KEF Mu7 Wireless Headphones Have That Signature British Sound

It took me a while to get my hands on the KEF Mu7. For some reason, these wireless ANC headphones had slipped off my review radar, but I recently saw them from Cambridge Audio. Melomania P100 I was curious to compare it with the Hi-Res Mu7 headphones.

KEF is one of the UK’s oldest and most traditional speaker brands, born at a time when the UK was a world leader in audio technology. Founded in 1961 in Kent, England, KEF has built an enviable reputation for manufacturing amazing speakers. Today the brand is growing rapidly, opening stunning showroom galleries all over the world.

Like other speaker brands such as B+W, KEF entered the headphone space just over a year ago with the launch of the Mu7, a wireless Bluetooth headphone designed by designer Ross Lovegrove, who has collaborated with KEF on products such as the Muon floorstanding speaker and KEF’s first wireless earphones, the Mu3.

As you’d expect from a KEF product, the build of the Mu7 headphones is exemplary. The Lovegrove design has beautiful teardrop-shaped ear cups. The generously upholstered ear pads are covered in soft synthetic leather and stuffed with memory foam. The ear cups can be rotated 90 degrees so they can be stored flat in the zippered hard case. The headphone yoke is not foldable, but this isn’t a bad thing for me and it means there’s less chance of the frame creaking.

The Mu7’s comfort is outstanding. The clamping pressure is not as gentle as Sony’s WH-1000XM5, but it feels stable when worn. Weighing 309g, the padded headband and adjustable arms ensure a snug and secure fit, so the Mu7 doesn’t feel too heavy. The ear pads wick away sweat, keeping listeners’ ears cool. Finally, you can choose from a silver-grey or charcoal-grey colorway.

The Mu7 headphones aren’t packed with features, but they do have most of what you need. For starters, the Mu7 are built on a Qualcomm chipset that supports SBC, AAC, and aptX HD. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Sound Platform with its newer aptX Lossless codec is not supported.

The Mu7’s support for AAC makes it a good choice for both Android and iOS users looking to listen to high-res audio, but if you need Snapdragon Sound support there are some excellent headphones on sale right now, including the Edifier Stax Spirit S5 and Cambridge Audio’s Melomania P100.

Each earpiece is equipped with a 40mm custom driver. The built-in battery provides up to 40 hours of playback on a single charge, which isn’t “best in class,” but is enough for a long-haul flight round trip. Using Bluetooth 5.1, they also support multi-point connectivity, meaning you can connect two devices simultaneously, so you can listen to music on one device while taking a call on your work smartphone.

Because the Mu7 headphones are powered by Qualcomm technology, they also come equipped with cVc noise-canceling microphone technology, giving you quieter, easier-to-hear audio when making calls or taking part in video conferences.

The microphones built into the ear cups are also used to sample the sound for the Active Noise Cancellation feature. Pressing the ANC button toggles this feature on/off and properly filters out most unwanted sounds. The Smart ANC feature instantly adapts to the outside noise level and works great. Is it as good as Bose or Sony ANC? Well, not quite, but it’s not bad by any means.

Oddly, there is no hear-through or transparency mode, which isn’t an issue for me as I rarely use them, but it might be an issue for people who want to be aware of the sounds around them while jogging or working out. One handy feature I liked is the auto-pause feature when you lift the ear cup, which is handy if someone tries to talk to you. When you lift the ear cup, the music pauses.

All of the Mu7’s controls are located on the right earcup: there’s a power switch and a Bluetooth pairing button for connecting to a smartphone or audio player, as well as an ANC button to turn noise cancelling on and off, and a USB-C charging and data port.

The USB port can be used to charge the Mu7’s rechargeable battery, or you can connect the headphones to your computer via a USB data cable to experience a Hi-Res wired connection. For more traditional connections there’s a 3.5mm AUX socket into which you can plug in a cable that lets you connect the headphones to a Hi-Fi system or digital audio player.

Now let’s take a look at the surface of the right earcup. It has a highly touch-sensitive recessed surface laid out in a cross shape. The touchpad allows you to swipe to the next track or to repeat the previous one. You can pause or play music and turn the volume up or down with a touch. It works well and is one of the few touch controls on headphones that I’ve enjoyed using.

One big drawback of the Mu7 is that there’s no smartphone app to customise the EQ, controls etc. There’s also no way to update the firmware. This is a strange drawback and a well-designed app can really add value to wireless headphones – I think KEF has missed an opportunity here.

Now, onto the most important part of the review: how do the KEF Mu7 sound? KEF makes great speakers, and over 60 years of audio experience certainly shines through these headphones. The sound is powerful and clear. If these headphones were human, they’d have six abs. To audition the Mu7, I streamed from TIDAL using aptX HD over Bluetooth.

Rhiannon Giddens is a great artist to test headphones with. Her clear voice is a perfect fit for any driver. Giddens’ “At The Purchaser’s Option” is Freedom Highway The album was a good starting point. The Mu7 headphones handled the kick drum in the intro with authentic style. The overall presentation of the track felt a little laid back, but it sounded exciting. This is not necessarily a criticism, but these aren’t ear-pounding, headache-inducing headphones. But there’s enough drive and resolution to produce a convincing, if not particularly wide, soundstage.

The Mu7 has plenty of bass, but it’s never overwhelming. It’s subdued in places, but the mids have a good imaging and vocals are easy to hear. The bass/mid-bass crossover can make it sound a little muddy, but this depends on the source. Feed the KEF Mu7 with a well recorded track and play it back with a good source and it will sound great. If you like the signature KEF sound then you’ll know what I mean.

verdict: The market for wireless ANC headphones is tough right now. The competition is fierce, mainly due to Qualcomm’s superior chipsets and the support they provide to audio companies when designing headphones and earbuds. As a result, there are a lot of cheap headphones on the market. KEF is not a bargain brand, but it has a loyal following. If you like the sound of KEF and appreciate Ross Lovegrove’s style, you’ll love the Mu7. There are a few shortcomings, such as the lack of a transparency mode or an app, but if you can get past that, these comfortable, clean-sounding headphones are worth the slightly higher price tag.

Pricing and Availability: of KEF Mu7 The wireless ANC headphones are available now, priced at $399.99 / £349 / €399.

Technical Specifications:

• Driver:40mm
• Maximum output: 15mW
• Bluetooth version: 5.1
• Codec: SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD
• Bluetooth Power: Class 2.
• Bluetooth Range: 10m
• Battery: 1,100mAh.
• Battery life: 40 hours (BT + ANC on).
• Fast charge: 15 mins = 8 hours.
• Dimensions (H x W x D):199 x 153 x 89 mm.
• Weight: 309g