The KHT-5005.2's mostly pictorial owner's manual is pretty skimpy and fails to mention specific bass management settings. We experimented, starting with 80 Hertz, and eventually settled on 120 Hz--the higher frequency crossover setting yielded the smoothest bass transition from the subwoofer to the satellites.
Performance
The looming score of The Good German DVD had the sort of weighty presence we'd expect from a much larger system. The sub's rich-sounding support played a role in our impressions, but the slender satellites held up their end of the bargain. Their sound was highly detailed and yet beautifully refined. Dialogue was consistently articulate and nicely balanced.
Ratcheting up from the retro drama to a big action movie, we further tested the KHT-5005.2's home theater stamina with the Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest DVD. When the giant Kraken sea monster attacks the Flying Dutchman and men are picked up in its tentacles and tossed overboard, the KEF system was impressive. Whatever remaining doubts we had about the little system's gravitas disappeared when we heard the ship break in half.
Moving onto music with the Chants and Carols CD from the Russian Yale Chorus, the KEF system was truly in its element. Recorded at the Dwight Chapel at Yale University, the sound of the male and female singers was stunningly presented by the KHT-5005.2. The sense of being in the chapel, hearing the voices in that acoustic setting made the musical experience feel richer. The CD has a track where each member of the chorus states his or her name, and when I'm sitting centered between the stereo speakers, I can hear the precise position of each voice. To verify KEF claims of the Uni-Q's off-axis imaging capabilities, we repeated the track, listening from the left and right sides of the couch; the imaging was less exacting, but still very good.
Taken at full blast, hard rock from Aerosmith's Rockin' The Joint CD revealed the inadequacies in the satellites--they sounded somewhat strident and harsh. Turning down the volume to medium-loud mostly cured that problem, but the KEF's lackluster performance on rock is a fact of life for this--and most every other--smaller lifestyle speaker system.
The sub is no slouch, but if bona fide, room-shaking home theater bombast is what you're looking for, check out the Cerwin Vega CVHD 5.1 speaker package. Its massive 12-inch subwoofer has what it takes to rattle the windows--though it's far larger and less attractive than the KEF's. The Cerwin Vega system is more powerful, but the satellites aren't as refined-sounding as the KEF's--then again, the Cerwin Vega is around half the price of the KEF system. The Cerwin's sats are also too small to win over rock fans. Likewise, the NHT Verve IV 5.1 system is a strong competitor to the KEF--it's also $2,000 and features a similar lifestyle-friendly size--but we think the KHT-5005.2 has the edge in terms of looks. And remember: if the 5005.2 is still too big or expensive, the smaller--and also great-sounding--KEF KHT-3005 system can be had for $500 less.
The KHT-5005.2 satellites' volume and dynamic range limitations, especially on DVDs, are less than what we would have expected considering their trim dimensions, but it can't work miracles. The KEF system is nowhere as powerful as a full-size system, such as Aperion Audio's Intimus 533-PT Cinema HD, which retails for a little less than the KHT-5005.2--but the giant tower speakers of the Aperion system certainly won't blend into the décor of a room the way the more svelte KHT-5005.2 speakers will.
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