MARLBORO, NJ — August 16, 2005 — KEF, manufacturer of quality audiophile-standard speakers and home theater systems, today announced that a breakout member of the Ci Series has qualified as a finalist in the RESI Awards competition. The Ci 3-80QT Motorized In-Ceiling Loudspeaker has been selected for the In-Wall, In-Ceiling Speaker category.
“With the introduction of Ci Series of loudspeaker products, the entertainment experience has become more personal. Backed by exceptional performance and the freedom that free-standing or bookshelf speakers do not provide, the Ci 3-80QT gives new meaning to ‘in-your-face’ impact,” said Alec Chanin, president of KEF America. “The entire KEF family is pleased to be recognized by the experts at Residential Systems.”
The Ci 3-80QT is the only in-ceiling speaker that automatically extends down from its flush-mounted position to directly project sound toward listeners. In addition to motorized positioning, the speaker uses KEF’s own Uni-Q driver to create a widely dispersed and lifelike soundstage.
Once activated, the Ci 3-80QT’s motorized loudspeaker automatically tilts the entire driver array down from the ceiling and toward seats. In addition to the advantages of a motorized tilting mount, KEF’s Ci 3-80QT produces exceptionally wide dispersion through its patented Uni-Q driver. This array is based on over 45 years of audio engineering and uses technologies implemented by NASA.
Uni-Q 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 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 Ci 3-80QT comes in a soft white finish, which can be painted to match virtually any setting. It will be available to KEF dealers in mid-September.
Residential Systems is the custom installer’s most highly regarded publication. Selection criteria include excellence in aesthetic appeal, ergonomic design, and installability. Winners will be announced during the RESI Awards ceremony at the CEDIA Expo on Thursday, September 8, 2005 at 5 p.m. in Room 146. Finalists will have their products on display at the ceremony.
About KEF Audio
KEF was founded in 1961 by an electrical engineer named Raymond Cooke in a Nissen Hut on the premises of a metal working operation called Kent Engineering & Foundry (hence KEF), on the banks of the River Medway, near Maidstone in Kent. From the beginning KEF was destined to become a company with a flair for uniqueness and innovation in engineering, design and materials. The four cornerstones of KEF’s success over 45 years are Quality, Honesty, Dedication and Innovation.
The company is professional from top to bottom. Still occupying the same river-bank site in Kent, the company services export markets throughout the world, manufacturing high performance speakers for home cinema, hi-fi and custom installation applications. KEF firmly and passionately remains true to its proprietary, proven technologies such as Uni-Q and ACE. It is these characteristics, traditions and above all sound quality that have ensured that KEF’s reputation for audio excellence is among the finest in the world.
About KEF America, Inc.
KEF America is the wholly owned subsidiary of KEF Audio, an award winning British manufacturer of quality, audiophile-standard speakers and home theater systems. Headquartered in Marlboro, New Jersey, KEF America has built the KEF brand by offering loyal North American audiophiles a stream of innovative speakers and components unmatched in the industry. Many KEF products have won awards from both sides of the Atlantic, as KEF is a brand name long associated with quality and technical innovation.
For additional information about KEF America and its award-winning products, please visit www.kefamerica.com.
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