KEF LS Luxe – Active Speakers with Smooth Cabinet Contours

KEF has released the impressive KEF LS Luxe speakers; within the company's lineup, they sit between the compact LS50 Wireless II and the floor-standing LS60. Measuring 298 x 223 x 336 mm and weighing 20 kg per pair, they are priced at €4,000.

These fully active speakers were designed in collaboration with Ross Lovegrove (creator of the KEF Muon). At their core lies the 12th-generation 6.5-inch Uni-Q coaxial driver, featuring a one-inch tweeter and a Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT) system capable of absorbing 99% of unwanted high-frequency noise and vibrations.

They also incorporate VECO technology, which monitors the Uni-Q driver's movement speed in real-time, allowing the amplifier to optimize the signal and reduce distortion. Each driver is powered by its own dedicated amplifier: a 100W Class AB amp drives the tweeter, while a 280W Class D amp handles the mid/bass driver. An integrated DSP, based on the proprietary Music Integrity Engine (MIE), allows the sound to be fine-tuned according to the speakers' placement in the room.

The speakers can connect to each other either wirelessly or via cable (with streaming resolution varying from 24-bit/96kHz to 24-bit/192kHz, respectively). The built-in DAC supports resolutions up to 24-bit/384kHz and is compatible with DSD128. Wired connectivity options include HDMI with eARC support, optical, coaxial, a 3.5mm AUX input, and an RJ45 port for a wired internet connection. Wireless interfaces include 2.4/5 GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.3. Supported wireless services include AirPlay, Chromecast, and music playback via UPnP, Audirvana, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, and Qobuz Connect; Roon Ready certification is coming soon. There are two subwoofer outputs.