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I undertook this review thinking of the LS60s as a pair of powered loudspeakers with some additional features and concentrated on how they performed on those terms. However, their ability to accept and perform well with almost any music source puts them in a different category. They really are a complete audio system, lacking only a source.

At the most basic level, no networking is needed, although a Wi-Fi–connected smartphone is required for setup and control. You can directly connect a stereo line-level source (RCA) to the LS60 from…

Description: DSP-controlled, powered, floorstanding, three-way, Single Apparent Source loudspeaker with bass-reflex enclosure. Drive units: 4" aluminum Uni-Q (coaxial) with 0.75" aluminum dome with MAT, four 5.25" aluminum-cone bass drivers in two force-canceling pairs. Wireless: AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast, Roon Ready, Bluetooth 4.2, UPnP compatible. Streaming services: Spotify via Spotify Connect, Tidal via Tidal Connect, Amazon Music, Qobuz, Deezer, QQ Music via Qplay, Internet Radio, Podcasts. Input resolution: Network, up to 24/384, Optical, up to 24/96,…

Digital sources: Oppo Digital UDP-105 universal disc player, Apple TV 4K, Custom Intel/Win11 music server running JRiver Media Center v30 and Roon 2, exaSound s88 Mark II and Okto DAC8 PRO D/A processors. QNAP TVS-873 NAS.
Preamplifiers: Coleman Audio 7.1SW for balanced source switching. 3× Topping Pre90 preamps for buffer/line drivers.
Power amplifiers: Benchmark AHB2, NAD C 298.
Loudspeakers: KEF Blade Two Meta, Revel Ultima2 Studio, SVS SB-3000 subwoofers.
Cables: Digital cables: AudioQuest Coffee (USB). Analog interconnects: Benchmark…

I followed the instructions in the manual to set up the KEF LS60s, first installing the KEF Connect app on my iPhone 11 then connecting the Primary speaker to my Wi-Fi network. The speaker was identified as "LS60 Wireless-1a05a2," and its firmware was up to date. I used the app to select the input and apply DSP settings. Although Roon recognized the KEF as a Roon Ready Airplay device, I didn't use Roon for the testing. Instead, I performed a complete set of measurements with DRA Labs' MLSSA system using the Primary LS60's Aux analog input. I used a calibrated DPA…

The next day, Béla announced he was about to use my Audeze LCD-X headphones and AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt to play Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," which he'd ripped to his laptop. "Honey," I replied, "forget about your computer. Let's listen to this in the music room. I've…

Preparing to listen
With Giolas temporarily grounded by COVID, installation of the Vivaldi was entrusted to Definitive Audio's Gary Bruestle. We began by re-spacing a shelf on the Grand Prix Monza to accommodate three Vivaldi components plus equipment supports.

Lately, an Innuos Statement Next-Gen music server running Roon has been handling file playback on my system. I wanted to sample the Innuos proprietary playback software (which I'll discuss in a future follow-up review), but it wasn't yet equipped to work with the Vivaldi Apex DAC. Because Innuos prefers USB to Ethernet…

Description: Three-box networked upsampling D/A processing system with volume control and remote. Vivaldi Apex DAC features dCS proprietary Ring DAC topology with a choice of 3MHz or 6MHz operation. Analog outputs: 1 pair balanced on XLR. Output levels: 0.2V, 0.6V, 2V, 6V RMS for full-scale input, set in the menu. Output impedance: 3 ohms. Minimum load: 600 ohms (10–100kohm recommended); 1 pair unbalanced on RCA. Output levels: 0.2V, 0.6V, 2V, 6V RMS for full-scale input, set in the menu. Output impedance: 52 ohms. Minimum load: 600 ohms (10–100k ohms recommended…

Digital sources: dCS Rossini Apex DAC, Rossini Clock; Innuos Statement Next-Gen Music Server; Uptone Audio EtherREGEN with AfterDark Giesemann Emperor Double Crown Master Clock, and Nordost QNet Ethernet Switch, all powered by Nordost QSource linear power supplies (2); Small Green Computer Sonore Deluxe opticalModule, Linksys mesh router, and Arris modem, all powered by HDPlex 300 linear power supply; Apple 2017 iPad Pro.
Preamplifier: Dan D'Agostino Momentum HD.
Power amplifiers: Dan D'Agostino Progression M550 monoblocks.
Loudspeakers: Wilson…

I measured the dCS Vivaldi Apex with my Audio Precision SYS2722 system, repeating some measurements with the higher-performance APx500. I performed the testing with the AES3 and USB inputs. The Vivaldi's AES3 input accepted data sampled at all rates up to 192kHz, and the dual-AES3 input will accept data sampled at rates up 384kHz. With the Vivaldi Apex set to USB Class 1, Apple's AudioMIDI utility indicated that the maximum sample rate for USB data was 96kHz. With it set to Class 2, the dCS processor accepted 16- and 24-bit integer data via USB sampled at all rates…

The fourth edition of the sold-out Florida show, with almost 80 exhibit spaces, promises to be a more worldly affair than before, thanks to the…