Kef Muo
This portable speaker is an impressive debut for the high-end hi-fi specialist
£300 Manufacturer Kef, kef.com Connectivity Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX, 3.5mm line-in Battery life Up to 12 hours Dimensions 21x8x6cm Weight 0.8kg
We don’t often get to review Kef speakers in MacFormat, as this British company is best-known for luxury products such as the towering Muon, which would set you back a stonking £140,000 per pair. However, the Muo is its first entry into the portable speaker category and with a much more affordable price tag.
Both speakers were designed by Ross Lovegrove, who also worked at Apple way back in the ‘80s, and the Muo shares the elongated hourglass design of the floor-standing Muon. The Muo uses Bluetooth for wireless streaming, and you can also pair two Muos together to provide a proper set of stereo speakers.
The Muo’s aluminium case looks very smart, and should be sturdy enough to cope with the occasional bump in a backpack. It also helps to reduce vibrations, which allows the Muo to produce a rich, detailed sound that few speakers of this size can match. It handles the acoustic strumming of Damien Rice and the shrieking falsetto of Queen with equal aplomb, while the internal bass radiator produces a respectably firm bass sound for a speaker that’s just 21cm long. It’s also pretty loud for such a compact speaker, and is more than powerful enough to liven up a barbecue. Battery life is good too, lasting for up to 12 hours on about 50% volume. In fact, our only real complaint is that a portable speaker in this price range ought to include a carrying case to help keep it safe when you’re on the move.
While not be as expensive as its big brother, the Muo’s price tag still puts it at the premium end of the portable speaker category. Even so, its classy sound, attractive design and good battery life put it in a different league from many of its portable rivals, and it’ll earn its keep as a lightweight, high-quality speaker to use outdoors and take on your travels. Cliff Joseph It’s a bit pricey, but the Kef Muo is one of the classiest portable Bluetooth speakers your money can buy right now.