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Kef's New Home Cinema Audio System Pairs Beauty with Brawn (24/6/2005)

The KHT 6000 ACE(R) Speaker System Delivers Powerful Audio Performance in an Elegant Design that Stylishly Complements Flat Panel Displays

Home theater enthusiasts looking for a surround sound system that balances sophisticated looks with pure, audiophile sound have a new solution in KEF's KHT 6000 ACE(R) Speaker System. This package is the latest addition to the highly acclaimed KHT Speaker Series, and features gorgeous, silver exteriors that are designed to brilliantly complement the look of contemporary flat-screen televisions. The KHT 6000 ACE(R) System is loaded with pioneering technologies, such as the revolutionary Uni-Q(R) driver array, the flexible Selecta-mount(TM) mounting system, which automatically optimizes sound whether speakers are mounted on the wall or on floor stands, and KEF's proprietary ACE(R) technology. Every aspect of the system's design has been engineered to look and sound stunning, complementing any home's dˇcor.

"The KHT 6000 ACE(R) System is designed for home theater enthusiasts who want their speakers to look as good as they sound," said Alec Chanin, president of KEF America. "We've incorporated our newest audio technologies within sleek enclosures that complement the latest generation of plasma and LCD televisions. No matter what kinds of films you watch, the KHT 6000 ACE(R) System elevates the entire home theater experience with strikingly lifelike sound effects and crystal-clear dialogue. And, because of the speakers' outstanding performance whether mounted on the wall or on floor stands, the system is versatile enough to bring authentic cinema quality to any customer's home."

Each KHT 6000 ACE(R) satellite and center channel speaker features KEF's signature Uni-Q(R) driver. The patented array achieves what audio engineers have sought for decades: to project an exceptionally broad frequency range from just a single point. Uni-Q(R) places its aluminum dome tweeter in the acoustic center of a mid-bass cone, resulting in a near-perfect, single-point-source driver. This configuration ensures both drivers' frequency ranges are delivered in-phase and in precise focus, providing the wider dispersion that ensures all listeners throughout the room enjoy optimal sound quality, including those outside of the typical "sweet spot."

The Uni-Q(R) array also offers distinct "vocal intelligibility," bringing crisp transparency to all dialogue - whether whispered or shouted - even when it is competing with ambient noise. The system's woofers have also been given a longer throw, adding greater impact to movie soundtracks and musical recordings.

It isn't only the KHT 6000's drivers that have been updated by KEF engineers; each speaker's enclosure implements KEF's Acoustic Compliance Enhancement (ACE(TM)), an exclusive technology that lets these ultra-slim speakers generate big-box bass. This proprietary design causes each cabinet enclosure to respond as though it were several times its actual size, creating a far more robust bass as well as reducing distortion and increasing maximum sound pressure levels

The KHT 6000 ACE(R) System's satellite (Model HTS 6001) and center channel (Model HTC 6001) speakers also incorporate KEF's Selecta-mount(TM) speaker mounting system. It automatically corrects for the variation in audio response that occurs when a speaker is mounted on a wall versus a free-standing location. Each speaker's rear panel has a series of metal contacts that connect differently to the wall and floor brackets. Depending on which mount is used, a discrete set of contacts is activated, and the speaker's performance is automatically fine-tuned to sound best for its particular position.

In addition to Selecta-mount(TM)'s functionality, the optional floor stand (Model HTS 6001 stand) features KEF's unique Bass Extender(TM) technology. When attached to a satellite speaker, the stand's hollow interior effectively increases the speaker's cabinet volume, and features its own bass port to increase low frequency output and the palpable impact of movie soundtracks and musical recordings.

Each mounting system is designed to not only improve sound, but to enhance the system's appearance and integration within a home. Selecta-mount(TM) brackets attach speakers to the wall while concealing all hardware, leaving visible only the speakers' handsome, anodized silver aluminum chassis. Optional Bass Extender(TM) floor stands extend the speakers' elegant contours and hide connected wires for a clean and elegant presentation.

When customers demand even more powerful bass, then the PSW 3500 300-watt subwoofer is the perfect complement to the KHT 6000 ACE(R) System. The PSW 3500 features a powerful, 12-inch, high-excursion driver that adds room-filling bass to the satellite speakers' warm, natural sound. Its elliptically curved exterior and elegant choice of finishes make the PSW 3500 look like no other sub on the market - so you may find yourself actually wanting to leave it out rather than concealing it. The sub also uses the distortion-reducing circuitry first developed for KEF's Reference speaker family, which gives the sub a clarity that matches its companion satellite speakers.

The KHT 6000 ACE(R) System is now available nationwide and is suitable for 5.1, 6.1, and 7.1 configurations. Each speaker's MSRP is $499.99, while the optional PSW 3500 subwoofer's MSRP is $1,199.99.

www.kefamerica.com