KEF Koda W

The KEF Koda W is a pair of active hi-fi speakers that takes on the bulk of a traditional system. Amplification, preamplification, source management and wireless reception are all built into the cabinets: all that remains is to connect the two speakers to each other via the USB-C cable supplied for this purpose and to plug in the devices you wish to listen to. The footprint remains compact, at 168 x 285 x 268 mm per speaker for 11.3 kg each, a mass that reveals serious construction rather than mere styling.

The acoustic heart relies on the 12th-generation Uni-Q array, in which the 25 mm aluminium dome tweeter is housed at the centre of the 130 mm aluminium-magnesium alloy midrange/woofer driver. This coaxial arrangement aligns the emission centres of the two drive units and makes the sound image less dependent on listening position, an advantage in a living room where one does not always sit in the ideal spot. The bass-reflex loading and Class D amplification distributed across each drive unit, 70 W for the mid-bass, 30 W for the treble, for 2 x 100 W in total, allow extension down to 38 Hz at -6 dB and a stated response of 41 Hz to 20 kHz at ±3 dB, for a maximum level of 102 dB.

The connectivity explains the model's positioning. An HDMI ARC socket handles the television by controlling volume from the TV remote, an optical input accommodates a second video source or a games console, the USB-C input serves as an audio interface for a computer, and the phono input avoids the need to add a preamplifier to a turntable. There is also a line-level RCA input, a subwoofer output to extend the bass, a USB-C output supplying 5 V, and Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless codecs, the whole system being configurable via the KEF Connect mobile app.

The intended user is someone who wants refined stereo listening without stacking up boxes: a desk, a medium-sized living room, a secondary room where one wishes to both watch films and listen to records. The simultaneous presence of HDMI ARC and phono is significant here: it allows television use and analogue listening to coexist on the same system, something few compact active speakers offer together.

When buying used, a few points are specific to this type of connected active speaker:

• Check that the USB-C cable linking the two speakers is present and functional, as the link between channels is wired and not optional.
• Test each input one by one, HDMI ARC, optical, USB-C, phono, RCA, as a faulty connector on an active speaker cannot be worked around by changing the amplifier.
• Check the Bluetooth pairing and switching to aptX from a compatible smartphone, as well as the system's recognition within the KEF Connect app.
• Listen to the bass at moderate then sustained volume: the bass-reflex port should produce no extraneous air noise, and the 130 mm aluminium-magnesium diaphragm should show no dents or impact marks, with the tweeter's central dome being particularly exposed on a coaxial architecture.
• Ensure both speakers share the same finish and that the cooling vents on the amplifier modules are not obstructed.

Finally, the dedicated subwoofer output is worth testing if you plan to extend the system later: it determines whether it is possible to add reinforcement in the lower end of the spectrum beyond the 38 Hz reached by the pair alone.