KEF C7 User Manual

C Series

An unrivalled pedigree

For decades audiophiles around the world have revered
KEF (Kent Engineering and Foundry) for its innovative,
high-performance loudspeakers. The company was
founded in 1961 by Raymond Cooke OBE (1925-1995),
a former BBC electrical engineer, widely acknowledged
in the audio industry as a leading authority in transducer
technology.

The pioneering inventiveness of KEF loudspeakers was
undeniable. During the 1960s and early 1970s, KEF’s
reputation was further enhanced by its outstanding
performance. From the mid 1960s, KEF collaborated
with the BBC in developing new materials for high-end
loudspeakers - the results being embodied in the classic
LS3/5a monitor which generated worldwide sales of
more than 100,000 systems.

KEF’s Uni-Q® technology was introduced in 1988 and
since then KEF has maintained its position at the
forefront of loudspeaker and home theatre systems.

The core values of KEF: innovation, quality and
performance have ensured that KEF has one of the
best international reputations for audio excellence.

Incredible performers – whatever your taste…

New C Series is the product of a multi award-winning heritage of daring design, brilliantly executed. The range is engineered
for a perfect tonal match between every model, so you can combine them however you please. Acoustically the C Series
provides the sort of clarity, definition and spatial precision normally associated with speakers of a much higher price. Power
handling is uniformly excellent, so they can be used with virtually any amplifier and whether used for music, movies or
games, the sheer quality of the sound they produce is equally captivating.

C Series technologies

Aluminium dome tweeter with ‘tangerine’ waveguide

The same 19mm (0.75in.) tweeter reproduces vocals with spellbinding
realism – the unique ‘tangerine’ waveguide disperses its sweet natural
clarity evenly throughout the room and provides excellent protection
from straying fingers.

Ultra-rigid enclosures

The sound you hear is untainted by any internal resonance from the
sturdily constructed cabinet, thanks to careful internal bracing and a
dense dual-layered front baffle system.

Gold-plated terminals

The exceptional acoustic definition you experience depends on the
recorded signal being perfectly transmitted, so the twinned binding posts
of the C Series are gold-plated.

Dual signal transmission

To optimize acoustic resolution, there are dual sets of binding posts to
accommodate bi-wiring, or, for the cleanest possible response right
across the frequency range, bi-amplification.

Forward-firing slot port

Bass response is enhanced by a frontal slot port carefully contoured to
minimise any unwanted turbulence that might otherwise colour the
well-defined output of the bass drivers.

Invisible keyhole wall mounting system

With no ugly brackets to spoil the clean lines, it couldn’t be easier to
secure your C Series satellites (upright or horizontally) to any suitable
vertical surface using the ingeniously neat keyhole mounting point built
into the back of each cabinet.

C7

C5

Large floorstander

If you‘re serious about sound, you’ll find the C7 an intensely
satisfying companion. With KEF’s phenomenal 19mm
(0.75in.) tweeter and ‘tangerine’ waveguide, complemented
by a pair of large 165mm (6.5in.) bass drivers, an intricate
and disarmingly natural three-dimensional sound image
floods the room. As with all of the new C Series models,
the highly rigid cabinet is vented by a carefully contoured
front port to provide a wide and powerful bass.

Slim floorstander

A compact yet solidly built floorstander, the C5 combines
the latest 19mm (0.75in.) tweeter and ‘tangerine’ wave­guide with two 130mm (5.25in.) bass drivers in a slim,
internally braced cabinet. Meticulously tuned crossovers
ensure seamless transitions and dual binding posts allow
bi-wiring or bi-amplification. Whatever the genre,
whatever the medium, the resulting sonic picture is open,
fluent and involving.

C3

C1

Large bookshelf

Clear, confident and natural sounding, the C3 boasts KEF’s
130mm (5.25in.) bass driver for impressively extended
low frequency response to complementing the seductive
realism of the sophisticated 19mm (0.75in.) tweeter and
‘tangerine’ waveguide. The resulting soundscape is warm,
rich in detail and compellingly three-dimensional, whether
you’re enjoying a favourite track or watching a movie.

Compact bookshelf

The C1 pairs the superbly accurate 19mm (0.75in.) tweeter
and ‘tangerine’ waveguide from the latest Q Series with a
slot-ported 100mm (4in.) mid-range / bass cone. Both sit on
a dense two-layer front baffle system to deliver a complex,
profoundly realistic and spatially accurate soundscape. With
excellent power handling and a carefully tuned crossover,
the C1 delivers a generously full performance that belies its
discreet appearance and modest size.

C6LCR

C4

Centre channel

The vital centre channel is at the heart of any 5.1
surround sound set-up except that the remarkable C6LCR
can be used as front and rear units too. The latest 19mm
(0.75in.) aluminium tweeter with ‘tangerine’ waveguide is
flanked by two 130mm (5.25in.) LF drivers to produce
both a centre speaker with precise and captivating vocals
and a powerful ‘LCR’ adding depth and dynamics to any

5.1 system.

Powered subwoofer

Unobtrusively handsome, yet powerful, the new C4
subwoofer provides an incredible bass output with
immaculate control. With a 200W on-board amplifier
driving a 200mm (8in.) front-firing bass driver, the C4 is
engineered to minimise distortion as meticulously as the
rest of the range and adds effortless depth and weight to
any performance.

Specifications

C7 Floorstander C5 Floorstander C3 Bookshelf

Design Two-way bass reflex Two-way bass reflex Two-way bass reflex

Drive units 19mm (0.75in.) aluminium HF 19mm (0.75in.) aluminium HF 19mm (0.75in.) aluminium HF
2 x 165mm (6.5in.) LF 2 x 130mm (5.25in.) LF 130mm (5.25in.) LF

Frequency response 36Hz - 40kHz 41Hz - 40kHz 54Hz - 40kHz

Crossover frequency 2.5kHz 2.5kHz 2.5kHz

Amplifier requirements 15 - 200W 15 - 150W 10 - 125W

Sensitivity (2.83V/1m) 91dB 90dB 88dB

Maximum output 113dB 111dB 108dB

Impedance 8

Magnetic shielding Yes Yes Yes

Weight 13.4kg (29.5lbs) 11.5kg (25.3lbs) 4.4kg (9.7lbs)

Dimensions 965 x 203 x 286 mm 915 x 177 x 260 mm 290 x 177 x 256 mm
(H x W x D) (38 x 8 x 11.25 in.) (36 x 7 x 10.25 in.) (11.4 x 7 x 10 in.)

Plinth dimensions 273 x 372 mm
(W x D) (10.75 x 14.65 in.) (9.7 x 12.7 in.)

Design Two-way bass reflex Two-way acoustic suspension Powered bass reflex

Drive units 19mm (0.75in.) aluminium HF 19mm (0.75in.) aluminium HF 1 x 200mm (8in.) LF
100mm (4in.) LF 2 x 130mm (5.25in.) LF

Frequency response 65Hz - 40kHz 65Hz - 40kHz 29Hz - 140Hz

Crossover frequency 2.5kHz 2.5kHz N/A

Amplifier requirements 10 - 100W 10 - 150W N/A

Amplifier N/A N/A 200W built-in Class-D

Sensitivity (2.83V/1m) 87dB 90dB N/A

Maximum output 106dB 111dB 108dB

Low pass filter N/A N/A Variable 40Hz - 140Hz, 4th-order

Low level signal inputs N/A N/A RCA phono socket

Impedance 8

Magnetic shielding Yes Yes Yes

Weight 3.2kg (7lbs) 6.2kg (13.7lbs) 12.2kg (27.0lbs)

Power requirements N/A N/A 100 - 240V ac ~, 50 - 60Hz

Power consumption N/A N/A 200VA

Dimensions 260 x 150 x 221 mm 177 x 430 x 211 mm 345 x 320 x 377 mm
(H x W x D) (10.25 x 5.9 x 8.7 in.) (7 x 16.9 x 8.7 in.) (13.6 x 12.6 x 14.9 in.)

�

8� 8

248 x 322 mm

�

N/A

C1 Bookshelf C6LCR Left centre right C4 Subwoofer

�

8� N/A

Finishes

Black ash European walnut

United Kingdom

GP Acoustics (UK) Limited
Eccleston Road, Tovil
Maidstone, Kent
ME15 6QP U.K.
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

China

GP Acoustics (China) Limited
Unit 4910
Diwang Commercial Centre
Shenzhen, China 518008
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Europe (EMEA)

GP Acoustics GmbH
Am Brambusch 22
44536, Lünen
Deutschland
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

France

GP Acoustics (France) SAS
39 Rue des
Granges Galand - BP60414
37554 Saint Avertin CEDEX, France
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

KEF and Uni-Q are registered trademarks.
Uni-Q and other KEF technologies are
protected by worldwide patents. All text and
image copyrights reserved. KEF reserves the
right, in line with continuing research and
development, to amend or change
specifications. E&OE.

Hong Kong

GP Acoustics (HK) Limited
6F, Gold Peak Building
30 Kwai Wing Road
Kwai Chung, N.T., Hong Kong
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Japan

KEF Japan
1-11-17
Honcho, Koganei-city
Tokyo, Japan. 184-0004
Tel: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

Taiwan

GP Acoustics (Taiwan) Limited
Room 4B, 5F, 415
Xingyi Road Sec 4
Taipei 110, Taiwan
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

USA

GP Acoustics (US) Inc.
10 Timber Lane
Marlboro
New Jersey 07746 U.S.A.
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

www.kef.com

PM-C-SB-EN-11