KEF’s new Mu3 wireless headphones are easy on the eyes (and the ears)
Whether on your commute, at the gym, or on the sofa, KEF’s new Mu3 earphones will give you the freedom to hear every crisp, clear detail
Words: Jonathan Wells
In association with:
Before we discuss how they sound, let’s take a moment to discuss how KEF’s new Mu3 wireless earphones look. Because, in addition to bringing music to our ears — with full-range, dynamic-driven, noise-cancelled clarity — they’re also very, very easy on the eyes. And that’s all thanks to Ross Lovegrove.
A designer and art world visionary, Lovegrove is a frequent KEF collaborator; his award-winning works inspired by the logic and beauty of the natural world. Fluid and organic, this signature flowing style has once again helped to sculpt a new KEF product — the latest in a line that includes the MUON loudspeaker and MUO Bluetooth speaker. And, while the Mu3 earphones may one of the smallest products KEF has ever created, Lovegrove’s striking design ensures they still pack a visual punch.
The design offers a pure and clean aesthetic; one that complements KEF’s design philosophy perfectly. Because great design, the brand says, is about more than just style. It’s also a promise of unrivalled quality and ergonomics to match.
So how does KEF’s new Mu3 design achieve this delicate balance? Literally, as it happens. The individual earphones are designed meticulously to be ‘smart weighed’, meaning they’ll never fall out of your ears by accident. It’s a comfortable start — and a fit made even more secure thanks to a choice of four subtly different sized silicone tips to ensure the most tailored fit for your ears.
These tips also provide the ideal seal for noise isolation — another of the Mu3’s many superior features. Benefitting from KEF’s specially tuned Active Noise Cancellation technology, the earphones can eliminate external noise without affecting the details and nuances that imbue your favourite tracks with crisp, clear life.
Which brings us to the sound itself. Incomparably, unmistakably KEF, the audio quality and clarity of the Mu3 earphones is second-to-none. Each of the Lovegrove-sculpted shells contains an 8.2mm full-range dynamic driver, expertly tuned by KEF’s engineering team to deliver an exceptionally dynamic and well-balanced, coherent sound — with rich midrange, detailed bass and crisp high tones.
Additionally, every nuance and subtlety of your favourite tracks or podcasts will be delivered with neither wires nor fault — and that’s due to reassuringly stable, latency-free Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. KEF has even created engineered its earphones to have ‘simultaneous transmission’; where both sides receive a signal at the same time, rather than the more common approach of sending audio to one earpiece to be relayed to the other — a commonly cut corner that runs the risk of latency.
But our favourite feature of KEF’s splash-proof, noise-cancelling, artfully designed earphones? Ambient Mode. At the touch of a button, the Mu3’s Active Noise Cancellation can be disengaged, and instead the audio picked up on the microphones will be played through the earphones — bypassing passive noise reduction and providing you with instant clarity and awareness of the world around you.
It’s yet another indicator that KEF creates products that really work in daily life. And, from the high-capacity, quick-charge batteries (9 hours at full charge; plus 15 hours with charging case) to the tactile ergonomic design, the reliable artistic Mu3 earphones have found a place in ours.
Want more from KEF? We included the British brand’s superb new subwoofer in our guide to building the best home cinema…
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