{"id":7341,"date":"2017-10-27T13:10:05","date_gmt":"2017-10-27T00:10:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.abtec.co.nz\/blog\/?p=7341"},"modified":"2017-10-01T13:10:26","modified_gmt":"2017-10-01T00:10:26","slug":"kef-muo-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/kef-muo-review\/","title":{"rendered":"KEF Muo Review"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-pro-1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-7362 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-pro-1-300x188.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"188\" srcset=\"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-pro-1-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-pro-1.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Pros<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u00a0Class-leading mid-range and treble detail<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Small<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Good top volume<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Cons<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u00a0Expensive<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Sound lacks a little bulk in some areas<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Key Features<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Review Price: \u00a3299.00<\/li>\n<li>2x 50mm UniQ drivers<\/li>\n<li>Aux input<\/li>\n<li>Bluetooth with aptX<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>What is the KEF Muo?<\/p>\n<p>The KEF Muo is a high-end Bluetooth speaker of tiny proportions. It\u2019s dinky enough to slip into a handbag, or a small pocket inside a rucksack. But at \u00a3299, the price is anything but small.<\/p>\n<p>For those raising an eyebrow, I\u2019m not surprised \u2013 for this money you could easily get your hands on a seriously good wireless home-bound speaker.<\/p>\n<p>But I\u2019m not turned off, because in many respects the KEF Muo totally flattens the sound quality on offer from usual recommendations such as the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.trustedreviews.com\/bose-soundlink-mini-ii-review\">Bose SoundLink Mini II<\/a>. The speaker drivers used here are a cut above. However, for those considering such an outlay for a portable speaker, take note of the sound quality section of this review carefully \u2013 this speaker may not be for everyone.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-10-2.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-7350 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-10-2-300x188.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"188\" srcset=\"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-10-2-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-10-2.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>KEF Muo \u2013 Design and Features<\/p>\n<p>Surely splashing out \u00a3300 for a speaker that\u2019s only big enough serve as a soundbar for an iPad is absurdity? This isn\u2019t an unreasonable preconception to have of the KEF Muo at first sight.<\/p>\n<p>However, I don\u2019t think pictures really do justice to how well made the Muo is. The body is formed of a single piece of metal; only the end caps are separate parts. The Muo is largely made of aluminium, with lightly rubberised plastic on the ends. It\u2019s far classier than the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.trustedreviews.com\/beats-pill-review\">Beats Pill<\/a>\u00a0or the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.trustedreviews.com\/bose-soundlink-mini-ii-review\">Bose SoundLink Mini II<\/a>. It\u2019s a little larger too.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-1-2.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-7353 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-1-2-300x194.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"194\" srcset=\"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-1-2-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-1-2.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>KEF\u2019s Muo has been designed by the same people behind some of the company\u2019s top-end speakers. And I get the impression that this is the smallest size it was possible for designer Ross Lovegrove opt for. The Muo is home to the same-sized drivers as the significantly larger\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.trustedreviews.com\/bowers-wilkins-t7-review\">B&amp;W T7<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 which are 50mm a piece.<\/p>\n<p>And it is these drivers that are the most interesting feature in the KEF Muo. The UniQ drivers are of the same family as you\u2019ll find in the company\u2019s bookshelf and larger model of speakers.<\/p>\n<p>Their design is similar, not the\u00a0same.The\u00a0drivers here pack mid and treble driver sections into the same unit \u2013 which is clever. Hi-fi enthusiasts reading this may have come across a similar idea in dual-concentric drivers.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-7-2.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-7354 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-7-2-300x188.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"188\" srcset=\"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-7-2-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-7-2.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>There are rubbery pads on the underside<\/p>\n<p>While these aren\u2019t common, many have been made over past few decades. It\u2019s this smart driver design that gives the Muo a real chance of justifying its price.<\/p>\n<p>Elsewhere, the speaker features most of the extras you\u2019d expect. There\u2019s NFC and aptX, and an aux input to let you plug in non-wireless sources. You can pair two of them for stereo sound, although I\u2019ve not been able to try this out. The KEF Muo isn\u2019t waterproof, however.<\/p>\n<p>The Muo\u2019s battery is rated to last up to 12 hours. Expect around half that if you\u2019re going to play at max volume, though.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-8-2.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-7355 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-8-2-300x182.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"182\" srcset=\"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-8-2-300x182.jpg 300w, https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-8-2.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>KEF Muo \u2013 Sound Quality<\/p>\n<p>This tiny speaker absolutely isn\u2019t a \u201cme too\u201d Bluetooth speaker. With hundreds of companies cranking out portable speakers these days, the Muo sticks to catering for the KEF audience, rather than someone browsing HMV for something to hook up to their iPhone.<\/p>\n<p>You can hear this in the sound the Muo delivers. For mid-range and treble detail and fidelity, the Muo outstrips everything we\u2019ve heard at this size. What is manages to achieve with only two 50mm drivers and a passive radiator is impressive.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-2-2.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-7356 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-2-2-300x188.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"188\" srcset=\"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-2-2-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-2-2.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The KEF Muo is capable of playing at loud volumes too, making the Bose SoundLink Mini II seem quite tame in comparison. It isn\u2019t only the detail that\u2019s notable, but how pronounced the Muo\u2019s mids are. It projects vocals powerfully, with great dynamics for such a small unit.<\/p>\n<p>Most recently I heard the Beats Pill try for a similarly bold style of presentation, but where that speaker ends up sounding a little crude and \u201cbasic\u201d when pushed, the Muo can crank up the volume to uncomfortable levels without sounding like its drivers are trying to pop out of its frame.<\/p>\n<p>Looking and listening a little closer, the sort of tricks KEF has needed to use to pull this off become clear. Where most small speakers split the frequency duties between a pair of small drivers as one team and the radiator as another, the Muo breaks things down further. One 50mm driver is used for higher-end frequencies, the other for slightly lower ones. It seems likely this \u201clower frequency\u201d UniQ driver is what feeds into the bass radiator.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-4-2.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-7357 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-4-2-300x188.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"188\" srcset=\"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-4-2-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-4-2.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>While the speaker is able to reach a reasonable bass floor for such a small speaker, I found that the sound was perhaps a little too much by the UniQ units.<\/p>\n<p>The KEF Muo sound is a lot less thick, and in some respects less cohesive, than the best cheaper portable speakers. Low and mid-bass is quite spartan compared with favourites such as the Bose SoundLink Mini II and Jam Heavy Metal.<\/p>\n<p>While this doesn\u2019t stop the Muo from giving that \u201chigh-end\u201d impression, it does make for a slightly less relaxing sound. In radically upscaling its ambitions in some areas, it has had to hold back in others.<\/p>\n<p>So while in some respects I\u2019m far more impressed by the Muo over its rivals, there\u2019s a sense that it\u2019s \u201cmissing\u201d a few elements. And it appears that while some lower-end speakers do their best to mimic the tonal balance of much larger speaker systems, the KEF Muo is more about demonstrating what the companies 50mm UniQ drivers can do.<\/p>\n<p>You get great mid and treble quality, but the KEF Muo doesn\u2019t sound as \u201cfull\u201d playing certain content. As a result, the Bose SoundLink Mini II may be of greater appeal to some. And if you can stomach a larger box, the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.trustedreviews.com\/bowers-wilkins-t7-review\">Bowers &amp; Wilkins T7<\/a>\u00a0is another strong alternative.<\/p>\n<p>However, if you want a hint of high-fidelity sound in a speaker that you can hold in your hand, you need to give the Muo a listen.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-9-2.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-7358 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-9-2-300x188.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"188\" srcset=\"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-9-2-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/muo-9-2.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Should I buy the KEF Muo?<\/p>\n<p>The KEF Muo sets a new standard for the quality of sound you can expect from such a small speaker.<\/p>\n<p>It may be expensive, but this is a good portable speaker for those who truly appreciate the texture and detail of music, but have been underwhelmed by the small speakers currently on the market.<\/p>\n<p>For more casual listening, though, the KEF Muo sound isn\u2019t quite as \u201cfull\u201d in all areas of the frequency range as some lower-grade wireless units. While not harsh or hard, those who like speakers to sound bassy or \u201cwarm\u201d may be better off opting for something a little cheaper \u2013 or going for a bigger box.<\/p>\n<p>Verdict<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re fed up with the limited definition offered by the majority of small speakers, then the KEF Muo will truly impress.<\/p>\n<p>Score: 4 Stars<\/p>\n<p><strong>Read more at:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.trustedreviews.com\/reviews\/kef-muo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">http:\/\/www.trustedreviews.com\/reviews\/kef-muo<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Where to buy\u00a0Kef Muo:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.abtec.co.nz\/product-search.php?keyword=KEF+MUO&amp;category=&amp;brand=&amp;search=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.abtec.co.nz\/product-search.php?keyword=KEF+MUO&amp;category=&amp;brand=&amp;search=<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pros \u00a0Class-leading mid-range and treble detail \u00a0Small \u00a0Good top volume Cons \u00a0Expensive \u00a0Sound lacks a little bulk in some areas Key Features Review Price: \u00a3299.00 2x 50mm UniQ drivers Aux input Bluetooth with aptX What is the KEF Muo? The KEF Muo is a high-end Bluetooth speaker of tiny proportions. It\u2019s dinky enough to slip [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6,5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7341"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7341"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7341\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7372,"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7341\/revisions\/7372"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7341"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7341"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7341"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}