What Hi Fi Sound and Vision
13 AUG 2007
KEF KHT3005SE
Great performance, looks and build, but after two years at the top, the KEF now faces some tough competition
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UPDATE 7/11/09: Price now reduced to £1000; package to be re-reviewed shortly in the light of this price change
Some things get better with time: malt whisky, for instance, or Blonde on Blonde. But in the ever-changing world of consumer electronics, the reverse is often true: in most cases, last year's must-buy swiftly turns into this year's has-been.
Loudspeakers, though, are the exception. A properly designed speaker can be competitive for years, and if the basics are right in the first place, a few development tweaks can often be enough to make a good product great.
That was the case for the KEF3005SE, which reigned supreme over the style speaker package category from the moment we first tested it back in September 2006. A crown is there for the taking, though, and in our Awards this year, the '3005SE has lost its sovereignty.
Hurt by a hefty price rise
In fairness, KEF has rather done it to itself - by adding £200 to the price it's found itself competing on a more equal footing with the brilliant Monitor Audio Radius R90 HD10 package, while the brand new B&W MT-25 has taken its place at the around-£1000 mark. Against these new rivals, the '3005SE is a touch lacking in terms of all-out agility and dynamics.
Of course, that doesn't mean you should rule it out off-hand, as it has a heck of a lot going for it. For a start, there's the styling – for a design that's been around a few years now, both the satellites and subwoofer are terrifically modern-looking. The speakers themselves are very well built indeed.
Seamless surround field
When it comes to the sound the KEF's continue to impress, particularly in the integration department. The 'tangerine' waveguide in the centre of the Uni-Q driver isn't there for mere prettiness – it in fact helps to create greater dispersion, and sure enough, the spread of sound from each satellite is wide enough to blend in with the one next to it, leading to a surround field that's brilliantly seamless.
On top of that cohesion you get impressive detail and all-round refinement, and although it's not quite as dynamic or attacking as the two rivals mentioned above, it's still very capable in these regards.
So, should you still put the KHT30005SE on your shortlist? Of course – but make sure you also listen to the Radius package and B&W's MT-25.
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