KEF LS50 wireless comments / active speaker advice needed

[Dogan]

Hi Mi-Fu,

I pulled the trigger on LS50W last week when I stumbled upon a %40 discount from the KEF distributor here in Turkey that translates to a price of 2000 EUR. I also paid somewhere around 200 EUR for 2nd hand stands I saw in the demo area.

I can't comment on how good or bad they are compared to JBL 305 but they sound very [insert any positive adjective here] to me. As for the sub, you can test them without one for a while and add a sub later on if you think they need some punch.

Apart from the audio quality, the connectivity options might be their biggest selling point. I initially attached them to a Sony Bravia with RCA (variable) and noticed a very audible ground hum. However, I'm almost sure that the source of the hum is my defective TV which was already due for service. The TV is now connected to LS50w via bluetooth (that lets me control the volume with TV remote without any noticable sync issues) and xbox uses the optical.

There was also no problem in running Roon from the desktop that sits in the study and Spotify from the mobile phone in the wireless mode.

The build quality looks nice but durability remains to be seen.

Hope this help.

Dogan

 

[watchnerd]

Ha-ha No problem, I am buying my DSDs and DXDs - certified as native with no conversion or upsampling during the recording/mastering *, from a catalog of 64 labels for a total of 1,500 albums, even at the non-realistic pace of one-per-day, it would take five years for me to digest them all ... Plenty of time to enjoy in the meantime the format waiting for the next ...

* with no certification, the list is much longer ...

Maybe during recording / mastering...but during mixing/editing?

PCM is required to use mixing software.

So unless they did no mixing at all, it went to PCM somewhere.

 

[Ron Texas]

I've only experience with the passive LS50. In my opinion it isn't a full range speaker. You help yourself in many ways to add a sub. The sub need not be a below 20 hz variety, just one that gets to the 30 hz range well and relieves the LS50 of the burden.

Adding a budget ($700) sub to my passive LS50's made a huge difference both in terms of bass extension and dynamic range. Percussion and bass sounds so real now.

 

[Ron Texas]

Bit off topic but it would be intresting to see how a company like pioneer would go about bringing a 8c type speaker to market, considering economy of scale and other factors.

How much would they be?

One can dream.

Kef is a lot more likely to produce something like the 8c as they are already in the market with the LS50W. $5000?

 

[Thomas savage]

Maybe during recording / mastering...but during mixing/editing?

PCM is required to use mixing software.

So unless they did no mixing at all, it went to PCM somewhere.

That’s ..,

 

[mi-fu]

Hi Mi-Fu,

I pulled the trigger on LS50W last week when I stumbled upon a %40 discount from the KEF distributor here in Turkey that translates to a price of 2000 EUR. I also paid somewhere around 200 EUR for 2nd hand stands I saw in the demo area.

I can't comment on how good or bad they are compared to JBL 305 but they sound very [insert any positive adjective here] to me. As for the sub, you can test them without one for a while and add a sub later on if you think they need some punch.

Apart from the audio quality, the connectivity options might be their biggest selling point. I initially attached them to a Sony Bravia with RCA (variable) and noticed a very audible ground hum. However, I'm almost sure that the source of the hum is my defective TV which was already due for service. The TV is now connected to LS50w via bluetooth (that lets me control the volume with TV remote without any noticable sync issues) and xbox uses the optical.

There was also no problem in running Roon from the desktop that sits in the study and Spotify from the mobile phone in the wireless mode.

The build quality looks nice but durability remains to be seen.

Hope this help.

Dogan

Hi Dogan, thanks a lot for sharing your experience. Much appreciated
Have you tried connecting the LS50W to another device (apart from the Bravia) with RCA?
Also, for music, it seems to me that you mainly use the internal DAC of the LS50W. What file formats you play with it? Do you play the files directly from your iphone / ipad app (connected to LS50W on WIFI)?

 

[mi-fu]

I've only experience with the passive LS50. In my opinion it isn't a full range speaker. You help yourself in many ways to add a sub. The sub need not be a below 20 hz variety, just one that gets to the 30 hz range well and relieves the LS50 of the burden.

In view of your new concerns for reliability perhaps look into the Genelecs further. Those have a rep for reliability. Maybe even the 8040B. You'll need a DAC/preamp for it. Preferably one with balanced out. If the budget will stand it the RME ADI2 DAC would be a good choice.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...eview-and-measurements-of-rme-adi-2-dac.2582/

Thanks again for your suggestion. Actually I already own a ADI-2 DAC. So your recommendation of 8040B even makes more sense. B&H seems to have them on display too!

 

[Dogan]

Hi Dogan, thanks a lot for sharing your experience. Much appreciated
Have you tried connecting the LS50W to another device (apart from the Bravia) with RCA?
Also, for music, it seems to me that you mainly use the internal DAC of the LS50W. What file formats you play with it? Do you play the files directly from your iphone / ipad app (connected to LS50W on WIFI)?

I have not but I will try at some point and report back if I encounter any issues.

I don't keep any music on the portable devices apart from Spotify that streams at 320 kbps. No idea about the format. I did however played some FLAC, DSD256, DSF, DFF files using Roon that does what needs to be done. Not that my ears can differentiate the difference anyways even with the headphones

Dogan

 

[mi-fu]

I have not but I will try at some point and report back if I encounter any issues.

I don't keep any music on the portable devices apart from Spotify that streams at 320 kbps. No idea about the format. I did however played some FLAC, DSD256, DSF, DFF files using Roon that does what needs to be done. Not that my ears can differentiate the difference anyways even with the headphones

Dogan

Thanks a lot!!

 

[Ron Texas]

By the way, these are relatively inexpensive, $359 for T0's on Amazon and $499 for the T1's. I've listened to KEF LS50's a few times and I prefer the Vanatoo's over them. If you like to play loud or have a large room, I would definitely look at the T1 Encores.

There are so many stand mount speakers available at all sorts of prices. It's hard to start listing them.

 

[noobie1]

There are so many stand mount speakers available at all sorts of prices. It's hard to start listing them.

Totally agreed. I like Vanatoo’s because they stood out to me at two separate audio shows I attended (LAAS and CAAS). Also, Amirm has spoken positively about Vanatoo’s in his write ups in the past.

 

[graz_lag]

Maybe during recording / mastering...but during mixing/editing?
PCM is required to use mixing software.
So unless they did no mixing at all, it went to PCM somewhere.

I'm not an expert in this area, I privilege the DSD sound (despite it represents only 20% of my collection) vs. PCM (either 44.1 or HD, which account for the remaining 80%) for reasons that are strictly related to my individual preferences, such as ... pls. feel free to read here the usual long list of BS ...

However, on one argument I am strict : I do not buy anymore a SACD nor I download a DSD album if it is not clearly noted the recording original source and were/when it was made.
My customers, they want to know the origins and purchasing dates of the components incorporated into my industrial machinery : they ask, I answer.

I'm an end-user, the workflow is the business of the talented audio engineers, not mine.
To me it's enough to know whether the recording was made in DSD or PCM.
From there, I trust the labels I have selected, and thus their teams that bring the master tapes into the release items. (SACDs or DSDs to download.)
I believe that an honest audio engineer (I consider myself an honest engineer in my business) has all the interest to stay stick with the native sample-rate and/or bit-rate throughout his workflow in his pursue of the highest fidelity.
Has he the need to edit and mix the DSD master by means of the Wide-DSD technology ?
I do not complain, I cannot judge it objectively as I do not know how it works !
Marketing & commercially-wise, from there he can down convert the master recording as he likes, logically.

My point was abt. the fact that the earlier SACDs were basically nothing more than re-processed 44.1kHz PCM masters. (With all the due respect for these.)
Today, 'cause I am (we are) older, I have thru the year had the chance to buy SACDs issued from the original DSD masters (i.e. from Telarc, Denon, Linn ... among others), I simply say : No thank you ! To the question : SACD or DSD files of undisclosed masters ?

P.S. Earlier, they "invented" the 24-192 HD (obviously PCM but that's is not the object of this conclusion of mine), now they say : Schiit, it takes a significant amount of bandwidth to stream it, let's "invent" a new compressed format for the 24-192 PCM (so the MQA) that requires much less bandwidth ... If this is not pure BS ...

 

[Ron Texas]

Totally agreed. I like Vanatoo’s because they stood out to me at two separate audio shows I attended (LAAS and CAAS). Also, Amirm has spoken positively about Vanatoo’s in his write ups in the past.

I would begin to compile a list by going to What HiFi and checking out every stand mount with a 5 star rating. Then see what Stereophile has been recommending. It's a matter of money and taste.

Of course you could blow the roll on a trip: https://www.vanuatu.travel/en/

 

[Dogan]

Thanks a lot!!

Well, there is no hum with ipad. The Sony technician I spoke on the phone today swears that he never encountered a grounding problem with Sony LCD TVs. I'm no electrical engineer but this sounds like a bold claim to me.

Dogan

 

[mi-fu]

Well, there is no hum with ipad. The Sony technician I spoke on the phone today swears that he never encountered a grounding problem with Sony LCD TVs. I'm no electrical engineer but this sounds like a bold claim to me.

Dogan

that also sounds a pretty bold claim to me!

 

[Phronesis]

I have the LS50 wireless. I haven't compared them side by side with other speakers, but I very much like how they sound. I use them with Tidal and Spotify from my iPhone. The apps are sometimes buggy, but they're regularly updated, so not a big deal. The apps provide decent adjustability of the tonality, though I find these speakers just a *touch* bright on some tracks, even with the treble turned down a bit with the apps. I like bass, and find the bass to be impressive, it goes pretty low and can to cover small to medium sized rooms without needing a subwoofer. The built-in DAC and amps seem fully suited to do their jobs, and the build quality seems good. I would buy them again - and I think they're a much better value than my headphones in the $1500 to $2500 price range.

 

[TLEDDY]

Hmmmm....

I am listening to my bedroom system at the moment:

IPad/Tidal...Cambridge D100...Behringer DEQ 2496...KEF LS50 passive+KEF Sub

Subjectively/visual sounds damn fine on all genre of music types. In order of preference: classical piano, string quartets, full orchestra; small jazz ensembles; classic rock; folk music and damn near anything euphonic. I like the “What are we listening to now” ASR thread a lot!

Good rap is oxymoronic...