KEF Reference 1 Bookshelf Loudspeakers

Description

Reference 1

A three-way high-end loudspeaker in a cabinet that will fit in any room, and able to be stand-mounted or bookshelf-mounted. Reference 1 offers incredible insight into whatever recording is played through them, alongside imaging that you have to experience to believe.

Reference 1’s innovative technology means that you don’t need a big cabinet to enjoy expansive, premium quality sound.

Reference 1 pairs KEF’s latest 125mm (5 inch) MF/HF Uni-Q driver array with the sensational new 165mm (6.5 inch) alloy cone bass driver to create a compellingly realistic, large scale sound stage. Uni-Q’s inherently wide, even dispersion also makes it the perfect rear channel speaker in a serious home theatre system.

Finish

As of October 2021, Reference 1 is now available in thee premium finishes: Blue Ice White, Copper Black Aluminium, and Silver Satin Walnut.

Specifications

• Design: Three-way bass reflex
• Unit Measurement: Pair
• Frequency Range: Typical in-room bass response: 30Hz (-6dB), Free Field – Short port: 40Hz-45kHz (-6dB), Free Field – Long port: 37Hz-45kHz (-6dB)
• Frequency Response: 45Hz-35kHz (±3dB)
• Crossover Frequencies: 350Hz, 2.8kHz
• Maximum Output: 111dB (peak sound pressure level at 1m with pink noise)
• Amplifier Class: 50-200W
• Sensitivity: 87.5dB (2.83V/1m)
• Harmonic Distortion: 2nd & 3rd harmonics (90dB, 1m) <0.5% 40Hz-100kHz, <0.2% 200Hz–10kHz
• Nominal Impedance: 8 Ohms (min 3.2 Ohms)
• Drive Units: Uni-Q driver array, HF 25mm (1in) vented aluminium dome, MF 125mm (5in) aluminium, bass units LF 1x165mm (6.5in) aluminium

Reference series

No other range or series personifies the KEF Audio passion for perfection more than Reference.

If you want the very best sound from movies or music, it’s the one name that towers above the rest. For perfectionists who demand uncompromisingly accurate sound that captures the full emotional range, depth, and detail of the original performance.

Perfect reproduction of sound is what KEF’s legendary Reference Series has always stood for. After 40 years of continuous development, Reference has earned its name as the yardstick of high-end audio engineering. When only the best is good enough.

Constant research

The list of KEF patents and innovations is unequalled. The Uni-Q point source driver is just one of many including the tangerine segmented waveguide, stiffened and optimised aluminium domes, vented tweeters and the Z-flex surround.

Uni-Q driver array

At the heart of Reference is a stunning new Uni-Q point source driver array. A state-of-the-art vented aluminium dome tweeter at the exact acoustic centre of a highly sophisticated midrange driver that fills the room with flawless natural sound. The artist’s voice sounds as if it were right there in front of you.

Bass drivers

Clean, rich and articulate bass is the foundation of great stereo or multichannel sound. KEF’s new Reference Series bass driver has a massive vented magnet assembly, a large aluminium voice coil and an exceptionally light and stiff alloy cone. Whatever volume you choose the dynamics and power handling are superb.

Flexible port technology

Reference has adjustable ports for fine-tuning the bass output to suit personal taste and room characteristics. Flexible port technology is used to reduce port resonance, with the flare and profile of each port calculated by computational fluid dynamics to avoid turbulent air noise that might colour the sound.

Crossover design

KEF engineers computer-model the ideal crossover network before auditioning every component, individually and together, to select those with the lowest distortion. Perfection takes time, but the results are plain to hear. Reference crossovers are even decoupled from the cabinet to minimise vibration and crosstalk.

Cabinet design

Hand finished in pair-matched wood veneers to complement the composite front baffle, KEF cabinets have computer-optimised bracing geometry to minimise secondary radiation from the sides and constrained layer damping to absorb vibration. KEF cabinets are engineered to eliminate anything that compromises purity of sound.

Composite front baffle

Reference drivers are set in a smooth, strikingly distinctive front baffle engineered to eliminate response anomalies caused by diffraction. Made from an exceptionally strong laminated aluminium/resin composite and secured via high-loss pads and high tensile bolts, it adds tremendous rigidity to the inert cabinet.

Stands

Reference stand-mounts have a cable channel and can be bolted to the speaker, there’s also a compartment for mass filling to aid stability and acoustic damping. The stands are finished in Satin Black.

Special editions

In 1961 Raymond Cooke founded KEF in a Nissen hut formerly owned by Kent Engineering and Foundry. To celebrate this heritage we’ve created bespoke editions of the latest Reference range. The Kent Engineering & Foundry editions combine the latest Reference technology in a style that subtly evokes KEF’s rich pedigree.

More information

• https://uk.kef.com/products/reference-1-bookshelf-speaker

Additional information

Brand

KEF

Founded in 1961 by ex-BBC electrical engineer Raymond Cooke OBE, KEF was initially headquartered in a Nissen Hut on the premises of Kent Engineering & Foundry (from where the name KEF is derived), a metal-working company on the banks of the River Medway, near Maidstone in Kent.

From the very beginning, the pioneering inventiveness of KEF loudspeakers was undeniable and now for several decades, audiophiles around the world have revered KEF for their innovative, high-performance, beautiful loudspeakers.