KEF LSX 3994 Manual

About KEF

Over 57 years of heritage & UK engineering
KEF was founded in 1961 by a former BBC engineer, in the small town of Maidstone, Kent. Raymond Cooke's 'Big Idea' was to use newly developed materials, engineering discipline and manufacturing processes to create high performance loudspeakers suited for a domestic setting.

An industry leading acoustic R&D department
Still based where the company was founded, KEF's R&D department consists not only of acoustic engineers, but is a multi-disciplined team including research physicists, constantly pushing the boundaries of our knowledge of sound. This department has created many breakthroughs, including...

Uni-Q: KEF's signature point source driver array
By precisely placing the tweeter at the acoustic centre of the midrange driver, the traditional 'HiFi sweet spot' is all but erased, ensuring pinpoint imaging and natural sound no matter where the listener may be seated. Continuously refined since 1988, Uni-Q is now in its 12th generation.

Tier-I manufacturer
KEF conducts its own research, development, engineering, testing and manufacturing, ensuring unparalleled value and build quality across all ranges. Two factories take care of the production:
Maidstone: Next door to KEF's R&D department is where high-end manufacturing occurs. Reference, Blade, and the flagship Muon are all assembled here – one person crafting one pair.
Huizhou (China): All other ranges are built in KEFs state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in China, which was developed in conjunction with the R&D department. Everything from drivers construction to drop tests are carried out here, including cabinet building and finishing.

Introduction

There are tons of streaming apps out there, but the only thing that matters to the KEF team is playing your music the way it was meant to be heard. Our LSX Wireless Music System allows you to play music your way with the convenience and connectivity of wireless. LSX is an active wireless stereo system developed from our award-winning LS50 Wireless. It is based on the same platform: Four amplifiers, one for each component of the signature Uni-Q drivers, a streaming preamplifier and an extremely powerful DSP engine with personalized sound settings. Don't let the small package fool you: LSX is an audio powerhouse. From streaming to gaming, from TV to multi-room music, LSX is designed for all your home entertainment needs. Play what you like, how you like, where you like – and experience it all in brilliant high-resolution stereo. Our KEF Control App is easy to use and helps you personalize your sound quality settings to enjoy audio exactly how you like it. The LSX can also connect to Apple AirPlay 2. This guide will take you through connecting your LSX to some of the most popular electronics available to expand your listening experience. With each diagram is a grid showing the proper cables to use.

Wireless Overview

LSX was designed for your tech-driven lifestyle. Nothing gets between you and your music. Connecting to Wi-Fi takes just a few moments with the KEF Control app. You can incorporate virtually any of your favourite listening apps and control how you stream right from your phone. LSX has been designed to make it easy to play your favourite music from wireless sources over your home network, whether it exists in the Cloud through services like Spotify or TIDAL, or on your own networked attached storage device (NAS drive). LSX also features a high quality Bluetooth 4.2 input, using Qualcomm's aptX codec for a drastic improvement over standard Bluetooth audio codecs.

Multi-room Versatility

"Take heed, rival systems, these miniature marvels are going to take some beating." - What Hi-Fi?
"The KEF LSX powered wireless speakers are the all-in-one fan's dream. Sleek, compact, and attractive, the LSX packs big sound that completely defies its size. And the best part is, it's (almost) entirely wireless." - The Absolute Sound

Cabled Overview

LSX features multiple cabled inputs, allowing you to connect almost anything. The next few pages show how to connect a number of the most popular products to LSX. From SONOS, MusicCast and Bluesound to your television and turntable, we have your connections covered. With every diagram is a table showing the cables needed to complete the connections.

HOW-TO CONNECT TO SONOS

SOURCE CONNECTION	ADAPTER		LSX CONNECTION
Coax Cable	Coax Cable	Optical TOSLINK	Optical TOSLINK
RCA Analogue	-		3.5mm Analogue Minijack (stereo)

SOURCE CONNECTION	LSX CONNECTION
Optical TOSLINK	Optical TOSLINK
RCA Analogue	3.5mm Analogue Minijack (stereo)

Notes:

• Disable Network Standby on LSX
• Keep LSX on the required source
• Set variable output in SONOS
• Use SONOS to adjust volume
• Set LSX Volume to 3/4

HOW-TO CONNECT TO Bluesound Node

Bluesound Node products can be connected to LSX via RCA or optical connections. We suggest the optical output if possible.

SOURCE CONNECTION	LSX CONNECTION
Optical TOSLINK	Optical TOSLINK
RCA Analogue	3.5mm Analogue Minijack (stereo)

Notes:

• Disable Network Standby on LSX
• Keep LSX on the required source
• Set variable output in the BluOS app
• Use the BluOS app to adjust volume
• Set LSX Volume to 3/4

HOW-TO CONNECT TO Yamaha MusicCast

MusicCast can be connected to LSX via RCA or optical connections. We suggest the optical output if possible.

SOURCE CONNECTION	LSX CONNECTION
Optical TOSLINK	Optical TOSLINK
RCA Analogue	3.5mm Analogue Minijack (stereo)

Notes:

• Disable Network Standby on LSX
• Keep LSX on the required source
• Set variable output in the Musiccast app
• Use the Musiccast app to adjust volume
• Set LSX volume to 3/4

HOW-TO CONNECT TO Denon HEOS

HEOS Link products can be connected to LSX via RCA or optical connections. HEOS Link only supports variable output via the RCA outputs, so this is recommended for ease of use.

SOURCE CONNECTION	LSX CONNECTION
Optical TOSLINK	Optical TOSLINK
RCA Analogue	3.5mm Analogue Minijack (stereo)

Notes:

• Disable Network Standby on LSX
• Keep LSX on the required source
• With RCA input, set to variable, and use HEOS app for volume
• With digital connection, volume is fixed only, use KEF Control app for volume

HOW-TO CONNECT TO Echo Dot

The Amazon Echo Dot features a 3.5mm RCA output, but can also be connected to LSX via Bluetooth. Unless the Echo Dot is moved frequently, it is preferable to connect with a cable for optimal performance.

SOURCE CONNECTION	LSX CONNECTION
Bluetooth	Bluetooth
3.5mm Analogue Minijack (stereo)	3.5mm Analogue Minijack (stereo)

Notes: Amazon Echo Dot models that support USB charging can be connected to the 5V/2A USB-A connector on the rear of LSX for power

HOW-TO CONNECT TO Television

LSX represents probably the best television audio upgrade short of going for either LS50 Wireless or a full KEF surround sound system. Combining natural sound with the ability to provide true stereo, the sound matches the on-screen action perfectly.

SOURCE CONNECTION	LSX CONNECTION
Optical TOSLINK	Optical TOSLINK
RCA Analogue	3.5mm Analogue Minijack (stereo)

Notes: If using optical, please make sure the digital audio setting on your television is set to 'PCM,' otherwise audio may be distorted or not played at all. Please refer to the manual for your television on how to do this.

HOW-TO CONNECT TO Turntable

With the 'vinyl revival' in full swing, KEF has made it as easy as possible to combine the venerable technology of the turntable with cutting edge advances in digital audio systems. Any turntable can be connected to LSX, provided there is a phono stage either built into the turntable itself, or as a separate box in-between the turntable and LSX. The connection used will be the RCA input on LSX.

SOURCE CONNECTION	LSX CONNECTION
RCA Analogue	3.5mm Analogue Minijack (stereo)

Notes: Please refer to the instruction manual for your turntable to determine if you require an outboard phono stage. If you do not use when if required, the sound will be light in bass, very quiet and may well exhibit a hum due to the turntable not being grounded.

Quick Review

System/Acoustics
Active wireless speaker system containing everything required to replay music in high resolution
2 x 70w Class D amplification (Woofers)
2 x 30w Class D amplification (Tweeters)
Brand new 4.5" Uni-Q for natural sound and wide sweet spot
Choice of interspeaker connectivity:
Wireless (24bit/48kHz resolution)
Wired (24bit/96kHz resolution)
Music Integrity Engine (Digital Signal Processing) includes phase correction (timing correction) and speaker sound settings for adapting the sound based on placement, listening environment and personal taste
Stereo setup provides an expansive soundstage – a 3-D image of sound providing an immersive experience for both music and film

Functionality
Wireless: WiFi (DLNA), Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Roon Tested, Apple AirPlay 2 (early 2019), Bluetooth 4.2 w/ aptX
Wired: Optical (TOSLINK), Aux (analogue 3.5mm stereo)
USB output (5V/2A) for charging compatible devices
Subwoofer output (RCA)
KEF Control and KEF Stream apps available for Apple and Android

Documents / Resources

Download manual

Here you can download full pdf version of manual, it may contain additional safety instructions, warranty information, FCC rules, etc.

Download KEF LSX 3994 Manual