KEF’s LS50 Wireless and LS50 Wireless II speakers set a very high bar for what you can expect from a set of powered, wireless speakers, and now the British audio brand has its sights set on doing the same thing for larger-format floor-standing speakers with the LS60 Wireless. Priced at $7,000 per pair, they come in three distinct colors: Royal Blue, Mineral White, and Titanium Grey. They’re available for pre-order starting May 12, with shipping beginning in June 2022.
Many of the same integrated capabilities that made the LS50/LS50 II so popular are also found in the LS60 Wireless, like KEF’s signature Uni-Q drivers, as well as support for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI eARC, and optical, coaxial, and RCA connections. There’s also app- and remote-based control that includes easy access to subscription streaming services like Amazon Music, Qobuz, and Deezer.
As their larger sizes suggests, the LS60 Wireless step up the sonic performance considerably, with a combined 1400 watts of power. Standing on their own matching base plinths, they rise over 43 inches tall and weigh 70 pounds each, but are exceptionally thin, at just 5.1 inches wide. On the sides, two pairs of KEF Uni-Core drivers deliver the speakers’ bass response, an arrangement that makes the LS60 Wireless the first streaming all-in-one audio system to be a true point source configuration, according to a press release. The Uni-Core driver was first introduced on KEF’s ultra-compact KC62 subwoofer. This back-to-back driver configuration is intended to all but eliminate cabinet vibrations. If they don’t produce enough low-end on their own, two subwoofer outputs let you add a dedicated KEF subwoofer for even more power.
Cleverly, the speakers can communicate with each other wirelessly, which lets you place them almost anywhere you have a wall outlet for power. In this kind of wireless configuration, the LS60 can handle hi-res audio up to 24-bit/96kHz. If you want to push that further, to 24-bit/192kHz, you’ll need to use the included wired umbilical cord, which allows for up to 18 feet between the speakers.
Speaking of supported audio formats, the LS60 Wireless can handle PCM files up to 24bit/384kHz, as well as DSD and full MQA decoding, for compatibility with Tidal HiFi‘s Master library of hi-res tracks. For Wi-Fi connectivity, you also get Apple AirPlay 2 and Chromecast built-in, letting you stream directly from a wide variety of apps on your smartphone or tablet, including Spotify Connect support.
If there’s one weakness, it’s that Bluetooth streaming is limited to just SBC and AAC codecs — there’s no support for Sony’s hi-res LDAC, or the aptX family of codecs from Qualcomm. Still, with so many great Wi-Fi options, that will likely not be a problem.
