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KEF LS50 Meta Review (Speaker)

testp

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I have the metas and I’m looking hard at the KC 62 and the SVS 3000….(half the price)……for 100% stereo music application…I wish I could go somewhere and hear them in action.

watch out for the KC 62 standby issue, maybe it's resolved in the newer units, maybe not.

There's a thread here that talks about it (one of KC inputs is not sensitive enough, basically they wake up only to decent volume and also might go to standby in lower volumes while listening music)
 

Dennis_FL

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watch out for the KC 62 standby issue, maybe it's resolved in the newer units, maybe not.

There's a thread here that talks about it (one of KC inputs is not sensitive enough, basically they wake up only to decent volume and also might go to standby in lower volumes while listening music)
Thanks for the head's up. I'll check that out. (That sounds like it is in "Apartment mode")
 

diablo

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watch out for the KC 62 standby issue, maybe it's resolved in the newer units, maybe not.

There's a thread here that talks about it (one of KC inputs is not sensitive enough, basically they wake up only to decent volume and also might go to standby in lower volumes while listening music)

I was slightly perturbed when I read your comment about standby mode. I'd ordered a KC 62 earlier that day and one of my needs is a sub which will work at low levels for some of the time.

As it arrived early this morning I immediately tested it out, not with my Metas but in the lounge with an AVR.

KEF KC62.jpg


Played Mahler 5 from Youtube. Loud volume then very low volume. There is absolute silence in between movements of course. Can happily report that it didn't go into standby mode. :)
 

testp

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Played Mahler 5 from Youtube. Loud volume then very low volume. There is absolute silence in between movements of course. Can happily report that it didn't go into standby mode.

That's good to hear, how is the bass?
 

tecnogadget

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Why don't they make an LS80 with an 8 inch woofer that won't require adding sub in most cases ?

I don’t see that happening. You are asking for a R3 with 8” Woofer. A 8” coaxial won’t happen because you would mess the dispersion pattern and doesn’t make sense. Adding an additional 8” bass driver to LS50 would make the cabinet huge in comparison, changing the hole point of making it small and true point source, basically the essence of LS50 concept.
Nobody forces LS50 owners to pair with a KC62, they can choose whatever sub suits them. And adding subs + after DSP room correction is smarter than single full range speaker. You place the sub where it blends the best with room modes, while mains are limited by equilateral triangle and listening position.
 

Pearljam5000

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I don’t see that happening. You are asking for a R3 with 8” Woofer. A 8” coaxial won’t happen because you would mess the dispersion pattern and doesn’t make sense. Adding an additional 8” bass driver to LS50 would make the cabinet huge in comparison, changing the hole point of making it small and true point source, basically the essence of LS50 concept.
Nobody forces LS50 owners to pair with a KC62, they can choose whatever sub suits them. And adding subs + after DSP room correction is smarter than single full range speaker. You place the sub where it blends the best with room modes, while mains are limited by equilateral triangle and listening position.
Well it's been done before so I assume it's possible;)
Screenshot_20210916-154117.jpg
 

abdo123

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I don’t see that happening. You are asking for a R3 with 8” Woofer. A 8” coaxial won’t happen because you would mess the dispersion pattern and doesn’t make sense. Adding an additional 8” bass driver to LS50 would make the cabinet huge in comparison, changing the hole point of making it small and true point source, basically the essence of LS50 concept.
Nobody forces LS50 owners to pair with a KC62, they can choose whatever sub suits them. And adding subs + after DSP room correction is smarter than single full range speaker. You place the sub where it blends the best with room modes, while mains are limited by equilateral triangle and listening position.

The LS50 will have to be crossed at 400Hz to have the same headroom for Home Cinema or midfield distances compared to speakers with 6.5 Inch woofers.

The KEF Q series indeed had 6.5inch woofers, but that introduced some issues in the response.

So yeah, there are gaps in the KEF series for people who want headroom, single point source from 200Hz and above, and smooth frequency response.
 
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diablo

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That's good to hear, how is the bass?

Not got it properly installed (matching volume etc) yet but seems very good. I ran a frequency sweep on Youtube from 20Hz up and it seemed to be the same volume from 30Hz to 80Hz (crossover point). Which is quite remarkable since it was plonked in a random spot.

Bit lower volume under 30Hz but it is in quite a big room. So pretty pleased with it so far.

Now if only I could get the wireless thingy to work . . . Then I'd be delighted. :)

Edit: Just did a REW test and at a reasonable volume the thing is flat(ish) down to about 18Hz. Reckon it must be my old ears that drop off below 30 lol. :)
 
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Dennis_FL

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I was slightly perturbed when I read your comment about standby mode. I'd ordered a KC 62 earlier that day and one of my needs is a sub which will work at low levels for some of the time.

As it arrived early this morning I immediately tested it out, not with my Metas but in the lounge with an AVR.



Played Mahler 5 from Youtube. Loud volume then very low volume. There is absolute silence in between movements of course. Can happily report that it didn't go into standby mode. :)


There's a post earlier that KEF has fixed it and are shipping with the fix. If you should get one without the fix KEF will repair free.
 

thewas

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Well it's been done before so I assume it's possible;)
View attachment 153669
Anything is possible but not everything is reasonable, above pseudocoax has not much to do with the Uni-Q and a 8" Uni-Q would make add more problems than it solve, there is a reason that the best coax drivers from Genelec, KEF and TAD are 4"-5" and not larger.
 

Dennis_FL

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Played Mahler 5 from Youtube. Loud volume then very low volume. There is absolute silence in between movements of course. Can happily report that it didn't go into standby mode. :)

I didn't know there were quiet portions in Mahler.:)
 

Hugo9000

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(Off-topic to the LS50, but relevant to those discussing larger Uni-Q drivers)

KEF had a number of 200mm/25mm Uni-Q drivers through the years. The C35 was introduced in the late 1980s (first generation Uni-Q models were launched for sale in 1988), and was a sealed standmount/bookshelf speaker.

KEF C35.jpg


I think the most recent "200mm" Uni-Q drivers have all been 'custom install' 'in ceiling'/'in wall' units.

This video has some close-ups of the C35 (free bonus of 'sound demo' for fun and laughs hahaha!):

I doubt they'd bring back a large Uni-Q at this stage (at least outside what they term their "architectural"/custom install category), since it would be a step backward with regard to directivity and other optimizations they've made through the years.

Here is one of the CI models, still listed as available:
https://us.kef.com/architectural/in-wall-speakers/round/ci200er-round-pair.html
 

ernestcarl

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above pseudocoax has not much to do with the Uni-Q and a 8" Uni-Q would make add more problems than it solve, there is a reason that the best coax drivers from Genelec, KEF and TAD are 4"-5" and not larger.

Yeah, the best (smoothest response) coaxials currently use smaller drivers. But why do you think the Sceptres are "pseudocoax" in their design? Because it uses a horn-loaded compression tweeter?
 

testp

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doubt they'd bring back a large Uni-Q at this stage (at least outside what they term their "architectural"/custom install category), since it would be a step backward with regard to directivity and other optimizations they've made through the years.
...not to mention logistics. if it works at lower size, why make it large
 

ernestcarl

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The progenitor of the Sceptre S8s are Fulcrum Acoustic's larger "Reference" coax speakers. In terms of SPL volume in coaxial designs, Genelec pales in comparison. A single RM28 (cheaper, BTW) can get as loud as two 8361As. If I had a big home theater room, I would choose multiple RM28/RM22s as my mains. For a living room setup, I'd more likely pick some Genelec coax monitors.
 

q3cpma

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The progenitor of the Sceptre S8s are Fulcrum Acoustic's larger "Reference" coax speakers. In terms of SPL volume in coaxial designs, Genelec pales in comparison. A single RM28 (cheaper, BTW) can get as loud as two 8361As. If I had a big home theater room, I would choose multiple RM28/RM22s as my mains. For a living room setup, I'd more likely pick some Genelec coax monitors.
This is the directivity you get, though (RM8):
index.php
 

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ernestcarl

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This is the directivity you get, though (RM8):
index.php

Yep, I've actually already seen the spec sheets. In fact, I believe I've posted these graphs before here in the forum. I presume this is to show how they are not "reference" monitors?
 
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