I ‘am using the Kaber’s for nearly thirty years. I bought them as a used pair 1990 (show piece of the shop). I bought them with a Kairn, Klout, Karik and a LP12 (Valhalla \ Ittok). I lived with his setup in a midsized room (20 qm / 215 sqft) for round about 15 years happily without the slightest wish for any kind of change. In this room the setup was more than appropriate. Midrange and highs were very detailed and pleasant and the system was swinging and foot tapping - I loved it. Bass could be deeper but I was not missing any bass. After switching to a large room (45 qm / 480 sqft) the Kaber’s sounded dull and without musicality. I’ve exchanged the Kaber’s with a pair of Tannoy’s D700 and substituted the Kloud with a Sansui AU-X1. I still using the LP12and the Kairn as a phono preamp via tape out . A mind-blowing Setup. Pure Dynamics even in a 45 qm sized room with a pin point 2D sound from the D700 with very deep bass. Now I’m using the Kaber’s in my home office (15 qm / 160 sqft) as a part of my computer system driven by the Kloud and a new preamp and the old love has risen again. More bang for the bug is still today difficult.

- Bass (passiv setup)

transparancy, frequency response, soundstage.

chamber music stile, need of subwoofers, price, if you had to pay the full price.

As a student, I was happy with my pair of Cerwin Vega U-123, listening mainly classic and baroque music or jazz. But now it was time to make a change. Years ago, when I heard the first time LINN speakers (I think it was Sara), I thought I would hear live music, when I came into the room, but nobody was there playing the saxophone, that sounded so real. I never forget this impression. So I just had to buy, when I saw the Kabers at eBay for Euro 500,00. For these acitve speakers I bought 3 Cambridge Audio P500 and a Cambridge Audio C500. When I changed the preamp with the old Denon PRA-1100 for a comparison, I realized, that the Kabers are like cats: They just want the best food. What's the difference to the Cerwin Vega stile? It was like the night would change into day, when I say frequency response (midrange) and soundstage, and that is the main reason, why I wanted to change my speakers. In point of view clean sound (distortions) there is no much difference. But, but ... the sound-volume of the Kabers are poor in comparison with the Cerwin Vega: The Kabers with its precise transparancy are perfect for chamber music, but they don't "fill" big rooms. The music doesn't go under the skin, although it is a great pleasure, to listen seriously to music. You can hear almost every thing. There was one big tear in my eye, when I gave away the Cerwin Vegas: The Kaber woofers are so weak. So I bought a subwoofer, and I am happy again.

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Piega, perhabs Rowen

Great detailed sound when not being to demanding of amps.

Can my 2 nads (120wpc each)drive them???????

Can someone help me...I got these speakers (passive) and they sound superb. The problem is that if i up the volume they really let go off the bass and distort.I am using a NAD C370 driving the highs and a NAD C270 the lows cabled up with 4 runs of Linn K20.To get any real volume the nads are having to be pushed very hard (3 o clock position on the volume control)I realise that its the amps that are probably causing the distortion and wonder if bridging the amps will cure the problem.The kabers seem to just soak up so much power. Can anyone give me some tips..i dont really want to change the nads unless absolutely no other option.Will Linn amps really make a difference,what will going active do,will bridging give them the power they need to go load with less effort?????? SEND YOUR ADVICE TO djmayerfzr@hotmail.com

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LINN KEILEDS

open, detailed and pitch-perfect mid range and high end with a bass response that is extended, pitch-perfect and incredibly quick in activ mode. beautifully proportioned and constructed.

do not provide an overwhelming amount of bass

I agree with many of the comments below. The Kaber is not for everyone. However, if you appreciate a laid back, detailed and incredibly 'snappy' (in activ mode) presentation, this speaker will make you a very happy camper. I orginally owned a pair of passive Kabers which I purchased second hand. The speakers were driven by a Linn Majik with a Mimik as the source. This quickly proved to be inadequate. I worked out a deal with my local retailer to trade-in the passive units for aktiv demos with a pair of LK-100's. Over four years, I've upgraded to my current system consisting of LP12 (Ittok), Ikemi, Pekin, Kairn and three LK100's. Every upgrade provided substantial improvement as the Kaber (especially aktiv) is a ruthlessly revealling speaker. My most recent upgrade was replacing the ceramic dome tweater with the new fabric unit found in the current LINN speaker line. This provided one of the best upgrades for the lowest price of any changes I've made to my system. The high end is smoother with more detail and depth. Overall, this speaker is a pleasure to listen to. It offers an open, detailed and pitch-perfect mid range and high end with a bass response that is (contrary to some other reviews) extended, pitch-perfect and incredibly quick in activ mode. They like being close to the wall which is practical in most living room situations. The enclosure is built like a tank and offers that rock solid sound when you knock on its side. They are also among the most beautifully proportioned and constructed speakers you'll find if you care about what things look like. The downside is that the small bass driver that provides the snappy bass does not provide an overwhelming amount of it. If you crave the weighty bass required for heavy metal or symphonic music these might not be for you. However, if you listen primarily to more intimate, and especially acoustic, music such as jazz or chamber ensembles, you will find few speakers out there that will outperform these at anything near the price. If you own passive Kabers, upgrade to aktiv. If you own either, upgrade to the new tweaters. If you like LINN and are consdering a speaker upgrade, consider a used pair of Kabers, aktiv cards and a tweater upgrade.

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LINN index, tukan, mimik, majik, karik, numerik, ikemi, lp12, pekin, lk100.

Effortless, detailed presentation.

Seems to crave Aktiv amplification.

In my experience, this speaker is not exactly fit for just anyone. It will get analytical and slightly forward, and some might not appreciate that. If that''''s the kind of sound you like, go for the Kaber. It provides detail and soundstage that will blow you out of your socks. It sounds uncoloured open and effortless, but it does seem to not come to its full potential in my current setup. I expect a lot of improvement from going Aktiv.

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Tres neutre, boitie tres solide qui a pratiquement aucune frequence de raisonnance. Justesse des timbres. Basse hyper rapide et tres precise.

Ne donne pas une basse pouvant emplir une grande piece. Le prix est tres eleve et demande une amplification fort couteuse.

J'ai commence avec les Kabers en mode passif utilisant un ampli Naim 90 (30 watts). Le son etait bon mais on sentait que l'amplification n'etait pas suffisante pour fournir un bon niveau de basses.

J'ai ensuite upgrade avec une amplification LINN LX100 .. le resultat etait plus proche du Naim 250 que du Naim 90 ... le LK1000 pour 1300$ can etait beaucoup mieux que le Naim 250 a 2500$!

J'ai par la suite, achete 2 autres amplis LINN LX-100 et j'ai transforme la totalite de ma chaine en mode actif.

Il est impossible d'accoter ces h/p aux murs ou de les faire s manquer de souffles ... meme a pleine puissance de mes amplis tout est impeccable (excepte si il y a beaucoup de basses alors le H/P de basses de 4" .. peut accoter).

Le timbre est tres juste mais je trouve que pour entendre du detail, il faut ecouter assez fort (voir pas mal fort).

Il y a beaucoup de differences entre les sons forts et les faibles.

Je n'avais rien trouve comme H/P qui m'ont donnes ce rendu a ce prix. Les autres ca fini toujours par sonner comme un gros tonneaux ou encore, dans certaines plages de frequences, on entend le boitie. Je n'ai pas ces problemes avec les Kabers. La basse est solide et ne masque en rien le reste de la musique.

J'ai utilise dans une piece tres petite de ~ 8pieds x 10 pieds combine a un subwoofer M&K 70B et le mix etait incroyable.

Maintenant je suis dans une piece de 11 x 25 pieds et ca rempli confortablement cette surface sans problemes.

Je donne un 3/5 car j'ai entendu des Magneplanars 1.6 (2200$) avec une amplification Audio Research (1500$) et j'ai prefere les Magneplanars a mes Kabers.

Je n'echangerai jamais mes Kabers contre d'autres "caisses" car je n'ai rien entendu qui me donnait ce rendu a ce prix. Les Magneplanars sont les seules qui pourraient me faire changer mes Kabers.

authentic, natural, outbalanced, precise

none so far

Eight years ago I buyed my Keilidhs and was quite happy with them. When I changed my Rotel CD player into a Linn Genki, and my Linn Intec into a Linn Kairn and LK140 some months ago all my records seemed to be so beautifull and clear as I never heard them before. Now the Keilidhs became the weakest part in my system.- So I listend to a pair of Kabers and could´t belive how coarse and unprecise the Keilidhs are if one compare them to the Kaber. The difference can be compared with that between two different resulotion-types in a digital print.
The mid-and bass range in the Kaber is so distinct and "fast" that the Keilidh appears somewhat untidy beside a Kaber. (In some rewiews I read that the Kaber doesn´t have a rich bass if one plays them passively. I can´t agree. There is a rich bass register with accuracy and musicality instead of a noisy and coarse bass, compared to the Keilidhs.)

Listening to the Kabers means less disturbance between me and the music.
Jazz-records with piano sound wonderfully, kristall clear and yet warm and with a great dynamic, as symphonic orchestras does with a superb resolution.

My next stepp would be a stronger poweramp. I listend to the same system with a Klout instead of a LK140. The difference was clear. The Klout gave even more musicality to what I payed most attention to, the mid-and bass register.
Wheter a aktive system with two or three LK140s or a Klout passive version is superior, is my question for the future.
For the moment I am fully satisfied with my passive Kabers, which I got second hand for a good price.
My system: Linn Kairn, LK140, Genki, LP12-Ittok.

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Linn Keilidh

excellent tight and supremely revealing but not bright

Bass in passive is low but light in amplitude

Had these thing two years originally
being used in an all linn system karik numerik
where they were very accurate but two dimensional
and being used passively a little box bound not breathing
like some ported designs.

Now run them on a valve amp and agree with many of the reviews here these are a true reference speaker
which require critical positioning anad are ruthlessly
revealing of poor recording mixes, but not to the detriment
of the music which is what they sounded like in my $20k
all linn system.

I'm happy now and that says it all ...pick these up second hand and you'll never need to upgrade for another 20years

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castles, royd , homegrown

Always enjoyed Kans, but missed the the low end. Sara 9's helped for a while, but a quick demo of Kabers opened up a whole new world. When active, they are effortless, rhythmic, dynamic, in fact just what I've always wanted. Not yet heard anything that would make me change them, not even the Keltiks! I like my bass low, lean, fast and as tight as a ducks !!!!. Their characteristics suit my environment. I wonder what they would sound like with a set of Klouts instead of LK280's?

These speakers have a superb sense of timing, combined with great detail and dynamics. Emotionally persuasive, to my ears they are at their best with a good record player and powerful, driving amplifier (Naim Nap 180 minimum). In this situation they are quite nuetral. Go, active (add a couple of power amps) and you have serious reproduction. They can be slightly lean sounding with CD sources, unless the Cd player is top drawer. The bass is tight and tuneful and goes down quite low, but it is not 'mega' boom type bass. The speakers work well close to a rear wall.Enjoy!