KEF Cresta - the original

Jun 4, 2011

Vaughan Warren

This description of the vintage KEF Cresta can be found under the KEF Museum website regarding the 1960s: "The design of very small high quality loudspeakers involves a difficult compromise between power handling capacity, sensitivity, low frequency limit and the internal volume of the box. These factors are interrelated but conflict with each other. Sensitivity cannot be sacrificed because this kind of speaker perhaps more than any other, must be capable of operation with small power amplifiers. At the same time, its use should not be precluded with higher powered amplifiers."

As to the size of the Cresta, which is smaller than the company's famous LS3/5 monitor, this much is said: "The main factor is the size of the box which if too small will impair the bass. The volume to the new KEF Cresta has been carefully chosen with regard for acoustical performance rather than spectacular miniaturisation. Its appearance has also been deftly styled to give it a smart crisp look without being garish." That's clear.

And here's how KEF marketed the speaker at the time: "The KEF Cresta makes a significant step forward in that it not only covers the full frequency range with low distortion but that it achieves a new standard of clarity and musicality in a diminutive cabinet."

The dimensions of the 6.6kg/8.6 litres Cresta are 330 x 230 x 180mm. The speaker can be placed horizontally and vertically and comes as a mirrored pair. The bass/mid driver is the same as in the LAS3/5, namely KEF B110. The claimed impedance is 4 - 8 ohms, and the system resonance 59 Hz. The frequency range covers 50 - 30000 Hz!? Finishes are Walnut or Teak veneer and woven brown grille.

Listening to KEF Cresta

The system used for listening was the following: Musical Fidelity FCD/Musical Fidelity X-DAC HDCD‘Carfrae’, Valve (ECL86) Integrated Amp (Prototype), Ixos 60050 Speaker Cables. Sample music: "Continuum" by John Meyer – a rich mix full of emotion, detail and tone. "So Beautiful So What" by Paul Simon – a journey through the soul of modern times.

The KEF Cresta today is still a highly analytical near field vocal monitor that has the ability to reproduce every ‘twitch’ in the studio and every nuance and inflection in the performance. So much so that when one is listening into the mix, sometimes one has to check that the speakers have not developed a fault.

 

It was obvious, very quickly, that the Cresta is capable of producing enough pistonic movement to create ‘buzzes’ in the room sparking resonances that even the Yamaha’s cannot or do not trigger, and gets even better, smoother, when amp and speakers have warmed up after about 45 minutes.

Bass and deep bass are convincingly suggested although there is no ‘drop’ or ‘weight’ as experienced in other designs but rather a seamless melting from a tuneful upper bass towards the lower octaves, which is very pleasing. It doesn’t just stop!

Midband is this speaker's strength and rationale. During Simon’s "Amulet" the articulate beauty is totally absorbing and through the rhythm of the tune you can hear Simon murmuring in time. Indeed, such is the powerful experience of this album that on the Cresta’s it becomes an intensely heavenly experience – twinkling angels calling.

Treble is fresh, sweet and detailed creating ‘air’ and headroom. This is not a ‘stuffy’ loudspeaker, no box sound. With the speaker grills removed, (Nice retro cosmetics but awful acoustically) the speaker can ebb and flow with the music, melting into the deep abyss of the lowest bass and soaring to ethereal heights in the treble. Note that the frequency response is cited as 30kHz rather than the more usual 20kHz and with the demands of digital technology this speaker is still on the pace to deliver today’s complex studio productions with a total emotional musicality.