Sleek, lightweight headphones from the storied sound experts

We've long admired KEF from a distance. These British audio specialists have spent decades making great-sounding, cool-looking speakers. So when we started carrying them, and I got my hands on a pair of their M400 on-ear headphones, it was kind of a big deal.

Once I tried them out, I immediately understood how KEF earned their sound reputation. These headphones — designed by Studio F.A. Porsche in Austria — feel really well-made. They are smooth yet extra-solid, both in terms of build and style.

The KEF M400 on-ear headphones sit a little further back on your head, helping create a tight audio seal and form-fitting look.

Comfortable and secure, with a unique fit

I sort of had to learn how to wear these headphones. Their firm aluminum headband didn't quite fit like most, resting a bit to the back of my head rather than at the center of my crown. But I only had to adjust the free-wheeling earcups a little to find the sweet spot of comfort. I quickly got used to them, and appreciated how well they stayed put — never moving around, even when I shook my head to test them.

At a glance, the earpads don't seem any more cushioned than your average on-ear headphone — but boy, are they. Extra-soft memory foam is wreathed by plush, perforated leather that protects your ear for a tension-free fit. The leather-lined headband never felt like it was clamping, even though it fit snugly to prevent sound from escaping. I think it's because the M400s sit a little further back. 

Dynamic sound with deep, detailed bass

Spotify® recently started serving up something called Release Radar, a weekly, personalized playlist of new songs from your “saved artists” list. It's a good way for me to test headphones because it usually features different-paced songs that span all genres. From stripped-down acoustic recordings to (frankly) over-produced studio tracks, the M400s made sure everything sounded it's best.

Schoolboy Q's hypnotic “THat Part Remix” proved the M400s were capable of reproducing bass that's both hard-hitting and nuanced. Next, a more upbeat, guitar-driven David Bowie live recording opened the soundstage up to show off the headphones' realistic sense of space. Considering how compact these headphones are, it was a bit surprising how spread out everything sounded.