‘Unbeatable’ Kalman reviews KEF

[Purité Audio]

Kalman Rubinson reviews Kef’s superb LS60,
https://www.stereophile.com/content/kef-ls60-wireless-loudspeaker-measurements

Keith

 

[fpitas]

Kef makes nice stuff lately.

 

[mhardy6647]

Kef makes nice stuff lately.

Lately?

 

[fpitas]

Lately?

I wonder how Kal would review that!

 

[mhardy6647]

I wonder how Kal would review that!

I'm sure he's heard a pair.
I was tempted to paste a photo of the 105s, but the 104s (and their smaller, cheaper two way siblings) were my formative exposure to KEF. Couldn't even come close ot affording them in those days, and not quite my cuppa today. Good sounding loudspeakers, though.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I'm sure he's heard a pair.
I was tempted to paste a photo of the 105s, but the 104s (and their smaller, cheaper two way siblings) were my formative exposure to KEF. Couldn't even come close ot affording them in those days, and not quite my cuppa today. Good sounding loudspeakers, though.

Sure, I've heard them but so long ago I cannot even recall the event. I was a KEF fan way back in the mid-60s but was too poor to buy such things. They did inspire me and, from the mid-60s through the early 90s, built many speaker systems based on KEF and, later, IMF and Linkwitz ideas.

 

[mhardy6647]

Modern day audio buffs may not know that KEF (like several other significant driver manufacturers in Europe, e.g., Philips and Peerless) catered fairly seriously at one time, and for a time, to the DIY market.
I might even have a brochure for KEF drivers here someplace...

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I might even have a brochure for KEF drivers here someplace...

I still have many of their old docs (if anyone is interested).

 

[Newman]

Not sure why Kalman used the ‘Unbeatable!’ word to conclude his review. He seems to be saying that in relation to them as speakers for just over $5000, and also as “a complete system” for just over $5000. So it’s about ‘unbeatable value’ not ‘unbeatable performance’?

But.

He clearly says the bass is not fully sufficient and it needs subs. So it is not “a complete system” after all, if you don’t want bass that needs improving. Which brings me to another point: the part of the price that goes towards having “26 Hz bass” is somewhat wasted — if they were replaced by a pair of LS50 Meta for $1500, plus $3500 worth of subwoofers with EQ….given the importance of bass quality to overall listener preference, one could argue that the LS60 can indeed be beaten even in terms of value.

He also says it is not suitable close to side walls in the way that Revels are, due to the way the bass drivers are positioned.

I also wonder if the LS60 is substantially different to the LS50 Meta through the coaxial driver’s range? If so, we have Amir’s review of the latter noting its rough FR through the critical 1 kHz to 3 kHz band. IMHO that’s not unbeatable, either.

But it does look like a very well engineered product, which I applaud, with plenty of marketing appeal as a ‘music centre’ with that all-in-one appeal to the tidy home maker type.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Superb work from Stereophile's best reviewer.

 

[Open Mind Audio]

@Kal Rubinson, are you aware of any movement by KEF to offer wireless multichannel capabilities for the LS60s? I know this has been discussed before, but I sure wish they would offer a MCH option with LS60s and LS50s combined.

 

[jae]

Not sure why Kalman used the ‘Unbeatable!’ word to conclude his review. He seems to be saying that in relation to them as speakers for just over $5000, and also as “a complete system” for just over $5000. So it’s about ‘unbeatable value’ not ‘unbeatable performance’?

But.

He clearly says the bass is not fully sufficient and it needs subs. So it is not “a complete system” after all, if you don’t want bass that needs improving. Which brings me to another point: the part of the price that goes towards having “26 Hz bass” is somewhat wasted — if they were replaced by a pair of LS50 Meta for $1500, plus $3500 worth of subwoofers with EQ….given the importance of bass quality to overall listener preference, one could argue that the LS60 can indeed be beaten even in terms of value.

He also says it is not suitable close to side walls in the way that Revels are, due to the way the bass drivers are positioned.

I also wonder if the LS60 is substantially different to the LS50 Meta through the coaxial driver’s range? If so, we have Amir’s review of the latter noting its rough FR through the critical 1 kHz to 3 kHz band. IMHO that’s not unbeatable, either.

But it does look like a very well engineered product, which I applaud, with plenty of marketing appeal as a ‘music centre’ with that all-in-one appeal to the tidy home maker type.

I think a large majority of people won't complain about not having subwoofers at normal listening volumes with the LS60. If you compare the spins from KEF we can see LS60 has flatter treble compared to LS50 and it also plays louder I believe, its an all-in-one system with built in streaming, smaller footprint, low cabling mess etc., that is where the value comes from, it is more of a set and forget product for most people even if you can make a similar system for marginally cheaper. Many people may already have amplifiers kicking around but I would still say you still need to factor in amplifier cost as well as speaker stands in your proposed alternative as well. A better comparison would be the LS50 Wireless II which would then put the price of everything at or well beyond the LS60 for marginally better performance, maybe. If it was appropriate for my wall situation I would take LS60 over a mess of subwoofers any day, especially since I don't care about HT.

 

[Purité Audio]

‘tidy home maker type‘
My hope is that KEF themselves must make it clear that they see these designs as the ‘future of high fidelity’ ( from the KEF site) rather than some ‘music centre’ I suppose and I hope that an active version of the blades would make it explicit.
Keith

 

[HooStat]

That was a great review. Fun to read and helpful. I am not sure that $7,000 is "a complete system for just over $5,000". That wording seemed strange. It might have been better to say "a complete system for $7,000".

 

[restorer-john]

That was a great review. Fun to read and helpful. I am not sure that $7,000 is "a complete system for just over $5,000". That wording seemed strange. It might have been better to say "a complete system for $7,000".

The review may have been far less enthusiastic had they told @Kal Rubinson the true price at the time they were delivered and installed...

 

[AdamG]

“The LS60 Wireless was empowering”

Nice review and in-depth analysis of “connected” capabilities @Kal Rubinson

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I also wonder if the LS60 is substantially different to the LS50 Meta through the coaxial driver’s range?

I have never heard the LS50s in my own room/system but I have heard them many, many times at shows. IMHO, good as they were, they do not come close.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

The review may have been far less enthusiastic had they told @Kal Rubinson the true price at the time they were delivered and installed...

Since I wrote both of those statements, you can blame me for a bit of hyperbole but not of ignorance.

@Kal Rubinson, are you aware of any movement by KEF to offer wireless multichannel capabilities for the LS60s?

I keep asking...........................................

 

[restorer-john]

you can blame me for a bit of hyperbole

If one bit of hypberbole equals US$2000, then 16bits should me more than enough for anyone. I certainly can't afford 24 bits of Sterophile hyperbole.

 

[Newman]

I have never heard the LS50s in my own room/system but I have heard them many, many times at shows. IMHO, good as they were, they do not come close.

Can you think of any technical reason why that would be (specifically restricting comment to the coaxial driver’s contribution)?

The LS50 as a full range will obviously sound far less capable in the bass regions.

Otherwise, if the coaxial drivers are much the same unit, the most likely explanation would be the good old sighted listening effect.

cheers