Interested in elevating your audio enjoyment with this groundbreaking technology? In this guide, we'll delve into exactly what makes our Single Apparent Source speakers so special.
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SIGN IN TO SHOPWhat is Single Apparent Source Speaker Technology?
A piece of audio is never a single unit of sound. It’s multiple sounds coming together to create a cohesive piece. Like a movie where the dialogue is underscored by layers of background noise or a song where vocals intersect with four or five different instruments to make a melody.
If a speaker doesn't use Single Apparent Source Technology, different parts of the audio will emanate from different parts of the speaker. This can result in delays, and the audio you hear may not match what the original artist intended.
With Single Apparent Source Technology, however, all sound radiates from the same point for a near-flawless listening experience.
How Does Single Apparent Source Technology Work?
At KEF, we create a single apparent source through our Uni-Q driver array, in which the tweeter is placed in the centre of the midrange driver for a single acoustical point.
However, the Uni-Q array, while extremely impressive, is not true single source technology. True single apparent source requires the bass driver to be incorporated into this structure, too, as we have done in our Blade and LS60 Wireless speakers. This ensures high, midrange and low sounds are all reproduced in one place, eliminating delay.
How has Single Apparent Source Speaker Technology Evolved?
At KEF, we continuously strive for better sound, which is why our Uni-Q driver array is now in its 12th generation.
The latest iteration is enhanced by the use of Metamaterial Absorption Technology. This material type absorbs unwanted rear-reflected sound, leaving you with only the crisp single-source audio that you want to hear.
Using metamaterial, we craft a disc of up to 30 tubes of different lengths. Each tube length is adept at eliminating a different unwanted frequency. This meta disc is positioned at the rear of the Uni-Q driver as a finishing touch that enhances the accuracy of the sound reproduction further.
The Benefits of Single Apparent Source Speaker Technology
"Try to imagine having a conversation with a person who has two mouths”, says Frank Eschholz, KEF’s Product Specialist, EU. “The conversation would be confusing with words coming out of both sources. That’s what it’s like listening to a speaker without a single apparent source”.
With single source technology, each frequency works in tandem, each element enters the soundscape as it’s supposed to. There’s no confusing delay or awkward distance. Everything is simply as it should be.
Single Apparent Source Technology in the KEF Range
Uni-Q is featured across the KEF range, meaning that whenever you listen with a KEF speaker you can enjoy an exceptionally high degree of single apparent source audio. However, only our Blade and LS60 Wireless speakers feature 100% single source technology, incorporating the bass driver into the Uni-Q array.
Welcome the seamlessness of single-source audio into your life with KEF speakers today.
