The KEF Muon is designed to be the critically acclaimed speaker company's absolute reference-level speaker and, boy, do these striking speakers ever live up to their billing.  They are fabricated from super-formed aluminum, which uses a similar process to vacuum-forming, making the cabinets into a shape that is not only effective for maximizing audio performance, but also amazingly sexy visually.  KEF has really done a spectacular job of making a stunning pair of speaker that have audiophile sonic performance with the kind of supermodel-inspired industrial design that will compel non-audiophiles (with eight-figure net worth) to own them.  The KEF Muon is designed by acclaimed industrial designer Ross Lovegrove, whose creations reside in permanent collections in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and in London's Design Museum.  A pair of KEF Muon speakers makes a bold statement, not a subtle one.  Clients looking for high-end in-walls should be directed to Wisdom Audio's new Sage Series.  KEF Muon speakers are built for the art enthusiast as much as for the audiophile.

Using a four-way design and KEF's legendary Uni-Q drive unit array, the KEF Muon delivers a seamless midrange and full and open sound, with excellent bass and high-frequency extension.  Acoustic Compliance Enhancement enables KEF to effectively double the available cabinet volume by using activated carbon molecules to absorb air molecules, making for even more bass extension than the huge cabinet would otherwise allow.  To control and contain all the power of these bass notes, KEF has enclosed the entire speaker in a six-millimeter-thick aluminum case, which makes a rigid cabinet that is as sexy as it is functional.

Let's face it, when you are dropping $140,000 on a pair of speakers, they had better sound good.  Correction: the speakers had better sound absolutely great and they absolutely, positively have to look like they belong in the multi-million-dollar homes where they aspire to reside.  At this price, you are buying artwork as well as audio gear, and the KEF Muon speakers do a great job providing both.  All the modern engineering in KEF's arsenal makes this one of the finest-sounding speakers in the world, while the artistic design of Ross Lovegrove ensures that those with the funds to purchase a set of KEF Muons will be happy to display them.  How do they sound?  Well, when in a large room, KEF's Muon speakers sound amazingly open and smooth, with great coherence and powerful bass performance. Those with the cash for a pair of one of the 100 pairs of these limited edition speakers likely won't have small rooms, so this shouldn't be an issue.

High Points
• The value proposition of KEF's legendary sound in a no-compromise format makes for one of the finest loudspeakers available.  Prepare your money manager for the rest of your system, because you will also want a collection of the best from the likes of Krell, Mark Levinson, Meridian and/or Transparent Audio to round out your statement audio system.
• The large sculpted looks are over-the-top sexy, but you truly need to see them in person to believe how good-looking these speakers are.  Unlike movie stars who get the benefit of Photoshop before gracing the cover of Vanity Fair, the KEF Muon speakers have "not a stitch of makeup on" gorgeous good looks like no speaker I have ever seen before.

Low Points
• These speakers require a large room to sound their best and proper set up is a must.  Plan to have them parked away from the side walls and back walls by no less than a couple of feet.  Better yet, before they are installed, have your architect put them into your listening room's floor plan and send you the drawing.
• With only 100 pairs being made as part of a limited edition, you might need to make some Warren Buffett-style moves in a depressed Wall Street market before you can call Muons your own.  If you have the Gordon Gecko chops to make the money, you deserve the spoils, and what would be better than KEF Muons?

Conclusion
A huge statement in both technology and design, the KEF Muon is a large step forward in speaker design from a groundbreaking, historically important loudspeaker company.  While most of will never own KEF Muon loudspeakers, consider making the pilgrimage to an active KEF Muon dealer to be on par with going to the Museum of Modern Art to view a specific exhibit that you may never see again in your life.  What you will see and hear is so special that just having the experience of what the KEF speaker system can do will make you rich, if for no other reason than you will own the memory.