A Guide To Looking After Your KEF Speakers

A Guide To Looking After Your KEF Speakers

Avoiding Speaker Damage

Thank you for choosing KEF for your audio system.

Whilst our products are precision devices, designed to provide many years of trouble-free audio enjoyment, there are some guidelines and procedures that will help ensure this continues to be the case.

We’ve enclosed this quick guide to help you avoid future system failures. This is a generic guide that does not necessarily reference your specific repair. If you have questions regarding your system setup, please contact KEF Customer Service at kef.com.

• If your amplifier is rated with a higher maximum wattage than the recommendation in the speaker specification, avoid high-volume positions. When too much voltage is delivered to a speaker, damage may occur. 
  • A good practice to avoid accidents is to reduce the volume as much as possible after a listening session and then bring the volume control up to a comfortable listening level the next time the system is used.

• If your amplifier is rated in the lower range or below the recommendation in the speaker specification, avoid high-volume positions. If the speaker is demanding more power from the amplifier than it can handle, the audio signal will go into clipping, stressing the driver.
  • This is often seen when using a lower-powered amplifier to drive a speaker to fill a larger room than the system can handle. Consider switching to a higher powered amplifier, or a more sensitive KEF loudspeaker to achieve your desired listening outcome.

• If using bass management (for example, in an AV Receiver, where a crossover is set), try increasing the crossover frequency. This will send a wider range of bass frequencies to the subwoofer, reducing driver excursion. Consult the relevant manual for assistance, or ask a local dealer how to integrate bass management into your particular system. 
  • Bass management can be achieved in a separate HiFi system with subwoofers (such as KEF KC62 and KC92). Please consult your dealer or contact KEF for more details.

• Incorrect system polarity can reduce the amount of bass output heard. Ensure that signal polarity is maintained throughout the signal chain – for example, check the cables for red/+ to red/+, black/- to black/- connections. Be aware that in very rare cases, cables and components may be incorrectly wired internally.
  • TRY: In Spotify or Tidal, play the track “Phase Check (Loudspeaker Test)” by Bunker Analog. If the “In Phase” voice sounds focused and centered between the speakers, the system is wired correctly.

• The listener and the speaker's position also significantly affect bass output. Avoid sitting in the center of the room, and/or try repositioning the speakers.