KEF

KEF was founded in 1961 by Raymond Cooke (1925-1995) on the site of a metalworking plant in Maidstone, Kent. From its humble beginnings in a corrugated iron hall, it quickly grew into one of the UK's most innovative hi-fi companies. And KEF owes this unbridled thirst for research to its founder: the former BBC engineer wanted to experiment with new materials and technologies from the outset to create products with outstanding sound quality.

KEF's most important innovation is undoubtedly the unique chassis technology called Uni-Q. Here, the tweeter is positioned centrally in the bass/midrange driver, so this driver comes very close to the ideal of a point source. Over the years, KEF has continued to improve the Uni-Q technology, so that today every detail of the drivers - from the shape of the midrange cone to the design of the surround, and the unique Tangerine Wave Guide in front of the tweeter - has been perfected to ensure optimum sound delivery. The result is an enormously natural, open sound character that is inherent to every KEF loudspeaker.

Another aspect to which KEF has paid particular attention, particularly in the recent past, is the design of its speakers. Always based on acoustic requirements and advantages, the English have repeatedly created real loudspeaker icons: the compact EGG system, the long legendary LS50, the brilliant BLADE or the sound sculpture MUON created together with star designer Ross Lovegrove.

In addition to the avant-garde concepts MUON and BLADE, the REFERENCE series forms the pinnacle of traditional loudspeaker construction in the KEF range. The affordable Q-Series marks the beginning of this, the "sweet spot" in between is occupied by the recently redesigned R-Series. The R-Series is the most affordable of all the technologies and solutions that give the Reference Series its outstanding and world-class sound. That's why all six R Series models offer a great deal of loudspeaker value for money and have nothing to fear in their respective classes.

As people's music habits change, KEF has long since responded by combining modern audio solutions such as the stylish LSX and LS50W systems, which combine classic hi-fi virtues and the thrilling KEF sound with contemporary streaming solutions via WLAN and Bluetooth.

KEF has been part of the Gold Peak Group based in Hong Kong since 1992, and all development work and the manufacture of the reference speakers continues to take place at the company's traditional headquarters in Maidstone.