Sidebar 1: They're Not Just Speakers
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 any device, including a phono preamp, if you are comfortable with its conversion to 24/96 PCM and the obligatory DSP at the heart of the system. Since I don't have a record player, I compared this signal path using the stereo analog output of my Oppo player to that using the Oppo's S/PDIF outputs (coax and TosLink) into the corresponding inputs on the KEF. I was pleased with the sound from CDs with all three links and found it difficult to distinguish among them. Even better was the HDMI feed from the Oppo, an Apple TV 4K, or my JRiver-powered server playing local and streamed sources at up to 24/192. This bypassed my usual chain of USB, DACs, and amps. I was able to directly compare the former using the LS60s with the latter using the Blades. I found both completely satisfying, and the convenience and speedy operations of the former compensated for the greater transparency and superior soundstage of the Blades. Even the network-averse will get their money's worth from the LS60s.
Most users, however, will opt for the almost limitless options afforded by network access. The KEF Connect app is easy to navigate on an Apple or Android phone or tablet (I used only iOS varieties) as well as the remote control. Right on the home screen are groups of icons that allow you to select physical input sources (as discussed above), cloud sources (Amazon Music, Deezer, Qobuz, Spotify, Tidal, Internet Radio, podcasts), or local sources on your LAN.
All the cloud sources worked smoothly and provided subjective resolution at least equal to that of the services' own apps. On the other hand, the graphics of the streaming-service apps were more impressive. The LS60s' performance as a Roon Ready target was flawless; that is how I used them for most of this review. Streaming via DLNA from JRiver was also excellent. Finally, KEF Connect was also able to directly access and play music files from my NAS. Whether via Roon, JRiver, or directly, the LS60s played everything within the specs quoted (including DSD, resampled to 24/192 or 24/96 depending on whether the Secondary LS60 was connected by Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi), and, with multichannel sources, downmixed to stereo.
The LS60 Wireless was empowering. It played everything I threw at it, and it sounded great. What more could one ask of a music system—Kalman Rubinson
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 any device, including a phono preamp, if you are comfortable with its conversion to 24/96 PCM and the obligatory DSP at the heart of the system. Since I don't have a record player, I compared this signal path using the stereo analog output of my Oppo player to that using the Oppo's S/PDIF outputs (coax and TosLink) into the corresponding inputs on the KEF. I was pleased with the sound from CDs with all three links and found it difficult to distinguish among them. Even better was the HDMI feed from the Oppo, an Apple TV 4K, or my JRiver-powered server playing local and streamed sources at up to 24/192. This bypassed my usual chain of USB, DACs, and amps. I was able to directly compare the former using the LS60s with the latter using the Blades. I found both completely satisfying, and the convenience and speedy operations of the former compensated for the greater transparency and superior soundstage of the Blades. Even the network-averse will get their money's worth from the LS60s.
Most users, however, will opt for the almost limitless options afforded by network access. The KEF Connect app is easy to navigate on an Apple or Android phone or tablet (I used only iOS varieties) as well as the remote control. Right on the home screen are groups of icons that allow you to select physical input sources (as discussed above), cloud sources (Amazon Music, Deezer, Qobuz, Spotify, Tidal, Internet Radio, podcasts), or local sources on your LAN.
