We’re going out a limb here, and are going to guess that you haven’t had a chance to hear the KEF Muon speakers in-person before. If you have, it might have been at a tradeshow, where it can be tough to get a real impression of them. There is a reason for our confidence: they cost around $225,000 per pair. KEF has followed other brands from audiophile luxury into the consumer market, knowing that there are only so many folks that can afford the truly high-end gear, and we looked recently at some of their headphones.
But speakers seem like an even more obvious choice, and KEF took some design cues from their (much) bigger brothers when it comes to the compact new KEF MUO Wireless Speakers. One of the most immediately obvious distinctive attributes is the wide array of available colors, fairly rare when it comes to Bluetooth gear that often comes in black or, well, black. Created by the same design team, led by British designer Ross Lovegrove, the chic curves hide a sizable rechargeable battery boasting an impressive twelve hours of playtime, and dual 50mm drivers with a passive bass radiator as well.
Utilizing Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX, there’s also the usual 3.5mm minijack port if you prefer to go wired. We didn’t notice much difference- either way, the sound was some of the boldest we’ve heard in a portable wireless speaker. Weighing in at under two pounds, it’s not ultra-light but neither is it too hefty to take just about anywhere. Many Bluetooth speakers offer a microphone or speakerphone capability, some come with remote controls, others have Airplay support. This one is more straightforward, and doesn’t even try to go the waterproof or weatherproof route, which typically results in muddier audio quality due to the sealing required. Instead, this is one of the louder speakers we’ve heard this size, able to fill a fairly large room without distorting.
One nifty feature: you can setup a pair of the MUOs into stereo mode. We liked the softened triangular tube shape, as you can set it lengthwise on a table, counter, or nightstand for a good listening angle. This isn’t an omnidirectional unit with 360-degree sound, but if you orient it vertically, the ‘bottom’ of the unit is rubberized to stand nicely and KEF built in sensors that detect this and modify the acoustic profile appropriately. We did notice some vibrations either way, but sound remained clear and just a little bright, with plenty of space in the mids and really gorgeous treble, if lacking in the low-end (as with most portable speakers). Every genre tested felt fairly natural and accurate. NFC tap-to-pair is available for Android users, and controls are simple and effective, though the battery gauge can be a bit hard to read. The KEF MUO looks and feels expensive, and that’s no mistake- this is a pricy item. Expect to spend around $349.99 online and in stores, and choose from a wide array of colors including sunset orange, racing blue, gunmetal, gold, silver, and a lovely rose.