The Quiet Beauty of Artistic Asian Films

While we often think of movies as loud blockbusters filled with action, there’s something truly special about artistic Asian films like Chungking Express (directed by Wong Kar-wai) and Dust in the Wind (which boasts a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes).

In these films, less really is more. They focus not only on stunning cinematography but also on the sound design. With minimal background music and sound effects, every detail is amplified. The quiet moments resonate deeply, conveying tension, uncertainty, calmness, or even romance through their powerful silence.

Now, imagine trying to watch these films on your phone with the volume cranked up just to catch the dialogue. It wouldn’t be the best experience—you’d miss out on important audio nuances. But with the right home theatre setup, you can fully appreciate every sharp intake of breath, creak of a door and rustle of clothing, bringing the film to life in a whole new way.

Introducing Q Series

This month, we’re thrilled to introduce the brand-new KEF Q Series.

Now in its 9th generation since its debut in 1991, Q Series has evolved once again and is better than ever. With KEF’s groundbreaking Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT) and a range of innovative acoustic features, it delivers sound experiences like never before. 

The lineup includes eight versatile speaker models that can easily be tailored to meet your needs. Whether you’re looking for compact bookshelf speakers, passive options, or a multi-channel home cinema setup, Q Series has something for everyone and brings music and movies to life with stunning detail. 

Let's take a closer look at the technology behind the new Q Series.

- 12th Generation Uni-Q Driver Array: 

This newly engineered driver array reduces resonance, significantly enhancing detail and clarity. With an improved tweeter motor system, more sound reaches the MAT absorber, allowing the tweeter to perform with lower distortion.

- Integrated Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT):

MAT features a maze-like structure that efficiently absorbs specific frequencies. Together, it acts like an acoustic black hole, eliminating 99% of unwanted sound from the rear of the tweeter. The result? A purer, more natural acoustic experience.

- New Bass Driver Design:

The innovative hybrid structure, featuring a shallow concave aluminum skin over a paper cone, delivers better bass punch and speed. This design ensures cleaner, more controlled sound, even at high volumes.

- Refined Crossover Design:

KEF engineers conducted over 1,000 measurements on each Q Series speaker to create a precise crossover design, optimizing the signal path for top-notch performance.

- Shadow Flare for Enhanced Clarity:

Say goodbye to unwanted cabinet diffraction! Shadow Flare is a precision-designed surface that extends the waveguide effect of the Uni-Q driver array. This design minimizes the acoustic impact from cabinet edges, allowing you to fully enjoy the subtle nuances in your favorite music and films.

Q Series: Transparent, Lifelike Sound

Whether you’re setting up a spacious living room or a cosy corner, Q Series is as versatile as it is powerful, allowing you to create your ideal HiFi setup. Perfect for movies, music or gaming, you can mix and match from eight unique models, including compact bookshelf speakers, powerful floorstanding speakers, slender on-wall speakers, high-performance home cinema setups and more.

Q11 Meta Flagship 3-Way Floorstanding Speakers

The largest and most powerful model in the Q Series, designed for immersive performance in bigger spaces like home theatres. Equipped with three 6.5” hybrid aluminium bass drivers, this 3-way speaker system effortlessly handles high, mid and low frequencies for a refined sound quality.

Q Concerto Meta 3-Way Bookshelf Speakers

A tribute to KEF’s original 1969 Concerto, Q Concerto Meta is the series’ first 3-way bookshelf speaker. With precise separation of high, mid and low frequencies, it delivers exceptional detail and clarity, bringing your movies to life.

Q3 Meta HiFi Speakers

These 2-way bookshelf speakers offer outstanding sound quality in a mid-sized package, perfect for enhancing your home theatre system or enjoying music in an immersive setting. To minimise vibrations and distortions, we recommend wall mounting or using speaker stands instead of placing them directly on furniture.

Q8 Meta Dolby Atmos Surround Speaker

Immerse yourself in realistic audio that creates a 3D sound space, enhancing the impact of films, TV shows and music. Q8 Meta can be easily wall-mounted or placed on another speaker to reproduce ambient audio, providing surround sound without complicated installation.

Q7 Meta 3-Way Floorstanding Speakers

Featuring dedicated drivers for different frequencies, these 3-way speaker systems deliver balanced, immersive sound quality.

Q1 Meta Compact 2-Way Bookshelf Speakers

The perfect entry-level speaker for audiophiles looking to build their first HiFi sound system, complete with Q Series’ signature MAT and Uni-Q driver array.

Q4 Meta 2-Way On-Wall Speaker

Save valuable floor space with this sleek, multi-function speaker, which can be used in a Left-Center-Right (LCR) configuration or as a surround speaker.

Q6 Meta 3-Way Centre Channel Speaker

This versatile speaker design works seamlessly with other models, enhancing your audio experience with cohesive, high-quality sound.

    Q Series Style Note: Sleek, Subtle & Stylish

    Q Series speakers are available in Satin Black, Satin White and Walnut finishes, perfectly blending with your interior. They also come with matching protective grilles featuring magnetic fixings.

    KEF Team’s Home Cinema Recommendations: Our Favorite Artistic Asian Films

    Happy Together (Hong Kong, 1997)

    Directed by Wong Kar-wai, this film is an evocative exploration of a tumultuous relationship between two men who travel from Hong Kong to Buenos Aires in an attempt to mend their fractured bond. In the “tango” scene, no dialogue is necessary as the background music envelops you.

    A Sun (Taiwan, 2019)

    The Chen family’s lives are upended when their younger son is imprisoned for a violent crime. The father, a stern driving instructor with strong principles, is not one to show emotion freely, driving a wedge into the already fragile relationships within the family. In a poignant scene on top of a hill, the sound of chirping birds accompanies a tense verbal exchange between the husband and wife.

    We Made a Beautiful Bouquet (Japan, 2021)

    Having missed the last train at Meidaimae station, a man and a woman find themselves drawn into a relationship over the course of five years. As time passes, life’s pressures and diverging priorities create strain. The internal monologues of the main characters draw you in, as if they’re speaking directly to the viewer.

    Burning (Korea, 2018)

    Taking a step beyond the usual love triangle, this psychological thriller combines suspenseful silence with unexpected revelations. Ben (played by Steven Yeun) confesses his hobby of burning down greenhouses. As the story takes a darker turn, we gradually learn about each character’s true nature.

    Abang Adik (Malaysia, 2023)

    Two undocumented brothers, one of whom is mute, rely on each other for survival in the gritty underbelly of society. Their close-knit relationship is tested as they confront harsh realities, including poverty, marginalisation, and the desperate choices they must make for a better future. There’s a heartwarming scene where the brothers crack hard-boiled eggs on each other’s foreheads.

    Ilo Ilo (Singapore, 2013)

    Set during the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s, this film tells the story of a Singaporean family and their relationship with their newly hired Filipino domestic helper, Teresa. As Teresa becomes an integral part of their lives, she forms a deep bond with a rebellious young boy. The absence of background music in many scenes, particularly during moments of conflict, heightens the tension for the viewer.

    Wonderful Town (Thailand, 2007)

    This quiet, meditative film, set in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami that devastated southern Thailand, follows Ton, an architect sent to oversee reconstruction in a small coastal town. The tranquillity of the setting and the simplicity of the narrative mask underlying themes of grief, trauma and renewal, accentuated by the clever selection of music that accompanies the crashing waves along the shore.

    Owl and the Sparrow (Vietnam, 2007)

    This heartwarming tale set amidst the bustling streets of Ho Chi Minh City weaves together the stories of three lonely individuals who find solace and connection in one another. With its gentle pacing, intimate cinematography and tender exploration of human connection, we find ourselves rooting for the characters to achieve the happiness they deserve.

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