KEF Coda W review

If you want to save space in your listening room, chances are you’ve looked at active speaker systems. Typically, audio sources and amplification are packed in with the speakers, so they're as neat and tidy as hi-fi gets. Plus, a host of inputs makes it easy to hook up alternative music sources and start listening. The great news is that, nowadays, such convenience doesn’t have to come at the expense of sonic performance either.

KEF is one audio manufacturer that is a great testament to this category. The brand’s wireless active speaker systems have been five-star successes, with multiple What Hi-Fi? Awards to their name, including the current LSX II LT (£899 / $1000/ AU$1695) and LS50 Wireless II (£2199 / $3000 / AU$4000).

KEF’s latest proposition, the Coda W active speakers, clearly have a lot to live up to, although they have some key differences from their Award-winning cousins.

The headline news is that the built-in streaming capability has been replaced by Bluetooth, and we now get a moving magnet (MM) phono stage, as KEF looks to tap into vinyl’s ongoing resurgence.

So, does this deviation from the winning formula still work? Let’s take a look and find out.

Build & design

We fetch our LSX II LT sample out of our storeroom to compare them to the new Coda W, and physically, what’s noticeable straight away is how much more substantial the new speakers are.

Unlike the LSX II LT, they look a bit too big to sit on a desk. This isn’t surprising considering they measure 28.5 x 16.8 x 26.8cm (hwd). At 11.3kg, they’re 4.5kg heavier than their compact cousins too.

The Coda W definitely seem most at home on a pair of speaker stands, which is where we have them for the majority of our testing. We settle with the stands about 30cm away from our listening room wall, which ensures plenty of low end but not so much that it begins veering into the mud, so to speak.

When looking at the Coda W and LSX II LT side by side, the new models definitely have more of a classic speaker aesthetic, owing to their squared-off, rather than curved, edges. Nothing about them feels remotely dated, however. The Coda W are slick and streamlined, while their clean lines give them a minimalist look that exudes a quiet elegance.

The choice of finish options is more understated than loud, but with five to choose from (vintage burgundy, nickel grey, moss green, midnight blue and dark titanium), there should be something to suit everyone’s tastes.

Our review sample is in the midnight blue colour, which looks to have been applied with care as the cabinets are neatly finished. When picking up the Coda W, they also feel nice and sturdy, while the overall build quality is excellent.

Bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better, but it does mean KEF can fit a larger version of its Uni-Q driver array into the Coda W. Uni-Q is KEF’s proprietary driver technology where the tweeter sits in the throat of the mid/bass unit, with one of its claimed advantages being that sound is dispersed more evenly, meaning you can be less fussy about your listening position. We’ve had lots of experience with KEF’s Uni-Q driver array over the years and its claims in this regard ring true.

The 12th-generation Uni-Q fitted to the Coda W has a larger 13cm mid/bass compared with the 11.5cm last-gen unit used in the smaller LSX II LT, which promises improvements to scale, dynamics and bass reach. Look behind the distinctively shaped waveguide in the centre of the Coda W’s unit and you will find a larger 25mm aluminium dome tweeter, too.

Inside, each channel has two Class D amplifier modules, delivering 70 watts to the mid/bass unit and 30 watts to the speaker, respectively. That’s a total of 200W combined from the speakers.

Another similarity is that the Coda W has all the connections packed into one of the speakers that you connect to the mains power. This speaker then feeds power and signal to its pair via a supplied 3m USB-C cable. If you want a wider berth between the two, KEF also offers an 8m lead that you can buy separately.

Features & connectivity

If you’re buying an all-in-one speaker system, you definitely want a good selection of digital and analogue inputs, and the Coda W have enough to satisfy most listening requirements.

The lack of any built-in streaming (there’s no wi-fi, no Spotify Connect, no internet radio) here might be disappointing to some. KEF’s engineers say this is to appeal to customers who want minimal fuss with connectivity, and to keep costs down. To stream tunes wirelessly from your phone or tablet to the Coda W, you can do so via Bluetooth, with support for the aptX Adaptive and Lossless codecs available.

Looking at the back of the mains-powered speaker, you’ll find the aforementioned MM phono input for a turntable, and an RCA line-level for hooking up a CD player or music streamer. An HDMI ARC port means you can use the speakers to enhance your TV’s sound, while an optical input supports high-resolution audio up to 24bit/96kHz.

There is also a USB-C input that supports hi-res audio up to 24-bit/192kHz PCM, ideal for plugging in your laptop or smartphone. Another USB-C port can charge your mobile devices, too.

While we think the Coda W should have enough oomph in the low end to satisfy most listeners, bass junkies will be pleased to hear these KEFs also feature an RCA output for hooking up an external subwoofer.

There are several ways to control the Coda W: the KEF Connect app, the supplied remote control and the touch-capacitive buttons on top of the main speaker. Switching between sources and pairing with Bluetooth is painless, and overall, the speakers are easy to use.

Selecting your source on the speakers is done through a single button that cycles through the inputs in one direction, so an additional one that scrolls the other way would have been handy. With that said, the remote lets you scroll both ways and the app gives direct access to all sources.

Some members of the review team find the noise the speaker emits to indicate a change of source a little annoying, although this can be switched off via the app.

You can change the volume on the unit, but you won’t find any indication of volume level on the speakers, which could lead to an unpleasant surprise if the previous night’s listening session involved a lot of loud Motörhead.

You’ll find the volume level in the app, however, along with several EQ presets: bass boost, bass cut, treble boost and treble cut. We’re pleased to say these make a subtle but noticeable difference to the Coda W during playback, but the ability to do more in-depth tweaking to suit the speakers’ sound to your room, in the way you can with the LSX II LT, would have been nice. Those speakers’ settings include wall distance, room size, and high/low frequency filters, amongst others.

Sound

So, how do the KEF Coda W perform? Well, we’re happy to report that they sound very good indeed.

We use Tidal on our iPhone to stream Kate Bush’s Cloudbusting over Bluetooth, and her vocal sounds incredibly natural, without the tiniest hint of strain – it simply flows from the speakers to your eardrums with complete ease. There is so much texture to her voice, too, that closing your eyes leaves you feeling almost as if she’s holding those beautiful notes right in front of you. She isn’t, of course, but it’s an enjoyable illusion all the same.

The Coda W’s ability to handle the large-scale dynamics found in Beethoven’s Symphony No 7 In A Major - 2nd Movement - Allegretto is also hugely impressive: the song’s louder moments really wallop you, whilst the delicate ones are delivered with incredible subtlety. Their adeptness at presenting a spacious soundstage is also on full display, with ample opportunity to pick out the individual elements making up this beautiful Beethoven piece.

But it doesn’t stop there. We play the hard-hitting Even Flow from Pearl Jam and the Coda W’s excellent sense of rhythm and drive propel us through the song like a hurricane. We’re also left surprised because the speakers’ exceptional clarity allows us to appreciate the individual elements in such a way as to appear highly sophisticated, yet that doesn’t come at the expense of the track's rawness and grit whatsoever.

If you want to play music at a volume that definitely will disturb the neighbours, these speakers will retain their sonic character exceptionally well and remain remarkably muddle-free as you go through the gears.

The story changes slightly at very low levels, however, where there is a noticeable drop off in resolution and clarity.

To test the Coda W’s analogue line-level and digital inputs, we connect to our Cyrus CDi CD player and begin playing A Dark Knight from The Dark Knight OST. Through the analogue input, the CDi’s more capable digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) comes into play, providing better dynamic handling and more clarity than the Coda W’s digital module.

That said, the Coda W’s internal DAC remains an enjoyable listen in its own right, delivering enough in the way of tonal balance, detail and clarity regardless of whether we use the USB-C or optical connections.

We also make use of the moving magnet phono stage by hooking up the Rega Planar 3 RS Edition turntable (£999 / $1795 / AU$2199) to play Lukas Graham’s Happy Home and Did Trouble Me by Tom Jones. Both tracks showcase the phono stage for what it is: a clear and enjoyable listen, albeit lacking in terms of dynamics and clarity compared with the KEFs’ other inputs. If playing records is a priority, an outboard unit that is at least the standard of Rega’s Fono Mini A2D Mk2 (£115 / $215 / AU$259) will help you make the most of them.

Put the Coda W speakers up against the LSX II LT rivals, and you instantly notice their similar sonic character, despite the size disparity. Both have a relatively neutral tonal balance, so the presentation is nicely balanced. You needn’t worry about a hi-hat sounding too prominent, for example, that it diverts your attention away from the rest of the song.

In terms of bass, however, the bigger Coda W speakers go deeper, while providing greater scale and authority. Their dynamic range and clarity are also superior. Mind you, the LSX II LT still sound good, just more as you'd expect from their more compact size compared to KEF’s latest beast.

Verdict

KEF has taken a slightly different approach with the Coda W active speakers, but has successfully maintained its recent high standards when it comes to sound quality. While the phono stage could be better, listening via the other inputs is a joy. The sonic performance is a step above its smaller, Award-winning cousins, and costs you less money to enjoy, too.

If you’re happy to live without the wi-fi streaming features and are looking for a neat speaker system that doesn’t cost thousands, this should definitely be on your radar.

Review published: 5th February 2026

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Features 4
• Build 5

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Read our review of the KEF LSX II LT

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