Kenwood LS-405 (1978)
The Kenwood LS-405 is a compact floorstanding loudspeaker from the late 1970s, part of Kenwood's "Sonic Integrity" series. It was the budget entry point into that line, sitting below the larger LS-1000. Kenwood introduced the LS series as part of a broader push into the home hi-fi market, putting itself alongside the established audio manufacturers of the era.
It's a 2-way, bass-reflex design with a 20 cm cone woofer and a 4.5 cm cone tweeter, crossed over at 3 kHz. The cabinet is finished in wood-grain vinyl and has a rear-firing port for bass reinforcement. Rated impedance is 6 ohms, sensitivity is 89 dB/W/m, and frequency response is specified at 45 Hz-20 kHz. Kenwood rated maximum input at 40W. The grille is removable and fabric-covered, and connections are spring-loaded clip terminals. The cabinet measures 550 mm high by 205 mm wide by 235 mm deep and weighs 5.4 kg per unit, though ClassicReceivers.com lists 5.8 kg.
The LS-405's own advertising in High Fidelity (1976, p.30) touted the LS series' extended dynamic range, well-dispersed sound distribution, and "well-defined, solid bass." It pointed to Kenwood's then-new Daphne diaphragm material and lumber-core baffle board as the key design elements. Contemporary reception was modest - hifi-wiki users rate it 3.5 stars out of 5. Owner reports describe a warm, forgiving speaker that does well with classic rock. The high end is not the most revealing, and the bass can be a bit boomy. The most commonly cited issue today is foam surround rot on the woofers. Owners also report that recapping the crossover makes a significant difference. The grille cloth is fragile, and replacements are hard to source.
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