Scotchegg
pfm Member
Hi everyone, recently I’ve been modernising my system a bit by adding a Bluesound Node to what was predominantly a modest, turntable based system and I felt like it was probably worth it to upgrade my speakers as I was running a friends Dali Spektor 2 on a loan after my vintage B&Ws starting developing faults. My budget was around £500 and I ended up demoing a couple of pairs at home, the B&W 607 S2 Anniversary and the new Rega Kyte. Since I could find almost no info about the Kyte's online, I thought I’d sign up to the forum and give my own experiences with them for anyone considering a demo in the future.
As I said, my setup is fairly modest:
Bluesound Node 2021
Rega Brio-R
Nad 533 Turntable with upgraded 12mm Glass Platter
Audio Technica VM95-Shibata Stylus
QED XT25 cables
I won’t make any direct comparisons of the Kyte’s to the 607’s at the risk of annoying too many people with my first post, but I’ll just say that I didn’t really like them so much. If it had been a shootout in terms of build quality and overall beauty, the B&W’s would have been way up there, they look and feel fantastic, but the sound was not for me. Me and my partner, who is very much not into hi-fi, both came to the same conclusion very quickly, that the B&W’s were just too sharp in the top end. I work as a podcaster and when we were discussing the sound, I used the analogy that if I had been producing an episode and it sounded like the B&W sound, I would be running a De-esser on it to try and tame some of the aggressive sibilances. It’s not a perfect analogy for sure, but maybe it helps explain my thoughts on them overall.
So anyway, back to the Kytes. We may as well get it out of the way early, I really hate their look. Definitely, this is a polarising element to these speakers, as my good friend said completely the opposite and he instantly began swooning over them, saying he loved the modern, discreet and efficient vibes they gave off. I think they look a bit like oversized desktop PC speakers designed by some odd soviet, modernist, but each to his own. The build quality, however, is totally top-notch when you actually look at them up close and the detailing around the tweeters and drivers does give them a more higher-end look that does belie the fact that they are essentially plastic boxes. Setting them up is a bit odd as they tilt backward on my stands, which I found odd and I wasn't sure if I should tilt them forwards to make them fire vertical or not. I experimented with both and ended up tilting them forwards for the most part and I eventually settled on that. I didn't toe them in at all and just faced them straight forward.
Straight off the bat, I'll say that after plugging them in, they instantly brought a smile to my face and I guess that is really the most important thing. It’s a real cliche thing to hear in a speaker review, but the sound, to me, was just good fun. They really excelled in bringing out the detail in the mids and gave just enough bottom end to make you feel like there was weight to it. The top end was detailed, but really smooth and overall felt very well rounded as a whole. Again, when discussing them with my partner, we both felt that they were a really balanced, full sound that felt easy and somehow comfortable to listen to. They drag you into the music really quickly and forced me to stop being so analytical all the time, as you tend to be when demoing new equipment, and just enjoy what was being played.
I listen to all sorts of music really was jumping from jazz to classical to 80s synthwave, 60s psych and everything in between. Generally speaking, vocals and particularly, jazz drums and wind instruments that are always really well produced, were at that lovely level that just forces you to sit back and appreciate the depth and clarity of what you are hearing. It’s when I heard a drumstick ripping on a hi-hat and could pick out the tell-tale click of the plastic tip that I knew the speaker was doing a bang up job. Being less analytical, I listened to these for hours and constantly felt surprised at new details I was hearing and of how much fun I was having just enjoying the music. I know I said I didn’t want to make any direct comparison between the Kyte and the 607’s but I’ll make just one; where I thought that the 607’s offered up very scooped mids, focusing instead on the top and bottom end, the Kyte’s were completely the opposite and felt very even across various tracks and genres. I don’t have any way to test any of this and I don’t know how true any of it is on an objective, scientific level, but to me, the best way to describe the Kyte’s is balanced but not neutral. They have a lovely, warm sound that feels complete and throws up a really pushing, rhythmic pace to the music. There doesn’t really feel like there are any large scoops or peaks anywhere or any particular emphasis on any one element across the board. Maybe some people might feel them a bit authoritarian in that respect, but I never got that impression. Despite the fact that they don’t thump bass, or cut with razor sharp top end, they remain buckets of fun and apply plenty of drive and detail.
If I have to levy any criticism, I’ll say that I didn’t feel like they are the most open speaker and at times I wish they gave the music a bit more space, but I wouldn’t say the image was lacking at the same time. It was only that I had a hankering for a touch more air in the sound at times during busy tracks, if that makes sense. To be honest, I wondered if I might just be expecting a bit too much out of my system here.
Anyway, that’s my feelings on the Kyte after three days demoing them this weekend. I suppose I should say whether or not I bought them… I absolutely did and I didn’t feel bad about spanking more money on hi-fi one bit! If you have any questions about them, let me know. I’m maybe not the most accomplished audiophile in terms of my descriptions, but I’ll do my best.
As I said, my setup is fairly modest:
Bluesound Node 2021
Rega Brio-R
Nad 533 Turntable with upgraded 12mm Glass Platter
Audio Technica VM95-Shibata Stylus
QED XT25 cables
I won’t make any direct comparisons of the Kyte’s to the 607’s at the risk of annoying too many people with my first post, but I’ll just say that I didn’t really like them so much. If it had been a shootout in terms of build quality and overall beauty, the B&W’s would have been way up there, they look and feel fantastic, but the sound was not for me. Me and my partner, who is very much not into hi-fi, both came to the same conclusion very quickly, that the B&W’s were just too sharp in the top end. I work as a podcaster and when we were discussing the sound, I used the analogy that if I had been producing an episode and it sounded like the B&W sound, I would be running a De-esser on it to try and tame some of the aggressive sibilances. It’s not a perfect analogy for sure, but maybe it helps explain my thoughts on them overall.
So anyway, back to the Kytes. We may as well get it out of the way early, I really hate their look. Definitely, this is a polarising element to these speakers, as my good friend said completely the opposite and he instantly began swooning over them, saying he loved the modern, discreet and efficient vibes they gave off. I think they look a bit like oversized desktop PC speakers designed by some odd soviet, modernist, but each to his own. The build quality, however, is totally top-notch when you actually look at them up close and the detailing around the tweeters and drivers does give them a more higher-end look that does belie the fact that they are essentially plastic boxes. Setting them up is a bit odd as they tilt backward on my stands, which I found odd and I wasn't sure if I should tilt them forwards to make them fire vertical or not. I experimented with both and ended up tilting them forwards for the most part and I eventually settled on that. I didn't toe them in at all and just faced them straight forward.
Straight off the bat, I'll say that after plugging them in, they instantly brought a smile to my face and I guess that is really the most important thing. It’s a real cliche thing to hear in a speaker review, but the sound, to me, was just good fun. They really excelled in bringing out the detail in the mids and gave just enough bottom end to make you feel like there was weight to it. The top end was detailed, but really smooth and overall felt very well rounded as a whole. Again, when discussing them with my partner, we both felt that they were a really balanced, full sound that felt easy and somehow comfortable to listen to. They drag you into the music really quickly and forced me to stop being so analytical all the time, as you tend to be when demoing new equipment, and just enjoy what was being played.
I listen to all sorts of music really was jumping from jazz to classical to 80s synthwave, 60s psych and everything in between. Generally speaking, vocals and particularly, jazz drums and wind instruments that are always really well produced, were at that lovely level that just forces you to sit back and appreciate the depth and clarity of what you are hearing. It’s when I heard a drumstick ripping on a hi-hat and could pick out the tell-tale click of the plastic tip that I knew the speaker was doing a bang up job. Being less analytical, I listened to these for hours and constantly felt surprised at new details I was hearing and of how much fun I was having just enjoying the music. I know I said I didn’t want to make any direct comparison between the Kyte and the 607’s but I’ll make just one; where I thought that the 607’s offered up very scooped mids, focusing instead on the top and bottom end, the Kyte’s were completely the opposite and felt very even across various tracks and genres. I don’t have any way to test any of this and I don’t know how true any of it is on an objective, scientific level, but to me, the best way to describe the Kyte’s is balanced but not neutral. They have a lovely, warm sound that feels complete and throws up a really pushing, rhythmic pace to the music. There doesn’t really feel like there are any large scoops or peaks anywhere or any particular emphasis on any one element across the board. Maybe some people might feel them a bit authoritarian in that respect, but I never got that impression. Despite the fact that they don’t thump bass, or cut with razor sharp top end, they remain buckets of fun and apply plenty of drive and detail.
If I have to levy any criticism, I’ll say that I didn’t feel like they are the most open speaker and at times I wish they gave the music a bit more space, but I wouldn’t say the image was lacking at the same time. It was only that I had a hankering for a touch more air in the sound at times during busy tracks, if that makes sense. To be honest, I wondered if I might just be expecting a bit too much out of my system here.
Anyway, that’s my feelings on the Kyte after three days demoing them this weekend. I suppose I should say whether or not I bought them… I absolutely did and I didn’t feel bad about spanking more money on hi-fi one bit! If you have any questions about them, let me know. I’m maybe not the most accomplished audiophile in terms of my descriptions, but I’ll do my best.
P1070348
