Surround Sound with only two speakers in the room … that is the claim of KEF with their 5-2 series. We wanted to find out for ourselves if this was an effective way to get the bang for the buck without a room full of boxes so KEF sent us a pair of Model 11’s to try out.
Viking Electronics – Free Catalog
I always like to get impressions from folks who aren’t as close to the industry as I am so I asked my 28 year old son to take them home, unwrap em, set em up and let me know how it all worked out. He loves his music, just got a flat screen TV at Christmas and is a complete stranger to setting up electronic equipment so I thought his experience would be the most valuable to readers.
Here is what he had to say:
I was initially attracted by the claim to recreate surround sound without having to set up 5 speakers. Being that I have a cord phobia this feature really appealed to me. I personally can’t stand staring at the clutter of speaker wire all over the room. The sleak look of these speakers was also a major plus in my eyes.
Being that I have the technical capabilties of 84 year old grandmother I was a little nervous about the set up of the speakers when they arrived. I was pleasantly surprised when I took them out of the box and looked at the owners manual. Even with a technophobe like myself at the helm the whole set uo from start to finish took all of 15 minutes.
I fired up one of my favorite CD’s (which I have listened to hundreds of times). These speakers took the music to another level altogether. I was blown away at how they added an unbelievable depth of sound. I expected a slight tinniness at a high volume but there was nothing of the sort to be heard.
All in all I would definitely recommend these speakers to those of you like me who feel intimidated by most speaker technology out there. With these you get all the sound of a complete surround sound system in two very attractive towers. And setup is a breeze.
Well, there you have it. What more is there to say. In this day and age there are many, many options available when it comes to Home Theater Sound Equipment. As KEF says about this system … “Surround yourself with sound … not speakers.” If you don’t have the room … or don’t want the clutter of 5 speakers then this is one system to give serious consideration to.
And here they are:
There are 2 versions available.
The compact model 7 (with seven drivers in each speaker) is ideal for the minimalist look. Voices sound real and precisely located. Ambient effects travel through a realistic three-dimensional soundscape as the director intended. On screen action comes alive for everyone in the room, wherever they sit.
The formidable model 11 (with no less than eleven drivers in each speaker), is simply amazing.
Both are available in sleek matt silver or high gloss black, they can be mounted either on neat adjustable wall brackets or the integral floor stand – and in line with the thinking behind the whole concept, they’re exceptionally simple to set up. All you have to do is connect the cables supplied to your 5.1 home theatre receiver/amp.
And if you’re into specifications here you go:
Model 7
Model 11
Design
Surround sound speaker
Surround sound speaker
Drive units
7 Speaker drivers, comprising:
Dedicated Centre Channel
1 x 75mm (3in.) Uni-Q® array with
1 x 15mm (0.6in.) HF
Front Left/Right Channel
1 x 75mm (3in.) Uni-Q array with
1 x 15mm (0.6in.) HF
2 x 75mm (3in.) LF
Rear Left/Right Channel
1 x NXT Flat Panel
11 Speaker drivers, comprising:
Dedicated Centre Channel
1 x 75mm (3in.) Uni-Q array with
1 x 15mm (0.6in.) HF
1 x 75mm (3in.) LF
Front Left/Right Channel
1 x 75mm (3in.) Uni-Q array with
1 x 15mm (0.6in.) HF
4 x 75mm (3in.) LF
Rear Left/Right Channel
2 x NXT Flat Panel
Frequency range
100Hz – 30kHz
90Hz – 30kHz
Magnetic shielding
Yes
Yes
Sensitivity (2.83V/1m)
87dB
87dB
Maximum output (SPL)
104dB
109dB
Impedance
8 ohms
8 ohms
Weight
3.85kg (8.5lbs)
82.kg (18ibs)
Dimensions
(H x W x D)
400 x 104 x 230mm
(15.7 x 4.1 x9.1 in.)
1020 x 210 x 230 mm
(40.2 x 8.3 x 9.1 in.)
Cabinet finishes
Matt Silver or High Gloss Black
Matt Silver or High Gloss Black
Connectors
Supplied with connection for any 5.1 home theatre reciever/amplifier
Supplied with connection for any 5.1 home theatre reciever/amplifier