In this review, we will be comparing Ai81 and LS60 Wireless, two Powered Floor-standing speakers from Fluance and KEF. Being Powered speakers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fluance Ai81 and KEF LS60 Wireless first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fluance Ai81 | KEF LS60 Wireless |
|---|
| Brand | Fluance
Canada · founded 1999 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 150-watt RMS | 1400-watt RMS |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | — | 12th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft Dome | 0.75" aluminum dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Woven, Glass Fiber Composite | 4 x 5.25" Uni-Core force-cancelling |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-20k Hz | 31-24k Hz |
|---|
| Power range | up to 150 watts | — |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 16-bit / 48 kHz | 24-bit / 384 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 5.0 | Built-in 4.2 |
|---|
| App control | — | Yes |
|---|
| Weight | 13.88kg / 30.5lbs | 31.20kg / 68.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 37.8" x 8.5" x 10.24"
96 x 21.6 x 26 cm | 42.9" x 8.3" x 15.5"
1090.0 x 212.0 x 394.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Ai81 is a 2-way design whereas the LS60 Wireless is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Fluance Ai81KEF LS60 Wireless
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Fluance Ai81 |
KEF LS60 Wireless |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
0.75-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
4 x 5.25-inch
|
Ai81 features a 1" Silk Neodymium Ferrofluid Cooled Soft Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Woven, Glass Fiber Composite Woofer. On the other hand, the LS60 Wireless features a 0.75" Aluminum aluminum dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 4 x 5.25" Uni-Core force-cancelling Woofer.
Frequency Response
Ai81 has a frequency range of 30-20k Hz whereas LS60 Wireless has a frequency range of 31-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Ai81 can go slightly deeper then the LS60 Wireless's min frequency of 31Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Ai81 has a bottom firing port whereas LS60 Wireless has a rear firing ports. Fluance Ai81's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to KEF LS60 Wireless with its rear-firing port.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Fluance Ai81's and KEF LS60 Wireless's external dimensions. Fluance Ai81 has external dimensions of 96 x 21.6 x 26 cm (37.8 x 8.50 x 10.24 inches) whereas KEF LS60 Wireless has external dimensions of 1090.0 x 212.0 x 394.0mm (42.9 x 8.3 x 15.5inch).
Fluance Ai81 is 130mm shorter and 134mm less deeper than KEF LS60 Wireless but it is also 4mm wider.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
KEF LS60 Wireless needs about 49% more floor or shelf area. KEF LS60 Wireless is 134mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. KEF LS60 Wireless is 130mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Fluance Ai81 is approximately 561.0cm2 / 87.0inch2 and base area of the KEF LS60 Wireless is approximately 835.3cm2 / 129.5inch2. The Ai81 requires 33% less surface area than the LS60 Wireless which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Fluance Ai81 weighs 13.88kg / 30.5lbs and the KEF LS60 Wireless weighs 31.20kg / 68.6lbs. This makes the LS60 Wireless 125% heavier than the Ai81.
Here is a comparison of how Ai81 and LS60 Wireless's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Fluance Ai81?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Ai81:
- Ai81 Powered Tower Speakers (pair)
- Remote Control
- 1x CR2032 Battery
- 6ft Power Cable
- 8ft 18 Gauge Speaker Wire
- Quick Start Guide
- Fluance Catalog
- Lifetime Customer Support
- 2 Year Manufacturer’s Warranty
What's in the Box of KEF LS60 Wireless?
Here are the items that come with the LS60 Wireless:
- 2 Wireless Speakers
- Power Cords
- Interspeaker Cable
- Remote Control
- Optional Floor Spikes
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty and Safety Documents
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
31 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
960mm
vs
1090mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
561cm2
vs
835cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
4999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
|
Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 High Frequency Response |
24k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
Apple iOS, Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Ethernet Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
High quality streaming over Ethernet |
 USB Port |
Service only
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
 HDMI Input |
eARC
vs
No
|
Connect HDMI sources directly |
| General |
Fluance Ai81 Elite |
KEF LS60 Wireless |
| Brand |
Fluance |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
30-20k Hz |
31-24k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
150-watt RMS |
1400-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
16-bit |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
48 kHz |
384 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
4 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven, Glass Fiber Composite |
Uni-Core force-cancelling |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
0.75" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft Dome |
aluminum dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4" |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
960.0mm (37.8") |
1090.0mm (42.9") |
| Width |
216.0mm (8.5") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
260.0mm (10.2") |
394.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
13.88kg (30.5lbs) |
31.20kg (68.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF wood |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black Ash,Lucky Bamboo,White Walnut, Natural Walnut |
Mineral White, Titanium Grey, Royal Blue, British racing green, Carbon black |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
RCA |
No |
| USB Port |
No |
Service only |
| Phone Input |
No |
No |
| Subwoofer Output |
Wired |
Wired |
| Digital Input |
Optical |
TOSLINK Optical, Coax |
| HDMI Input |
No |
eARC |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
2 years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
2 years |
These sit in different price classes - KEF LS60 Wireless costs roughly 10x what Fluance Ai81 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (30Hz vs 31Hz). |
| Built-in power | B | KEF LS60 Wireless has the bigger amplifier (1400W vs 150W RMS). |
| Connections | B | KEF LS60 Wireless adds Wi-Fi, streaming and HDMI. |
| Size | depends | Fluance Ai81 is easier to place; KEF LS60 Wireless is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Fluance Ai81: a sub output; KEF LS60 Wireless: a sub output. KEF LS60 Wireless sits in a wider range (10 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Fluance Ai81 is cheaper - $499 against $4,999, about 90% less; arguably a different class. |
A Fluance Ai81 B KEF LS60 Wireless
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: KEF LS60 Wireless measures better, Fluance Ai81 costs about about 10x the price% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. In a large or open-plan room, KEF LS60 Wireless has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Fluance Ai81 is the easier speaker to get right. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $4,500 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.