A beginner's guide to the KEF LS50 Wireless II

Camera: Olaf von Voss | Editor: John Darko | Motion GFX: John Darko | Ad segment: Jana Dagdagan
PATREON for music playlists:
/ johndarko
KEF LS50 Wireless II (£2250/€2499/US$2499 per pair):
eu.kef.com/pages/ls50-wireless-2
KEF S2 floor stands (£400/pair):
uk.kef.com/products/kef-s2-fl...
KEF LS50 Meta and LS50 Wireless II intro:
darko.audio/2020/09/kef-readi...
Podcast: Jack Oclee-Brown talks MAT, LS50 Meta & LS50 Wireless II:
darko.audio/2020/09/podcast-j...
Cabling (and video sponsorship) by AudioQuest: www.audioquest.com/
Acoustic panels by GIK:
www.gikacoustics.com/
Back to Basics Part 1 - Music streaming:
• BACK TO BASICS Part 1:...
Holy Trinity of streaming:
• The HOLY TRINITY of mu...
Hip-hop for your Hi-Fi:
• Hip-hop for your hi-fi
Why are comments turned OFF?
darko.audio/2020/10/why-im-sw...
#kefls50wirelessii #sonos #streaming
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[@danielbentley0]

Really not cool that a $2,500 speaker that's just 4 year old is stuck with a cruddy, outdated app with no sign of real update. I'm an LSX owner and disappointed in KEF's level of support. Has me wary of buying streaming powered speakers in the future.

[@Dawg99999]

How far we come...20 years ago I was mixing and matching.amps, preamps, DACs, transports , cables...now just LS50 Wireless II.

[@Z-u-m-a]

Poor show from KEF in that rather than addressing clear software issues on the first generation of these they instead just develop a second.

[@Unpreeeedictable]

As an LS50W Gen I owner, anyone tempted to pick up a pair on the cheap: DO NOT. Spend the bucks to buy the Gen IIs. The Gen I apps are awful. I could not get the speakers to connect to my plain vanilla mesh network and had to buy a Bluesound Node 2i to do the job instead, bypassing the KEF’s DAC and streamer. KEF seems to have fixed all of the problems. My bad luck is your good fortune.

[@bulversteher]

The fact that the new KEF Connect doesn't support the (read: my own) original LS50W absolutely confirms my suspicion, that whole concept has a pretty big miff of planned obsolescence to it.

[@mhf5654]

John, we just opened our new KEF LS50 WII speakers! It's the most expensive music purchase we have ever made and we don't regret it. With your guidance, we made a sound purchase that is filling our home with warmth, tranquillity and beauty (We're currently listening to Tripping with Nils Frahm). Thanks to you & your team for all your hard work. It's forever changed the listening experience in our home.

[@benwylie01]

It actually made me quite unhappy that KEF won't bring the new KEF Connect to the original LS50W or LSX. Feels like those users are stuck with janky beta software. There shouldn't be much difference across platforms, surely it could be implimented.

[@avjake]

Same generation Uni-Q driver? What?

[@rocpoals]

A new app for the wireless 2 but not the first gen. Thats a big shame. this I part of the reason I went back to passive speakers R3 . There is no garranteed support for any period of time with these all in ones.

[@Michael-xz1nk]

John....despite great sound, seems like a lot of disgruntled LSW1 owners here regarding the app and no opportunity to fix it after spending $2,500 + tax. KEF, which I absolutely love and own, really dropped the ball here. It's disappointing for sure. Apple would never do this to its customers. If they did, they would surely not enjoy the enormous success they've had to date.

[@stevenbarall9227]

I love it when a company listens to their customers and makes real improvements to the new products. Not having to play the amplifier lottery seems like a really huge deal. Thanks Darko.

[@lucc7116]

john i gotta say i really love your videos, the way u point all the important things and visuals is so dope

[@leemartin2978]

Well there you have it , the best review you’re ever going to see or hear about these new speakers. Just superb.

[@zaphyrwalker7016]

I think I was never that excited to watch a new youtube video pfff. Really well made review, thank you

[@LoL0assasinspeet]

kef genuinely taking the piss not making the app backwards compatible. customers paid 3 thousand dollars, kef should take care of them.

[@Egofileo1]

Great review as always, John. And good good job. These KEF are really a clever sound system.

[@kaizer314]

I've been waiting all week for this! Great job!

[@brianperez116]

John I really appreciate these reviews on the “Sonos generation” products. The fact is most of the music people will listen to is on a digital streaming platform and there’s not enough HI-Fi reviews on these products. I’m especially interested in the Naim mu so, Martin Logan crescendo B&W wedge. All HI-Fi products that get left out of the conversation for casual listening which 80% of what people do.

[@eEridani]

I expected your video on this product this weekend... not disappointed ! :)

[@60zeller]

Thank you for active speaker reviews.