KEF LS50 Bookshelf Speaker Review

[LTig]

Ummm.... there are bookshelves that get down into the low 40's without any help. Will need to wait out on the reviews here to find out.

Neumann KH310.

 

[Mnyb]

Ummm.... there are bookshelves that get down into the low 40's without any help. Will need to wait out on the reviews here to find out.

Maybe but at what level ? i do want the same max spl capacity as a wide bandwith as possible , I'm all for using small/medium sized floorstanders with a sub

 

[Koeitje]

Another toy speaker, and expensive

This is not a toy speaker if you take into account the design limitations they had due to the target market.

 

[maxxevv]

Neumann KH310.

Believe those are at least in the 6" driver sizes and up.

 

[Sancus]

Neumann KH310.

Yeah -- the high end Neumann and Genelec stuff can definitely get into "full range", while not being overly large, but you pay for it.

 

[Koeitje]

Yeah -- the high end Neumann and Genelec stuff can definitely get into "full range", while not being overly large, but you pay for it.

Too bad they look like typical Pro audio models.

 

[audiophile]

I own and enjoy KEF LS50s for three years already. They need a sub, no question about it. I have two. They need a powerful amp that can handle impedance drops below 4 Ohms. Brightness can be tamed by speaker placement, height (tweeter below ear level) and toe-in. If placed correctly they can project a huge 3D holographic soundstage and completely disappear in a room.

 

[Sancus]

Too bad they look like typical Pro audio models.

Yep. I find the white Genelecs to be fairly inoffensive, but certainly not exciting. Buchardt A500, on the other hand, look more domestic hi-fi and definitely qualify as full range. Will be reviewed eventually, I think.

 

[YSC]

ok, I admit I am a fan of the design of LS50! and personally I am using a pair of X300A usb for my tiny room listening and it sounds great by that use, surely the bass of such small woofer won't do any good in reasonable sized living room or house in Europe or USA

 

[dukanvadet]

I think it is a problem to add the comments on the bass response under predicted in room response, it obviously doesnt predict much in the bass. It looks pretty much like the anechoic measurement. In a room it will have more bass gain, how much is varying with the room.
If you look at the room measurement in the distortion graph its much closer to flat in that room.

 

[Koeitje]

Yep. I find the white Genelecs to be fairly inoffensive, but certainly not exciting. Buchardt A500, on the other hand, look more domestic hi-fi and definitely qualify as full range. Will be reviewed eventually, I think.

White Genelecs are okay, but I am still a sucker for actual wood veneer. I consider speakers the same as furniture: need to do what it's supposed to do without looking out of place. But I understand I am the exception here.

 

[maty]

About the power,

KEF LS50W

* Woofer: 200 watts, class D

* Tweeter: 30 watts, class AB


KEF LS50 specs: 79 Hz at -3 dB

KEF Q100 specs: 49 Hz at - 3 dB

79 Hz, you need at least one subwoofer, yes or yes. And because they have the rear bass-reflex, they need space to the rear wall, unlike the Q100. And at least 50 cm to the side walls, maybe 90 cm. I discarded them right away seven years ago no need to buy or listen to them. Specs. Some users: at least 90 cm to the three walls!

And they really has sensitiviry of only 83 dB and 4 Ohms (KEF specs as nominal 8 Ohms, like Q100 ). Maybe nominal 5 Ohms, both, butt better 4 Ohms to the calcs. You need to know the real data to estimate the watts you need.

https://www.doctorproaudio.com/content.php?2273-calculators-proaudio-sound-dmx&langid=1#calc_spl


KEF R3, from manual

 

[maty]

I have a lot of info about KEF loudspeakers.

by Zvu (he made new crossovers to LS50 and Q100). I am very grateful to him, in addition to Erin / hardisj.

-> http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php?44315-Measurements-of-Kef-LS50

KEF LS50

KEF Q100

https://www.princeton.edu/3D3A/Directivity/KEF LS50/index_CDM.html

 

[zzzipo]

Test ATC SCM 11 speakers!

 

[maty]

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...r-one-can-find-for-2-500-or-less.6139/page-11

With VituixCAD, by the designer, kimmo / kimmosto

* https://kimmosaunisto.net/Software/Software.html

* https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/software-tools/307910-vituixcad.html


KEF LS50

KEF Q100

 

[Matias]

KEF R3 would be a killer KEF bookshelf speaker to test.

 

[BDWoody]

This is exactly what I do with my pair of LS50s. When I auditioned them I kept in mind I would be using subs. Playing with toe in I found they sounded best pointed almost straight forward. Then I played with EQ based on measurements to fix that brightness in the 2-5 KHz region. It probably helps to have a high power amplifier too.

I'm in the same place as the rest that seem to enjoy these. Use with a sub in a near field listening space, plenty ample amplification...mild eq to taste...very satisfying.

I prefer the 705p's, which I got on sale for the same $1000 I paid for the LS50's, but in their fairly small wheelhouse the Kef's are quite decent.

A 5" woofer has a lot of physics to battle....gotta manage the expectations.

 

[Ilkless]

Shame about the dip and peak from 1.5 to 5kHz. Bright. Uni-Q is amazing

 

[pozz]

For anyone who hasn't seen it, the presentation on the driver development:

• 2016) Mark Dodd - Developments in Wideband Transducers and Arrays with Single Source Characteristics

 

[pozz]

Test ATC SCM 11 speakers!

The first time I saw comprehensive measurements of ATC SCM25 ASL Pro speakers on soundandrecording.de I lost my craving for that brand entirely.