Modern flat panel displays demand modern speaker designs, hence the creation of so-called "lifestyle" speakers. KEF dove in fearlessly on these speaker systems to quickly become a market leader, creating small speakers with flexible mounting from on-wall to table-top to stand-mounting for integration with flat panel displays, but they didn't stop there. The KHT 5005.2 speakers can even go wireless, allowing enhanced flexibility and ease of set-up. The KHT 5005.2 system falls in the middle of their line of lifestyle systems and comes in at just under $2,000 for the complete 5.1 set-up.

Small yet powerful, these speakers come in highly polished black or aluminum finish to match your décor. They come with all you'll need to wall-mount them or stand-mount them on tables. Optional adjustable floor stands and wireless adaptors are available for a small extra cost. This system consists of five identical speakers and one subwoofer. Each main speaker houses one of KEF's Uni-Q driver systems, utilizing a 15mm metal dome high-frequency radiator in the acoustic center of a 75mm midrange driver, which allows consistent sound dispersion from both drivers. The Uni-Q driver is flanked by a pair of 75mm long throw bass drivers. The mains are capable of reproducing bass to only 95 Hz and are rated at 87 db sensitivity, yet are capable of 106 db output. The HTB2 subwoofer that accompanies this set-up is not only futuristic-looking, it is a solid performer as well. Capable of being positioned vertically or horizontally the subs small size will fool you. Offering bass to 30 Hz, its integrated 250-watt amplifier can help this little beauty output 110 dB easily, allowing it to keep up with the mighty main speakers.

The sound of the KEF system is full and open and, as it uses the same speakers for fronts, center and surrounds, transitions are seamless. This system is capable of extremely high sonic output, well exceeding the 106 db at which it is rated. Even from a simple receiver-based system, this capability makes it well-suited to home theater applications where large swings in dynamics are common, but the smooth sound it makes will keep you happy with your musical sources as well. The HTB2 subwoofer is easy to integrate into the system and keeps pace well with the nimble mains.

High Points
• Attractive styling and flexible mounting options make this system adaptable to almost any room. Optional floor and table stands and even a wireless system further enhance the flexibility of this system.
• This system is capable of very high volume output that seems incomprehensible given the drivers' size, but this ability makes it a great choice for people wanting to fill large rooms with minimally invasive speaker systems.
• Surround transitions are seamless, as all main speakers are the same and therefore match perfectly.
• The small but powerful subwoofer mates extremely well with the system and offers plenty of bass output for even larger rooms.
• The sleek look and clean lines make this an easy system to mate to modern displays and rooms.

Low Points
• The small size of the drivers will of course be limited by physics and, at extreme output, the sound will compress, affecting the sound quality.
• If you go with the wireless option, you will still need to run power to the speakers.

Conclusion
The KEF KHT 5005.2 offers amazingly full sound and sonic output in a complete package for a reasonable price. The use of identical speakers all around makes for perfect transitions and the included subwoofer is small but powerful and mates extremely well with the rest of the system. Flexible mounting options and even the choice of wireless speakers make this system easy to integrate into almost any room or décor, while the rich and full sound from the system will keep even a discerning ear happy. This not only is a good system in terms of space and décor, it is a great system sonically, too, one you owe it to yourself to listen to if you are in the market for a new speaker system.