Standmount speakers £6395
Kerr Acoustic is a young brand, founded in mid-2017. The K300 Mk3 is the entry point in a four-strong range, with a closely related floorstander the next rung up. The range tops out with a huge three-way floorstander, the K100 Mk 2, which features a distinctive 30cm woofer and weighs almost 80kg per speaker – yours for a cool £30,000, depending on finish.
Take a look at the models in the range and you will notice the brand’s admirably consistent approach to speaker design. All models feature transmission-line bass loading alongside ribbon tweeters and cabinets made from high-grade Baltic Birch plywood. As such, the entry-level K300 Mk3 can rightly claim to offer a proper taste of what the brand offers.
At 42cm high, these Kerrs are intended for use in medium to small-sized rooms; their slim proportions mean they are likely to slot into most environments without becoming obtrusive. Visually, they remind us of one of PMC’s more premium standmounter designs, barring the use of a 60mm ribbon and that distinctive sliced 16.5cm mid/bass unit. The PMC comparison isn’t accidental of course, given that it has championed transmission-line designs for decades.
This kind of configuration has always been rare due to the complexities of designing and building a transmission-line cabinet and the added costs of doing so. In such a speaker the rearward sound from the mid/bass drive unit travels down a folded, damped path inside the enclosure. The damping absorbs all but the lowest frequencies and these exit through the rectangular mouth at the base of the front baffle, augmenting the forward output of the drive unit. The exact length of the transmission line is critical, as is the damping that absorbs the higher frequencies of the mid/bass driver’s rearward output. Get it right, and the results can be impressive in terms of bass output and low-frequency distortion levels. An added advantage is that the folded transmission line also braces the cabinet sides, making them even more rigid.
The cabinet is made of Baltic Birch plywood. The front baffle is 24mm thick while the rest of the cabinet reverts to 18mm. This material has been chosen for its structural and acoustic properties, helping to deliver a rigid yet well-damped enclosure. This type of plywood may be more expensive and less easy to machine than the MDF used in most rivals, but the company thinks the advantages outweigh the negatives. Build quality is as good as we expect for the money, with crisp and neat edges and an impressive
