THE REFERENCE: the standard by which others are judged, and to which they aspire.
The perfect reproduction of recorded sound is what KEF's legendary Reference Series has always stood for. And after 40 years of continuous development, the Reference has earned its name as the yardstick of high-end acoustic engineering.
If you're a perfectionist when it comes to enjoying movies or music, it's the one name that towers above the rest.
The Reference. It speaks for itself.
“A description was needed to convey the idea that every loudspeaker is subject to scrutiny at all stages of assembly, culminating in a final test comparison with a laboratory-maintained reference standard. So the method became the name: Reference.”
- Laurie Fincham, Engineering Director 1968-1991
KEF has never been a 'me too'. We create. And we never stop learning.
The list of KEF patents and innovations is unequalled. Although the Uni-Q point source driver array is our most famous breakthrough, it's just one of many. There's the unique 'tangerine' segmented waveguide. Cleverly stiffened and optimised aluminium domes. Sophisticated vented tweeters. The ingenious use of new materials to boost motor performance and power handling. Constrained layer damping. Acoustic Compliance Enhancement. The brilliant Z-flex surround - these and many others are what account for the reputation of KEF's multi-award winning drivers.
No other manufacturer has done more to advance the state of the art - and no other range personifies KEF's passion for perfection more than The Reference.
With six models - two elegant three-way floorstanders, a formidable three-way bookshelf speaker, two three-way centre channels and an awesome 1000-watt sub - The Reference range combines benchmark high fidelity with complete multichannel versatility. And as you’d expect, they all exude the sense of sheer quality that comes from being hand built by KEF’s master technicians in Maidstone, Kent.
Reference is a stunning new iteration of KEF’s landmark innovation: the Uni-Q point source MF/HF driver array. With a state-of-the-art 25mm (1in.) vented aluminium dome tweeter at the exact acoustic centre of a highly sophisticated 125mm (5in.) midrange driver, both act as a single source that floods the listening space evenly with a flawless natural soundfield, no matter where you sit. Capturing all the nuances of the human voice, whether whispered, spoken or sung, it sounds as if the person were right there with you in the room.
REFERENCE 3
Same DNA, more modest dimensions – and the same uncanny ability to generate an intricate, totally natural-sounding 3D soundstage. The two 165mm (6.5 inch) bass drivers are positioned perfectly above and below KEF’s latest 125mm (5 inch) MF/HF Uni-Q driver array in a D'Appolito configuration. Fidelity across the midrange and treble is outstanding, and the transitions imperceptible. And with Uni-Q’s broad inclusive dispersion, everyone in the room can enjoy the same rich, spatially precise acoustic imagery without being restricted to a narrow sweet spot. As well as putting you right at the heart of the original performance, it gives you the soul.
