I became interested in hi-fi well before the stereo era, at a time when DIY was a significant part of the hobby. In store catalogs of the time, as much or more space was devoted to raw speaker drivers and enclosures than to complete speaker systems. Those of us who wanted or needed to save some money built our own speaker enclosures from kits or plans or from articles in magazines like Radio-Electronics, Audiocraft, and Audio.
In those early days, the popular choices were corner horns and bass reflex speakers, but everyone was welcome to put drivers into any box they would fit in. Then, in 1956, came Ed Villchur’s patent1 for acoustic-suspension loudspeaker systems, marketed under the brand name Acoustic Research, and then, in 1961, the groundbreaking study by A. N. Thiele, “Loudspeakers in Vented Boxes,2 which defined a series of sealed-box and vented alignments that related low-frequency performance characteristics (frequency response, power handling, cone excursion, and so on) to enclosure design and electromechanical driver parameters.
SPECIFICATIONS
Description DSP-controlled, powered, floorstanding, three-way, Single Apparent Source loudspeaker with bass-reflex enclosure. Drive units: 4" aluminum Uni-Q (coaxial) with 0.75" aluminum dome with MAT, four 5.25" aluminum cone bass drivers in two force-canceling pairs. Wireless: AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast, Roon Ready, Bluetooth 4.2, UPnP compatible. Streaming services: Spotify via Spotify Connect, Tidal via Tidal Connect, Amazon Music, Qobuz, Deezer, QQ Music via Qplay, Internet Radio, Podcasts. Input resolution: Network, up to 24/384, Optical, up to 24/96, Coaxial up to 24/192, HDMI up to 24/192. Supported formats (all inputs): FLAC, WAV, AIFF, ALAC, AAC, WMA, MP3, M4A, LPCM, Ogg Vorbis. Additional supported formats (network): MQA, DSD. Audio inputs (on primary speaker): Analog stereo (RCA), HDMI eARC, S/PDIF (TosLink, RCA), Ethernet (RJ45). Outputs: Subwoofer (RCA). Crossover frequencies: 340Hz, 3.1kHz. Frequency response (@85dB/1m): 26Hz–36kHz, –6dB; 31Hz–24kHz, ±3dB). Power amplifiers: 500W Class-D (LF), 100W Class-D (MF), 100W, Class-AB (HF). Peak SPL: 111dB (@1m with pink noise). Power consumption: 450W operating, <2W standby.
Dimensions 42.9" (1090mm) H × 8.3" (212mm) W × 15.5" (394mm) D including base. Weight (per pair): 138lb (62.4kg).
Finishes (cabinet/Uni-Q) Royal Blue/Copper, Titanium Grey/Copper, Mineral White/Silver.
Serial numbers of units reviewed LS60W-01945P15LAG, LS60W- 01945P15RAG. Manufactured in China at KEF’s own factory.
Price $6999.98/pair. Approximate number of dealers: not disclosed. The LS60s can be purchased through dealers or online from KEF and other resellers. Warranty: 5 years.
Manufacturer KEF, GP Acoustics (UK) Ltd., Eccleston Rd., Tovil, Maidstone, Kent ME15 6QP, England, UK.
Web: kef.com.
US distributor: GP Acoustics, 10 Timber Ln., Marlboro, NJ 07746.
Tel: (732) 683-2356.
In a well-known corollary, known as Hofmann’s Iron Law, Josef Anton Hofmann (an audio engineer who worked at Acoustic Research—the H in KLH) posited that three parameters cannot all be had at the same time: low bass, small (enclosure) size,
