FEBRUARY 2017
KEF LS50 EXCLUSIVE AUSTRALIAN REVIEW
REVIEW / KEF / LS50 WIRELESS
KEF
LS50
EXCLUSIVE AUSTRALIAN REVIEW
Distributor: Advance Audio $3799 RRP
The Complete System I was born to be the son of an audiophile. While I missed most of the 70s, arriving in his world of turntables, cables and speaker boxes stuffed with drivers in 1978, little did my father know that within a decade he’d nurture what for me, is still a lifelong audio passion. A passion that’s still excited by a pair of affordable KEF LS50 Wireless speakers that have been playing in my room for some time now. These compacts redefine their genre and they remind me how my audio journey began. As my father tinkered with his hi-fi gear tuning it to suit his room and his ears, it occurs to me now that he wasn’t a man who obsessed over specifications. Sure, he paid respect to the technicalities of audio parameters including frequency response, measured distortion, and crossover points. But he didn’t think they were the final arbiters of sound. Along the way, I subconsciously imbibed my father’s audio philosophy without him even realising what was seeping into my mind.
“ridiculously good, particularly for its size and footprint” Upon arrival, I didn’t obsess
Even today, in top condition this
about the LS50 Wireless’
system that many audiophiles still
technical parameters, preferring
use but with a modern pre-amp,
to simply scan the owner’s
is still at the top of its game with
manual briefly before wiring and
an uncannily realistic mid-range,
firing these wee dynamos.
superb timing and a musicality
In dad’s day, it was DIY audio on
that is truly gob-smacking.
a shoestring budget; immensely
KEF was one of the first
popular around the world at the
manufacturers to embrace
time. Researching the period,
computer aided design for
the 70’s was a golden age for
loudspeaker design and
audio with novel designs and
development. It was from this
booming sales.
early research and advances in
Brands like Rogers, Spendor, Harbeth, and many others were steaming ahead in the world of loudspeaker design. Raymond Cooke, the electrical engineer that founded KEF in 1961, like
design and materials technology that would result in a loudspeaker that would become one of KEF’s proudest achievements to date, and celebrating KEF’s 50th anniversary, the LS50.
many UK audio luminaries, would
Inspired by the LS3/5A, the
go on to commercial success
LS50 requires little introduction
based upon a steep learning
these days, regarded by most
curve forged at the BBC.
as a speaker that is ridiculously
An audio system back in the 70s may have consisted of a Radford
good, particularly for its size and footprint.
SC22 pre-amplifier and STA-25
When rumours started circulating
valve amplifier, Garrard 301 or
a couple of years ago, that
Thorens 124 turntable, either with
the LS50 may be released in
an SME3009 tonearm, Shure
an ‘active’ form, it was hardly
V15 cartridge and of course,
surprising. In fact, it made perfect
the now legendary LS3/5A BBC
sense. Compact, highly efficient
designed monitor speakers
amplifiers, DSP technology,
(which went on to sell more than
and streaming platforms
60,000 pairs). The only weak link
have become the norm, and
was the preamplifier. Compared
combining all this connectivity
to contemporary designs, the
with a speaker that represents
older preamps sounded opaque
outstanding value for money and
and certainly lacked detail.
proven popularity will likely prove a smart commercial decision.
So, what is it? Put simply, almost a complete system. It could
While ‘Wireless’ is the key marketing message
be your first, or your last HiFi system. I’ll come
here, in my mind it’s the active component of
back to that.
the LS50, rather than the wireless connectivity
KEF took the original LS50 and grafted in a preamplifier with a bunch of DSP functionality, DAC, amplifiers, and a network streamer. That means, no additional speaker cables to purchase or obsess over, and more importantly, no more room-intrusive racks of gear. You can connect the LS50 Wireless via your smartphone or tablet, either via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth (aptX) and stream Tidal, Spotify or your choice of local music. Or you can make the connection via USB or Toslink directly to your PC or laptop, or even your TV, taking advantage of the built-in 192/24 DAC.
that is the major selling point. ‘LS50 Active’ would have been a more compelling title, at least in my opinion. It’s offered in a choice of colours, including Titanium Grey/Red, Gloss Black/Blue, and Gloss White/Copper. KEF say, they’re “interior design friendly”. In Australia, the LS50W retails for $3,799. Wander into a specialist store and add up the cost of a quality integrated amplifier with DAC and network streamer built-in, a pair of quality stand-mount speakers, plus cables, and the true value proposition of the LS50 Wireless becomes obvious.
Finally, you can connect any source, a turntable for example, via the AUX Line Level input. At the time of writing, Tidal and Spotify integration has not yet been released for the ‘LS50 Wireless’ app for Android (4.1+) or iOS (8.0+). Maybe not a deal breaker for many, but so many of my music playlists are stored on these platforms now. We’re assured though, it is coming. It’s also a shame that the inclusion of a Roon endpoint didn’t make the final feature list. As far as music library management, control, and multi-room streaming across non-brand specific products, Roon has cornered the market. Perhaps more of a personal indulgence than a mainstream necessity, but more on that later.
No gurus required Setup could not be easier. You won’t be
Turn on, and follow the instructions from
speed dialling your trusted guru to make the
the LS50 Wireless app to make the Wi-Fi
connections with the LS50 Wireless.
connection. In my case, I had to repeat this
Unbox and simply place each speaker on a stand or sideboard. Connect power to each speaker, and plug the supplied Cat6 Ethernet cable from the right speaker to the left. Done.
process twice to successfully ‘on-board’ the speakers.
“It could be your first, or your last HiFi system” Specs and detail Like the passive sibling, the LS50W uses the proprietary Uni-Q array, 5.25” single point source driver. Without the compromises within a passive crossover to contend with, KEF has been able to highly tune the driver even further in the LS50W. With no losses or introduced distortion from crossover components, complete control of each driver’s output, crossover frequencies and phase via the DSP, you quickly discover why ‘active’ is a compelling step forward in the HiFi market. The mid-woofer is powered by a 200w Class D amplifier, while the centre mounted tweeter is supplied by a 30w Class A/B amplifier. At best (depending on DSP settings), per KEF’s specifications, the LS50 Wireless offers a frequency response of 45Hz to 28kHZ (+/3dB). For those baulking at the lower frequency response, remember this is a small driver and cabinet, there’s simply no defying physics. It’s no wonder there’s also a subwoofer output. On the rear of the right speaker you can choose between desk/ sideboard, or stand mounting, and wall/free-space positioning. Each choice will adjust the on-board DSP tuning accordingly. Via the app, more tuning is available, in either Basic or Advanced mode, along with the ability to tell the LS50W if you’re using them in bright/hard-surfaced room, mildly damped room, or heavily damped room. These settings and their corresponding tuning really do make a difference, so be sure to experiment. Handy tip: to comply with European ErP requirements, the LS50W will go into standby mode after 20 minutes of inactivity. This bugged me right away, but can be extended to 60 minutes by pressing and holding the Desk/Stand button on the right speaker for 5 seconds. You’ll want to do this right away.
“a sound stage far greater in size than what such a small speaker should be capable of”
Living with LS50 Wireless All too often, particularly with
via the LS50 Wireless app. My
source, and of course allowed
high-profile new products,
local music library is stored on
me to use Roon. You know that
loaner time for reviews is short,
a rackmount Synology NAS
feeling when you’ve been on a
even just days. Not so this
drive and served (in this case)
holiday and you climb back into
time. I wanted to live with these
via UPnP.
your own bed for the first time?
The app itself is simple and
Setting the output via Roon
very easy to navigate, but feels
to Fixed Volume, having my
They would be with me for several
more intuitive when playing local
review and audition playlists
weeks, starting life in my office
content from the device, rather
at hand, I’d now begin to get
where I spend most of my days.
than a network share. Scrolling
a better understanding of the
No critical listening really takes
through thousands of artists and
LS50W’s capabilities.
place here, but I still appreciate
even more albums via the network
good sound between phone calls
feels somewhat disconnected.
speakers and use them in a realworld application.
and courier deliveries.
From my desk about 4m from the speakers, the colour coded
Moving to other UPnP apps
remote (in this case white, and
An acoustician’s nightmare,
(which fortunately allows you
maybe a bad long term choice)
my industrial styled office is
to use your preferred app
often seemed slow to respond
L-Shaped, features polished
of choice), felt a little more
to volume changes, at least in
floorboards, double brick walls,
refined and improved the user
comparison to changes via the
and not a rug or soft furnishing
experience for me. In fairness,
volume slider within the app.
in sight.
the LS50W ‘app’ could be
Setting the LS50W room mode accordingly, they were set atop lead-shot filled Atacama stands and dropped into prime position. The first experience would come via Wi-Fi connection and control
considered first generation, and will likely be updated by KEF and improve at a fast pace.
Using the LS50W multiple times each day proved simple. Bluetooth would automatically re-pair upon powering up. Wi-Fi
A few hours later I paired my
is not quite as reliable, and I did
desktop PC via Bluetooth AptX.
have to repeat the on-boarding
This allowed more freedom as a
process on one occasion.
How’s it sound? The final week of listening was
Like the predecessor, LS50
you’re listening to is closer to
completed in my dedicated
Wireless managed to construct
what KEF’s engineers intended
media room. A heavily damped,
a sound stage far greater in size
than ever before.
acoustically treated room that
than what such a small speaker
measures 7.1m x 5.5m x 2.7m.
should be capable of.
I can say that the LS50 Wireless
As I eagerly clicked through
energetic, lively, but displays
was just as at home in either
tracks, the capability of the
confidence and authority.
room, particularly with the
built-in DAC, its transparency,
The 5.25” Uni-Q driver is in
corresponding room mode DSP
resolution, and full-bodied sound
complete control.
settings applied.
became clear, so much so I had
I was going to start off with a criticism of Bluetooth connectivity
to remind myself I wasn’t using my DAC2X.
Track after track revealed a universal speaker that is
While a subwoofer output exists, to review the LS50 Wireless with a sub wouldn’t be assessing
in regards to sound quality. But
I recall the beauty of the LS50’s
the speaker’s capability within
as I pondered my 11 pages
midrange, and Anne Bisson’s
its intended application. Adding
of scribbled listening notes,
‘In The Wee Small Hours’
a subwoofer would of course
something occurred to me. I’ve
reveals the breathtaking realism
provide more oomph and bottom
only ever reviewed Bluetooth
has not been lost in KEF’s
end extension.
AptX via headphones, portable
amplification and processing of
speakers, and docks. The
the incoming source.
LS50W for me, highlighted the
Glass Animals ‘Black Mambo’ – written by front man Dave
Eva Cassidy’s ‘Stormy Monday’
Bayley and inspired by watching
is another example, capturing
an episode of Breaking Bad,
the stage placement, depth, live
is intro’d via a series of bass
Quite simply, all products prior
ambience, and honesty of the
sweeps. I’ve used this track
simply didn’t offer the full-scale
recording just as convincingly as
on countless sets of speakers,
bandwidth and resolution that
any of the high-quality systems
and the coherence of the
the LS50W does. Compression
and speakers I’ve had through
sweep is as balanced as my
was evident, along with a thin
my room.
current reference, the Meridian
obvious limitations that still exists with this streaming method.
sound comparable in some cases to higher resolution MP3. Audiophiles will want to look to directly connected sources/ devices. Other members of my family of course had no problem – oh to be so naïve to highfidelity sound again. I’d be far better off financially! Most of my auditioning would be completed via a DIY Arch Linux ARM running Roon Bridge connected via USB directly to the LS50W. This is my regular reference network player, typically paired to the EMM Labs DAC2X DAC. I fired up my ‘Audition’ playlist on Roon, which is a combination of locally stored (NAS) music, along with some 16/44 and Masters sections from Tidal.
I was a bit of a late-comer to the Angus & Julia Stone appreciation society. They’ve become one of my go-to artists recently and the subtle textures and layer upon layer of harmonies are clearly defined in ‘Santa Monica Dream’. There’s an apparent synergy that is achieved by default with the LS50 Wireless, and I’ve always thought that this is one of the hardest things to get right in audio. KEF has done all the hard work for you. There are no speaker cables to add unintended coloration, the amps are in tune with the drivers, phase issues are virtually non-apparent. With much more control over the output, what
DSP8000SE, which retails in Australia for $100,000. Not by any stretch of the imagination am I suggesting that the LS50W has the sheer output or digs as deep as the Meridian, but what it does do, it does extremely well. The track that shall not be named, by Nils Lofgren, is impressive, but equally commensurate is the ‘Bass & Drum Intro’. Once again, LS50W demonstrates the amplifier’s ability to maintain control during the complexities of various drums and bass guitar all striving to be heard at the same time. When you consider the necessary compact size of the amplifiers, the absence of large power transformers and capacitor banks, you can’t help but be impressed.
When old meets new As high-tech as KEF’s LS50 Wireless are, the humble LP’s return to glory means the connection of a turntable is likely to ensue. This was of interest to me, as anything connected to the line level AUX input is converted to 24/192 digital. Perhaps grossly out of proportion from a monetary perspective, but connecting my TechDAS Air Force III turntable, via an RCM Sensor2 phono stage, would leave nowhere to hide for the analog to digital conversion process. I’m pleased to say, not only were all the delicacies of Anne Bissons’s ‘September in Montreal’ from her Blue Mind LP left in-tact, but what followed was hour upon hour and LP upon LP of wonderful music. It’s fair to say that digital technology has come a long way in recent years, and the supposed gap between the analogue and digital domains is decreasing rapidly.
After consideration Recently, there’s a lot of talk from audio
The niggles relating to the user interface and
journalists and publications that for Hi-Fi to
app are likely to be improved by KEF via over-
survive, the products need to appeal to a
the-air software updates in time, or resolved
broader audience; more affordable even.
now by using your choice of control app.
There’s merit to the argument, but if the high-end is the breeding ground for new technology that eventually filters down to the cheaper end of the market, then it’s an important part of the ecosystem. KEF hasn’t buckled to market pressure for cheaper products. They’ve just made a smarter product. And by doing so, they’ve also managed to deliver BMW sound at Toyota pricing. If I was starting my HiFi journey again, the KEF LS50 Wireless would be my first choice. Similarly, if I was downsizing from big floor-standing speakers and multiples of
KEF’s LS50 Wireless really could be your first, or your last system. This new speaker will introduce loads more people to high-fidelity sound for a realistic and modest investment. Whether you’re looking for a HiFi solution to handle your TV’s audio while being capable of wireless streaming for the whole family, or a dedicated stereo system in a small to medium living space, KEF LS50 Wireless ticks all the boxes. It’s barely 2017, but we’ll be putting this one forward as a strong contender for Product of the Year.
components, it would still be my choice. The connectivity options are all apparent and plentiful. Sound quality is refined and reference grade.
WORDS/IMAGES: Marc Rushton