surfwelt: KEF EGG Wireless Digital Music System – – Good speakers. Annoyingly they turn off after only a

I didn’t buy these from amazon, preferring to buy them in person at my local independent hi if store. I bought them primarily as a second listening source and tv connection in my downstairs sitting room when i can’t use the main hi to in the lounge. The set up in the lounge cost around £1000 about 10 years ago, so i was expecting the kef’s not be to able to match themset up is easy as pie, unbox, connect power and wires, search for kef egg on bluetooth, select and go. What i wasn’t expecting was a breathtaking sound that beats a £1000 set up. They don’t go down that low bass wise so for films you may need to get a subwoofer, and plug in, but for music the bass is reasonable but incredibly punchy and tight. The main delight is the transparency and clarity of the mid and upper end. It’s very bright without being brash or trebly, and provides an insight to the music i have yet to hear on anything i’ve owned. Playing something well recorded and they provide a sumptuous sound stage that is hard to describe without underselling these speakers. Even stodgy 80’s recordings sound vibrant and alive. I’ve sat enthralled picking out nuances on records i’ve owned for 40 years.

Unfortunately these speakers don’t do what they say on the tin. They are heavily touted as wireless (bluetooth) and for use with laptops (as shown on the kef website). As many of the new laptops have less usb ports now this is a great option – if it worked. However, they regularly turn themselves into standby mode (not at set times either, just when they feel like it, it seems) and often don’t reconnect to the laptop when you turn them back on. So you have to go through the faf of getting them recognised and connected again. Also, if you run itunes whilst they are off, it brings up an audio error warning (as it can’t detect the speakers). If you then turn them on the program crashes, so you have to shut it down, make sure the speakers are on, and then run the program again. I saw another reviewer had the same problem and received a driver update from kef which turned off the auto standby feature and solved most of the problem. Ok, not great to buy an expensive product that doesn’t do what it should but at least it can be easily overcome i hoped. However, when i contacted kef they said they could not send out the driver updated but that i had to send the speakers in to them or go to their shop to have it done in case the software damaged the computer.

These kef speakers sounds great if you compare them with a pair of cheap low end 2. 0 desktop setup, but not at all against their competition at this price point. Yes, the soundstage is very good, with nice mids and the treble offering very crisp detail (but a bit too bright and overemphasized sometimes though. )but the bass is very dissapointing even for this woofer size. It lacks presence, definition and even control, showing an ugly overboost at 140hzi had the opportunity to compare this speakers vs audioengine2, b&w mm-1 and ik iloud micro monitori think the b&w mm-1 are the best with a more controled, detailed and balanced sound. The audioengine2 are cheaper and maybe offers the better value for the price. The ik has a decent overall sound featuring the best bass performance by far, goes very loud and are the best suited for use with games or movies without adding a subwoofer. Definitely, this product offers interesting connectivity options (bluethooth, optical, usb. ) but regarding to audio quality, there are better options for the price.

These are great desktop speakers, to me they have a very different sound signature than anything else i have listened to. They really put you front and centre of the music making listening to live recordings feel very intimate. These are great for using as desktop speakers with one caveat – you get the automatic sleep disabled by kef (see end of the review). The sound is clear with good separation and they don’t seem to be too fussy about the source either which is good for streaming services and lossy formats. Overall it’s a very rich sound, other reviews point to a lack of bass but honestly, i don’t hear that at all, they won’t make your teeth rattle with bass, but they are accurate and sound like a much bigger speaker than they actually are. I mainly use them for listening to music, watching movies and playing computer games. I have them connected to a macbook pro via usb and a ps4 via optical, sometimes switching the usb over to the pc if i’m playing on a game. Bluetooth works well too for connectivity to mobile devices. The 1 start removed was because these speakers turn themselves off after about 15 mins with no activity, so i would pause the music while i took a phone call or something, then have to turn the speakers back on and reselect the audio device on the computer. It is made this way to comply with eu regulations, they effect lots of stuff made and sold in the eu, its the reason why you can’t buy a powerful vacuum cleaner anymore too.

Great quality and depth of sound.

I usually don’t do many reviews but this time i have to pay respect to those beauties. I read 5 stars rating everywhere (but those guys are always sponsored), i knew kef quality so i thought i would give it a go…boom: finally someone has cracked the next generation hifi. Forget sono etc… that was the first thing i thought when i first listen to the egg. It simply ticks all the boxes:- sound quality: i make my own music and my standard is studio speakers (£2000 set). Beautiful: detailed highs and punchy mids. For me it’s the active technology: you get handpicked digital to analog converter linked to 2*25w amps almost directly connected to the speakers. That means limited filtering which makes quality lose, no trying to match electronics at home (kef engineers have done it for me and i believe they are way more qualified than me), no search for cables, no 5 different power cables and associated spaghetti etc…- integration: this tweeter and coaxial setup is magic. You have negligible loss of details while you move in the room. All my speaker have been directional.

[1 Year of use] Great Desktop Speakers
Great sound, great build – Sadly impossible to use as a reliable set of PC speakers!
Cool and Concise

The sound of the speakers is great, but they are useless to me. After getting home from the retailer and plugging them into my desktop, i found that they turn themselves off after a short period of no sound signal. I use my desktop for meditation sessions of half an hour and use a little script for that – there’s the sound of a bell as the start signal and after 30 minutes there’s supposed to be forest sounds to mark the end of the session. The egg turns itself off after 15 minutes thoughmy desktop is also my alarm clock to get up in the morning with a music playlist i want at that time – also not possible because of this. I wish the seller in the shop had told me about this ‘feature’, because i would not have bought themif keg would provide a way to bypass the software that turns off the speakers it would be acceptable, but since they don’t, i will have to bring ’em back to the shop. Exe file that made the bypass, so adding two stars to my review now, form 2 to 4 in total :-).

It has been a long wait but at last a pair of speakers that are genuinely scaled down hifi to use with a mac. They are so good i can even use them to balance tracks when mastering on logic. Supplemented by a subwoofer to add a little heft to the bottom octave they are simply stunning. I also have for my main system the kef ls50 and the similarities are there to hear. Clearly the ls50 scales up a bigger soundstage simply because they are bigger and several feet away from the listening position, but what matters to me with the eggs is the integrity of the sound, a believable and deep soundstage and an undeniable sense of energy and mojo. These are not sterile and flat sounding and the tweeters genuinely have an extended response. Headbangers might not like them because they do not go hugely loud and completely lack the cursed upper bass boom, bang and grind that so many speakers suffer from. I am now considering another pair to use with the tv.

I’m another one with mixed feelings about these, on the one hand they sound incredible on usb listening to music at 24bit96khz and they are easily a five star product but i have issues with them cutting out running certain applications together and to be honest they do lack a bit in the lower frequencies. The detail and clarity as well as the stereo separation is probably the best i’ve heard. Its just the issues you have over usb. I guess if you just want to listen to music with these i’d highly recommend them but for me they just have a couple of niggles that have moved them to the bedroom and just using as a great bluetooth speaker, whilst my ruark mr1s are back in front of the computer.

Delightfully clear and warm sound with power beyond their size. Acoustic, classical, folk and some rock sound stunning – every note, beat and tap of the high hat come through with clarity and warmth. Basslines and left hand side of keyboards have surprising weight. They don’t fair so well with dance and heavier rock/metal. Here the speakers get a bit crowded and lose the separation shown in acoustic and vocal tracks. Bass is there but falls short if you want to really feel it. They do have a sub-woofer out though. Plenty of volume too – 10-15% at desk is fine and 25% will full a medium size room for normal listening. For the space i have and music i listen to these are perfect and way ahead of anything else i’ve heard.

Annoyingly they turn off after only a few minutes which can be a little frustrating but otherwise perfect for my home office.

From the manufacturer

‘Of all art, music is the most indefinable and the most expressive, the most insubstantial and the most immediate, the most transitory and the most imperishable. Transformed to a dance of electrons along a wire, its ghost lives on. When KEF returns music to its rightful habituation, your ears and mind, they aim to do so in the most natural way they can … without drama, without exaggeration, without artifice.’ Raymond Cooke, KEF founder

KEF EGG Wireless Digital Music System

KEF, one of the originators of British Hi-Fi sound, has for over 50 years pioneered award-winners from professional studio monitors, to the legendary Reference Series and the recent ground-breaking MUON, BLADE and LS50. Every KEF speaker, large or small, epitomises the seamless integration of innovative engineering and outstanding design. The EGG Wireless Digital Music System is no exception.

Giving you the ability to stream tracks wirelessly over Bluetooth aptX or bringing your TV to live, KEF’s EGG Wireless Digital Music System delivers pure, clear KEF quality sound. As a complete ‘plug-and-play’ system with built-in amp and DAC, it allows you to enjoy your music with the depth, clarity and detail of true high resolution sound.

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Wireless/ High Resolution Sound

For enjoying high resolution sound from virtually any source, the active KEF EGG Wireless Digital Music System gives music lovers a complete audio solution that combines the supremely accurate definition of KEF’s Uni-Q driver array with the ability to stream tracks wirelessly via Bluetooth aptX. With an integrated amplifier and DAC, 94kHz/24-bit mini USB input, distortion-free digital speaker connection and optical connection to your TV, it fulfils every requirement for a flexible, compact, high resolution main sound system. Crammed with innovative acoustic technologies, the EGG uses KEF’s ‘sit anywhere’ Uni-Q driver array with its patented ‘tangerine’ waveguide: wide dispersion, fluent detailing and astonishing clarity.


Great Quality Streaming As wireless speakers for your computer or mobile device, the EGG lets you stream your music in full stereo to a standard no single box system could ever match. Using the 96kHz/24-bit mini USB input gives you true high resolution response.	Beautiful Design With KEF’s legendary build quality, precision and attention to detail, nothing has been overlooked in the quest to deliver flawless high resolution sound. A distinctive elliptical cabinet ensures that not only does the EGG sound good, it looks good too.	Fantastic TV Sound For TV sound, the KEF EGG massively outperforms even the best on-board speakers. With minimal controls and connections, the EGG Wireless Digital Music System is incredibly easy to set up for any listening environment.

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Great design and most importantly a great sound.

Bought to replace aging soundsticks. Sound quality – that everyone raves about – i found to be merely adequate. This thing really needs a sub. Worse, the cable that connects the two speakers in limited in length and that restricts where they can be placed (i have a multiple monitor setup so space is restricted). They are bulkier than the soundsticks. One end is fixed, the other plugs into the left-hand speaker. But perhaps the biggest disappointment was that they just don’t have enough bass and they’re not loud enough. I’m no audiophile but would be willing to pay for quality. But in this case just for music playback on a mac, adding the cost of a sub makes it just too much of a stretch. Note that i do have the kef hts-3005se 5.

Sound is no way loud enough, my old creative speakers were louder. Sound distorts at higher volumes and certainly doesn’t fill my small room.

Nice speakers a bit temperamental setting up.

Great sound and good quality build, however impossible to use as reliable pc speakers because they seem to be more concerned about preserving power than actually functioning as speakers. The systems keeps going into standby mode after 10-15 minutes of silence. That’s right, not maybe like you might expect when you lock the computer or switch it off, or perhaps after a few hours, no, after literally just a few minutes. You then have to manually switch them on again with the remote or by pressing the power button on the right speaker. No way to configure this differently in windows power settings to disable this function. Why anybody thought that was a good idea for a pc speaker system, especially hard coding this extremely short time it takes to switch off, is beyond me. Bottom line: if you rely on sound being readily available, from your pc, such as for audible alerts or whatever else, and you don’t constantly play a sound – which let’s face it nobody does – these will let you down.

This review is mainly for the amazon warehouse deal which i hope not to use again on electrical or complex goods. Unfortunately stopped working after less than 3 months. Sound pretty good – obviously when fed good quality files or feeds. Editthe repairs were covered by the manufacturers 2 year warranty and was fixed for free labour and parts (heavy so about £26 in postal charges).

Wireless, high resolution sound

I have to agree with j’s review on this one. They aren’t suited to desktop use due to them going into standby after some time without a signal. You then have to manually turn them back on. I also had mixed feelings about the sound. Mids and highs are really good and because of this they show fantastic clarity and detail, bass i found slightly underwhelming. There is a sub woofer output and, if used, i’m sure could really compliment them. I also wasn’t keen on the fixed (at one end), non-standard speaker cable that wasn’t long enough for my desk. All that considered, they weren’t what i was looking for but i appreciated how they sounded.

I understand that they sleep, but i have found that slightly annoying when one is in the habit of having speakers permanently ‘at the ready’. However great sound, lovely appearance and prompt delivery.

Got these the next day after recommendation by hi fi specialist they are great got the kef subwoofer for added bass and these have recently won desktop what hifi award so very pleased great for music films and games.

Having read the reviews of this product i took a chance and ordered despite having not heard them myself elsewhere. I could not be happier with them. The sound is clear and has actually allowed me to hear extra detail on a number of tracks i have owned for many years. Clear and concise without distortion and a nice level of bass, these are certainly enough for use in a living room as sole speakers without a woofer. Size wise they fit neatly on top of a narrow bookcase without being overbearing, and in fact add a nice retro vibe to the room if they are relatively prominent. Minor niggles to be aware of:running them from bluetooth the quality is dependent on your device being within range, as taking them too far can cause some breakup as the signal varies. The volume control on the remote control appears to be very subtle and in small increments, however those on the base unit work very well. I’d suggest setting the volume on the speaker and the device to the highest setting and then adjusting it from your device.

Setup——-simple to set up. Simply connect the speakers using the included cable, plug in, turn on, select the desired input mode and off you go. Sound quality——————–excellent. Whether you are using these via bluetooth (for the best bluetooth sound quality make sure you device supports aptx) or via usb, the quality is exceptional. For the price, size and functionality i think you’d struggle to find a better pair of speakers. Desktop specifics————————the maindrawback from my experience (hence the 4 rather than 5*) is that the speakers seem to be quite temperamental when connected to a pc via usb. They automatically turn themselves off if no signal is sent to them after a couple of minutes. This is expected behaviour, and i have noticed that they turn themselves back on if you start to play something again (sometimes. So while irritating, it is at least ‘expected’.

I had the ruark desktop speakers which won 2014 whathifi awards and i am so glad that i upgraded to these. The difference in quality is clear. They won 2015 what hifi awards for a good reason. Love them and i am extremely particular about the quality of tech i buy.