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KEF LS50 Meta Review (Speaker)

I upgraded from the KEF Q150 to the LS50 Metas. I had a Topping PA3S amp and E50 DAC feeding the speakers but felt as though the sound was a little thin so wondered if the PA3S is underpowered for the LS50's. I grabbed a PA5II Plus which should be adequate and is described in reviews as having a high dampening factor, which elsewhere / here I've read is necessary with the LS50s.

q1 - is amp a good pairing for the LS50s ?
q2 - I picked up a WiiM Ultra and WiiM Amp Pro, but would this be a downgrade in quality relative to the E50+PA5II Plus combo? Going off the reviews here would say the Topping combo is objectively better but wanted to confirm.

Thanks

I have to reply because you're getting the typical bad advice...no amp is going to make your speakers sound less "thin" because all an amp does is amplify the signal, it shouldn't add or subtract anything from it including bass. Also, the motor on the driver is what controls the woofer, not an amp. Thin sound is because of a lack of bass and the LS50 don't put out a ton but you probably have a dip due to placement, you'd have to measure to know for sure and then maybe play with placement if you have room to move them. Subs will most likely be needed to fill out the bottom end and any dips you have due to placement, most rooms have a dip close to 80Hz so that ends up not being an ideal crossover, 100-120Hz is often better but you'll have to measure to see.
 
@haloeight that’s good advice from @aarons915 . On top that, consider moving the speakers a little farther back towards the opposite wall to utilize wall reinforcement for more bottom end (to an extent). Or play with placement in general.

-Ed
 
I have to reply because you're getting the typical bad advice...no amp is going to make your speakers sound less "thin" because all an amp does is amplify the signal, it shouldn't add or subtract anything from it including bass. Also, the motor on the driver is what controls the woofer, not an amp. Thin sound is because of a lack of bass and the LS50 don't put out a ton but you probably have a dip due to placement, you'd have to measure to know for sure and then maybe play with placement if you have room to move them. Subs will most likely be needed to fill out the bottom end and any dips you have due to placement, most rooms have a dip close to 80Hz so that ends up not being an ideal crossover, 100-120Hz is often better but you'll have to measure to see.

@haloeight that’s good advice from @aarons915 . On top that, consider moving the speakers a little farther back towards the opposite wall to utilize wall reinforcement for more bottom end (to an extent). Or play with placement in general.

-Ed

Thanks both - you're of course right about the amp topic, I just want to make sure I'm not leaving anything on the table. Likely I'm not with the PA5II+ but I'm on vacation so having fun trying things out. I don't really want to add a subwoofer at this point to my workstation setup but do see that it is commonly recommended for the LS50's. Unfortunately speaker placement is not really something I have a lot of flexibility on, so making do with Dirac Live correction to try and compensate for the less than ideal proximity to the wall.
 
Noob EQ question: I'm looking for a starting point to EQ my speakers since I have no fancy gadgets or knowledge to do it. There are 3 sets on spinorama (auto eq, 15 band, 30 band) and then I saw Mikey's. To my eye they each seem quite different. Any suggestions on which would be good to try?

FWIW: LS50 meta are on isoacoustic stands on a desktop on-axis about 4ft apart and from my listening position, in the middle of a 12x12 room w/ 9ft ceilings, and have an RSL 10e sub compliment current crossed at 80hz 12db. Powered by a WiiM amp (on EQ duty) for lower volume, calm enducing, music.

Thank you for assisting
 
The LS50 are made to be paired with a sub, unless you use them near field. They are giant killers if you do that even halfway competently, in my opinion. Don't try to make them fill even a medium sized room all by themselves. Plenty of threads here on ASR on optimal frequencies to do so.
 
Noob EQ question: I'm looking for a starting point to EQ my speakers since I have no fancy gadgets or knowledge to do it. There are 3 sets on spinorama (auto eq, 15 band, 30 band) and then I saw Mikey's. To my eye they each seem quite different. Any suggestions on which would be good to try?

FWIW: LS50 meta are on isoacoustic stands on a desktop on-axis about 4ft apart and from my listening position, in the middle of a 12x12 room w/ 9ft ceilings, and have an RSL 10e sub compliment current crossed at 80hz 12db. Powered by a WiiM amp (on EQ duty) for lower volume, calm enducing, music.

Thank you for assisting
If you’re using a WiiM Amp, can’t you just try the room correction?

Limit the room correction to a range of about 30Hz to 500Hz.

-Ed
 
If you’re using a WiiM Amp, can’t you just try the room correction?

Limit the room correction to a range of about 30Hz to 500Hz.

-Ed
30-500hz seems like an awful small band to correct, is there something I'm missing?
 
30-500hz seems like an awful small band to correct, is there something I'm missing?
The WiiM room correction works best under 1KHz. Up to 4KHz if you want to stretch it, but definitely do not let it mess with over 4KHz.

-Ed
 
The WiiM room correction works best under 1KHz. Up to 4KHz if you want to stretch it, but definitely do not let it mess with over 4KHz.

-Ed
Actually it can correct until 19khz - you can choose that in the settings.
 
30-500hz seems like an awful small band to correct, is there something I'm missing?
Below 500Hz is where usually room is the deciding factor. so you should fully ignore the EQ presets, measure the speakers in your room and bring down the peaks
Above that speaker is the deciding factor and you should correct based on anechoic measurements. in this case only fill the 1-3Khz dip(doable with inroom measurements as well)
After that you can go for your personal preferences like adding bass, midrange, treble ....
 
Actually it can correct until 19khz - you can choose that in the settings.
What it is allowed to do versus what it actually does well are two different things.

-Ed
 
What it is allowed to do versus what it actually does well are two different things.

-Ed
I just added this information as you mentioned it can only go up to 4khz, which is not correct.
 
I just added this information as you mentioned it can only go up to 4khz, which is not correct.
I think we are simply having an issue with communication here. My implication was never that it can’t go above 4KHz, but rather that it ought not be used over 4KHz, because it does not function well above 4KHz.

-Ed
 
I think we are simply having an issue with communication here. My implication was never that it can’t go above 4KHz, but rather that it ought not be used over 4KHz, because it does not function well above 4KHz.

-Ed
Yes - now it's clear :D
 
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