Comparing the sound of the A25

[Tighelander]

I've had a pair of A25s for about a year now, and I've decided to replace them with a pair of KEF C30s. I tested the A25s against those and a pair of JBL J6020s and sounds, especially the vocals, were more definded with those than the A25s. Is it normal for A25s to sound less distinct than these others? I think the JBLs are from the early 90's, and the KEFs are from the Mid 80s.

[Gerry S]

I owned a pair of Dyna A25's a very long time ago. Very nice speakers in the New England "laid-back" "concert hall balance" tradition of AR. I'm not surprised about the differences you hear when compaired to JBL's, which as a brand is noted for their fowardness. I'm not all that familar with KEF, although they are highly regarded by many.

[Tighelander]

I hadn't heard of KEF before, and the combination of laminate veneer with the plastic badge cast a dubious shadow. I did some research on them when I got home, and then went back the the thrift shop, buying them after a test drive. They are little sharper than the JBLs, but the JBLs seem to have a little more base.

Regarding the A25s, I can't believe how well the drivers are made, in that the surrounds haven't rotted away.

[Martin]

I suspect you will soon come to realize that the A25 is a much better, more lifelike and much more satisfying loudspeaker than either your JBL or KEF unless there's something very wrong with them. Give them a little more listening time and you will likely agree. I'm surprised that your JBL produces crisper vocals than the Dynaco. The JBL "titanium" tweeter likely extends higher than Dyna's, but the Seas in the A25 is a real gem that sounds great even without the uppermost frequencies. And as I recall, the KEF C30 bass is muddy & sloppy.

[Tighelander]

Everything about the KEF C30s sounds precise, well precise to my ears of limited experience. I was REALLY happy when I got the A25s about a year ago, but the C30s sound better overall, in spite of having less bass than those bullet-proof A25s. The sound of the A25s is nice and warm, but it's all on the same level-vocals that are play second fiddle to the lower notes. Could this be due to a weak Cap that's making the tweeter do too much work?

[Horswispr]

KEFs are supposed to be good speakers in general, but I know nothing about the "C" line. I'd expect JBLs to be brighter but more fatiguing than Dynacos. Dynacos should be pretty nice with vocals, as they have a neutral midrange. You could try recapping them with Solen or Dayton 5.1s or 6.2s. The 6.2s would give you a tiny bit more upper midrange/lower treble energy than the 5.1s, but most people wouldn't even notice the difference.