KEF’s New Wireless Bookshelf Speakers Are Modern Marvels
KEFs wireless speakers are an almost ideal window into the future of high-fidelity audio.Two to TangoThe British company has been making speakers considering that the early 1960s, however the vast majority of audiophiles understand KEF for its more recent designs. You can get them in many colors, but my review units came in a stylish matte black with copper accents.Unlike the passive LS50 Meta speakers, which need a stereo amp to supply the juice, the LS50 Wireless II speakers are self-powered. Controls for all of the above can be adjusted with the included small black remote, or by managing the backlit touch controls on the top of the ideal speaker.New KEF SoundUnder the hood, the companys engineers have invested a substantial amount of time ensuring that the LS50 Wireless II heartily surpass the original KEF wireless design that came out numerous years ago.The new speakers feature what the business calls Metamaterial Absorption Technology, which according to KEF, enables the speakers to absorb up to 60 percent of the distortion-causing energy thats usually reflected back into the speaker cabinet. Turn on the KEF LS50 Wireless II and you are greeted by the most immersive, distortion-free sound youve most likely ever heard from speakers this size.
Audiophiles are an irritable bunch, specifically when it pertains to cordless speakers. In order to conserve area, money, or time, audio business will frequently take the design of a bigger, more costly device and dumb it down a little to make an item thats more available, and most likely better for many of us. Of course, audio lovers turn up their noses at such compromises.Until I attempted the KEF LS50 Wireless II, I tended to concur with them. Even at the high end, cord-cutting speakers simply never matched their cabled counterparts. But after a month listening to these brand-new KEFs play whatever from Sheryl Crow to Stephen Colbert, Ive heard genuine evidence that amps and cables will eventually go the way of the dodo. KEFs wireless speakers are a nearly best window into the future of high-fidelity audio.Two to TangoThe British company has actually been making speakers considering that the early 1960s, however the large bulk of audiophiles understand KEF for its more current designs. The companys exclusive Uni-Q motorists, which install the tweeters concentrically within the midrange speaker, are its contemporary calling card. These flower-like drivers have actually propelled the original LS50 design to near-mythical levels of nerd appeal given that they launched in 2012 to commemorate KEFs 50th anniversary.The LS50 Wireless II has the exact same concentric driver style as the original.
Photograph: Kef Never fear, geeks: The brand-new variation of the LS50 looks the like the old one. Theyre rounded rectangles with a curved front that showcases the gorgeous drivers. You can get them in lots of colors, however my review units was available in an elegant matte black with copper accents.Unlike the passive LS50 Meta speakers, which need a stereo amp to offer the juice, the LS50 Wireless II speakers are self-powered. Plug them into the wall, and to each other, and there are no external amps required.Even without dedicated outboard hardware, the back of the best speaker has a hodgepodge of inputs. Youll find an optical input, a coax cable jack, a 3.5-mm mini-jack, and even an HDMI ARC port for TELEVISION– an unusual feature that makes them outstanding for positioning in a living-room on either side of a screen. For fully cordless operation, you can pair a PC or phone with them utilizing Bluetooth, or include them to your Wi-Fi network for AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, or Roon streaming. Controls for all of the above can be adjusted with the consisted of little black remote, or by handling the backlit touch controls on the top of the ideal speaker.New KEF SoundUnder the hood, the companys engineers have invested a significant quantity of time making sure that the LS50 Wireless II heartily outperform the initial KEF wireless design that came out numerous years ago.The new speakers feature what the company calls Metamaterial Absorption Technology, which according to KEF, enables the speakers to take in up to 60 percent of the distortion-causing energy thats normally shown back into the speaker cabinet. The maze-like structures of this product inside each speaker arent simple to style; it took a two-year research study project with a company called Acoustic Metamaterials Group (AMG) for the business to develop.The outcomes are less made complex to comprehend than the innovation itself. Switch on the KEF LS50 Wireless II and you are welcomed by the most immersive, distortion-free noise youve most likely ever heard from speakers this size. They might look the like their predecessors, however they absolutely sound better.The depth and width of the sound phase is significantly enhanced, thanks to that lower distortion down low. Each component of the music youre listening to inhabits an almost three-dimensional place in the sound, enabling you do quickly dart focus in between them or to hear more clearly how they combine into the whole.Ive become obsessed with Lucy Dacus brand-new track “Hot & & Heavy,” which develops from synthy pads to full-fledged dance rock over the very first minute. On the KEFs, the slow addition of layers and instruments pulls me through the song, as though Im able to see each aspect of the music through a sharp, clear lens. I can hear exactly where each of Dacus singing harmonies is being in the noise, the ideal edge the engineer received from the signal ever so a little distorting when she sings her loudest.