World's First Review: The KEF X300A powered speakers

These speakers will be announced to the world tomorrow at the CEDIA show.

Fantastic little powered speakers, with 24/96 DAC built in. The best I've heard yet.

Review here:

http://www.tonepublications.com/spotlight/world-premier-review-kef-x300a-powered-speakers/

For everyone wanting to see and hear a great product with a reasonable price tag, these are the droids you're looking for.

 

Awesome review, thanks for sharing.

 

Sweet!!!! Gonna read it now before bed.

 

Nice - great read and a cool looking product.

 

Interesting idea from Kef.

 

This really looks terrific, great review, thanks for posting here. I have a few questions if you don't mind.

1. Is there some kind of inexpensive iPod adapter that will allow a connection to the USB port?

2. Does the USB DAC work equally well with Mac or Windows OS? Is it as simple as connecting the computer to the port and you're ready to go? Or are there drivers to install?

3. For use in a medium-sized room, would stands be necessary, or would they work almost as well sitting on a three- or four-foot-high table, on either side of the TV?

This could be perfect for some folks I know.

 

They look better than Adam Audio's ARTist 5.

 

Well, that#s class, so I guess the LS 50 wil be evenbetter, closer to the B&W PM1 ? Maybe not all the way but closer.
Wait - I got an idea get rid of the PRIMARE CD110 and those ols T+A floorstands and replace them with these KEF's add my iPd Touch and route it via remote...More variety than from the CD's and less space plus I finally have a good CD PLayer in the iving room again. I kno it is too good to be used as that but the M3i is just the few percet btter sounding and looks better..lol
But those LS 50 should get a review on Tonepub as well, just to see how much the design and compact body bring to the table.
KEF says they belittle the LS 3/5 .. wonder if that's true..

 

A very interesting package. While the Uni-Q design favors coherence and sound stage reproduction, the use of metal cones for bass reproduction, with response to what I assume to be the typical Uni-Q xover point of 2.2k, requires a steep slope so as not to excite any oil-can resonances that plague metal drivers. I would be curious as to what filter slope they use. I would also be curious as to whether they use a fixed oscillator or a frequency synthesizer for the asynchronous USB data transfer.

Edit:I almost forgot. When is the drawing for a free pair?

 

1. You can use your iPod via an airport express or the supplied dongle

2. I had no problem with either platform, it was plug and go

3. I would think if you put them on a table on the side of tv, that would be fine, but you might want to experiment with the "stand" or "desktop" setting for bass.

 

Great product. If they deliver sonically, a pair will be in my living room sooner or later. I like simplicity and I've been increasingly interested in both powered speakers and concentric drivers.

I guess it depends on where the TV is standing. If it is too close to the room boundaries, you can expect some booming bass due to the rear bass port. Otherwise, problems resulting from reflections from nearby surfaces are known to be less severe for speakers with concentric drivers.

 

I will be buying these for myself for Christmas and it's happy home will be at the beach house!

 

Many thanks Jeff.

 

Something to bear in mind, thank you

 

Wow, I sure don't need them, but reading that review I sure do want 'em. Thanks for the review!

 

Great review, thanks Jeff.

 

not shipping until November ?

 

I guess that these speakers will make my once decent "Audioengine 2", a dinosaur, right?

 

Chris, they have a slightly different intent and much higher price point than the Audioengine speakers...bigger footprint as well.

Can't wait to get them in stock!

 

Something new never makes the something you have irrelevant if you are enjoying music with it. Take a listen when they arrive. If you feel like trading up, awesome. If not, enjoy what you have.

 

I wonder how it compares to the Focal CMS50 at $699.

 

As good as Quad 57s? Wow.

 

Great review. What a great product!

Yes Jeff, please let us know if you ever get a chance to hear the KEF LS50. I am considering a purchase (at least a serious audition) of the LS50 but I think it would be quite useful to know how significant the difference is btw the X300A and the LS50.

 

I'd like to know that mysef but as far as my research online regarding design , building uality, technoloy and inner dampings, surfaces and materials go there will be a gap between the models If you're familiar with KEF's nw R series you probably seen the R 100. This sells for 200 uros less than the LS 50 and uses basically the same chassis size.
I doubt they can throw in the exact same chassis a DAC and 2 amps for less than what the R 100 costs..
A lot of enginering and modern computer technology went into the construction of the LS 50. The insuide is extremely rigidly dampened, tube ports optimized, material of the highest quality plus the BLADE uni-q- chassis in a slightly reduced form.
But the main difference from the R 100 and the LS 50 is the shape of the front. The way it is bend allows a far more spectacular wider dispersion, sounds seem to be bigger and more immediate. I expect the LS 50 to really hita home run for medium sized rooms, computer audio or basic home studio pa services.
check a couple of those youTube reports to see what exactly I am talking about..
Here you see the R 100 beneath the 50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWiQEl3CWvk

 

Or the Emotiva airmotiv 5s at $449 per pair? ($381 on sale although no DAC included)