only when you release a Future-Fi system video. Put in some lovely referral links to help support the channel and I think it would make for a great one stop shop when looking for that perfect system depending on the ecosystem one prefers. Thanks John!

[@joshuapisani1853]

I'll back you up on this one! Would be nice to have some pre-picked Hi-Fi systems that Darko has put together and show budget tiers, kinda like how someone may use the PCPartPicker website. I think KZbinr JoeNTell's website does something similar to what you're describing also, albeit with less detail.

[@rvltn3962]

Great video and great approach to future-fi ! While you were talking about combining brighter amp with more laidback sounding speakers, you got me thinking... I just purchased a pair of Focal Aria 926, would the Marantz model 40n be a good match in that regard ? Thanks a lot and keep up the great work !

[@aceofspades6667]

I was going to buy this marantz determined this was powerful enough for me. Ended up going with Anthem STR Integrated

[@richardvanvliet2287]

You’re right John, this is a setup that people like me(🤔) are looking for. White bookshelves plus a powernode for spotify- and tv-connect. Would be nice to compare the KEF’s with similar priced speakers like the Acoustic Energy AE100 mk2…

[@Michael-xz1nk]

John.. I absolutely LOVE an all white system from an aesthetic perspective...so so cool in an already cool room. I also absolutely LOVE small, simple and elegant systems at affordable prices...the fewer boxes and gizmo's the better. And this system nails it!! This is all 98% of music lovers and modern audiophiles will ever need and be happy for decades, especially in small spaces. Kudos to you for bringing it to the attention of Darko nation!

[@user-fe3hs6oc3n]

Hi Darko, As always it's fun to see and hear your excellent reviews, I always wonder why you rarely do reviews of tower speakers, I think it is a more complete speakeri, anyway I wish you all the best health in the world, and that you always continue with the excellent reviews that are eagerly awaited. Ronen

[@steve-zschannel2729]

Got to admit I'm into an all white system, I have a white Bluesound Node 2i feeding a pair of white Q Acoustics M20 powered speakers on the white Q Acoustics dedicated stands, QA also helped the aesthetics by using a non black grille cloth, it's a pale grey that suits the look very well. I too use an Audioquest speaker cable as my umbilical between the master and slave speakers, total cost under £900 and it sounds and looks excellent, be interested to know if you've tried this setup 🤔

[@koszyklbn]

Dear John, i think cool thing that not many people talk about is HDMI arc extractor. I bought one for around 40 EUR on Amazon, thanks to that i can control volume form tv remote. Rest of components was also not expensive. Elac ub52 on sale was 299 eur, SMSL A300 161 Euro, Wiim mini 99 EUR. It's not all in one but that all-black set will fit kallax easily and over deliver for the budget.

[@bumbozambumbazebulon6738]

THIS^^^^ (but yeah there goes the MONOCHROME SUPREMACY 😂)

[@christianschraa4995]

Did you know that you can actually map the volume buttons of any remote control the Apple Siri Remote? I‘ve got a pair of B&W 606 S2 AE coupled with a Cambridge Audio AXR100D, which is connected to the TV via Toslink which in turn has an Apple TV HD connected. The only negative is that I have to turn the Amp off manually, but that doesn’t worry me.

[@axelviarhilmarsson6317]

Hi "Darko" - I have been following you for years now. I would like to ask you about the "old" rule of thumb about roughly spending half of your budged on the speakers, as they are so important. Is this "rule" outdated in the current future-fi systems? If so is your spending on the speakers (300/1500) close to what you would say is the new rule of thumb? Is that due to some fact that one can purchase better speakers today for less, or that we need more of some other gear for the hifi-system today than one "needed" in the past? Best regards from Iceland

[@dclove5150]

I just ordered a Powernode Edge. I am anxious to see how it will do in my 2.1 home theater and stereo setup. I currently run a Cambridge combo CXN and CXA81. I like the sound but there are a couple of things that bother me about the system. First , bass management only a pre out for the sub. Second the lack of HDMI ARC. I am tired of reaching for a second remote to control the volume plus the motor on the volume pot of the Cambridge amp chages too fast with the remote making it hard to dial in a suitable volume. I am interested how the sound of the Powernode Edge will compare to the Cambridge duo.

[@JeffJacquesmd]

John, given I have pre-teen kiddos in the house I do most of my listening via headphones, either wired or wireless. But this video has made me want to upgrade my listening room kit. I have a 5 speaker Sonos system that is purely about TV surround sound and passive, entertaining music as a part of ambiance.

[@BartgEU]

Same with me... fallen in love with goog head-fi. Which triggered upgrqdes to living room system as I fully understood how dreadful was my home theatre's sound... now in the run for "good enough" sounding stereo future-fi :)

[@iamrobcrawford]

Great video. I opted for a higher-end sound bar for ease of use, but I’m now thinking of putting together a system like this. Two questions: would you recommend this streaming amp with the LS50, or something different? Also, do you think the SVS Micro 3000 sub would be a good pairing? Keep up the great work!

[@DumberInRealLife]

I've got the Q150s, a Sonos amp, and Sonos sub playing Tidal in my small apartment. I spend a lot of time thinking about upgrading the amp/streamer and the sub, but I doubt I'd be able to get more for my money in my non-optimized space. Stoked to hear you talk about it.

[@Birmingham_racing]

Isn't the sonos amp 125 watt per channel? It's bigger speakers you need not a better amp

[@ProfessorHamer]

I found recently that there is a bit of a dilemma with Apple TV and movie watching with a 2.1 system, in that Netflix will now send an encoded virtual surround stereo track if you configure the audio output of the Apple TV to stereo, but otherwise apple or the tv will do the downmix from surround mix. The gotcha is that the stereo mixes almost always exclude the LFE channel, whereas the apple downmix does include the LFE channel. The stereo mixes unfortunately do tend to sound better, which I find frustrating. With the powernode you might get better bass management as well by configuring the Apple TV to send Dolby digital. For music you can send the output of the Apple TV to AirPlay to thr power node, which also allows you to turn off the tv and have 44.1 kHz

[@Another_Audiophile]

Nice video. We have to point out that this video is mainly or only for viewers in the USA. I’ve tried to find these speakers for £250 or $299 and couldn’t find this price anywhere.

[@zefrog7482]

For active speakers I'd love to see you review the Adam Audio A8H! Really interesting proposition for home Hi-fi, they sound awesome.🙂 I have only ever really ran DIY gear as just never found anything in the 'Hi-fi' space that competes for the money, but the Adams have me very tempted to retire my DIY speakers and get rid of my system and just run a pair of A8H's with a CD player with volume control as one unit like the Quad arterra play+.

[@sebastianbirch2187]

Hats off to KEF for making an Aluminum version cones for US market, and Aluminum ones a special for EU!

[@NalinKhurb]

Ha!

[@johnparkerzabala]

John you mentioned techno started in Chicago and Detroit. If my memory serves me wel, I read it from the book Last Night A DJ Saved My Life.

[@xristoskalandrias2834]

i like the colour

[@davidhalliday7776]

Another fantastic video. I wonder how those Q150's would stack up against my venerable Coda 7's. Something just keeps dragging me back to the Coda 7's at the moment I have them back on my high-end Linn system (Akurate 4200 amp and DSM), which should make no sense but enjoy every minute.

[@NoahBershatsky]

I had a pair of the KEF Q150 that I bought the last time they were on sale for below $300. They were really the weakest link in my system. Without a doubt, they need a sub. I ended up replacing them with the KEF R3 speakers - much more expensive, but now I’m quite happy. Still need a sub though. I pair them with a Bowers & Wilkins ASW608. Great combo overall. Quite happy with the R3 now.

[@klaverro]

Good video John. Agree with soundbars and music. Tried a Sennheiser Ambeo and a B&O Beosound Stage last year for my TV-setup but as a primary audiophile and music-lover it didn't work (despite WAF). After hearing a BS Powernode with Dali Rubicon monitors in the store, which sounded great with music and movies, I finally ended up with a Hegel H95 amp, Dynaudio Evoke 10 speakers and a BS Node (love the BS RC1 remote with it's controls and presets). I am enjoying this setup everyday!