Comments on: Kendall Floorstanding Loudspeaker

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Right out of the box these speakers appeared to exhibit a proud builders attention to detail. Superb build quality (for a speaker in this price range), and I have to add that the packaging was excellent. The double boxing and inside protection offered much to withstand the sometimes harsh rigors of transportation. To me these are beautiful speakers, attractive wood veneer and they appear to be built with tight tolerances. Presently I have approximately 20 hours on the speakers and I have to admit this in probably my most satisfying purchase in the last 10 years. In addition to the good looks ( I purchased the black or ebony model ) I fell in love with the very dynamic but still graceful tonal quality they exhibit. I really like the music (I only use these for two channel music listening) these Kendall’s present. The bass is tight and mature, solid mid-range, with accurate highs, and extremely smooth tonal balance. I purchased these to replace 3 month old Klipsch RP-6000F speakers that I found to be musically inferior with questionable build quality, and terrible colorization in their musical presentation. I still own the Klipsch speakers and have them sitting next to the Kendall’s so that i can side by side A/B test the two. No comparison to my ears the KLH Kendall wins hands down my a significant margin.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Mon, 16 May 2022 00:00:00 +0000

I have been so delighted with this speaker. I bought a pair to go with my NAD C388 integrated amplifier, and I find the sound airy but substantial, with lifelike detail and robust bass. I listen mostly to classical music, along with some jazz, and couldn’t be happier with the results! I had been using a pair of Focal Clear MG headphones over the last few months, and had been a little in awe of their quality. Because of this I was reticent about finding a good speaker which would approach their quality, without spending too large an amount of money. For me, the KLH Kendall offers the best of all worlds without breaking the bank. I recommend you give it a try!

By: David

David — Mon, 02 May 2022 00:00:00 +0000

My first impression, on opening the box, is that these speakers are big, boxy and heavy. Aesthetically, I would have preferred a more sculptured tapered speaker enclosure. The exterior finish was as fine as any other similarly priced speaker; however, the magnetically attached grills are great. I bought the Kendall primarily based on reviews and reported specs of the measured sensitivity level, so as to match with my lower watt tube amp and price range for which I was willing to spend. The sensitivity was comparable to Klipsch speakers, which I was also considering, but of whom I am not a particular fan of the horn tweeter. After getting over the size of each speaker, I was pleasantly satisfied with my listening initiation. I immediately went to my classic rock album favorites and noted that bass was not boomy and more than satisfactory for my senior aged ears. I was also impressed with the clarity of the overall sound and crossover separation. Treble did not seem overly bright as has been reported in some reviews. Overall, the speakers seem to be very musical and I am satisfied with my purchase.

By: William

William — Sat, 23 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

I have two pairs of KLH Kendall’s. One pair on two different amplifiers, the first pair is powered by a Denon x4500H, preamplifier is a Emotiva 5.0 XPA GEN 3 250 watt amplifier. Second system, is powered by a YAMAHA A-S801 integrated. The KLH Kendall’s are a great sounding speaker at the price range. The problem I have is with the tweeters on these models. I’ve blown two tweeters on each system. Yes the power cords were unplugged , yes I had the correct polarity, red to positive and black to negative. Binding post jumpers were tight. Everything was tip top and hooked up correctly. Conclusion: the tweeters blow much too easily for my liking, but that’s not the worst part. These speakers have a 10 year warranty, but it’s not that easy to get KLH to replace the defective tweeters after you’ve had previous problems. I won’t buy KLH again. Just for a comparison, I also have a pair of Monitor Audio Silver 500’s hooked up to my first system with no problem.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

What a dynamo! This speaker checked all the boxes for me. After listening to speakers from Polk, Wharfedale, Emotiva, and Infinity, these are the keepers. Punchy, extended bass, smooth seductive midrange, and highs with just the right amount of sparkle. Oh, and did I mention these will flat-out bring it when you start spinning the volume knob! The perfect combination of articulate, subtle reproduction of music with the ability to play loudly and cleanly. Can I say “Loud Butter”.

By: Ruben

Ruben — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

If you want crisp sound from your tweeters, mellow from your mids and deep bass from your woofers then don’t compromise. Not only do the KLH Kendall perform, they look good doing so. I run a Pioneer SX-1280 from 1979 and the Kendall’s can handle the power. Don’t forget to break them in slowly. Did I mention a 10 year warranty ? You won’t be sorry. Peace my friend.

By: Robert

Robert — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Love these speakers ! Don’t worry. Just buy these and be happy. Great speakers. Great deal. Crutchfield is the BEST place to buy audio. You won’t be disappointed. Bought these a while ago and am still happy with them. Great sound. Great looks.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Sat, 09 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

I purchased these from Parker Gwen over a year ago. I just found out Parker Gwen is out of business.
Anyway, I have been enjoying these speakers for more than one year. I like them better than my Klipsch RP280F’s. They have more clarity and better mid bass. Smoother treble, not fatiguing. Bass is very good, subwoofer not essential, in my opinion. Overall, a solid set of floor standers for the price. I run them with a Vincent SV-500 and Vincent PHO-701 phono pre-amp for vinyl and CD’s and a Marantz NR-1602 for streaming. Both sound excellent. Yes, they can go very loud and are neutral to my ears. The Klipsch are a bit bright in the treble, to me.

By: Craig S

Craig S — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

So this past month or so I spent a while both reading and auditioning Speakers and Amps, as I wanted to build a 2 Channel System for the primary use of listening to music…like I did “BACK IN THE DAY”!!! In doing so, I discovered just how far streaming music capabilities have come and was thoroughly impressed with the sound quality available over the air. With so many of the Tower Type Speakers I was liking, costing 3 grand or more, I was not optimistic wanting a 4 Driver, 3 way system. Initially, the Blue PowerNode, made for a no-brainer of a choice for an amp and streamer, with an included HDMI input for my Roku Device. So after reading and hearing simply raving reviews about the sound of the KLH Kendall Towers at $1299 a pair, I purchased the PowerNode at my Local Dealer, and ordered a pair of the KLF Kendalls. Ordered via Amazon, shipped from World Wide. Setting up the Black Oak finished Towers was pretty easy, screwing the rubber feet on and using Banana Plug connectors to12 gauge speaker wire, connected to the PowerNode. Even at first use, before any break in period, it was apparent that these speakers were a bargain at $1299 a pair!! The PowerNode offers a very clean and un-“colored” feed and for an entry level pairing, the duo sounded quite good….very good in fact. I had all tone controls off on the PowerNode, and the music just dripped through the KLH Kendalls. But there was something missing in the “presence” of the music using the PowerNode. Rated at 60watts, I just felt like more was needed as I had auditioned many amps driving speakers before my purchase. So I had seen the reviews about Yamaha’s newest line of Amplifiers and the one that stood out was the A-S801. At $900, it was going to fit well in to my budget, with room for a Media Streaming device to replace the PowerNode as it had no “Pre-out” to connect to another Amplifier. So…..in cutting to the chase, all I can say is Holy Freaking Shat!!! I decided to purchase the Blue Node2i, since I had become familiar with its operation and was very happy with its uncolored sound quality, and in combination, for under three grand, I challenge you to spend double that and find a system that sounds as good as this!! Really….as a life long lover of great music and the equipment its re-created on, this system is as good as anything you can listen to, when it comes to the simplicity of being satisfied….thoroughly!!! The Kendall’s are made like a brick as the internal MDF internal driver chambers make for a speaker that weighs every bit of 50 pounds, and giving way to zero cabinet resonance. The Cabinets “knuckle test” passes with a 100!! Rated as getting as low as 25htz, lower than most towers…you can believe me when I say, adding a Subwoofer would be completely unnecessary!! The bass is so tight and controlled…and the midrange….ohhh the midrange!!! Simply “liquid”!! Playing anything from Adelle to Bob James to Earth Wind and Fire, the music just takes on a life of its own as the speakers disappear with a soundstage that reaches far beyond their placement. And let’s talk movies for a minute….ok! I wasn’t sure if this system would be the most enjoyable for watching movies, but damn!!! I played the film “1912” through my OPPO BDP-83, with the connection scheme involving the Opposing HDMI to the Sony 55 TV, and the Optical Output from the Sony to the Yamaha A-S801. Again, no Sub needed!! It was an amazing experience as sound moved across the screen and behind me at times, engulfing me into every moment of the film! One last thing…DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME BI-AMPING these speakers. Seriously…it creates an overpowered and much more annoying BASS field. It muddied up the Mid Range significantly, and proved to be…well… as I said, a waste of time…but good for you to know right?? The Yamaha A-S801 is not a Bells and Whistle, Light Flashing Amplifier. Its remote is very useful, but with small buttons the you have to learn to braille over! There is no indicator light on the Volume knob either, so its always best to turn it down first if you aren’t sure when powering up. But guess what, these few short comings I could give a shat about, you know why…because this amp is truly in a class by itself musically!! I keep the Music Direct button on 99% of the time and its just a fantastic pairing with a set of Speakers that are as uncolored and as musical as it is! You’d have to spend a lot more to equal the sound the KLH Kendalls and the Yamaha A-S801 create. But if you are on a budget, or a true Audiophile who just wants to enjoy the music…this duo may end up being a “cult” pair, even for those owing multiple systems!! “Yeah I’ve got a Kendall/801 set up!!” It is simply that freaking good.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Absolutely incredible. Abso-damn-lutley incredible. The sound stage is next level. Anyone looking to get into actual hifi and don’t want to spend a fortune should put this on their short list. They sound outstanding. The bass is very, very good. The only downside is they are quite bright in the highs, you’ll have to adjust sound accordingly because atleast in my room I do get some hiss, but my room is definitely not an audiophiles dream I’ll tell you that. These are definitely a good purchase. KLH is really pulling all the stops to rebrand the image and I’m impressed.