A new Kef speaker? The Kef LS Luxe

[Descartes]

Redundant D/A and A/D conversions and additional latency.
I am using the S/PDIF input on my LS60s which serve as SL/SR speakers in my multichannel system where the other channels are all traditional balanced analog feeds to poweramps/speakers. The latency via S/PDIF is consistent enough to be compensated effectively and subjectively tolerable.

Do the Lux have S/PDIF ?

 

[NTK]

Do the Lux have S/PDIF ?

 

[Pearljam5000]

LS60 price was originally $7000 now it's$5000
So it means Luxe will cost $3000 someday
Which makes it a better deal

 

[aarons915]

Ever heard the Blades Meta 2 they are phenomenal

I've heard the originals and they had the same unique but not exactly natural effect because of the side firing woofers, it's almost like the vocals were enveloping you from all around, pretty cool but again not natural sounding. I have a local KEF dealer that carries them but I haven't actually heard the metas, but nothing that was changed should have any effect on what I heard since the crossover is similar.

 

[badtimeticket]

I've heard the originals and they had the same unique but not exactly natural effect because of the side firing woofers, it's almost like the vocals were enveloping you from all around, pretty cool but again not natural sounding. I have a local KEF dealer that carries them but I haven't actually heard the metas, but nothing that was changed should have any effect on what I heard since the crossover is similar.

Interesting because I perceived the opposite for the Blade (metas, but doubt that makes a difference). The voices were pinpoint, almost in an uncanny way.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Do they have S/PDIF?

I see it on the back panel in the pix.

 

[aarons915]

Interesting because I perceived the opposite for the Blade (metas, but doubt that makes a difference). The voices were pinpoint, almost in an uncanny way.

Have you had the chance to instantly switch between the Blade or any 3 ways and the LS50? That is when it is most evident to my ears. Someone earlier in the thread alluded to this as well compared to the Reference Ones, if you hear many people describe the LS50 they are kind of describing what I'm talking about as a pure point source but in different words, like more natural sounding or more put together, more coherent, etc

 

[tmtomh]

Good lord that is completely insane and now completely out of touch with reality!

They are expensive and they have gone up in price, but this nonsense is getting out of hand - just because @Mort has produced a chart doesn't mean it's remotely accurate. It takes just a few minutes to find documentation of prices that were much higher in 2020-2023 than Mort claims they were even in 2024-25.

$3750 to $5750 in 2 years (2024-2026) is very different than $4500 to $5750 in 6 years (2020-2026).

Heres the internet wayback machine at Archive.org. Genelec 8331a, B&H Photo and Video - $2250 each aka $4500 a pair in October 2020:

Here's the wayback machine, 8331, Sweetwater, April 2023 - $2450 each aka $4900 a pair:

Here's a screenshot from Erin's review of the 8331a from March 3, 2022 - $2250 each, $4500 a pair:

And here are screenshots (with personal information redacted) from my own 8351b order from B&H, July 2023:

 

[heflys20]

Wireless volume controller my ass, that "remote' is almost $100 now. Lol

 

[tmtomh]

Wireless volume controller my ass, that "remote' is almost $100 now. Lol

Yes, that is stupidly overpriced. But I wanted remote volume control, and $80-$100 is basically a rounding error in the total cost for the system, so I just went ahead and got it (which is likely why they can charge so much for it). The fact that the remote doesn't give you any indication of what the volume level is, is just ridiculous.

 

[heflys20]

Yes, that is stupidly overpriced. But I wanted remote volume control, and $80-$100 is basically a rounding error in the total cost for the system, so I just went ahead and got it (which is likely why they can charge so much for it). The fact that the remote doesn't give you any indication of what the volume level is, is just ridiculous.

That's crazy indeed. Lol. For a $90+ it better be cooking dinner and doing the laundry to boot. I know Genelec is premium, but to be just a generic remote...

 

[Descartes]

Anyone heard the Lux? I wished they had better colors

 

[Descartes]

I see coaxial and optical! Is that only for one speaker?

 

[NTK]

I see coaxial and optical! Is that only for one speaker?

Sources are connected to the primary speaker. The secondary speaker gets its signal from the primary either wirelessly or wired using the P/S (RJ45?) ports.

 

[voodooless]

I see coaxial and optical! Is that only for one speaker?

Yes. The other one is either wireless or via CAT.

 

[thewas]

I've A/B the LS50 and R3 and it is a subtle difference but you can definitely tell the LS50 is more coherent.

I have similar impressions when comparing the LS50 Meta with my Q7 Meta, I have the feeling it's also due to the very inert and rounded and diffraction minimising enclosures of the first, so if in some time the Luxe will get a similar percentage discount like the LS60 currently has I will probably rather buy them.

 

[Puddingbuks]

Having owned KEF LS60s for over two years (paired with a subwoofer), I can confidently say I’m still thrilled with my decision to trade them in for a pair of Avantgarde Colibri C2s and a Lyngdorf TDAI-1120.

Pros of the new setup, which are probably also applicable for the Luxe from my experience:

Longevity & build quality: The Avantgarde speakers look and feel built to last a lifetime. Being passive, they will likely outlive me and eventually be passed down to my son. The drivers are also well-protected by built-in grilles. I never had that feeling with the Kefs.

Stability: The Lyngdorf 1120 operates almost flawlessly. In contrast, the KEFs suffered from frequent disconnects and dropouts over time.

Greater dynamic range & SPL: The Colibris deliver incredible sound pressure levels with ease, whereas the LS60s had distinct physical limits.

Better brand & support experience: After dealing with persistent Wi-Fi issues, KEF’s customer support proved disappointing. After two years of back-and-forth, their ultimate suggestion before sending the main speaker in for repair was: “Is there any chance to test them within a friend's home network before I book them for service? Basically, they may come in for service and will go back with ''No Fault Found''.

Sound: Ultimately, this is what matters most. While the LS60s sounded balanced and pleasant, the Colibris simply sound better to my ears. Vocals are significantly clearer, and complex tracks are separated into distinct layers across a wide, deep, and tall soundstage in a way the LS60s never managed. Above all, they deliver an engaging, lively, and fun listening experience.

 

[SigbergAudio]

True, although even before the current high-tariff nonsense went into effect, Genelecs could be found a lot cheaper in Europe than in the US. I got my 8351b's in mid-2023 and I remember looking online at the time and noticing that they were something like $1000-$1500 cheaper at Thomann than anywhere in the US.

Well, shipping from Finland to USA is still way more expensive than shipping from Finland to Germany, and Thomann probably sells a gazillion Genelecs a year, so they may import directly and also may get good prices, while in USA there's probably a distributor + perhaps overall higher margins (speculation).

 

[Goldhamster916]

I heard every major Kef speaker except the Muon and LS60, often multiple times, and have the Reference 1 meta and LS 50 Meta at home. to me the stand out speakers in their line up are the LS 50, Reference 1 and blades. Assuming you play the LS 50 within their limits, from the midrange and up, the LS 50 sounds better than their whole R line and at least as good as the reference 1 meta, they even have better imaging what I attribute to the true point source nature. To me they also sound subjectively somewhat ,,smoother“ maybe due to the curved baffle having less diffraction but Thats hard to prove.

I found all of their floorstanders a bit worse than their bookshelf speakers from the midrange and up, my theory is that there is a benefit of not having a extended cabinet and drivers vertically on top of the Uni-Q but again Thats hard to prove.

The Blades sound absolutely fantastic to me, they sound clearly better than the Reference 5 box to me. I think there is a benefit of having also the bass frequencies coming from directly behind the Uni-Q and the curved cabinet.

Of course I can’t say any of this with certain since I cant account for the rooms I heard them in. However I heard many in multiple rooms and my impressions where quite consistent.

if you think about it the truest point source is the Luxe and LS 50. The limitation with the LS 50 is bass output/distortion and multitone distortion. At least the former is improved in the Luxe and I will definetely get a pair and maybe even sell my Reference Metas for them since I think they are the better design if you don’t need the reference 1 output and are also much cheaper.

 

[Marc v E]

Regarding Genelec, my personal experience is that you can get great performance, close to excellent, choosing the bread and butter 80x0 line and a streamer/pre capable of eq and sub out. I don't really feel the need for an upgrade while I have heard the 8351 and think they're marvellous.