Acclaimed audio company KEF has announced a vast assortment of high-end speakers and headphones during CEDIA 2017, including Porsche-designed headphones, three new subwoofers, and sets of both in-wall home theater and ceiling-aiming Dolby Atmos speakers. The new KEF lineup also features updates to the already-great LS50W monitors that give them Spotify and Tidal playback — more info on this update can be found in our full LS50W review.
Check out all the updates to the KEF lineup below, and be sure to check out our list of the best soundbars and our in-depth guide on how to buy home theater speakers if you’re looking to enhance your home listening experience.
KEF Space One Wireless
The Space One Wireless are an update to the company’s Porsche-designed Space One headphones that add Bluetooth, giving you the option to take in your favorite tunes without a cable. Qualcomm aptX technology means that audio streams in high-fidelity for supported devices, and the headphones also employ specially tuned active noise cancellation to limit outside sounds. As with the wired Space One model, the real draw of the headphones is their outstanding looks. The over-ear headphones are made of a beautiful blend of titanium and aluminum, and feature supple leather along the earpads and headband. The Space One Wireless will hit shelves on October 1, and will retail for $400.
KEF Q50a
The KEF Q50a are a set of closed-box speakers that are designed to sit atop your existing home theater speakers and fire sound upward, creating the vertical dimension demanded by modern Dolby Atmos recordings. For those who love their front channel speakers too much to upgrade to a pair with integrated up-firing speakers for Dolby Atmos playback — or those who don’t want to add a set of ceiling-mounted speakers — the new Q50a are an excellent option. The new speakers feature KEF’s well-known Uni-Q driver design, with a single 5.25-inch bass and midrange driver that has a concentrically mounted tweeter in the middle of the cone. The company hasn’t yet announced pricing or availability, but the Q50a will likely hit shelves this winter.
KEF Kube Subwoofers
The latest generation of the KEF Kube subwoofers each offer built-in digital pre-amplifiers and your choice of 8-, 10-, or 12-inch forward-facing drivers to pair with 300-watts of power. Simple, black cubes — hence the name — the affordable subwoofers also feature three preprogrammed equalization settings for corner, free-standing, or in-cabinet placement, depending on how you’ve got your home theater setup. The Kube subwoofers will hit stores in November, and will retail for $500-700, depending on your desired driver size.
KEF Ci5160REF-THX
The highest-end gear in KEF’s CEDIA lineup comes in the form of the Ci5160REF-THX, a gorgeous set of in-wall home theater speakers that retail for a staggering $10,000 each. Four 6.5-inch bass drivers and a single 5-inch Uni-Q driver join forces on these beautiful speakers, creating a THX Ultra2 certified home theater speaker with impeccable detail. Whether you’re streaming 4K content from Netflix or watching an Ultra HD Blu-ray player, the sounds of your favorite films and TV shows should be impeccably represented by the Ci5160REF-THX. While the speakers were first announced in September 2016, they’re well worth checking out for those attending the show this year. The speakers are currently available on KEF’s website.
