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KEF LSX Review (Wireless Speaker)

John Atkinson

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This is confirming measurements from @John Atkinson: exceptional performance for such a small box, except for high SPL...

You can find my measurements of the LSX at https://www.stereophile.com/content/kef-lsx-wireless-loudspeaker-system-measurements
and the in-room response and my auditioning comments using Roon at https://www.stereophile.com/content/kef-lsx-wireless-loudspeaker-system-john-atkinson-june-2019

John Atkinson
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MaxBuck

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You can find my measurements of the LSX at https://www.stereophile.com/content/kef-lsx-wireless-loudspeaker-system-measurements
and the in-room response and my auditioning comments using Roon at https://www.stereophile.com/content/kef-lsx-wireless-loudspeaker-system-john-atkinson-june-2019

John Atkinson
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Thanks for the link and the excellent discussion, John. But you have to be the first person I know of whose movie watching centers around the kitchen. :oops:
 

tifune

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You can find my measurements of the LSX at https://www.stereophile.com/content/kef-lsx-wireless-loudspeaker-system-measurements
and the in-room response and my auditioning comments using Roon at https://www.stereophile.com/content/kef-lsx-wireless-loudspeaker-system-john-atkinson-june-2019

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile

Just curious, when you tested these was it in cabled or wireless mode? I experienced the same issue you did re: analog input latency, but somewhere buried in Kef"s FAQs I found an entry suggesting cabled mode would (mostly) get rid of this problem.

Edit: finally found it; I was searching for 'latency' but they refer to it as 'delay'
 

ergre

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??? I downloaded the app a couple of days ago. How could it be old?
You can also update the firmware of the speaker. But that does not happen often so that is probably ok.
When I tried that that was also not the best experience and while googling for help I saw I was not the only person that found that difficult.
For the rest I am pretty happy with them. I always use airplay from my iPad and that works fine.
 

acetogen

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??? I downloaded the app a couple of days ago. How could it be old?
Sorry, my understanding is that the lsx and LS50W use a different KEF app than the LS50W-Meta, which I think is the KEF Connect. It is possible that app is no longer being updated by KEF.
 

RobS

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As the distortion plots show, this is a low-volume speaker just like the original LS50 is. You can't crank it loud without it severely distorting.
 

YSC

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One thin
As the distortion plots show, this is a low-volume speaker just like the original LS50 is. You can't crank it loud without it severely distorting.
with a coaxial driver and 4.5" only I am already surprised the bass -6db point is somewhere at ~57hz already, for desktop/computer speaker use with some wall loading bass boost it should be fully usable and I can imagine very satisfying for such case.

If you plan to use these tiny thingies in a large living room and not opt for a sub... you likely value design and decoration over sound, which I suppose us still satisfying;)
 

mfgillia

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Sorry, my understanding is that the lsx and LS50W use a different KEF app than the LS50W-Meta, which I think is the KEF Connect. It is possible that app is no longer being updated by KEF.

I own both the LSX and LS50w. Highly recommend interested buyers spend more on version 2 just for the new app alone. The app for version one is consistently rated among the worst for android, which for many of us significantly impacts usability and harmoniously living with both systems over the long term.
 

io53

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Thanks for the review! I've had an eye on these for a while, seems feature rich with nice ascetics and not terrible performance. Guess I'll wait for the rumored v2 before even thinking about it :).

The Fives from Klipsch produce an unbelievably large sound from two little (very nice looking) boxes and toy drivers. I heard them on a recent visit to Harrods, free standing in a huge show room. No aid from walls. - The issue is that they do this with overblown bass and even using EQ can't completely fix this. Still, much fun and perfect for all the family if you want to keep them away from the main system.

The LSX sounds far more balanced and hifi but nowhere near as much fun. It is also lacking in power and grunt compared to the LS50 Wireless (1 or 2).I love the textile covering though.

You can now pick up up a Wireless 1 for a similar price to the LSX. Far better choice imho unless you have a very small room.

This is a bit off topic, but The Fives low-end is definitely fixable with EQ (why would it not be?). Klipsch has even release a fimware update with a bass-cut DSP mode that makes the low-end very flat.
Checkout Erins review if you haven't seen it https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...fives-powered-bookshelf-speaker-review.22892/
 

beagleman

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One thin

with a coaxial driver and 4.5" only I am already surprised the bass -6db point is somewhere at ~57hz already, for desktop/computer speaker use with some wall loading bass boost it should be fully usable and I can imagine very satisfying for such case.

If you plan to use these tiny thingies in a large living room and not opt for a sub... you likely value design and decoration over sound, which I suppose us still satisfying;)


Not sure if you realized, but they actually use a 5.25" midwoofer, not a 4.5"
 

YSC

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Not sure if you realized, but they actually use a 5.25" midwoofer, not a 4.5"
B543A737-9455-4B22-9D9F-85FFA54AE84D.png

this is from kef webpage, I am pretty sure it’s a smaller driver than the X300A 5.25” UniQ driver in showrooms
 

preload

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The Fives from Klipsch produce an unbelievably large sound from two little (very nice looking) boxes and toy drivers. I heard them on a recent visit to Harrods, free standing in a huge show room. No aid from walls. - The issue is that they do this with overblown bass and even using EQ can't completely fix this. Still, much fun and perfect for all the family if you want to keep them away from the main system.

The LSX sounds far more balanced and hifi but nowhere near as much fun. It is also lacking in power and grunt compared to the LS50 Wireless (1 or 2).I love the textile covering though.

You can now pick up up a Wireless 1 for a similar price to the LSX. Far better choice imho unless you have a very small room.
Do you prefer the sound of the Fives over the LSX?
 

roryoconnor

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I own both the LSX and LS50w. Highly recommend interested buyers spend more on version 2 just for the new app alone. The app for version one is consistently rated among the worst for android, which for many of us significantly impacts usability and harmoniously living with both systems over the long term.

Which do you think sound better? I found the LSX to sound better in some instances, which was surprising ( albeit in a 12m sq room )
 

YSC

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What's 4.5 + 0.75? :D
I am pretty sure KEF use outer diameter and won't count the tweeter in their spec sheets, the X300A is spec. with a 130mm (5.25") driver and I just measured mine, it measured 130mm from the surround edge to edge. And IRL the LSX driver does look like a 4.5" not a 5".
 

kyle_neuron

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I am pretty sure KEF use outer diameter and won't count the tweeter in their spec sheets, the X300A is spec. with a 130mm (5.25") driver and I just measured mine, it measured 130mm from the surround edge to edge. And IRL the LSX driver does look like a 4.5" not a 5".

I suspected as much, but the correlation was too perfect not to point out!
 
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YSC

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I suspected as much, but the correlation was too perfect not to point out!
Yea that is really coincidence and misleading, but I would say they are smart not to do so as that likely will cause trouble if they did add the tweeter size in the math and when ppl go do some measurements and sue them for dishonesty ;)
 
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