This really rather gorgeous looking standmount speaker is one of the new models in KEF's revised XQ range, launched at the CEDIA Expo 2007 in Denver, Colorado, along with a complete new Reference range.
And while our man is still doing the 'big silver bird fly over water' bit on his way to the mountain venue, we can bring you a sneak preview of the two line-ups, which come in new finishes and use all-new Uni-Q drivers.
The revamped XQ range runs from the little XQ10 pictured and runs right up to the XQ40 floorstander, and all of the speakers use the new hybrid titanium Uni-Q driver with an aluminium elliptical dome tweeter at its centre.
The design of the new driver means the speakers no longer have the 'hypertweeters' of the old models: the main driver now goes right up into the very high frequencies possible with SACD, DVD-A and the new HD audio formats, and uses a 'crown-waveguide' to protect the tweeter and give a smoother, more extended frequency response.
The speakers come in a choice of 'furniture grade' natural wood finishes - birds-eye maple and the khaya mahogany shown above, and also in piano black.
The new Reference series, denoted by a '.2' on the end of the model numbers, also use the new Uni-Q driver, along with ultra-low-distortion bass drivers, and decouples all the drive units from the enclosure.
The speakers also have new two-position bass adjustment and four-setting high-frequency controls, and come in a choice of real wood veneers - cherry, satin sycamore or American walnut - or piano black.
No fewer than nine models will be available, with four stereo speakers running from the 201.2 standmount model up to the 207.2 floorstander (the 205.2 is shown left), a choice of two all-new centre channel speakers, the 206.2 surround speaker and two new subwoofers.
UK prices and more details will follow when we have them.
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