KEF LS50 Wireless

[thefsb]

At $1700 it seems like a good deal. Couple of questions:

One review said LS50 would be a good choice for a "small" room. Our room (plan drawing, PM me for photos) is 18 ft (5.5 m) deep, 24 ft (7.3 m) wide, and 10 ft (3 m) high resulting in volume 4320 ft³ (61 m³). Leaving aside the question of subs, are LS50W enough? We do not listen to anything very loud, being in a city apartment. We sometimes listen to music loud enough to not hear the doorbell or to make conversation difficult.

 

[PierreV]

At $1700 it seems like a good deal. Couple of questions:

One review said LS50 would be a good choice for a "small" room. Our room (plan drawing, PM me for photos) is 18 ft (5.5 m) deep, 24 ft (7.3 m) wide, and 10 ft (3 m) high resulting in volume 4320 ft³ (61 m³). Leaving aside the question of subs, are LS50W enough? We do not listen to anything very loud, being in a city apartment. We sometimes listen to music loud enough to not hear the doorbell or to make conversation difficult.

More than enough. I have the LS50 on a 2x50 watts amplifier in a similar room and you can certainly get them to be too loud. The LS50W have significantly more punch than that system (direct comparison I did in the past, a couple of friends own LS50W).

 

[napilopez]

More than enough. I have the LS50 on a 2x50 watts amplifier in a similar room and you can certainly get them to be too loud. The LS50W have significantly more punch than that system (direct comparison I did in the past, a couple of friends own LS50W).

Yep, much more than enough. I live in a similarly sized space in NYC. The LS50Ws get LOUD, especially as KEF isn't trying to push the small woofer to into producing crazy sub-bass .

 

[q3cpma]

Looks overpriced compared to the equivalent studio monitors, even if a good deal. Have you considered the Neumann KH120A or Genelec 8030?

 

[thefsb]

Looks overpriced compared to the equivalent studio monitors, even if a good deal. Have you considered the Neumann KH120A or Genelec 8030?

I did consider Genelec (I use them on my workstation desk).

1. Iiuc, Genelec's studio monitors are intended to be used with critical placement while KEF LS50 appears to be designed for decent vertical and horizontal off-axis response too and that's important to us.
2. With plain monitors I lack some things the LS50W provides:
   • USB DAC input
   • Hookups for my TT and HDMI switch
   • Network connection and UPnP renderer
   • Input selection
   • Convenient volume control
   • Subwoofer connection
   • DSP eq/bass management

It seems, given measurements, reviews and owner reports, that KEF did a good job with the LS50 passive and that it is often decribed as good value for money. In the LS50W for $200 extra (in the current promo) you get amps and all the stuff under 2 in one tidy package. We find this rather attractive relative to having additional components/remotes.

How well that stuff under 2 works relative to using separates with active studio monitors is a another set of discussions.

 

[q3cpma]

If you like that whole software package, then there's indeed few reasons to not consider the Kefs. But I personally worry about the general quality of these; especially when the electronics have a tiny 1 year warranty in the US.

 

[napilopez]

Looks overpriced compared to the equivalent studio monitors, even if a good deal. Have you considered the Neumann KH120A or Genelec 8030?

I did consider Genelec (I use them on my workstation desk).

1. Iiuc, Genelec's studio monitors are intended to be used with critical placement while KEF LS50 appears to be designed for decent vertical and horizontal off-axis response too and that's important to us.
2. With plain monitors I lack some things the LS50W provides:
   • USB DAC input
   • Hookups for my TT and HDMI switch
   • Network connection and UPnP renderer
   • Input selection
   • Convenient volume control
   • Subwoofer connection
   • DSP eq/bass management

It seems, given measurements, reviews and owner reports, that KEF did a good job with the LS50 passive and that it is often decribed as good value for money. In the LS50W for $200 extra (in the current promo) you get amps and all the stuff under 2 in one tidy package. We find this rather attractive relative to having additional components/remotes.

How well that stuff under 2 works relative to using separates with active studio monitors is a another set of discussions.

Yeah, came here to say this. The convenience of the LS50W comes in handy, the simple tone controls are nice for tweaking the sound, and adding a sub in the future is a cinch. It's also just pretty.

I'd give the edge to the Genelec or Neumann in a nearfield scenario because of the better on-axis, but with more room sound in the mix, I feel the LS50W's smooth vertical response would likely balance out the on big flaw in its on axis response, the dip around 1.8k. Here are my measurements of the LS50W for instance:

That dip is pretty obnoxious, and I don't know why I stopped at 60 degrees instead of the usual 75, but you can see the dip straightens out by 60 degrees. Can't say for sure, but presumably it would continue to be relatively even further off axis. Treble tilts down a bit, but you can tweak that a bit in the app.

 

[TimDH]

I auditioned both the LS-50 wireless and the newer and smaller LS-X. They both sound great and filling your room with the LS-50 will work fine. A big nod of these over the Neumann or Genelecs are: 1) KEFs are much better looking; 2) you can connect them to your TV if you want to through an optical connection; and 3) you can work with them in wireless mode. All you would need is an iPhone or Android phone and you're good to go to stream Tidal, Spotify etc- or work from your music library with a PC/Mac. I chose the LS-X just because I was working with a kitchen space and the LS-50 would have been overkill

 

[thefsb]

Here are my measurements of the LS50W for instance

Thank you for that!

Those curves aren't as discouraging to me as they might be to others because the only thing we regularly listen to on-axis is TV and movies. And I really just don't care that much how The Simpsons sounds.

 

[SMc]

The also wireless Dynaudio Xeo 2 is going for about $600 if you'd like to spend less.

 

[thefsb]

If you like that whole software package, then there's indeed few reasons to not consider the Kefs. But I personally worry about the general quality of these; especially when the electronics have a tiny 1 year warranty in the US.

I worry too. Pros and cons. Trade offs. Idk.

 

[Ron Texas]

Looks overpriced compared to the equivalent studio monitors, even if a good deal. Have you considered the Neumann KH120A or Genelec 8030?

The European Neumann/Genelec Mafia.

 

[maty]

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...measurements-by-danny-richie.8840/post-224147

[PDF] https://oslohificenter.no/streaming...Product-ExternalReviews.OHC-PageLink-FileLink

Woofer with class D 200 watts. Tweeter with class AB 30 watts.

 

[napilopez]

I auditioned both the LS-50 wireless and the newer and smaller LS-X. They both sound great and filling your room with the LS-50 will work fine. A big nod of these over the Neumann or Genelecs are: 1) KEFs are much better looking; 2) you can connect them to your TV if you want to through an optical connection; and 3) you can work with them in wireless mode. All you would need is an iPhone or Android phone and you're good to go to stream Tidal, Spotify etc- or work from your music library with a PC/Mac. I chose the LS-X just because I was working with a kitchen space and the LS-50 would have been overkill

I actually thought the LSX sounded better than the LS50W in a nearfield setup, especially crossed with a sub. Probably because of the lack of the midrange dip, though the treble is a bit laid back by default. (I wasn't measuring speakers when I tested the LSX, but stereophile's measurements show some narrow interference dips that likely make the speaker sound a bit laid back on the top end. With the treble boost activated in app, that balances out some.

Thank you for that!

Those curves aren't as discouraging to me as they might be to others because the only thing we regularly listen to on-axis is TV and movies. And I really just don't care that much how The Simpsons sounds.

Yeah, I don't think that'll be an issue for typical at home listening. I just checked my 'archives' and found three in-room measurements I'd made of the LS50W. Averaging them out, I can see no evidence of that midrange dip. It's not the best bit of data, but it does suggest the dip is not particularly audible at my listening distance of ~9 feet.

(Also, eesh i had some nasty room stuff in the bass)

 

[thefsb]

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...measurements-by-danny-richie.8840/post-224147

[PDF] https://oslohificenter.no/streaming...Product-ExternalReviews.OHC-PageLink-FileLink

Thanks. This also shows the dip between 1 and 2 kHz that napilopez got.

I'd love to get Ascend boxes but then I'd be committing to a lot more money and equipment and complicated choices and providing a nice central UI. I thought I had it all figured out when I started having doubts about the central component in the plan, a MiniDSP SHD. Then when I considered the LS50W costs $500 more than the SDH I had to consider it.

 

[q3cpma]

The European Neumann/Genelec Mafia.

KEF is British, though. And the Harman/Kardon cabal needs some competition, heh.

 

[maty]

With a good minimum phase PEQ you can modify the frequency response like me with modded KEF Q100.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...phase-vs-linear-phase.8762/page-7#post-225351

and when you are happy, then reRephase to modify the phase too -> convolver filter -> software player.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...inimum-phase-vs-linear-phase.8762/post-253826

 

[mi-fu]

I auditioned LS50 wireless. But I bought JBL 705P. They are both priced similarly.

The KEF doesn't have the same clarity, at least to my ears.

I also think JBL has better bass extension too.

 

[mi-fu]

KEF is British, though. And the Harman/Kardon cabal needs some competition, heh.

Actually KEF is now Chinese; owned by a battery company in Hong Kong, but most operations are run in China

 

[thefsb]

(Also, eesh i had some nasty room stuff in the bass)

Your 60 Hz hum is really honking, eh?!

For a while, K K Null was touring without guitar and just used the unplugged 1/4" jack on the guitar cable. I guess his sound was different in 50 Hz countries.