KEF Announces KC62 Subwoofer – Now With More Colors!
In the world of subwoofers, we have a saying. You can have low/loud, small, or cheap. Pick two. KEF has announced their new KEF KC62 subwoofer. At 9.68 x 10.07 x 9.76 inches, the KC62 definitely fits the small category. KEF claims a -3dB point down to 11Hz which fulfills the low. So how did KEF get such low output in such a small box? It’s all about the drivers.
Update 1/12/23 – KEF announced an additional color for the KC62. Already available were the Mineral White and Carbon Black options. Today they added the Titanium Grey (all three pictured above). These color options will help you blend your KC62 into your decor but won’t increase the price of the subwoofer.
KEF Uni-Core Technology
The key behind the small size of the KC62 subwoofer is the drivers. The voice coils of the two opposing drivers overlap and use the same, extremely large magnets. This saves space (KEF claims their drivers can save over a third of the space compared to other similarly designed subs) and allows the drives to be controlled by a single motor.
Of course, to get these drivers moving and to get the performance KEF wanted, they needed to pair it with a lot of power. KEF’s new design has each of the drivers getting 500 watts of class D amplification. The amplifier has what KEF is calling Smart Distortion Control. This is a mechanism that measures the current in the voice coil, detecting, and then correcting any non-linear distortions. The drivers also have an “Origami Surround.” The official name is “P-Flex surround” but we like origami better. Basically, it allows the drivers greater excursion for deeper and louder bass.
KEF KC62 Subwoofer Impressions
The KC62 is a great looking subwoofer. About the same size as their LS50 bookshelf speakers, the sub comes in both black and white. The drivers are side-firing with a simple light on the front to indicate power. It ticks all the boxes for those looking for a good subwoofer in a small package.
The controls on the back, however, have us a little confused. There are the general controls that we would expect like variable crossover and gain, line-level inputs, power switch, and phase switch (we would have preferred a variable phase knob but space is at a premium). The speaker wire inputs appear to be spring-type which seems like a space-saving compromise. There is an input labeled “Exp” for adding KEF’s wireless connection system. We appreciate the LFE/Manual switch for disabling the crossover and the ground-lift switch for fighting the dreaded 60Hz hum.
The thing that has us a bit scratching our heads are the HPF and EQ controls. HPF stands for High Pass Filter and KEF provides four toggle switches. These would normally only be used by custom installers but we find it odd that KEF would include access to these. Someone is going to press those buttons!
Second, the EQ switch has five configurations labeled Room, Wall, Corner, Cabinet, and Apartment. We assume these are DSP controls to modify the response of the KC62 based on placement. The Apartment setting has us curious. Does this just kill the lowest bass so as to not bother the neighbors? If so, a similarly effective method would have been to add feet to the sub that decouple it from the floor. In any case, we are unlikely to use the Apartment setting.
Conclusion
As we said, the rule of subs is low/loud, small, or cheap. Pick two. With the KC62 subwoofer, KEF chose the first two. At $1500 a pop, these definitely aren’t budget models. But, for the size and performance, they are certainly very competitive. If you are looking for a subwoofer with a very small footprint and great looks, the KC62 promises to make your shortlist.
For more information, visit KEF.com.
