KEF Reference 201/2 Owner's Manual

Contents

5Since its formation in 1961, KEF has pioneeredmany innovations in loudspeaker technology anddesign. Your new Reference Series loudspeakerscontain one of the latest of these advances -the KEF ‘Project Austin’ Uni-Q driver array.In this innovative KEF design, not only are themid and high-frequency drivers on the same axis(co-axial), but their acoustic centres are also onthe same plane (co-planar). The profile of themid-frequency driver’s cone modifies thedirectivity factor (or ‘Q’) of the high frequencyunit such that both drive units have the samedirectivity in the critical crossover region,where they are operating at similar frequencies.This unification of the ‘Q’ of the drive units liesbehind the name “Uni-Q”.Now incorporated in many KEF loudspeakers,the Uni-Q driver array yields immediate andreadily audible sonic benefits. With no sharpdiscontinuity in ‘Q’ at the crossover frequency,correct tonal balance is not confined to asingle ‘sweet spot’ in the listening room andis extended to cover a far broader area.With sound arriving in phase, the sound sourceis brought into the sharpest possible focus.With properly recorded material and as part ofa good quality system, well set-up, loudspeakerswith KEF Uni-Q can reveal the location of eachmusical voice in the stereo image with pin-pointaccuracy and with a much smoother responsebeing maintained off-axis - where most peoplelisten - than before.The latest Uni-Q array implemented in thisrange is a sophisticated device offering acombination of wider bandwidth and widerdispersion than its predecessor.Both the midrange and high frequency drivershave been symbiotically designed to take us onestep closer to the ideal of a controlled directivitypoint source acoustic radiating system.The 165mm (6.5in.) midrange section has ashallow ‘Uni-Form’ cone profile which givesexcellent midrange performance but alsoprovides the optimum waveguide for thecoincidentally mounted tweeter.This new two piece 25mm (1in.) titanium dometweeter has been developed utilising FiniteElements Analysis techniques to provide‘pistonic’ motion to a much higher frequency,eliminating the need for a separatehyper-tweeter.It also features a vented pole piece,increasing the air space behind the domeproviding an extended but smooth highfrequency performance whilst retaining ultrawide bandwidth source compatibility:DVD-A/SACD.Introduction