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Can you beat my option? KEF LS50 Wireless II + SVS SB-2000 Pro

JohnnyHonda

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My room is 12 wide by 17-21 ft long (its irregular) and 9 foot ceiling, lots of diffusion and absorption in various areas. I have the KEF Wireless II (previous two speakers were KEF Wireless, Energy Veritas 2.3i) and SVS SB3000, nearly the same combination that you’re considering. A few perspectives: the new Wireless II sound better than the original wireless/LS50 as the high frequencies are more realistic, less edgy (i give credit to the absorption of the back wave from the “meta material” and the improved crossover) and the speaker is more dynamic and is more effortless (I give credit to the more powerful amplification).

I think the tonal balance of the combination is good and I was able to easily integrate the two speakers using the combination of the KEF software and the SVS software. I was able to strongly manage the standing waves with the bass traps but its always easier to handle the bass room resonances with 2 subwoofers. I crossover with the KEF app at 75 hz. The SVS app is great to adjust and the 3 parametric equalizers can help you with your room.

I love the sound of this combination. The boxes the are important to me are: 1) Imaging 2) Smooth 3) Strong bass. It has tremendous imaging with space around each singer, instrument. The only imaging that I’ve had that was better was an electrostatic combination but those speakers were huge and had big mid bass issues. I think the coaxial approach simplifies the vertical frequency response challenges. I’ve been an audiophile for a very long time and I highly recommend this combination for rooms of my size. I think it would be capable of a larger room but not sure on its limit.

The couple of things I’m considering are room DSP and 2nd sub, but haven’t felt the need to pull the trigger…..yet.
 
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jstownse

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My room is 12 wide by 17-21 ft long (its irregular) and 9 foot ceiling, lots of diffusion and absorption in various areas. I have the KEF Wireless II (previous two speakers were KEF Wireless, Energy Veritas 2.3i) and SVS SB3000, nearly the same combination that you’re considering. A few perspectives: the new Wireless II sound better than the original wireless/LS50 as the high frequencies are more realistic, less edgy (i give credit to the absorption of the back wave from the “meta material” and the improved crossover) and the speaker is more dynamic and is more effortless (I give credit to the more powerful amplification).

I think the tonal balance of the combination is good and I was able to easily integrate the two speakers using the combination of the KEF software and the SVS software. I was able to strongly manage the standing waves with the bass traps but its always easier to handle the bass room resonances with 2 subwoofers. I crossover with the KEF app at 75 hz. The SVS app is great to adjust and the 3 parametric equalizers can help you with your room. If you do get a second sub, just remember that the output isn’t stereo, only mono (Same bass out of both KEF speakers rca outputs).

I love the sound of this combination. The boxes the are important to me are: 1) Imaging 2) Smooth 3) Strong bass. It has tremendous imaging with space around each singer, instrument. The only imaging that I’ve had that was better was an electrostatic combination but those speakers were huge and had big mid bass issues. I think the coaxial approach simplifies the vertical frequency response challenges. I’ve been an audiophile for a very long time and I highly recommend this combination for rooms of my size. I think it would be capable of a larger room but not sure on its limit.

The couple of things I’m considering are room DSP and 2nd sub, but haven’t felt the need to pull the trigger…..yet.

Take a look at the EQ tab in the KEF Connect app. You can toggle stereo rather than mono for two subs if you would prefer it that way.
 
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Vahidhm

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Apr 11, 2021
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My room is 12 wide by 17-21 ft long (its irregular) and 9 foot ceiling, lots of diffusion and absorption in various areas. I have the KEF Wireless II (previous two speakers were KEF Wireless, Energy Veritas 2.3i) and SVS SB3000, nearly the same combination that you’re considering. A few perspectives: the new Wireless II sound better than the original wireless/LS50 as the high frequencies are more realistic, less edgy (i give credit to the absorption of the back wave from the “meta material” and the improved crossover) and the speaker is more dynamic and is more effortless (I give credit to the more powerful amplification).

I think the tonal balance of the combination is good and I was able to easily integrate the two speakers using the combination of the KEF software and the SVS software. I was able to strongly manage the standing waves with the bass traps but its always easier to handle the bass room resonances with 2 subwoofers. I crossover with the KEF app at 75 hz. The SVS app is great to adjust and the 3 parametric equalizers can help you with your room.

I love the sound of this combination. The boxes the are important to me are: 1) Imaging 2) Smooth 3) Strong bass. It has tremendous imaging with space around each singer, instrument. The only imaging that I’ve had that was better was an electrostatic combination but those speakers were huge and had big mid bass issues. I think the coaxial approach simplifies the vertical frequency response challenges. I’ve been an audiophile for a very long time and I highly recommend this combination for rooms of my size. I think it would be capable of a larger room but not sure on its limit.

The couple of things I’m considering are room DSP and 2nd sub, but haven’t felt the need to pull the trigger…..yet.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. As you said, the dsp and stereo sub would be the only caveat and only for that the passive ones could be better. I may end up buying the passive one with a cheap amp for a couple of years until a good dap with all these features become reasonably priced. I know people like Denon X3700H here and it seems that it has all features and proper DSP but first it is not available and second is this 8k mess and that giant size old looking unit which is not really a 2021 product. BTW, I appreciate the good points you mentioned
 
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Vahidhm

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Take a look at the EQ tab in the KEF Connect app. You can toggle stereo rather than mono for two subs if you would prefer it that way.
The manual says the sub output is mono I think but I am not sure if there is an option to toggle it to stereo
 

JohnnyHonda

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Take a look at the EQ tab in the KEF Connect app. You can toggle stereo rather than mono for two subs if you would prefer it that way.
Thanks, I didn’t notice they updated the app….good improvement if I want to add the second sub. Originally it was mono, but I can confirm the app does now have a toggle for stereo.
 
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Vahidhm

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Idk if anyone's recommended it yet, but I'd go for an X3700H + Emotiva T2+ + 2 Monoprice Monolith 10's or 1 Monolith 12.
Denon X3700 is recommended by many of the users but it has been out of stock and also has issues with hdmi2.1
 

SpeakersForTheDead

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Denon X3700 is recommended by many of the users but it has been out of stock and also has issues with hdmi2.1

It comes in and out of stock every couple of weeks, it shouldn't be too difficult scoring one soon-ish. And its hdmi 2.1 issue has a fix in the way of an adapter box, but it doesn't sound like you even need hdmi 2.1, unless you're also planning to game at 4k120hz and don't feel like using eARC as an alternative.
 

Morpheus

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Thank you so much for your very practical option. It does cover all features I need and it seems that the speakers are like a gem (ugly gem if there is a thing :D) . The main question that I can

I will have a very hard time convincing my wife about that speaker aesthetics though :facepalm:

The Kefs are about as good as it gets in SOAF, but your wife might find the white Genelec version quite palatable, even cute, I have noticed women like them...And keeping in the active realm but having the streaming/processing outside and updatable is the better, future/failure safe way to go..
 
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