KEF: The sound of the future

IRECENTLY HAD THE PLEASURE OF VISITING THE SOFT OPENING OF COBY’S GEAR & GADGET Store at the Shangri-La Plaza Mall to take a peek at the line of KEF products that the store carries and was so amazed that what started out as a brief ocular of the showroom ended with me interviewing Johnny Cobankiat, the master and ultra-successful founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Co Ban Kiat Hardware and his daughter, Charlene Cobankiat-Tiu, managing director of Coby’s Design Center, who is closely following in his footsteps.

What is KEF?

Charlene Co- bankiat-Tiu (CCT): KEF is the manufacturer of the world’s best speaker systems based in Maidstone, Kent in the UK. It was founded by acoustical and electrical engineer, Raymond Cooke in 1961.

What makes it special and, in your opinion, a cut above the rest?

CCT: What sets KEF apart is the obsessive drive to pro- duce the best sound reproduction possible. It has a long list of breakthroughs that no other manufacturer can match attested by patents and academic pa- pers. KEF carries a comprehensive range of products that answer the call for top-quality audio reproduction, luxury design and functionality. It is also a sup- plier of parts to other popular speaker systems.

What made you decide to pioneer KEF in the Philippines and give it your full sup- port despite your awareness of other existing well-known brands in the Philip- pines?

Johnny Cobanki- at (JC): I believe in KEF’s superior quality. KEF speaker systems are innovators in sound and obsessed with high resolutions. They have a great variety of speaker systems with the latest technology used in their manufacturing process. KEF has received over 300 awards, holds more than 150 patents, has drafted more than 50 academic papers, and has received two Queen’s Awards for Export Achievement. It has sold millions of speakers worldwide since 1961. For me, good sound doesn’t have to be expensive, it must be affordable to all.

If I am not mistaken, we noticed several high-end models selling at very affordable prices. This is such a pleasant surprise.

JC: Yes, that is an accurate perception, but you can also find top-of-the-line models like the LS50 that retails starting at P65,000.

Where can anyone get a hold of these sleek yet powerful loudspeakers from KEF?

CCT: We have just opened Coby’s Gear and Gadget store at Unit 217, 2nd level Main Wing of Shangri-La Plaza Mall in Mandaluyong City. We are the exclusive distributor of KEF speaker systems in the Philippines.

We are proud of our well-trained staff and technicians who will gladly assist customers with their questions about any of our KEF products. Anyone inside our store can test and experience the different speakers to better appreciate the sound quality.

Can you tell us more about the KEF products that your store carries?

CCT: Coby’s Gear & Gadget Store carries state-of-the-art products:

KEF Muo Bluetooth speaker is a break- through in portable wireless speakers be- cause of the revolutionary new miniature Uni-Q driver array that transcends the acoustic limitations of conventional products.

KEF M100 Earphones — The award-win- ning design of M400 & M500 Headphones meets the high-fidelity sound that creates the perfect blend of sound and design.

KEF Egg Bluetooth speaker — The ulti- mate all rounder Egg wireless digital mu- sic system delivers pure, clear KEF quality sound. It has a complete “Plug & Play” sys- tem and comes in three colors.

KEF LS50 X Series, the award-winning bookshelf speaker and other home theater series.

Your store is relatively new. Tell us, how is customer feedback so far?

JC: Since we have a variety of speaker systems, our products appeal to all ages. I am proud to share that all our customers al- ways leave the store happy with their purchase. In fact, they are so pleased that they even go back for additional purchases and with friends in tow. Word-of-mouth marketing certainly plays a big role here.

What is your most popular KEF item?

CCT: It’s quite hard to tell at this point because all of our available KEF models are in high demand, but I would say the KEF Muo is quite a hit especially with its three versatile configurations—Mono, Stereo, or “Dual Connect” party mode. KEF Muo is designed           by Ross Lovegrove and comes in different colors.

What else can we expect from KEF?

JC: We envision our store to be the des- tination of choice of avid audiophiles and just about anyone who loves listening to music and recordings. We intend to see that our partnership with KEF results in a future filled with the most modern, most efficient technol- ogy in speaker systems for our customers.

For sound that fills the ears and mind, check out KEF—undeniably a respected brand among audiophiles around the world for its high-performance sound and seductive form.