Kef R series or Tannoy Revolution Series?

I have the XT6Fs and previously had LS50s. The Tannoys are not at all aggressive - they’re less fatiguing than the comparable MA, B&W, Golden Ear Revel, Focal and KEF Q. And if you were to find the treble too hot, the grills tone it down without much detriment to detail. Just last week I did some A/B comparisons with Spendor Classics (what some call "pipe and slipper" speakers) in the same room, with the same amp, and the Tannoys were just as easy a listen for long sessions.

They also have plenty bass punch. If anything, it’s borderline too much with some music. Their dynamics trounce that of most of the competition, with plenty of speed - not surprising given their doped-paper cones.

I’ve heard so many poor sounding floorstanders in this budget range that the XT6Fs are refreshing. They’re not perfect but they have no glaring weaknesses. Their sins (if you can even call them that at this price point) are really only those of omission.

And to address an incorrect claim posted above by the Audio Nurse, No, the KEF R series does not have real-wood cabinets, they have real-wood veneers, just the same as the Tannoys. Neither has as nice a fit and finish as what you’ll find in Monitor Audio, but both sound better.

IME, the Tannoys have a lot of LS50 strengths but with greater bass dynamics and extension. Soundstage depth is superior as well. Clarity seems about par. Another advantage of the the XT6Fs is they don’t need as high quality an amp to get them singing and can play quite loud with just a handful of watts. Their 90db sensitivity is believable - if it’s inflated, probably only by a db at the most.

I did experience some bass boom when they were initially placed in my concrete-backed-wall basement system. It turned out they were just on a mode peak. I adjusted their wall distance and rake angle and all was well.

As I stated earlier, I think their weaknesses are really only those of omission. The soundstage doesn’t extend much beyond the width of the speakers, bass depth is understandably limited to around 40Hz, and they don’t have the greatest treble "air" or note decay, but that’s really nitpicking for a $1500 pair of speakers.

My only real gripe comes down to cabinet finish. I don’t agree with reviewers that they can pass for $6K^ speakers. While certainly acceptable for the $2K price, the veneering could be a little better. The veneers are not book-matched (though not very obvious in the dark walnut), and the edges could be neater. The finish is not quite at the level of Monitor Audio, who really set the benchmark in this price range.