KEF has released the LS LUXE in Australia, an active wireless speaker system that the British audio brand has built as much around how it looks as how it sounds. It sells for $6,375 a pair, with matching S-LUXE floor stands another $1,230.
The LS LUXE was designed with Ross Lovegrove, the industrial designer behind KEF’s Muon and Muo speakers. KEF describes the partnership as spanning more than two decades. The result is a compact two-way speaker with a sculpted cabinet, offered in three finishes, and clearly aimed at people who would rather not put a black box in the living room.
When I unpacked them, I was impressed with the luxurious finish, and love the organic curves, symmetry and shape, especially the ribbed rear of the units that surrounds the connectors.
KEF LS LUXE specifications and price
| Price (RRP) | $6,375 per pair |
| Optional stands | S-LUXE floor stand, Slate Grey, $1,230 |
| Configuration | Active wireless stereo pair |
| Driver | 12th-generation 6.5-inch Uni-Q array, 25mm vented aluminium dome tweeter, 165mm aluminium mid-bass cone |
| Amplification | 280W low frequency, 100W high frequency per speaker |
| Frequency response | 42Hz to 28kHz (+/-3dB), 35Hz to 47kHz at -6dB |
| Hi-res support | Up to 24-bit/384kHz |
| Streaming | Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, AirPlay, Google Cast, TIDAL, Qobuz, Amazon Music, Deezer |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Inputs | HDMI eARC, optical, coaxial, 3.5mm analogue, Ethernet, interspeaker link |
| Dimensions | 298 x 223 x 336mm (H x W x D) |
| Weight | 20kg per pair |
| Power consumption | 200W in use, under 2W standby |
| Finishes | Eclipse Black, Dusk Titanium, Mineral White |
What is new inside
Each speaker carries KEF’s 12th-generation Uni-Q array, a 6.5-inch coaxial driver that places a 25mm vented aluminium dome tweeter in the centre of a 165mm aluminium mid-bass cone. Putting both drivers on the same axis is KEF’s answer to a speaker sounding different depending on where you sit in the room.
Behind the tweeter sits Metamaterial Absorption Technology. This is a maze-like structure that soaks up the sound radiating backwards off the dome instead of letting it reflect back through the driver. It has been in KEF’s higher-end models for a few years now and is a large part of why they sound as clean as they do.
The genuinely new part is Velocity Control Technology, or VECO, which KEF lists as patent pending. It monitors how the driver is actually moving in real time and corrects the drive signal accordingly, which should mean tighter bass and less distortion when you push the volume. KEF pairs it with what it calls Current-Drive amplification. Each speaker gets 280 watts for the low frequencies and 100 watts for the highs.
Handling the digital side is KEF’s Music Integrity Engine, the DSP suite that manages the crossover and keeps the tonal balance consistent as volume changes.
Streaming, TV and what plugs in
LS LUXE runs on KEF’s W2 wireless platform, meaning there are lots of connectivity options for those who don’t have a favourite amp or turntable. The speakers support hi-res files up to 24-bit/384kHz. Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, AirPlay and Google Cast are compatible, along with direct access to TIDAL, Qobuz, Amazon Music and Deezer through the KEF Connect app. As an iOS user, I would have liked to see Apple Music included too. Bluetooth 5.3 covers anything that does not stream over the network.
The physical inputs are what make this more than a wireless music system. HDMI eARC lets it take over from a television’s speakers with a single cable and the TV remote, and there is optical, coaxial and a 3.5mm analogue input for a turntable running its own phono stage. Ethernet and a link between the two speakers are also on the back panel.
Setup and finishes
Setup, room optimisation and EQ are all handled in the KEF Connect app, which walks through positioning and lets you adjust for a speaker sitting close to a wall or tucked into a corner. The three finishes are Eclipse Black, Dusk Titanium and Mineral White. The S-LUXE floor stands come in Slate Grey and are sold separately.
Price and availability in Australia
LS LUXE has been available in Australia since 30 July through au.kef.com and authorised KEF retailers, priced at $6,375 a pair. The S-LUXE floor stands add $1,230, taking the pair with stands to $7,605. At the time of writing, KEF Australia lists the Dusk Titanium finish as shipping from early September.
We have a pair of LS LUXE in for review and will report back on how they sound, how the HDMI eARC connection behaves in daily use, and whether the design and finish earn the asking price.
The post KEF LS LUXE wireless speakers now on sale in Australia appeared first on GadgetGuy.
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