Infinity Kappa 9 vs Kappa 8...Pros and Cons?

I have listened to Kappa 8's for the last 20 years. And, I listened to the Kappa 9's quite a bit at a friends house. I like the 8's better.

But, different rooms, different amps.

I don't see how you could make a comparison unless you ran them side by side in the same room with the same equipment.

Logic tells you that the 9's should do more than the 8's since they are basically the same design with additional drivers in the 9's.

But, it takes some heavy duty stuff to make the 9's play without blowing a gasket.

Is it worth the trouble? Not to me. But, I'm not wealthy enough to work with the 9's.
 
As I stated early, I know the Kappa 9's will surely sound much better than my Kappa 8's with the right amps, I have a large enough room I just don't have amps of sufficent quality. As far as power, I have amps with sufficent current, but sufficent current is not the same as sufficent quality current. I have some hi current Crown pro amps, but they just don't sound good with the Kappa 9's.
 
Any Infinity collectors living in Georgia by chance? Damnit I wanna hear some Kappa's and OLS speakers! The only Infinity's I have are RSIIIa's. And they aren't even being used yet because of XO's needing updating. :( lol
 
Any Infinity collectors living in Georgia by chance? Damnit I wanna hear some Kappa's and OLS speakers! The only Infinity's I have are RSIIIa's. And they aren't even being used yet because of XO's needing updating. :( lol

I am living in Georgia, but most my big speakers are in Florida, other than my Phase Linear setup in my parlor. I do have some other infinitys in my bedroom set up just because I was messing around with them and the rest of the house is in construction, not really suitable for listening and I didn't want the dust, paint and plaster mud getting on them.
 
OK--I posted a couple days ago regarding my experience with Kappa 9's, and Kappa 7's, but omitted the fact that I have RSIIb's and RSIIIb's as well... most of that line-up are not "user-friendly" on amps--sorry, I have a penchant for the big oak cabinets... and Arnie Nudell's "sound".

The Kappa 9's are by far my favorite out of the bunch as a "daily driver"... albeit their abusive characteristics towards amps. The low end is so deep and controlled, and the highs are so clean--and you do notice the difference with the addition of the SEMIT over just the EMIT in the Kappa 7. What makes the 9's so difficult is the 0.8 ohm drop at 33 Hz and the 0.9 ohm hit at 7 kHz... bi-amping helps, but you really got to pour on the current.

IMHO--(and I have never owned the 8's--but have played with them)--they are definitely a compromise between the Kappa 7's and the Kappa 9's--much more difficult to drive than the 7's, but nowhere near the performance of the 9's... If you like the 8's--buy the 7's and save a couple grand on amps... or go all-in and spend the money for the 9's and the amps to drive them.

I love my RS series--but ultimately find myself to like the IMG woofers of the Kappa's better than the clear polys due to their greater rigidity, but will take nothing away from the RS speakers in terms of their performance. I eventually want to own RSIb's--they were my first pick back in the 80's when I could only scrounge up enough money for the RSIIb's.
 
I've got to think if one would assume that the Kappa 9s blow away the Kapps 8s then there must be literally NO comparison between the Kappa 8s and the Kappa 7s. No Polygraph K, totally different cabinet design, no rear facing EMIT, not bi-amp capable, etc. My point being, the comparison between the 8s and the 9s is a much more linear comparison than that between the 8s and 7s.
 
Kappa 7s aren't bi-amp capable ? Thats surprising since the crescendo 3007s are supposed to be similar to the Kappa 7s in many ways and they are bi-amp capable.
 
The Kappa 7s that I've seen have not been bi-amp capable.

I'd really like to luck into a pair of speakers from the Crescendo line. I've always liked the look. Although I would NOT want to re-foam 3 or 4 pairs of drivers to get them going again.
 
I would like to hear a pair of 3009s, I hear they are kind of rare and hard to find. I know they only produced them in limited quantities for a couple of years. Your right about the Crescendos being a job to refoam but they were well worth the effort and I will be watching closely for any local pairs that might pop up. Seems like I always end up restoring Infinity's but thats part of whats kept me interested in the brand. Im seriously considering replacing the caps in the 3007s just because good quality caps can be had so cheap these days. Those should be a breeze compared to the QLS1s wich were quite a job. Im also interested in transmission line designs like some of the newer Model speakers use and have spent way too much time drooling over the Salk Song towers and other models wich cost a bit more than I need to spend, so restoring nice Infinity's keeps me from going all in on new expensive designs. (for now). I would like to have a pair of Kappa 8s someday, but I think the 9s would be too demanding in my situation judging by the QLS1s I had. Most of my listening is done at nearfeild distances of only 8 or 10 ft with a room width of 13 ft. With only a couple of ft to the corners Bass response can be overwhelming from a big speaker too easily. The 3007s seem to strike a good balance in my room and with the right material are just amazing, but like most of the Infinity's Ive heard they get better the more you turn up the juice. In time I hope to give them a run with my spec 2 and see what they sound like on a real amp instead of my 110w receiver.
 
I to found the SEMIT to add a lot of extra output on the top end over the Kappa 8's, I saw the specs that were posted which made it look like they were close to the Kappa 8's but if thats the case I don't beleive the specs, as the SEMIT really added a lot on the upper range over the 8's. That was was part of the reason I didn't like the sound using the amps I have. It just sounded so extra bright on top over the 8's that it came accross as kind of harsh sounding. I didn't blame it on the speakers but on the amps I have.
 
I to found the SEMIT to add a lot of extra output on the top end over the Kappa 8's, I saw the specs that were posted which made it look like they were close to the Kappa 8's but if thats the case I don't beleive the specs, as the SEMIT really added a lot on the upper range over the 8's. That was was part of the reason I didn't like the sound using the amps I have. It just sounded so extra bright on top over the 8's that it came accross as kind of harsh sounding. I didn't blame it on the speakers but on the amps I have.

You have basically said the same thing I did. Specs mean diddly... If I say it in a way where it is straightforward, hostile, blunt, then that's the way you'll take it. But I do not have to doubt what I say, because while I listened to all these speakers, many others did as well, and all had the same consensus in the same store with all the same amps. So when I respond to a thread it usually comes from day in and day out of having heard many of their speakers with many many amps most average people could never afford to switch out all the time and try) (trying 10 different large amps on one speaker for instance) in the same sales room and environment.

My brother was an Infinity dealer for years. So I have heard most of all of their speakers (from the late eighties on), on a daily basis lined up side by side in the same rooms with the best amps a dealer has. Those I liked, I sometimes would buy a pair for myself (at my brother's cost). And again, there is not really a comparison between the 8 and 9. It was designed and priced higher for a reason. One thing about Infinity above all other companies back then, that I remember, if you paid more for a speaker than another in their own line, hundreds of hours in their state of the art sound rooms WERE going to make sure you got more speaker, period... It would take an old rep from Infinity about 2 seconds to tell someone what the better speaker was.

And like I debated in another thread, I have listened to the Kappa RS 9 and the 9.1 Series II on a daily basis in the same room with the same amps as well as in my own home with my own large amps. And I clearly felt the 9.1 was the better speaker, and that is the one I have in my home out of the two. My brother, who has ears of gold (and trained in listening to audio) and being in the stereo business for many many years, having listened to the best of the best equipment and speakers, will tell you the same thing. You have NO harsh sound regardless of amp with the 9.1. And there is more punch in a ported design (while keeping the bass very clean).
 
I can offer a perspective on the original post. I'm a long time Nudell era fan with many Infinity speakers including 2 sets of 8 Kappa. In the late 80s when the original Kappa series was new (and my ears had the range of someone in his 20s) I listened intently to the entire line side by side at the Tampa Fowler Ave Sound Advice store. As you'd expect the speakers were increasingly better going up the line, although each was certainly excellent for its design limits. I was particularly interested to hear the difference between the 8s and 9s and I left convinced there wasn't enough difference to warrant the difference in cost. The 9s had a slightly more full sound. I don't remember what they were using for amplification but I'm reasonably certain nothing was biamped, the hardware was all solid state and it wasn't very high end gear. I remember nice Yamaha equipment but nothing you'd consider seriously high end in the room with the better Infinity speakers. It was all routed through a hard contact speaker selecting system and the cables weren't special. Possibly Monster cable. CD technology was underdeveloped in that period of time. The room had at least one proper turntable. I'm sure we were listening to both CDs and vinyl that day.

I never quite got the 7 Kappa. Going from the 12" IMG woofer to the Polydome was a bit of a leap. The 6 Kappa handled it better with the smaller woofer. Obviously the 8s handled the leap properly with the Polygraph. (I have 2 sets of 6 Kappa too.)

I agree the SEMIT in the 9 Kappa doesn't make sense given the range of the Kappa EMIT. I've always had a raised eyebrow at the SEMIT given its size and apparently similar magnet structure compared to the smaller EMITs in some of the lower RS series speakers from the same period in time. I remember thinking that it was an additional driver to justify a more extravagant and expensive model. I was completely satisfied with the 8s that day and would have chosen them if I had been ready to purchase a set of new Kappas.
 
I can offer a perspective on the original post. I'm a long time Nudell era fan with many Infinity speakers including 2 sets of 8 Kappa. In the late 80s when the original Kappa series was new (and my ears had the range of someone in his 20s) I listened intently to the entire line side by side at the Tampa Fowler Ave Sound Advice store. As you'd expect the speakers were increasingly better going up the line, although each was certainly excellent for its design limits. I was particularly interested to hear the difference between the 8s and 9s and I left convinced there wasn't enough difference to warrant the difference in cost. The 9s had a slightly more full sound. I don't remember what they were using for amplification but I'm reasonably certain nothing was biamped, the hardware was all solid state and it wasn't very high end gear. I remember nice Yamaha equipment but nothing you'd consider seriously high end in the room with the better Infinity speakers. It was all routed through a hard contact speaker selecting system and the cables weren't special. Possibly Monster cable. CD technology was underdeveloped in that period of time. The room had at least one proper turntable. I'm sure we were listening to both CDs and vinyl that day.

I never quite got the 7 Kappa. Going from the 12" IMG woofer to the Polydome was a bit of a leap. The 6 Kappa handled it better with the smaller woofer. Obviously the 8s handled the leap properly with the Polygraph. (I have 2 sets of 6 Kappa too.)

I agree the SEMIT in the 9 Kappa doesn't make sense given the range of the Kappa EMIT. I've always had a raised eyebrow at the SEMIT given its size and apparently similar magnet structure compared to the smaller EMITs in some of the lower RS series speakers from the same period in time. I remember thinking that it was an additional driver to justify a more extravagant and expensive model. I was completely satisfied with the 8s that day and would have chosen them if I had been ready to purchase a set of new Kappas.

Hi there Newk_Yuler,

I haven't been around here much lately, but occasionally, I do check out some of the interesting topics here. When it comes to Infinity Speakers, AK is one of the best places around for information.

Anyway, I just wanted to comment on your experience at the Tampa Fowler Sound Advice and this topic in general. That Sound Advice store was where I did much of my listening to many Infinity models over the years. I had a good friend who sold speakers there and I knew the other salesmen as well. I do remember that at one point in the early 90's, the sales staff there did bi-amp some Kappa 9.1's, with some Adcom amps, but I don't remember the original Kappas ever being bi-amped.

In my opinion, all the Kappas sounded very good, but in that room, I liked the Kappa 8's best. As expected, the 9's delivered more bass, but I thought that the bass from the 8's was more balanced and less overbearing in that sized room. In a larger room, I probably would have liked the 9's better. In a small room, the 5's or 6's would have been more appropriate. I also agree with you on the Kappa 7's. They are very nice speakers, but they seem a bit bass heavy and unbalanced to me. I think the 7's are better suited to fairly large rooms. As far as the Semit is concerned, I've never thought that it added much to the overall sound; but as this thread shows, different people tend to hear things differently.

In my opinion, I've never heard a Kappa that I didn't like. There are Kappas of different sizes because there are rooms of different sizes. Even the little guys with a 5 or 6 inch woofer, are better for some applications. I don't think anyone would want a Kappa 9 playing in a small den would they? Or perhaps they would!!!
 
You have basically said the same thing I did. Specs mean diddly... If I say it in a way where it is straightforward, hostile, blunt, then that's the way you'll take it. But I do not have to doubt what I say, because while I listened to all these speakers, many others did as well, and all had the same consensus in the same store with all the same amps. So when I respond to a thread it usually comes from day in and day out of having heard many of their speakers with many many amps most average people could never afford to switch out all the time and try) (trying 10 different large amps on one speaker for instance) in the same sales room and environment.

My brother was an Infinity dealer for years. So I have heard most of all of their speakers (from the late eighties on), on a daily basis lined up side by side in the same rooms with the best amps a dealer has. Those I liked, I sometimes would buy a pair for myself (at my brother's cost). And again, there is not really a comparison between the 8 and 9. It was designed and priced higher for a reason. One thing about Infinity above all other companies back then, that I remember, if you paid more for a speaker than another in their own line, hundreds of hours in their state of the art sound rooms WERE going to make sure you got more speaker, period... It would take an old rep from Infinity about 2 seconds to tell someone what the better speaker was.

And like I debated in another thread, I have listened to the Kappa RS 9 and the 9.1 Series II on a daily basis in the same room with the same amps as well as in my own home with my own large amps. And I clearly felt the 9.1 was the better speaker, and that is the one I have in my home out of the two. My brother, who has ears of gold (and trained in listening to audio) and being in the stereo business for many many years, having listened to the best of the best equipment and speakers, will tell you the same thing. You have NO harsh sound regardless of amp with the 9.1. And there is more punch in a ported design (while keeping the bass very clean).

I know I said the same thing as you, if you were to go back in the thread, I state, that I agreed with the Infinity guy that the Kappa 9 was a much better pair of speakers, but I blamed my choice of amps as the reason I was unable to get a quality sound from the Kappa 9's.
 
I would like to hear a pair of 3009s, I hear they are kind of rare and hard to find. I know they only produced them in limited quantities for a couple of years. Your right about the Crescendos being a job to refoam but they were well worth the effort and I will be watching closely for any local pairs that might pop up. Seems like I always end up restoring Infinity's but thats part of whats kept me interested in the brand. Im seriously considering replacing the caps in the 3007s just because good quality caps can be had so cheap these days. Those should be a breeze compared to the QLS1s wich were quite a job. Im also interested in transmission line designs like some of the newer Model speakers use and have spent way too much time drooling over the Salk Song towers and other models wich cost a bit more than I need to spend, so restoring nice Infinity's keeps me from going all in on new expensive designs. (for now). I would like to have a pair of Kappa 8s someday, but I think the 9s would be too demanding in my situation judging by the QLS1s I had. Most of my listening is done at nearfeild distances of only 8 or 10 ft with a room width of 13 ft. With only a couple of ft to the corners Bass response can be overwhelming from a big speaker too easily. The 3007s seem to strike a good balance in my room and with the right material are just amazing, but like most of the Infinity's Ive heard they get better the more you turn up the juice. In time I hope to give them a run with my spec 2 and see what they sound like on a real amp instead of my 110w receiver.

Hi there jt45,

I just wanted to say congratulations on your 3007's. Great speakers. They are excellent for HT and do best in medium sized rooms. In my opinion, their sound level is similar to my own RS-4b's, as both use two 8 inch woofers, but for HT, I think the 3007's are superior. I've tried my RS-4b's in my HT and while they sounded good, I thought they were a bit weak sounding, especially in the mids and upper bass, where soundtracks tend to be dynamic. I prefer cone mids and a ported design, for HT applications. I also like horns for HT, but that is another story! In fact, I think the 3007's sound very much like my 3009's, except for a bit less bass. In a medium sized room, I would prefer the 3007's to the 3009's.
 
The Kappa 9's are keepers for you whole life.

I have biamped them with a SA/2 from Threshold in the bass and a McIntosh tube in the midrangd and tweeter section and they sound wonderful.

They are pretty close to the RS-1 if powered properly.

Preamp is Audio Research Sp-15.
 
The Kappa 9's are keepers for you whole life.

I have biamped them with a SA/2 from Threshold in the bass and a McIntosh tube in the midrangd and tweeter section and they sound wonderful.

They are pretty close to the RS-1 if powered properly.

Preamp is Audio Research Sp-15.

I must agree about the keeper line. After a comprehensive rehab program I would be really hard pressed to find a better sounding speaker than my K9s. I have tried a range of amps with them and settled with SA/2 Thresholds to drive them. I have done the bi-amp experiments and seem to always come back to these.
I have K7s and K6s and know and have sampled the K8s, I also have the Ren 90s.

When I got the K9s they were in sorry shape. I replaced surrounds, some drivers and still wasn't close to satisfied. In fact, they wouldn't replace my K7s then. But... once I dove into the crossovers, these guys lit up!

Very important with these speakers to replace the big chokes in the low-pass section of the cross-over. These pass most of the current and tend to short as they age. If you find it easier over time to blow fuses on your amps, this is the culprit. Erse makes a great change here.

There are also these pesky little resetting fuses on the Semet and Emits. Change them! Or if you are confident about your power supply bridge them.

But what really made a difference was changing out the caps, all of them. Especially the Solens and the NPE's in the High Pass. I first changed them to an upgraded chineese cap which really didn't change things much, but brought everything into cohession which was sorrily lacking due to the aged caps. I happen to live 5 minutes from Parts Conexxion so I began again recapping, this time with an ear on sonic improvement. Several months and solder burns later I had settled with a majority of Mundorf Supremes with the odd Obbligatto for the film caps and Mundorf E Caps for the 'Lytics. I also ditched the Wonder caps.

Well let me tell you, these guys are freaking unbelievable. Way more detailed, way better staging, no more ssssss from the emits. (Wonder sss). The Rens can hold a candle to them in side by side, even with an Emim vs Poly dome. K9s win in all aspects.

Trust me, if you have the 9s, or 8s for that matter and the crossovers are all original. You haven't begun to hear what these speakers are capable of. Pull the crossovers, buy a glue gun and soldering iron, and hit the mail order audiophile parts lists. if you are willing to part with dough for an amp like a Krell or Threshold, part with another 500-1000 bucks and really do the crossovers right. You'll thank me!
 
Kappa 9 in Piano Laquer Black

Rather than start a new thread I think I will just post here in this older thread.

Today I purchased a pair of Kappa 9's with a piano black high gloss finish. They are really beautiful and in great shape. These are not the black stained wood but a high gloss black lacquer finish like a piano. Does anyone know if this finish is rare?

They sound beautiful and are sitting in my living room right next to my Kappa 8's. I was anxious to do an A/B test between the 8 and 9 as I have been listening to my 8's a lot. But as soon as I connected the Kappa 9's I immediately knew that an A/B test would not be necessary. To my ears, in my bright listening environment, using my single class A/B amp (250w Adcom) the Kappa 9's are superior to the Kappa 8's by a wide margin. When I listened to the Kappa 8's they were in about the same position as the Kappa 9's are in the photo. The bass extension switch was in the extended position for both speakers.


K9-001.jpgK9 and K8.jpg
 

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