KEF introduces M Series headphones bred from HiFi speaker know-how (updated)
Mostly known for its extravagant speaker systems, KEF is finally taking a whack at ear gear. Today, the company announced two new types of HiFi headphones, known as the M Series, which include a pair of on-ear cups (M500) and a set of in-ear buds (M200). Priced at $300, the M500 sports a full aluminum frame and sweat resistant padding, along with a 10mm driver for lows and a 5.5mm driver for mids and highs full-range 40mm neodymium driver in each earcup. If enclosed head gear isn't your thing, the $200 M200 offers an aluminum housing and a pair of silicone ear tips with an adjustable arm for improved comfort. Like their pricier sibling These earphones feature a 'DDD' dual dynamic driver system with a 10mm driver for lows and a 5.5mm driver for mids and highs. While we've yet to spend time with the M500 or M200, their press pictures and specs aren't too shabby. Call it a hunch, but we doubt they'll need any celebrity endorsements. For more info on KEF's new headphone line, hit the presser after the break.
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KEF Launches M Series Hi-Fidelity Headphones
Legendary speaker brand creates its first over-ear and in-ear headphones for perfect blend of sound and design
MARLBORO, N.J. – April 24, 2013 – KEF has announced its first-ever range of headphones, the KEF M Series, offering consumers the benefit of enjoying KEF's unparalleled audio expertise in portable form.
The introduction of the M Series sees the launch of the M500 over-ear headphones and the M200 in-ear buds. Both models have been painstakingly created to deliver a unique blend of sophisticated industrial design, outstanding build quality and the unbeatable sound performance that KEF has brought to its speakers for more than 50 years. This audio expertise is unique in a thriving headphone market that now demands top quality.
Both the M500 and M200 headphones have already been honored with the 2013 red dot Award, one of the most internationally recognized product design prizes in the world.
KEF's new headphones carry an attached legacy that no other pair of 'cans' can offer. More than 50 years of speaker engineering, in pursuit of the clearest and most accurate audio production possible, means that KEF's engineers-with an enviable track record of technical innovation and award-winning products-have brought every ounce of this history to the design of the M500 and M200 headphones.
KEF has a simple ethos, one that it now brings to the headphone market: Quality design and state-of-the-art acoustic engineering should result in the enjoyment of truly excellent sound.
The KEF M500 – Making Hi-Fidelity Truly Portable
The over-ear M500s were designed to provide speaker-quality reproduction in a form that makes high fidelity sound truly portable. The headphones use a full-range 40mm neodymium driver with a high-quality, super light, copper clad aluminum voice-coil that has been painstakingly tuned by KEF's engineers to deliver a powerfully musical sound with a tight, clean bass.
The M500s feature an elegant, precision-engineered aluminum frame, with breathable and sweat resistant memory foam earpads and headband. As a result, the M500s offer class-leading comfort for prolonged listening.
The frame design also features a 'Smart Hinge'; unlike most headphones that require two hinges to fold and rotate the ear pads, the M500s' Smart Hinge can cleverly rotate on two axes, making them more adaptable to different sized (and shaped) heads than any rival. It also allows you to fold them up into a highly compact form for carrying around.
The KEF M200 – Technical Innovation Means Exquisite Sound
The in-ear M200 earphones utilize an innovative and comfortable user-adjustable Secure Arm that helps to keep them snug in the ear, and a rigid aluminum driver housing that eliminates unwanted vibrations and raises sound performance to new levels.
The M200s also use unique 'DDD' (Dual Dynamic Driver) tech, a two-way system with a 10mm driver for the bass and a 5.5mm dynamic neodymium driver for midrange and high frequencies.
The new M500 and M200 headphones share and continue in KEF's long-standing philosophy – with powerfully innovative design, incredibly high-quality build and finish, and a sonic signature that testifies to the KEF tradition of making products that get the very most from your music.
KEF's new headphones are also compliant with the CENELEC standard (EN60065/A12) for protection against hearing damage caused by excessive sound volume.
