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Article: KEF's New LS50 Collection


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Yeah, I've thought about them, too, but the LS50W are about $3600 where I live, which makes them a less appealing proposition.

Chris, if you are in contact with KEF ask them about Roon and the Wireless model. AFAIR, there have been issues for Roon users with multi-room and a couple of other small issues.

They seem to have been solved from what I see on the forums, but it would be useful for potential buyers to have this confirmed.

 

Also, it used  to be that they didn't play gapless - except for via Roon, as they outside of Roon they are using the UPnP protocol. Is this still true?

 

Resampling high rates internally: IME, not an issue with well engineered HW and SW, except for in the heads of some audiophiles. If they don't know it's happening, they don't hear it.

Main listening (small home office):

Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments.

Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three .

Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup.
Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. 

All absolute statements about audio are false :)

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37 minutes ago, ShawnC said:

If these become RAAT certified by Roon, then I'm upgrading my Nocturne Edition pair. 

Just curious what makes you so sure the upgrade is worth it? What if it is only marginal for an existing owner?

Main listening (small home office):

Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments.

Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three .

Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup.
Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. 

All absolute statements about audio are false :)

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4 hours ago, firedog said:

Just curious what makes you so sure the upgrade is worth it? What if it is only marginal for an existing owner?

So they can be grouped together with other zones.  Right now they can’t. 

Computer setup - Roon/Qobuz - PS Audio P5 Regenerator - HIFI Rose 250A Streamer - Emotiva XPA-2 Harbeth P3ESR XD - Rel  R-528 Sub

Comfy Chair - Schitt Jotunheim - Meze Audio Empyrean w/Mitch Barnett's Accurate Sound FilterSet

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I have - and LOVE - the smaller Kef LSX and was recently (literally last weekend) thinking of upgrading to the original LS50 Wireless. I was also considering the Dynaudio Xeo 20 or the ELAC Navis ARB-51. 

 

There is a lot to be said for a small form factor plug'n'play speaker for living room music. Same point as Chris made.

 

I'm definitely in the frame for these new mark II models. 

 

p.s.     Any idea as to availability - it just says pre-order on the Kef website. 

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The power cords and the Ethernet cable between the speakers, which is mandatory for best performance (in addition to a possible digital in cable to main speaker), add up to more cables than regular speakers with just speaker cables from amp. Unfortunately this spaghetti is a huge minus for these speakers, especially when they are put on stands.  
 

FYI, I did once own the ls50W. 

Say NO to ROON

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2 minutes ago, FIndingit said:

The power cords and the Ethernet cable between the speakers, which is mandatory for best performance (in addition to a possible usb cable to main speaker), adds up to more cables than a regular speaker with just a speaker cable. Unfortunately this spaghetti is a huge minus for these speakers. 
 

I did once own the ls50W. 

I certainly hear you but I envision a power cable to each speaker and a single cable between them on a good day, but I could live with just power cables and run all else wireless. 

Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems AudiophileStyleStickerWhite2.0.png AudiophileStyleStickerWhite7.1.4.png

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2 minutes ago, R1200CL said:

Chris

If you review them, how about compare them against B&W Formation Duo ?

Would love to but B&W has been a strange nut to crack over the years with numerous ownership changes and more marketing/PR contacts than you can imagine. I’ve gone from good relationships to can’t get in touch with anyone and around the circle more than a few times. Thus, I have no idea if anything will happen. 

Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems AudiophileStyleStickerWhite2.0.png AudiophileStyleStickerWhite7.1.4.png

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I believe only Amazon Music would play on the LS50. Amazon HD is downsampled and lossy through Chromecast:

"At this time Amazon Music HD is not supported on Chromecast."

https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=14070322011

 

Main System: QNAP TS-451+ NAS > Silent Angel Bonn N8 > Sonore opticalModule Deluxe v2 > Corning SMF with Finisar FTLF1318P3BTL SFPs > Uptone EtherREGEN > exaSound PlayPoint and e32 Mk-II DAC > Meitner MTR-101 Plus monoblocks > Bamberg S5-MTM sealed standmount speakers. 

Crown XLi 1500 powering  AV123 Rocket UFW10 stereo subwoofers

Upgraded power on all switches, renderer and DAC. 

 

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will you try these with the KEF subwoofers as well?

Grimm Audio MU1 > Mola Mola Tambaqui > Mola Mola Kaluga > B&W 803 D3    

Cables:  Kubala-Sosna    Power management:  Shunyata    Room:  Vicoustics  

 

“Nature is pleased with simplicity.”  Isaac Newton

"As neither the enjoyment nor the capacity of producing musical notes are faculties of the least use to man...they must be ranked among the most mysterious with which he is endowed."  Charles Darwin - The Descent of Man

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23 hours ago, firedog said:

Just curious what makes you so sure the upgrade is worth it? What if it is only marginal for an existing owner?

Upon further thinking, I'd probably just buy a new pair, if what Steve Guttenberg claims is that great of an upgrade in sound quality.  Maybe just get the Meta so I can try different amps with them.  When I first purchased these speakers, I said to myself that I'd never sell them because I could put them in any room.  I bought the Nocturne pair for the gimmicky glow design, most of my friends love that look, as I do.

Computer setup - Roon/Qobuz - PS Audio P5 Regenerator - HIFI Rose 250A Streamer - Emotiva XPA-2 Harbeth P3ESR XD - Rel  R-528 Sub

Comfy Chair - Schitt Jotunheim - Meze Audio Empyrean w/Mitch Barnett's Accurate Sound FilterSet

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1 hour ago, asdf1000 said:

2 x subwoofer outputs... so pair these with a pair of subs... nice.

 

Airplay 2 and Chromecast Built-in covers casting directly from all the music streaming apps directly, on both iOS and Android. HDMI eARC input.


Very future proof.

 

 

I use a pair of the original LS50Ws with KEF R400b subs, and it works really well. The pair of subs cost about the same as the LS50Ws - £2000 in the UK. However, the new KF92 subs are twice as expensive and so a pair of them would be £4000 which seems a bit much relative to the speakers.

System (i): Stack Audio Link > 2Qute+MCRU psu; Gyrodec/SME V/Hana SL/EAT E-Glo Petit/Magnum Dynalab FT101A) > PrimaLuna Evo 100 amp > Klipsch RP-600M/REL T5x subs

System (ii): Allo USB Signature > Bel Canto uLink+AQVOX psu > Chord Hugo > APPJ EL34 > Tandy LX5/REL Tzero v3 subs

System (iii) KEF LS50W/KEF R400b subs

 

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35 minutes ago, Richard Dale said:

I use a pair of the original LS50Ws with KEF R400b subs, and it works really well. The pair of subs cost about the same as the LS50Ws - £2000 in the UK. However, the new KF92 subs are twice as expensive and so a pair of them would be £4000 which seems a bit much relative to the speakers.

Sure, but you can also buy their 10b or 12b subs which are pretty much full range and cost a fraction of the price of the KF92. In fact you can buy 2 or 3 of them for that price. I'd guess for most LS50 users they'd be quite adequate. 

Main listening (small home office):

Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments.

Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three .

Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup.
Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. 

All absolute statements about audio are false :)

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1 hour ago, Richard Dale said:

I use a pair of the original LS50Ws with KEF R400b subs, and it works really well. The pair of subs cost about the same as the LS50Ws - £2000 in the UK. However, the new KF92 subs are twice as expensive and so a pair of them would be £4000 which seems a bit much relative to the speakers.

Very nice.

 

I've heard this same setup you have, with digital room EQ done via Audiolense and it sounded very nice. As good as anything I've ever heard (including Kii3's and D&D 8C's but without separate subs).

 

A pair of subs properly integrated into the room changes a lot.

 

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