KEF LS50 Meta Review (Speaker)

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Copyright © 2020 by Gary Gesellchen, Vanatoo LLC
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This is because the resonant frequency of a port is a standing wave situation. Think of it like when you are pushing a child on a playground swing. You don’t have to run up and down the full length of the swing’s arc, holding the chair with your hand. You just provide a little nudge with your hand, hardly moving your hand at all, and the swing goes higher and higher.

so that's basically saying if at the tuning frequency, the driver cone itself is in a standing wave situation so it don't move a lot, but the port itself resonate and produce the required frequency?

 

[Tangband]

so that's basically saying if at the tuning frequency, the driver cone itself is in a standing wave situation so it don't move a lot, but the port itself resonate and produce the required frequency?

The woofer's minimum-motion frequency—ie, the frequency at which the cone is held stationary by the back pressure from the port resonance.

 

[theyellowspecial]

What is considered large or far field? I'm about 12.5' from my floorstanders.

I think that's on the far end of midfield and low end of farfield. 8'-12' being midfield.

 

[MarkWinston]

This thread is ridonculous... sandwiching a LS50 with 2 subs and using a sub for a stand.... bahahahahahahahahahaha! You should be sitting on a sub or 2 too, depending in how big your behind is.

 

[beagleman]

The woofer's minimum-motion frequency—ie, the frequency at which the cone is held stationary by the back pressure from the port resonance.

Not "totally" stationary, but very minimum motion.
I know you meant it that way, just clarifying.

 

[testp]

Type Freq Gain Q
PEQ 65.0, 3.00, 1.78,...
PEQ 166.5, -2.10, 0.88,...
PEQ 550.0, 1.40, 3.72,...
PEQ 830.0, -2.40, 1.83,...
PEQ 1224.0, -1.34, 9.45,...
PEQ 1609.0, 2.11, 2.65,...
PEQ 2764.0, -2.80, 1.35,...
PEQ 4747.0, -3.40, 3.00,...

so if i have something like minidsp shd, would i add these peq first in to shd, and then do dirac below 300hz for instance?

 

[Eetu]

so if i have something like minidsp shd, would i add these peq first in to shd, and then do dirac below 300hz for instance?

Yes, that's what I would do!

(And again so there's no confusion these were the filters for the original LS50, Maiky76 posted correction filters for the Meta later on this thread.)

 

[testp]

$1500 a pair, just from what's reviewed here and elsewhere with reliable measurements w/r/t distortion...
- Neumann KH120
- Genelec 8030C
- Focal Aria 906 and Shape 65
- Dynaudio X14

yeah but in europe i see them mostly 999 eur/ pair, sometimes less...

 

[testp]

I don't disagree that headroom is good but this one odd thing I hear all the time. I say something like 85db is the loudest I ever listen and then someone chimes in with "Yeah but what about the 20 db peaks?" I don't know how other people measure volume but I set my SPL meter to max so it picks up the loudest peaks that I hit, meaning my average levels are probably closer to 75-78db. Surveys I've seen on listening levels shows this to be fairly typical but of course there are some who listen louder. In a small room at typical listening levels these are fine for me but obviously they aren't going to be able to fill a huge room at a 15 foot listening distance for someone who plays them in the 90db range regularly.

there's another syndrome as well, we want something we are planning to buy, have everything / be prepared for whatever what, yet most of the time, whats there is enough. (just like apartment picking, does it have this, oh but i need that, and this definetly has to be there...yet owning it, i find myself not even needing all of it...

 

[Dennis_FL]

The thruth is that, even if Kef ls50 meta is a good loudspeaker , its rather expensive and its a passive loudspeaker that requires an amplifier.
And there is very tough competition in the form of Genelec 8030c .

Compair the distortion graphs . View attachment 146321View attachment 146323

I was all set to get Genelec but had second thoughts due to longevity concerns compared to passive speaker.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

I was all set to get Genelec but had second thoughts due to longevity concerns compared to passive speaker.

I dunno. I look at the cosmetics of the Genelec's and the Neumann's and I ask myself if I really want them in my living space over a period of years. Then I look at the LS 50 Metas and have no misgivings on that score whatsoever.

 

[MarkWinston]

I dunno. I look at the cosmetics of the Genelec's and the Neumann's and I ask myself if I really want them in my living space over a period of years. Then I look at the LS 50 Metas and have no misgivings on that score whatsoever.

LS50s are something you can live with for a very long time, until the next version comes out. Im now itching for an upgrade, Im deciding between the Wireless 2 or the Meta. Wireless 2 has everything done for you, and you gotta love some dsp magic. The Metas on the other hand have upgradability on their side, they improve greatly with every amp you upgrade.

 

[JWAmerica]

The Metas on the other hand have upgradability on their side, they improve greatly with every amp you upgrade.

I don't want to be that guy, but please elaborate. This sounds like some hoodoo audiofool talk. These aren't TOTL speakers that require a TOTL amplifier.

 

[MarkWinston]

I don't want to be that guy, but please elaborate. This sounds like some hoodoo audiofool talk. These aren't TOTL speakers that require a TOTL amplifier.

This doesnt need to be scientific, its just an opinion of a LS50 owner. The LS50 are hard to drive speakers for its size and category, and will bloom with more powerful and pricier amps. Some speakers dont change much with an increase of power, the LS50s do. It will work with lesser amps, but it definitely start singing with pricier amps. What makes you think only totl speakers possess this trait?

 

[dfuller]

I was all set to get Genelec but had second thoughts due to longevity concerns compared to passive speaker.

I wouldn't be too concerned about longevity. Nothing in them really will fail any faster than in a passive, and Genelec uses good quality parts that don't fail quickly.

 

[Doodski]

Nothing in them really will fail any faster than in a passive, and Genelec uses good quality parts

There are parts in them that can fail. We don't really know what parts are used.

 

[Newman]

I don't want to be that guy, but please elaborate. This sounds like some hoodoo audiofool talk. These aren't TOTL speakers that require a TOTL amplifier.

Amir’s review already says what’s needed: “a beefy amplifier”. But that’s realistically the end of the amp upgrade path needed.

 

[Dennis_FL]

The powered speakers may not last as long.....On the other hand, I've had many Sonos speakers for over 20 years now, and never had a problem.

On subject, this review cost me a lot of money. I was sold on the Genelec's at the beginning of the week. Then I shifted to Golden Ear, then Revel, then KEF wireless, then LS50 meta. I bought them earlier today. White. With the matching stand. I'll use my Emotiva amp - it has a gazillion watts.

I have 6 Monitor Audio Golds in a small 10x10 room and I need to minimize. I'm going to try to sell the Golds on Craigslist.

 

[richard12511]

I wouldn't be too concerned about longevity. Nothing in them really will fail any faster than in a passive, and Genelec uses good quality parts that don't fail quickly.

For me(and my usage), I would actually put reliability as a plus for the 8030, over the LS50. Genelec aggressively protects their speakers via limiters(some say too aggressively). I'm more likely to damage an LS50 via too much power/clipping than I am to lose an 8030c to electrical failure. Also, we're talking active/analogue here. No DSP.

This will obviously depend on usage(how much you like to push the volume). So far, I've lost 2 passive speakers(damaged tweeter), 0 active speakers, and 1 active subwoofer(plate amp on a $100 Dayton sub). I do listen fairly loud, though. My longest lasting speakers are actually some $200 actives.

 

[richard12511]

On subject, this review cost me a lot of money.

That's one way to look at it. I might argue you saved money in the long run by buying a great speaker to begin with.