If you can afford these, you can also afford an electronic fence like the ones they use to keep dogs in the yard. Just tell the children that the transmitters they wear around their necks are Star Wars communication devices.
Yes - from the Darko interview with Jack Oclee-Brown posted just upthread, they’re super-heavy at the base for that reason. It’s an interesting listen.
“We could not make a passive loudspeaker of this size because it simply wouldn’t perform.” At 2:25 in
I agree with you. I'll stick with passive loudspeakers along with separate amplifier(s) and sources. If I choose to 'go wifi' with my system it will be on my own terms so that I can fix any issues that may occur.
Reviews have started to trickle in... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxsxEt9QOpI&t=806s Seem to be highly positive. Personally, I still can't get past the absolute need to use an app for core LS60 functionality. That together with the technology and services integration involved means that I'd question the longevity of these speakers.
It was nice to be able to utilize the touch controls on top of the LS50W and when I had them I used the included remote 99% of the time, only using the app for initial setup really. Not sure if the new redesigned remote is better/worse but if it’s just as good it should be perfectly sufficient. My bigger concern is around the short 2 year (U.S.) electronics warranty, having gone through the main board replacement process on my LS50W shipping floorstanding speakers multiple times is not ideal.
I find the LS60 interesting to a degree. I do fail to see why the manufactures of these types of speakers though, do not make the amplifier/DAC package easier to replace/repair/upgrade as a module, versus having to send the entire speaker back. Typically the drivers are going to be fairly rock solid I would think, and repairs/upgradeability would benefit from having the amp/DAC parts as owner/user replaceable modules. Then again, it is indeed a throw away society these days, and money needs to be made....
I really like John Darko and find he does superb work. The LS60s are on my radar for the home. Great product.
How many 15 year old apps do you still use from the dawn of smart phone usage? This KEF design is what I would describe as planned obsolescence.
There are a lot of old apps that are still used. They get updated. Nobody is running 15 year old versions, lol. Ebay app was one of the first I ever used. I still use Plex all the time. Pandora was one of the first apps I remember having and I still know people using it. Until/unless KEF goes belly up, I imagine their control app will continue on for as long as they're around. With that said, I'd be worried about the speakers reaching an age where firmware updates are no longer coming out and users are forced to either use an old version of the app or get new speakers. Also, in 15 years, who knows what kind of wireless standards we might have. Will some new technology come out that trounces current wifi and isn't backward compatible? Not to mention Bluetooth, which hasn't reached lossless transmission yet, but I'm sure will someday. When that comes out, you know anyone with these speakers will be pissed and feel the need for the newest set. There's a lot of problems with this, in my opinion, unless someone is just rich and doesn't give a crap about buying new ones down the line, but for a lot of people $6000 might be end of the line speakers...something you pass on to your kids or grandkids. I only have R500s and everyone I know thought I was crazy for spending $2000 on a set of speakers My nephew will probably inherit them when I kick the bucket.
These are really expensive for what you get. But I guess that's a theme in this thread and already established.
These speakers are way way more than I can afford, but I’m not sure they are necessarily really expensive for what you get - they have robbed various elements from the Blade speakers which are 5x the price, and improved some of those elements, they go down to 31hz (apparently lower ‘in room’), they each have 700 watts of amplification. I know reviewers get carried away, but one did say he’d not heard bass that good in any speaker less than 20 grand. So in theory only their price bracket they could represent extremely good value, bearing in mind you don’t in theory need any other kit unless you’re attaching a vinyl source or older digital sources.
All great points. The one thing for sure, lots of people are still using older pieces of equipment and speakers that long ago have been updated, but still enjoy the heck out of them and have no desire to keep up with the latest trends. The big downside I see is if after the warranty ends anyone of the many technologies breaks, then what? Still for $7k you get 12 years of enjoyment, probably you will want to upgrade whatever you own just because technology will have changed radically. If I was in for a new system I certainly would be very interested in these speakers, particularly since I love the KEF sound.
Had an extended demo of them last week, and can report they are outstanding and outstanding value. Almost Blade quality sound from tiny, good looking boxes.
If Kef drops the price $1.5-2k during one of their holiday sales, I'm gonna have trouble resisting. I'll be back asking to be talked out of them.
They look like PEZ dispensers? I do like the gray ones though. I noticed in the spec that the uniq driver is now a 4 inch diameter vs. the LS50 5-1/4 in. driver. definitely midrange only from the front facing drivers, possibly a thinner but more transparent sounding midrange. With the narrow baffle they should have amazing imaging except that side firing speakers are firing up to a 400 Hz crossover point plus overlap. We would have to hear them but this would be a concern going in if imaging is your thing.
Yep, would hope to hear them before spending that kind of money, bur it wouldn't be the first time I jumped in without. If there's a bad review of them though, I haven't seen it. Nothing but stellar reviews. I know its counter to the audiophile life, at this point though, I would love to have no extraneous gear, just a pair of speakers.
I agree....they are actually quite amazing at just how good they do sound. Certainly not inexpensive.....but not terrible considering everything is basically rolled into one (or two!) boxes.
Two questions for someone in the know. How do you find the streaming app? Can you connect a hard drive direct as you can with the Lumin?
These are selling for just under £6,000 over here. There’s a two page review of them in the August 2022 What Hi Fi. 5/5. If I wasn’t so far down the hi fi rabbit hole and just wanted streaming (only) through a pair of great speakers, without all the other kit, and had the money, I’d be very interested. I bet they do well.
I don't personally find the KEF app that bad. I know some knock it, but to me it's fairly simple and tends to work. No way to directly connect a hard drive that I know of.
