Kudos X3 Home Demo
Posted by: SongStream on 17 June 2017
For the last week I've had a pair of Kudos X3s on home demo courtesy of Signals. I don't know how many hours these speakers had on them when I took them away, but if there was any doubt as to whether they were fully run-in, rest assured, they are now.
So....how are they? Honest, is the word I've come up with for a single word answer. It seems to me that too many speakers, even at this price point, seem to over-do top and / or bottom in an attempt to be impressive. Not here. These speakers manage to properly unravel everything right across the frequency range, and don't need to add boom, or screech to compensate for any failings. They are, without doubt, the most revealing and enjoyable speaker I have ever heard. They also tread that fine line, sounding refined while not being boring and laid back. I jokingly said to Andy at Signals last week that what I really wanted was Mission 752s, but just better; I think that's what I've found.
The main thing that would instantly grate on me with my outgoing Proac D18s was that human voices were all grainy and unconvincing, with the X3s the texture is all there, but with enough weight and warmth to sound organic. And thank god for that. The intimate vocals on Agnes Obel's Aventine album remain as up close and personal as ever, but sooo much sweeter and convincing than what I endured with the D18s. I love that album, and it's been a joy to listen to it (several times) without being annoyed by the system distracting from the music.
I've played so much different music though these speakers in the last week, it's hard to really recall what was going on. All I know for sure is that I really enjoyed it, and I'm not alone (no I'm not talking about the neighbours, though they will have their opinion). I think the secret is the mid-range excellence that the Kudos X3s deliver, along with deep agile low frequencies that know their place, and a genuinely sweet and expressive top end, and more importantly the even balance that makes such words unimportant. Listening to Tori Amos Live in Montreux 1992 delivered a timely and welcome reminder that a Steinway Concert Grand does actually have keys in the middle. Who'd have thought?
It's difficult, but I can just about imagine some finding the X3s a little too polite and soft for heavy-ish rock music. Play top quality recordings such as Nirvana - Nevermind, Rage Against the Machine - ditto, Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf, and you'll be rewarded with remarkable insight and detail, but drums sometimes sound a little less forward in the mix than with D18s for example; they're still very (very) much there, as is so much more, but they don't smack quite as hard. Distorting guitars have a slightly softened edge to them, and that sits fine with me, but I suspect some may not approve. That's being mega-picky though as the overall effect is fantastic, and had I not owned the D18s for comparison I doubt I would have picked any of this out, but it is true. Less well recorded /mixed material won't be flattered. The X3's honesty does extend to showing up bad recordings, they won't render them unbearable generally, but won't attempt to hide the flaws either. If the recording is thin and top / bottom biased, don't expect the Kudos X3s to fill anything in.
Am I buying them? Well, on Thursday, much as I loved them, I wasn't sure. My tiny brain was still wondering whether there could be anything better out there for similar money. When Friday came it was time to take them back to Signals, and then a moment of clarity occurred. The simple fact was I really didn't want to give them back, and the idea of being without them was unpleasant. Instead of packing them up, I rang Signals and expressed my unwillingness to give them back, and explained that I wanted my own pair. Bless them, they set about getting me some as soon as possible, and said I could keep the demo ones until mine arrived. A relief, and another dose of uncommon customer service that has made typing this much more enjoyable.
So, it's all good.
Kudos (Derek G) designs some excellent speakers! I hope you have your music backed up, with offsite storage. Nothing worse than a hard disk failure! I have an offsite USB/SSD drive backup, as well as a Vortexbox and NAS backup on site. I have acquired an xiva musicm8, it needs a hard drive, and software installing, i am not sure if i will keep it, or put it on ebay when i have finished. I have a UnitiQte, but have acquired some Simpleaudio roomplayers, I am quite pleased with the sound, but need a PC to control them 