Miniature KEF LS50W, anyone? (Pics included!)

[Hugo9000]

 

Supposedly due in November, at half the price of the LS50W.

[Hugo9000]

Pics were on facebook.  Fabric wrap on some colors, such as the one shown, white is supposed to be a gloss finish like the white LS50.  The signature on the green face is Michael Young, he is an industrial designer based in Hong Kong.

 

http://www.michael-young.com/

[Hugo9000]

The manual is online:

 

KEF LSX.pdf

 

A few highlights:

 

Uni-Q driver array:

HF: 19mm (0.75in.) aluminium dome LF/MF: 115mm (4.5in.) magnesium/aluminium alloy cone

 

Frequency Response (±3dB) Measured at 85dB/1m:

54Hz - 28kHz (More bass extension)

59Hz - 28kHz (Standard)

69Hz - 28kHz (Less bass extension) Depending on speaker settings

 

Amplifier Output Power:

LF  70W

HF 30W

 

Inputs:

2.4GHz/5GHz Dual-band Wi-Fi network

Bluetooth 4.2 with aptX® codec

TOSLINK Optical

3.5mm Auxiliary Input

RJ45 Ethernet (For network)

 

Includes a subwoofer output

 

Dimension (HWD) 240 x 155 x 180 mm (9.5 x 6.1 x 7.1 in.)

Weight:  Master 3.6kg (7.9lbs), Slave 3.5kg (7.7lbs)

[Hugo9000]

42 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

the -3 dB point is 54 Hz for just the little 'satellites" alone??

 

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That's apparently with the maximum boost added.  These are active speakers like the LS50W.  

 

They also specify -6 dB:

 

Frequency Range (-6dB) Measured at 85dB/1m
49Hz - 47kHz (More bass extension)

52Hz - 47kHz (Standard)

55Hz - 47kHz (Less bass extension) Depending on speaker settings

 

Even the "standard" and "less extension" settings presumably have bass boost added.  There is no passive version of the LSX, so who knows what the true response of the driver itself would be, unlike comparisons that can be made between the active and passive versions of the LS50.
 

I haven't seen anything about distortion specs, whereas KEF discussed those for their LS50 in the "white paper" they published for that model, so I'm assuming it's much worse for this tiny speaker lol.  I hear these sound wonderful within their limitations, however, particularly as a desktop/nearfield speaker.

 

Max SPL listed for this model is 103 dB.

[Hugo9000]

Colors are said to be black, white, red, blue, and the green shown in the photos.  White is supposed to be the same gloss white as the LS50, the rest supposedly have fabric wraps, like the one pictured.  White is different to prevent staining/discoloration/yellowing over time.

 

I don't know about driver colors, before anyone asks lol.

 

If I get a pair, I'd probably choose white, as I don't really like the idea of a fabric wrap.  I think the white LS50s look great, although I ended up getting the "titanium" finish for mine.

[Hugo9000]

A few more pics:

 

 

[Hugo9000]

 

[Hugo9000]

One sub out, on the Master speaker only.  I included a pic of the rear of the slave speaker earlier in the thread.

[Hugo9000]

That Darko video addresses Roon here at 17:41: