Stereophile rated the LS-50 Class A with an incredible review and then I read many different speakers easily outperform the LS-50. I read my Revel M22 easily outperform the LS-50 from another audiophile here.
Not even an aftermarket solution, like a hood made of fabric. I am always thinking about the protection of the drivers when my kid enters the room.
I sold mine because their small woofers and small size didn't produce the dynamic realism for the music I prefer. Even with a sub. I seem to prefer big stand-mount speakers with 8" woofers or larger. Other than that I really liked them. Fit and finish was good for the price.
As a non-owner, I very quickly got tired of the copper look and much prefer ... It's strange that the Metas don't come in a Black Edition. People must really like copper.
I have owned both the wireless version and the Metas. After experimentation with JBL 4309s and KLH Model Threes, I’ve decided it’s just a matter of scale with me. Drivers smaller than 6.5” just don’t give me the punch and fullness I need for the rock music I listen to.
I hear what you guys are saying. I have the wireless version with the KC62 subwoofer. The speakers and sub integrate very nicely. The sub offers the lower end oomph I was missing, and I finally have the placement dialed in. They are perfect for my current apartment situation, BUT I'm paying a premium for a small footprint (with the small subwoofer), and they certainly aren't moving as much full sound around the room as my KLH Model Sixes or Klipsch Quartets did. That said, when I'm within 12 feet of them they sound amazing. Lovely detail. It's an imperfect quest full of compromises.
One cannot expect the baby KEFs to compete with boxes much larger or woofers almost twice the size, they cannot load the room like the slightly bigger ones can. If however you are in a small to medium sized room, listen from moderate to lower levels and sit mid-field (8 to 12 feet from the speakers they are wonderful sounding and integrate a subwoofer nicely. They produce a wonderful sound stage and provide all the detail and air one would hope for along with having a terrific mid-range frequency range for vocals. This certainly isn't to say there are not many other good alternatives the same size or larger of course there are, you just need to listen to them all and determine which fits your needs best.
I have several options at home, and usually I change the components of my system every 3 or 4 months, and I must say theat the LS50 are the speakers that stand the least time on the spot, as I get bored of them. There is not really wrong but they’re more cerebral than fun, I suppose. So I have been looking for another bookshelf speakers for some time and the I expect to have the chance to try the Dali Opticon MkII or the Rubicon 2. As a bonus, they should also work with my Cayin CS55a tube integrated.
Speakers are so "environment dependant" I learned not so long ago. So every "listening room" is different and the only way to know is trying them in own listening environment. Having the nice "less-environment-dependant" P3 with good enough bass (not for every type of music), I bought a bigger pair C7 to see that bigger is not better bass, but in real use, it's more universal (= usable for more type of musics). In your place, I'd give a try "bigger speakers" ( Elipson Heritage XLS15 came to mind maybe my next pair). Bookshelf speakers (we all know this) are not very good for Jazz ( if so nice for female voices from my P3 ) or "big sound" ( church Organ, ensemble more than ten musicians , etc. ).
Oh boy, the LS50 was the most difficult speakers in all my audiophile journey. I bought them in 2018 to pair with a Plinius 8150 integrated (and the Naim pre-power combo) that I was sure to be a great combination, but never really fell in love with the sound. These are one of the most acclaimed bookshelf speakers ever, a fact that made me even more frustrated. Even the combination with the Rogue Sphinx v1, that Stereophile reviewer praises, was nothing to write home about. I never sold them, never gave up, trying different combinations of amplifiers and positions in the room... with only so so results, until now! The problem? Speaker cables. By default I have only used the Atlas Equator 2.0 or the Supra Ply 3.4S, both excellent and with good synergy with all the gear I had/have. My other speaker cables are not LS50 friendly: the Straightwire Waveguide 8 are in shotgun configuration for bi-wire, the Naim Nac A5 are too rigid, the Belden are too short and I forgot about the Van Damme. To be honest, I never ever thought that speaker cables could transform a system completely. I have always seen them as a kind of seasoning thing, a bit more bass, a little taming on the treble, etc... But it turns out that performance of this little #@&*%” speakers are totally cable dependent! Today, for fun as always, I changed the amplification: from the Naim pre-power to the Rogue Sphinx and the sound completely collapsed! I was using the Supra cables with the Naim gear and the Kef was at their best (so far here in my room, that is) in an almost satisfying manner, so when I changed to the Rogue and got the familiar awful results, I rapidly made my usual move changed the cables for the Atlas. As you probably guessed the results were the same: flat, lifeless and a bit harsh sound. Tried the Belden and it was as bad. Then I went in to the storage bin and brought the Van Damme UP-LCOFC 4mm cables and...wow! The sound got really sweet, transparent and 3D... the soundstage is huge. I now can listen at normal levels without harsh of fatigue. The sound is solid, palpable and completely free and detached from the speakers! What a turn! The LS50 are everything that I read about, amazing far beyond their price point. Moral of the story? Have a few cables and try, mix and match until you got it right. It is not that expensive, not in comparison with the normal buy-and-selling of components until synergy occurs. Brands like Belden, Van Damme, Gotham, Mogami, Sommercable, Canare, have much to offer at decent prices. My previous unfortunate choice of cables made them impossible to set up right, blaming the speakers and sometimes the room, in total frustration. With the right cables, room positioning is much more easy and almost intuitive This cable alert came to me recently, when a pair of Belden 8471 totally transformed the sound of my Totem Arro, after the usual uninspiring results with the Atlas. Soon, I will also add a stereo pair of well-regarded Canare 4S11 to my stash, and perhaps some from Sommercable.
I had the LS50s for about four years and I really liked them. But, like you, I found them a little lacking in emotional involvement. For me, it came down to what I perceived as a little too much softness in the top end. With that softness, they just didn't have that last bit of dynamic impact and it kept leaving me wanting. I replaced the KEFs with B&W 606s and they gave me exactly what was missing with the KEFs. They're not as refined as the LS50s but they image and soundstage very well and they have the dynamic impact that wasn't there with the KEFs. YMMV.
Just to do a follow up about my newly state of admiration of the LS50: After the successful match with Naim pre-power combo and the Van Damme speaker cables, I changed to the Rogue Sphinx v1 integrated amp and the result was absolutely gorgeous. This little integrated is a landmark for the price... or was, since it costs more nowadays. Two weeks after came the time of trying my Cayin CS-55A tube integrated (with the stock Cayin KT88, but with improved EH 12ax7 and NOS RCA Cleartop 12au7). I had mixed and forgettable results with the LS50’s before, but the speakers new positioning in the room aroused some expectations. But, it was too bass heavy and thick on the mids with the Van Damme cables, so I tried the Belden 8471 and was awful, very hot in the highs. Then I change to the solid copper Mission cable and again, not so good, flat and bass light. I still had a couple of more options, but when I connected the Supra Ply 3.4S (with the shield connected to the amp’s ground binding post) I immediately jump from my seat: what a difference! It was simply amazing: the soundstage was completely 3D, the bass deep and real, voices clear without sibilance, and the highs natural and non-fatiguing. One thing I that amazes me is the absolute power of the 40w on ultralinear mode (8 ohm binding posts)...just grabs and control the speakers in a way very secure and natural. For example: on Malia’s Celestial Echo (from the album convergence), with my eyes closed, I can easily imagine that I am in a much bigger room, listening to monobloc amps and full range tower speakers. I kid you not! This is one of the most consistent combinations on my system, with the capability of showing the best from every recording. This is addictive stuff... Like the LS50, the Cayin is demanding on the pairing, but it is indeed an amazing amplifier, one of today’s best values on hi-fi. If you are curious just see: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U590NFDD8_Q (Note: all interconnects were always Belden 8402 on Switchcraft 3502 rca plugs)
You mean Stereophile overhyped something? Tens shocked. Srsly though, I don’t know why they do that. Part of the reason I don’t read them anymore. .
I bought the LS50 pair when they first came out, and I love them in my small room. I use them near field, toe in and the soundstage/imaging are everything the reviewers wrote about way back when they were introduced. After a few years I was wanting more full range sound. I was thinking about "upgrading" to another bookshelf speaker, until I thought I may try a subwoofer. Enter the SVS 3000 Micro, and I fell in love with them again, as I did when new. I had a pair of modified Klipsch Lascalla with ALK crossovers and Larger mid horn before, but way to large for the room. I'm powering my LS50s with a Mcintosh 6450 integrated.
The Cayins are head and shoulders above the Sphinx. There is nothing “landmark” about the Sphinx performance IME…one of the most undeserving hype-train products in all of audio history. The LS50s are mostly deserving of the hype however, as long as they’re not asked to play too loud.
hi, I have naim xs 2 amp and ls50. naim 8 ohm 70 watt 4 ohm 100 watt. I love the ls50's detail and vocal power, but it still tries to create an opportunity to change the speaker. Can I ask you for your opinion on 2 issues? Do you think naim can reveal all the capabilities of the ls50? Would you recommend monitor audio silver 100 7g instead of ls50? thanks in advance, greetings
My LS50s did not last long. Sold them within a month or two. As some have pointed out, there’s no emotional connect. Did also try the LS50w Meta. They were okay but still got that sound signature. With more breathing space, the sound smoothens up a bit more. Guess I still prefer the sound of LS 3/5a type of speakers.
In my experience Naim amps goes very well with the LS50. I have the Nac122x + Flatcap 2x + Nap150x that I believe to be superior to the integrated line, at least below the Supernait. The high current topology of the Naim amps are really what the LS50 need, and also very evident when comparing to my other amps. But the LS50 are very demanding in set-up and picky with speaker cables: the Supra Ply. 3.4s are an excellent match in my system. So I advise you to try the positioning in the room and more speakers cables before getting another speakers. In my room I have found that a closer together position (between speakers) is que key, of corse after tuning the bass quality/quantity by more or less distance from the front wall.
Which is just a roundabout way of saying, they do not have flat response, and have some irregularities in the treble region. No speaker is actually more or less "revealing" of sound, but either accurately reproduces sound with low distortion or it does NOT accurately reproduce sound.
The part about speaker cables being a determining factor seems to be a constant on all the LS50 threads. Rarely does one hear that much consistency on these sites.
I'd like to make a few comments here. First, for folks who are reading this thread thinking about buying the currently available speaker, the LS50 Meta, you really shouldn't take too much advice from people who have only owned and heard the LS50. In other words, the LS50 Meta is a much upgraded and revised speaker. KEFs own marketing has been very poor at making this clear. Everyone talks about the 'meta material' as being the big change between the LS50 and the LS50 Meta, but I think that's the upgraded part that makes the least amount of difference. The new and highly re-engineered 12th generation driver, and the new crossover, are much bigger news, IMHO. Of course, in the audiophile world, 'big' changes like the ones I've just mentioned aren't really that big, but lower distortion is lower distortion, and smoother frequency response is smoother frequency response. Each one of us, as listeners, have different responses and 'auditory needs' when it comes to those things. For me personally, the upgrades made to the LS50 Meta make it sound rather amazing. The mid band is purer, the highs are purer, and these little speakers punch way above their weight in dynamics and bass. Do they bend the laws of physics in the bass and slam department? To me they seem to. Yes, I am using multiple subwoofers, but surprisingly I can switch off the subs and these little speakers still make me happy. My room is what I would call 'medium size', 14feet x 18feet with an 8 foot ceiling and a 9 foot wide opening behind the listener that opens onto a dining room and kitchen. Yes, my 'listening room' is a living room, so maybe that takes away some of my 'audiophile' credibility. I'm using the half-bungs in the ports to get the speakers closer to the front wall and to get a (remarkable) smooth transition to the subs. I've owned the Metas for about 6 months now. They took some time to break in, I'd say 300 hours before they got to their ultimate goodness. Low end slam and upper-midrange smoothness were the things that improved the most though the course of the break-in. I'm feeding them with top quality sources and tons of power (see my profile for details), and I'm amazed every evening when I sit down for a listen. I listen to everything from Judy Collins to the Mills Brothers to Scorpions and Zeppelin. Last night was some bluegrass and acoustic guitar. Night before that was The Psychedelic Furs, cranked nice and loud. I guess my main point is this: If you are thinking about trying the LS50 Metas, keep in mind that the people talking about the LS50 aren't talking about the SL50 Meta. I think KEF should have called this new one the LS51, so as to avoid all this confusion. Oh, and I can tell you I have Dynaudio Special 40, ATC SCM19-2 and Magnepan .7 speakers all boxed up in my closet. The little LS50 Metas make my ears happier than any of them.
