KEF Reference 1 Standmount Speakers & matching Stands – Piano Black

Here we have a pair of beautifully finished Reference 1 loudspeakers from British company KEF, which come with a pair of their dedicated Performance Stands. Well known for their Uni-Q drivers the Kent based manufacturers use their expertise to produce both an aesthetically pleasing speaker with one that shines in the sound quality department. Our examples are in the gloss black finish and come in excellent condition. They are supplied in original factory packaging along with full spike & fittings set, long and short ports, and our standard three month warranty.
KEF Say….
The Reference: the standard by which others are judged, and to which they aspire.
As KEF’s iconic LS5O demonstrates, the clever application of innovative technology means that you don’t need a big cabinet to enjoy expansive, premium quality sound. Reference 1 extends this principle even further. A three-way design of jaw-dropping performance capabilities, it incorporates all the ground-breaking innovations pioneered for the remarkable little LS5O, and then some. Pairing the latest and most sophisticated incarnation of KEF’s 125mm Uni-Q MF/HF driver array with the sensational new 165mm aluminium cone bass driver, it creates a compellingly realistic soundstage out of all proportion to its relatively modest size. Mounted on shelves or stands, the inherently wide, even dispersion characteristics that famously distinguish the Uni-Q array also makes Reference 1 an ideal rear channel home theatre speaker in a system with the power to touch your heart as well as your mind.
The perfect reproduction of recorded sound is what KEF’s legendary Reference Series has always stood for. And after forty years of continuous innovation and development, The Reference has lived up to its name as the yardstick of high end acoustic engineering.
Back when Bowie released Life on Mars, KEF was leading the world in the use of computerised ‘total system design’ to create better loudspeakers. By pioneering the use of these powerful analytics, KEF engineers matched pairs of speakers to within half a decibel – the audio equivalent of identical twins. Exact pair matching delivers perfect stereo reproduction, so these revolutionary speakers won instant acclaim for their superior acoustic precision. The name ‘Reference’ was born.
Since then, everything has changed, yet nothing has changed. Today’s Reference is enhanced by new technologies and advanced materials that simply didn’t exist before, massively extending their performance envelope to exploit the full potential of modern music and moving image formats. But the spirit is the same: to achieve the purest and most accurate reproduction of recorded sound in a way that perfectly captures the full emotional range, depth and detail of the original performance.
The obsession with absolute quality remains, as does the immaculate craftsmanship; the styling has evolved so as to be as fresh and contemporary now as their predecessors were then. But above all, for the serious audiophile with an ear for uncompromised excellence in the enjoyment of movies or music, there’s one name that still towers above the rest.
The list of KEF’s acoustic design patents and innovations is unequalled. The use of sophisticated computer modelling techniques, like finite element analysis and computational fluid dynamics for example, to the point that today KEF engineers even write their own software. Or pioneering new aerospace materials such as neodymium magnet systems, and new processes, such as the ultra-strong laminated aluminium/ resin composite for The Reference front baffle. The Uni-Q driver array remains one of the great breakthroughs in loudspeaker design, but it’s far from alone – KEF’s ‘tangerine’ segmented waveguide, stiffened and optimised aluminium domes, motor refinements to increase power handling, sophisticated vented tweeters, constrained layer damping, the Z-flex surround – these and many other unique technologies contribute to 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 a state-of-the-art 25mm vented aluminium dome tweeter at the exact acoustic centre of a highly sophisticated 125mm midrange driver; both act as a single source that floods the listening space evenly with a flawless natural sound-field, no matter where you sit. For capturing all the subtleties of the human voice, whether whispered, spoken or sung, the effect is magical – as if the person were right there with you in the room.
Based on the design developed for the KEF Blade & Blade Two, the vented tweeter combines a powerful motor system with a unique computer optimised two-part aluminium dome so rigid that it operates pistonically over its entire working range. Its response is exceptionally fluid, with no trace of resonance or interference, and the sensitivity is much higher in the critical 2kHz region than a conventional tweeter. KEF’s visually striking ‘tangerine’ waveguide propagates the upper registers evenly across the midrange cone and its Z-flex surround, the shadow flare and the baffle – all acting as a single continuous surface, with no discontinuity or distortion to muddy the output.
Similarly, the new midrange driver has exemplary dynamics, thanks to a super­light aluminium alloy cone, designed for maximum rigidity to make the most of its fast, clean response. Mounted to a rigid die-cast aluminium chassis, it keeps the motor-system free from resonances.
Together, these two remarkable drivers operate in perfect sonic harmony, with almost ideal dispersion characteristics, free from off-axis nulls and with a perfectly smooth waveguide to prevent any distracting diffraction effects. You’re simply immersed in a clear; all-enveloping soundscape covering the entire upper six octaves with the clarity, accuracy and emotional truth to make your hair stand on end.
Clean, rich and precisely articulated bass adds enormously to the enjoyment of stereo or multi-channel sound. The new 165mm LF driver is in a class of its own and, like every other aspect of The Reference, is designed to complement KEF’s latest Uni-Q point source array. With a massive, vented magnet assembly and a large aluminium wire voice coil driving an exceptionally light, stiff and strong aluminium diaphragm rather than a conventional cone, the dynamics and power handling are outstanding. The distortion performance is also superb. Played loud or soft, in delicate passages or for full-on bass effects, the combination of advanced materials, clever engineering and meticulous attention to design detail delivers a deeply rewarding experience that blends seamlessly with Uni-Q’s immaculate midrange and treble response.
The Reference drivers are set in a smooth, strikingly distinctive front baffle. Made from an exceptionally strong laminated aluminium and resin composite, formed in a press under extreme temperatures, it adds tremendous rigidity to the cabinet structure. The baffle also has an acoustic damping function, being connected resiliently to the cabinet via high-loss pads and secured by high tensile bolts.
Specifications:
Design: Three-way bass reflex
Drive Units: Uni-Q driver array: HF: 25 mm vented aluminium dome; MF: 125 mm aluminium; Bass units: LF: 1 x165mm aluminium
Frequency range free field (-6 dB): Short port: 40 Hz – 45 kHz; Long port: 37 Hz – 45 kHz
Frequency range typical in room bass response (-6 dB): 30 Hz
Frequency Response (±3 dB): 45 Hz – 35 kHz
Crossover frequency: 350 Hz, 2.8 kHz
Amplifier requirements: 50 – 200 W
Sensitivity (2.83 V/1 m): 85 dB
Harmonic distortion 2nd & 3rd harmonics (90 dB, 1 m): <0.5% 40 Hz – 100 kHz; <0.2% 200 Hz – 10 kHz
Maximum output (peak sound pressure level at 1 m with pink noise): 111 dB
Impedance: 8 Ω (min. 3.2 Ω)
Dimensions: 440 (H) x 205 (W) x 430 (D) mm – with grille and terminal
Weight: 18.2 kg

Made for the critically acclaimed reference 1 bookshelf speakers, the Kef Reference 1 Stands offer optimum rigidity through securely bolting the speakers to the stand.

The integrated spirit-level helps achieve perfect adjustment and positioning to get the most out of your speakers while the
discreet cable management system hides any unsightly wires for a neat set up.

Stability and acoustic damping can be enhanced by filling the upright vertical with your choice of inert material.

Vestigial cabinet vibrations are prevented from being transmitted through the floor of the listening área.using the same Reference precision-engineered spike set.

Specifications:
Dimensions: 537 (H) x 324 (W) x 409 (D) mm

To read a review from Hi-Fi+ magazine please click here