The power and authority of the performance can be seen in the ultra- slim profile and interior-design friendly aesthetic. It's dangerous to underestimate the little guy in a fight in the world of floor-standing speakers.
In keeping with the diamond birthday theme, we start our listening with a doo-wop sensation by Del Shannon, and we are immediately struck by the clarity and breadth of the soundstage.
The speakers offer a lot of enthusiasm. That might make them sound like a Labrador puppy, but they are more like a friend who is always on the lookout for new and exciting music.
If the Tidal Master recording of Elvis Presley's Are You Lonesome Tonight doesn't leave you misty-eyed and wanting to give your dearest a cuddle, well, you're wrong. The LS60 Wireless has flawless execution that puts you at the heart of the recording, and despite the less-than-demo-room-perfect speaker positioning in this reviewer's normal living space, the sweet spot was enormous.
The speaker's ability to unbox a recording with utter precision is highlighted by John Coltrane's 1961 recording of "My Favorite Things." If you want to focus on Elvin Jones, you can either sit back, tap your feet, or bathe in the brilliance of it all.
Whatever we played through them, the LS60 Wireless delivered, and we are in awe of how well the speakers can handle bass. Despite the birthday-themed thread, we urge you to play hours of early-90s drum and bass through them.
Is they really that good? We caveat this statement with a couple of points.
There were occasional dropouts in the signal between the master and slave speaker. The speaker glitched and dropped the signal for a few seconds, even though he was not more than 3 meters away. We think this is an early software glitch.
While the speakers are neighbor-botheringly loud and sound fantastic when pushed, we did find that the quality of their sound is not as good when used for casual, and much quieter, listening.
We were not happy with volume sensitivity using the app. It's too easy to go from hushed reverence to full-on rave with the touchscreen. The volume adjustment is more accurate if you use the remote control, but we tend to be lazy, so we don't use it.
Is there any competition?
What is the demand for active speakers? There isn't much in the way of competition yet. Q Acoustics Q Active 400 is the main quirkier alternative, with ATC and Dali both offering impressively reviewed but aging alternatives.
There's a hefty bookshelf and a good but overpriced single. They don't sound as good as the LS60 Wireless, but they are still a superb, difficult-to-fault alternative.
It was a verdict.
Getting to spend time away from a demo room with speakers as good as the LS60 Wireless is an absolute privilege. They are a class apart from the rest, offering comprehensive connectivity and a sound quality that makes you smile. They look great, with a modern aesthetic that works well for both the interior designer and the audio engineer.
Massive floor-standing speakers sound great, but to most cabinets, miles of cable, and black boxes, it's not acceptable. This is a refreshing antidote to the problem that KEF has solved.
The LS60 Wireless is the best active streaming speaker system available. The question is, do you really need more when you have the same brand available at half the price?
All Rights Reserved © 2024
