KEF, the British loudspeaker brand, has announced its use of Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT). This innovation will allow KEF to design a new range of products.

For more than half a century, KEF’s engineers have been at the forefront of cutting-edge audio technology. As a joint development initiative with the Acoustic Metamaterials Group using MAT transforms loudspeaker design.

Unwanted Sound Absorption

Harnessing MAT, KEF has created a synthetic material that they say has “the super capacity to absorb all unwanted sound radiating from the rear of the driver, reducing distortion and enabling the prevention of audio distraction”.

Dr Sebastien Degraeve, Research and Development Engineer at KEF, explained: ‘We want to absorb the sound behind the drivers because we want to hear the music and not any artefact created by the driver itself or the cabinet. We’ve created a metamaterial that is optimised to absorb the maximum of sound in a minimum of space.’

MAT

MAT is a highly complex maze-like structure, where each of the intricate channels efficiently absorbs a range of specific frequencies. When combined, the channels act as an acoustic black hole, absorbing 99% of the unwanted sound. Other traditional approaches have only allowed around 60% absorption.

Dr Jack Oclee-Brown, Head of Research and Development at KEF, has commented: ’It’s incredibly exciting for KEF to be the first to use Metamaterial Absorption Technology in audio. Whether listening to a beloved musician, mastering a new game, relaxing with a film, boxset or podcast, we can create a breath-taking immersive and authentic sound for everyone who loves to listen.’

KEF will be revealing contemporary speakers that benefit from MAT very soon.

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