Kenwood LS-990

Data

General

• Manufacturer: Kenwood
• Model: LS-990
• Type: Loudspeaker
• Years of manufacture: 1977 - 1979
• Made in: Japan
• Color: Anthracite Brown, Back Panel Solid Douglas Spruce
• Dimensions: 376 x 676 x 328 mm (WxHxD)
• Weight: 27 kg
• Original price approx.: 1'198 DM per piece

Technical data

• Type: 3-way/3 speakers / bass reflex
• Chassis: Alnico Magnets

Low frequency: 33cm cone Midrange: 12cm cone Tweeter: pressure chamber system with horn radiator

• Power handling (nominal/music): 65W / 100W max
• Efficiency: 93dB/W/m
• Frequency response: 32-20000Hz
• Crossover: 1300/6500Hz
• Impedance: 8Ohm

Special Features

• Accoustics Level Control:
  • Midrange 3-stage adjustable: -2dB, 0dB, +2dB.

Tweeter 3-step adjustable: -3dB, 0dB, +3dB

• Baffle and cabinet back panel made of solid Douglas spruce, back panel with real birch fourniered

Remarks

• Other models in the same series:
• Kenwood_LS-770
• Kenwood_LS-770 MK II
• Kenwood_LS-880

• Kenwood recommended these speakers to:
• [[L-05 M power amplifier
• Kenwood L-05 M
• L-07 M power amplifier
  • Kenwood L-07 M
• L-09 M power amplifier
  • Kenwood L-09 M

Pictures

• Kenwood LS-990 front

• Kenwood LS-990 rear

• Kenwood LS-990 connector jacks

• Kenwood LS-990 information plate housing material

Report

• HIFI SECRET TIP! KENWOOD LS-990 speakers are true high-enders!

The woofers and midrange drivers are like the tweeters (JBL ring radiator) equipped with Alnico magnets!

• • The design of the 70s is typical as timelessly well done and built for eternity very high quality!
  • The interaction with my amplifier alone, "also" from KENWOOD: model KA-3300D, harmonises perfectly and the 33cm bass (solid aluminium basket) gets a new dimension.
  • The overall sound field is very pronounced and leaves nothing to be desired, no matter what kind of music they play.
  • Their size and the weight per speaker of about 27kg underline the whole thing again (not too big and not too heavy), for rooms from 20 sqm up to about 60 sqm.
  • Much too bad for party speakers, although they would serve their purpose very well.

For such speakers with this construction and equipment you would easily pay 2000,- € per speaker today. These KENWOOD were already produced in Japan between 1977 and 1978 only in small numbers. The 100 Watt at 8 Ohm are real Watts and can also be driven by a tube amplifier. By today's standards, that would equate to about 200 watts of power.

• • So, once you have the LS-990, you certainly won't give it away for sonic reasons.
  • I am fortunate and have owned them for several years. I'm still blown away by the look and the sound.

For a better understanding I was able to audibly compare numerous other well-known high-end loudspeakers, e.g. the YAMAHA NS-1000 or ONKYO SC-901 as a benchmark and I was always amazed by the LS-990. Conclusion for the comparison: hardly any differences in sound quality. So same league as above already in comparison the named Yamaha NS-1000, etc.

• • Unfortunately, it will be very difficult to find them in good to very good condition if you go in search of the rare LS-990. I can only recommend the Kenwood LS-990 to everyone!

Links

• External Link: "Hifi Archive" website: [1]

• External Link: "Hifi Archive" data sheet: [2]