CES 2018

KEF has just upped the ante on the LS50W, the wireless version of its lauded LS50 bookshelf speaker, with the release of the LS50W Nocturne Special Edition ($2499.99/pair). Engineered by KEF Head of Acoustics Jack Oclee-Brown and sporting an eye-catching design by Dutch Designer Marcel Wanders—I regret that my photo fails to capture all the graphic detail on KEF's Uni-Q driver and cabinet—the LS50W Nocturne Edition will be available on January 15.

The LS50W Nocturne Special Edition features 2.4GHz/5GHz Dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 aptX, and optical (Toslink) connectivity; includes a 192/24 DAC for each driver (four total); and offers Spotify, Tidal, and Roon integration. A dedicated LS50W App, subwoofer output, eight-device Bluetooth memory, and 10m Bluetooth range add to the speaker's versatility. Auditioned via a Mac source running Roon, with the speakers placed on LS50 stands ($399.99/pair) and powered by Straight Wire Pro Thunder power cables ($1100/2m), the sound was notably lovely and warm.

Also in the room was KEF's white Q950 speaker ($1800/pair). Equipped with a new Uni-Q driver, new low frequency crossovers, and newly constructed ports and auxiliary bass radiators, the speaker is part of KEF's new eighth-iteration Q Series. Although I didn't audition the Q950 during my visit, the speaker was connected via Straight Wire Expressivo II bi-wireable speaker cable ($840/8ft pair).