KEF LS50 Meta Review (Speaker)

[kolestonin]

Very useful info from all of you.
I forgot to mention I also have Eve audio SC307 and Dynaudio Lyd48 in my list.
Cause the biggest decision for me is to leave the actives and take the passive route.
Cause I am in the process of becoming an audiophile and I wanted to enjoy the journey in small steps.
But after a suggestion from a friend to consider buying the metas, I did a web search and I as I already said I was astonished by reviews and users feedback. Cause these small speakers was not exactly what I had in mind when I decided to upgrade my 5"" Jbl's. There are of course people who did not like them, but I think I am convinced that there is some excellent value for money here. After all we also have Amirm's review which is based on scientific(eventhough not fully understandable to me) facts and not marketing or some kind of web hype.

 

[juliangst]

One thing to keep in mind is that you also need an amp to drive them.
I probably would first get the speakers and amp+other stuff before getting a second sub.

 

[Chromatischism]

Considering 20% price difference (which is ok for me) should I choose R3 over LS50 Meta? In both scenario I'll add SVS 2000 Pro.
Room is 30 square meters, but open for kitchen and corridor.

If you're shopping R3 prices I would strongly also consider Buchardt S400 MKII, JBL 4305P, Monitor Audio Silver 200 7G, Paradigm Founder 40B, Polk Reserve R700, and HECO Aurora 1000.

And for good measure, the Ascend Sierra LX which comes in at an even lower price point. All measure and sound great.

 

[keff]

If you're shopping R3 prices I would strongly also consider Buchardt S400 MKII, JBL 4305P, Monitor Audio Silver 200 7G, Paradigm Founder 40B, Polk Reserve R700, and HECO Aurora 1000.

And for good measure, the Ascend Sierra LX which comes in at an even lower price point. All measure and sound great.

Thanks. I'd love to buy Buchardts but in the East Europe there are almost twice in price than R3.

 

[Chromatischism]

Thanks. I'd love to buy Buchardts but in the East Europe there are almost twice in price than R3.

That is really strange. They should be about the same. After all they ship from Denmark.

Are you saying you get a big discount on KEF?

 

[keff]

That is really strange. They should be about the same. After all they ship from Denmark.

Are you saying you get a big discount on KEF?

I believe that R3 are made in China but Buchardts made in Denmark.
No, no any discount on KEF.
LS50 II wireless are in the price level of S400 MK2.

 

[Chromatischism]

I believe that R3 are made in China but Buchardts made in Denmark.
No, no any discount on KEF.
LS50 II wireless are in the price level of S400 MK2.

This is not making sense.

If LS50 Wireless II cost the same as S400 MKII, do not hesitate to buy the Buchardts. The Buchardts are way better.

But that does not explain how the Buchardts can cost double the R3, unless you are getting a steep discount on the R3. S400 = R3 > LS50.

 

[juliangst]

This is not making sense.

If LS50 Wireless II cost the same as S400 MKII, do not hesitate to buy the Buchardts. The Buchardts are way better.

But that does not explain how the Buchardts can cost double the R3, unless you are getting a steep discount on the R3. S400 = R3 > LS50.

The new Buchardt P300 might be the better deal if someone already has a sub

 

[Chromatischism]

The new Buchardt P300 might be the better deal if someone already has a sub

Or a used S400 would be even better

 

[juliangst]

Or a used S400 would be even better

S400 or S400 mk2?
I think that the P300 with a sub could be even better than the S400 mk2. They just changed the woofer to one that doesn't go as deep but is more 'punchy', use cheaper binding posts and changed the crossover a bit. All of this for 700€ less

 

[Chromatischism]

S400 or S400 mk2?
I think that the P300 with a sub could be even better than the S400 mk2. They just changed the woofer to one that doesn't go as deep but is more 'punchy', use cheaper binding posts and changed the crossover a bit. All of this for 700€ less

There are some used MKI's for sale since people upgraded to MKII's.

The P300 definitely won't be as good as the S400 MKII. For one thing, the crossover is higher at 2900 Hz. The S400 MKII is at 1800 Hz. There is a big difference there in the quality of the lower treble.

S400 MKII > S400 MKI > P300

 

[juliangst]

There are some used MKI's for sale since people upgraded to MKII's.

The P300 definitely won't be as good as the S400 MKII. For one thing, the crossover is higher at 2900 Hz. The S400 MKII is at 1800 Hz. There is a big difference there in the quality of the lower treble.

S400 MKII > S400 MKI > P300

Well, we'll see. I personally would take LS50 (meta) with one or two subs over any of those.

 

[Chromatischism]

I definitely would not. Different strokes, maybe. But the LS50 design will never come close to the "full" sound of a floorstander, even with subs, like the Buchardts do.

 

[kolestonin]

One thing to keep in mind is that you also need an amp to drive them.
I probably would first get the speakers and amp+other stuff before getting a second sub.

Yes, the 2nd sub will be added in a 2nd stage.
As for the amp, I read the whole thread and came to the conclusion that with below amp+dac combination I will take the maximum from the metas, and also achieve optimal sub integration, with the minimum cost:

MPA-S250NC+Mini DSP Flex

That is really strange. They should be about the same. After all they ship from Denmark.

Are you saying you get a big discount on KEF?

It is indeed strange.
Where I live(central europe) I can find KEF R3 for 1800euros and Buchard S400MKII for 2000euros

ps: I hate the guy who brought these Buchardt beauties in the conversation

 

[MCH]

I see the R3 at 629 eur/unit in several online shops in germany now. 1800 was the full price.

https://www.idealo.de/preisvergleich/OffersOfProduct/6304376_-r3-kef.html

 

[juliangst]

MPA-S250NC+Mini DSP Flex

That's funny, I would've recommended exactly the same lol
If you're fine with tinkering around you could also get the Topping DM7 8 channel DAC and do all the DSP with a PC or Raspberry Pi running camillaDSP.
But the MiniDSP of course is easiert to work with.

I can find KEF R3 for 1800euros

I always see them for 1400€ or even less here:

KEF R3

| KEF R3 Stückpreis Regallautsprecher Heimkino (schwarz)

hidden-audio.de

KEF R3 (Stück)

Dreiwege Bass-Reflex Kompaktlautsprecher Standfuß nicht im Lieferumfang! Stückpreise

www.hifi-im-hinterhof.de

Both are reputable dealers

 

[Ata]

Considering 20% price difference (which is ok for me) should I choose R3 over LS50 Meta? In both scenario I'll add SVS 2000 Pro.
Room is 30 square meters, but open for kitchen and corridor.

I had the same choice and ended up with the LS50 Meta. I expect R3 will be replaced with an improved (R3 meta?) version soon, if you can wait. Otherwise, there are the Buchards and other less mainstream branded speakers but they are in a different price bracket.

 

[juliangst]

I had the same choice and ended up with the LS50 Meta. I expect R3 will be replaced with an improved (R3 meta?) version soon, if you can wait. Otherwise, there are the Buchards and other less mainstream branded speakers but they are in a different price bracket.

'Soon' will probably be 5 years or more. The LS50 got the Meta upgrade 10 years after their initial release. The R line also was upgraded in 2018 from the R300, R500... to R3,R5 and so on

 

[Ata]

Of course, there are no guarantees, KEF may, theoretically, choose to reshuffle their product line and axe the R series . But, since meta-materials made it to their Reference line, and are already in the LS line, it would make sense that they can be added to the R line with minimal design changes, even without driver/enclosure design change. R line Special Anniversary Edition, may be. All speculation.

 

[Daka]

I have ls50 meta x6 with R2C center and q50a.
It’s glorious - biggest distance I have to them is 2.5m. Crossed at 100Hz with 3 subs. Even though speaker position is far from perfect immersion is amazing, coherence between speakers perfect.
You can easily get 105db from metas especially when XO is used. Only at bigger distance to them their wide dispersion would be a disadvantage compared to R. At closer distance it’s an advantage. I would think limit would be around 3.5m but haven’t tested.