1. Home
  2. speakers
  3. 197240-215915

Ceiling Speaker Selection - Dali Phantom K-80 or Kef CI200QR?

Hi,

I’m undecided between Dali K-80 and Kef CI200QR, for kitchen, lounge & dining room with slightly different room shapes rooms (due to kitchen cabinetry & staircase) but would require 2 pairs of speakers.   Approx overall combined area size is about 8m x 4m.  Due to the casualness of the space, seating positions for guests are never certain so perfect L&R balance can only be achieved in a couple of very specific seating positions for a few of people.  Music style is jazz, lounge, vocals, chill house, deep house, Latin house, no techno, no trance, no rock.  Classics sometimes.  System is unlikely to be hooked up for cinema.  The ceiling space only has 180mm clearance – not enough for Dali back boxes but just enough for Dynaboxes. Ceiling height varies from 2.8m to 3.2m.  Due to limited installation space of reseller’s showrooms and their preference for selling certain brands, it’s not possible to hear many different speaker brands and models side-by-side.  Have heard the Phantom K60s and the Kef Ci200QR in separate studios.  I like them both but would go for the 8” Dali’s if buying Dali.  The Kef’s sound great in an audio room, but the acoustics in showrooms don’t mimic a home.  The Dali back box is too deep for the space, hence so would need to use Dynaboxes for whichever speakers are chosen.    Of the speakers listed to, these are within the budget and are the contenders.  As the Dalis have pivoting tweeters and are angled, would the recommendation be to position them closer to a wall with no seating, (say 500mm off walls/corners) and if the Kefs, position them more centred in the rooms?

 

All comments for either or each with positioning appreciated.

Thanks.

jayro
simplystereo's avatar
simplystereo
28 posts
 

We love both -- but the K80 are our favorite in ceiling speakers ever. 

We also have the new M80, and they are better in a lot of ways, but if you want a more full range sound, the K80 seem to do a little better with that.  There is something so musically satisfying about the K80.  At low volumes they are engaging even just as background music.  We have sold and installed hundreds of them and we regularly get unsolicited feedback from people telling us how much they love them when used around the house.

 

The kef are awesome as well, but we are really crossing our fingers that they release a new meta version to get them more in line with the modern voicing KEF has which is quite a bit better than it was in years past.  The Bass extension of the KEF is impressive for sure too.

If you have any questions feel free to reach out to us as we are very experienced with both -- but if you have a local dealer you are working with that you're happy with, we are happy to give our advice either way!

jayro OP
1 posts
 

Thank you so much.  Just a few days before your posting, I listened to multiple other speakers including Focals, Klipschs and multiple Monitor Audios and settled on the Monitor Audio C2Ms. As much as I loved the sound from the Phantoms, the directionality of them wouldn't have suited the shapes of the adjoining rooms or their usage and seating patterns. But soon I'll be needing another pair and will attempt to also listen to the M80s.  

Now I'm on the look-out for a multi zone possibly streamer without trying to get caught into a vendor's ecosystem.  I currently have a Luxman LV-105 amp & a NAD amp.  Contemplating whether I streamline into a multi-zone receiver with the lot.

More to discover