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.
Fluance Ai81 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 150-watt RMS Integrated Amplifier
- 1" Soft Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Woven, Glass Fiber Composite Woofer
- 30-20k Hz Frequency Response
- Power Range:up to 150watts
- 16-bit Max Depth / 48 kHz Max Sample Rate
- Built-in 5.0 Bluetooth
- Weight:13.16kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 960.0" x 8.5" x 10.24"( 96 x 21.6 x 26 cm )
KEF LS60 Wireless Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1400-watt RMS Integrated Amplifier
- 12th Generation Uni-Q Driver
- 0.75" aluminum dome Tweeter
- 4" Midrange
- 4 x 5.25" Uni-Core force-cancelling Woofer
- 4" Midrange
- 31-24k Hz Frequency Response
- 24-bit Max Depth / 384 kHz Max Sample Rate
- Built-in 4.2 Bluetooth
- App Control Feature
- Weight:31.20kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1090.0" x 8.3" x 15.5"( 1090.0 x 212.0 x 394.0mm )
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Fluance Ai81 and KEF LS60 Wireless compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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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.
| 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.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. 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
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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.
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 13.16kg / 29lbs and the KEF LS60 Wireless weighs 31.20kg / 68.6lbs. This makes the LS60 Wireless 137% 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 Control1x CR2032 Battery6ft Power Cable8ft 18 Gauge Speaker WireQuick Start GuideFluance CatalogLifetime Customer Support2 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 CableRemote ControlOptional Floor SpikesQuick Start GuideWarranty 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 |
13.16kg (29lbs) |
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 |