KEF, the British Hi-Fi speaker brand, has revealed its latest offering, the LS Luxe, and, as it demonstrated at a pre-launch reveal at its London showroom, it has packed in all its technical know-how to create a truly superb stereo listening experience.

Named after the Kent Engineering & Foundry, KEF was founded in 1961. While its roots are in Hi-Fi, its LS range of wireless speakers embraces modernity with support for the major streaming services built in. Sitting atop this range now is the £3,500/€4000/USD $4000 Luxe supporting Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect, AirPlay 2, and Google Cast. KEF says that it will also be Roon Ready, but this is coming in 2027.

Featuring its 12th-generation UniQ point-source two-way driver array, this contains a mid-range and tweeter, and, thanks to a ported design, has plenty of low-end presence, but a subwoofer can be added to each speaker if so desired.

As fully active models, each speaker needs to be plugged in to power the 100W Class AB + 280W Class D amps. This cable aside, they are wireless thanks to Wi-Fi support, though Ethernet is also available. An HDMI eARC means they can be used directly to power TV audio from a TV and there are also analogue, optical, and coaxial wired inputs.

If the curves on the Luxe ring a bell to KEF fans, it’s because it was designed by renowned industrial designer Ross Lovegrove, who, among other KEF offerings, created its largest and smallest products, namely its flagship aluminum-sculpted two-meter-tall Muon speakers and its tiny Mu3 wireless earbuds. The new LS Luxe speakers have a similar aesthetic with a rounded cabinet design. However, as described to me in detail by KEF’s research & development engineer, Prathmesh Thakkar, as much work has been put into the internals as the exterior.

While its predecessor, the KEF LS50, was a success with reviewers and customers, Thakkar says it realized there was demand for a compact wireless speaker that offered even more performance. To achieve this, KEF took the design principles from its LS60 floor stander, its first speaker designed to be active from the ground up and combined it with its VECO technology, to arrive at what Thakkar describes as an LS50 for 2026..

Previously only featured in its Xio soundbar, VECO , which stands for velocity control, is a technology that measures exactly what the speaker is doing in response to the input signals and adjusts it to ensure that it doesn’t overextend itself, causing uncontrolled extension, which would result in poor sound.

This is needed, as with the Luxe, KEF has implemented current-drive amplification rather than voltage-driven amplification that conventional speakers use. To explain this (and bear with me if this gets a little sciency), with voltage amplification, the resistance inside the speaker changes depending on how hard it's being driven and when speakers run hot, sound quality reduces as the demand on the driver increases. Current drive, conversely, always sends the same amount of power, which, under ideal circumstances, enables the speaker to play exactly as it should, free from the ill effects of thermal compression or current-related distortion.

If current drive is so great, then why is it not normally used? The reason is to do with something called impedance peaks, which occur at the natural resonance frequency of the speaker – essentially, the point at which a frequency would cause the driver coil to naturally vibrate. When this happens, the speaker cone overshoots, causing unpleasant distortion.

This is where VECO saves the day. Sensors built into the driver assembly measure exactly what the speaker is doing in real time and instantly adjust the signal to prevent the driver from overextending or ringing out of control.

With this extra control, the Luxe can go louder than previous models, especially as its Uni-Q driver array is larger and heavier than used in previous models. This means that the cabinet construction must offer superior structural rigidity. To do so, while also delivering the smooth curves and finish required by the Lovegrove design, KEF f has turned to BMF, or bulk-molded compound, which, as Thakkar pointed out, is an unattractive abbreviation for an equally unattractive industry term. But what’s in a name? The result is a solid, high-quality speaker that is as pleasing to touch and feel as it is to look at.

The Luxe is available in three finishes: Eclipse Black, Dusk Titanium and Mineral White, and matching stands are also available for a hefty £800/€900/USD $800 a pair.

In terms of placement, Thakkar said that ideally, they should be positioned a meter from a wall, but if more flexibility is required, the app offers a wall mode and a desk mode to optimize the sound.

The final stage was to hear them in action, and while after the extended science lesson there was only time to enjoy a few tracks, it was clear that KEF has achieved something special with the Luxe. On Runaway by Aurora, the breathy vocals had a sense of real presence, with an open, clean and effortless sound, while other tracks, such as Billie Jean and Sting’s It’s Probably Me , showcased a great ability to reveal detail alongside strong bass and excellent timing. These certainly deserve a longer listening session, but for those that can and wish to dive right in, the KEF LS Luxe speakers are available now.

Pantheone I Review: A Wireless Speaker That Looks Out Of This World

L-Acoustics HYRISS: A Space-Changing Audio Experience

Soundcore C40i Earbuds Review: No Noise Canceling — No Fear