KEF LS50 is being sold CHEAP and here is why ! - not a review

KEF LS50 is being sold by people all over the net at ridiculous prices even though it is such an amazing speaker. Here are few reasons why to help you avoid the same mistakes as the people selling it.
see where these speakers are on our tier list: www.patreon.co...
Disclaimer/ Personal interest in my reviews - nbtsmedia.com/...
Why I Sold my KEF LS50 - KEF LS50 Wireless Speaker Review • Why I Sold my KEF LS50...
Buying anything from amazon by clicking this link supports the channel, it will NOT cost you anything: amzn.to/2PYMTib
PATREON: / nbts
Instagram: / nbtstudio2017
Facebook: / next-best-thing-studio...
Twitter: / nbtstudio2017
#KEF #KEFls50 #Speakers

[@Jayiyagi]

Disclaimer/ Personal interest in my reviews - nbtsmedia.com/about-us/ Few things left out. 1. For those of you thinking "how about kef ls50 wireless?" - Kef ls50 wireless uses 200 watts class D for their low frequency - class D is fine for low frequency ! But remmember they are using 30w class a/b for the rest ! Kef ls50 wireless is a beast of its own with amplifiers matched to make the kefs sound good - perhaps why you don't see the wireless versions being blown out at such low prices very often ! 2. I am probably going to make another video on this but instead of trying to find a ridiculously high stand, try sitting at a lower point. This is why when you visit dealer show rooms or hifi shows, the seats are lower

[@Lukebazouie]

In a recent Q&A video you guys stated the Buchardt S400 was miles better than the LS50. What about in comparison to the LS50 wireless? I can get a new set of LS50W for cheaper than the S400, and that's before adding amplification... What's your take on that? Cheers.

[@Jayiyagi]

@@Lukebazouie to me. The s400s are still miles better... In like every imaginable aspect... Thats just me

[@stillastillsfan]

Listen to Linda Ronstadt “What’s New” full LP/CD/Tidal on the ls50w. You will not believe how good this is.

[@sidvicious3129]

Are you talking about all Class D amps because I have one, but it’s on the higher end a Audio Research Ds450, 450 a side for ohms and 550 for 4 ohms and the power supply is huge. The amp is the same depth as their others but the height is smaller. The Ls50s are a god speaker, but too bright even with the two Vandersteen subs. I removed the subs moved them further out in the room as far as I could and put the foam inserts back I. And moved them close to the wall and then remove the inserts. In other words I did what I could, but too fatiguing. I put a pair of Elac B6 back in that I have lying around, bass returned, but that speaker normally has more bass than the LS50S. I put my regular Vandersteen 2ce Signature I back in and they have now been replaced with the Vandersteen Quatro. Would I buy a pair Kefs again, yes I would if the price was cheap enough, they are very good, but not in that room or just maybe not with that equipment, which is Audio Research Ls17se upgraded to Ls27 for pre amp, DS450 for he amp, Dac8, Cd3 mark ii, Aurender NH-100H, Furhman conditioner, elite 15 and a VPI Classic, Nakamichi RX-505 cassette Deck and an Akai 4000DS mark I reel to reel. I’m currently at a point that I’m happier than I have ever been with my system, but I would still recommend the Ls50s, just too bright and not enough bass. Could you be right, maybe. I went class D because the tubes on my Vt100mkiii were a thousand dollars every time you have to replace them and that’s just for the main 8. The smaller tubes would last for years, so I replaced the amp. I had a pair of Rogue mono blocks before that. This class D was at the Dealers with all AR gear including a Ref 5 and had someone not told you it was a class d playing you would have never known. My dealer used it at an event to welcome Garth Powell from Audioquest so he could demo the new Niagara series of power conditioner,7000. Keep up the good work man.

[@sidvicious3129]

Audfile , yes man you are right and here is my class d amp, Audio Research DS450, it’s the one on the bottom in front that is playing kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGKWaKBvotKVfc0

[@audiofun999]

I agree with all observations. As a KEF LS50 owner who went from using them with $500 Class D amp without a sub to a powerful $5000 tube pre+power combination with a good sub, I feel I am now very close to the best sound quality achievable in my small room. Also very important: LS50s must be placed at least 1 meter away from the wall behind them and the listener should seat in an equilateral triangle with the speakers, otherwise you won’t hear impressive soundstage depth they’re capable of producing. Due to this fact I believe KEF LS50s are an overkill for a desktop setup, as you can’t achieve optimal placement in this case.

[@aaronphillips1210]

I'm sorry but this post is ridiculous. OF COURSE you saw a massive difference adding an amp that was 10x the price and a good sub. that will be the case with ANY speaker. That doesn't give weight to what he is saying in this video.

[@audiofun999]

@@aaronphillips1210 thanks for your valuable input. I’ll clarify my post and try to provide more helpful information to fellow audiophiles, who already own or considering to get KEF LS50s. First of all, do you absolutely need to pair LS50s with a $5000 amp to get the sound that won’t disappoint? No, you don’t. But picking a well-matched amp is crucial. Here are my observations, based on personal experience of using KEF LS50s in my system for the past 3 years and trying them with 5 different amps. When I first bought LS50s I connected them to NAD D3020, a $500 class D amp. This amp got raving reviews in press and many KEF owners on various online forums recommended it as a great match to LS50s. Initially I thought the sound was fine, but after spending some time I discovered two big issues: 1. The bass was muddy, not clean and not tight enough as it should be. 2. When a great female vocalist (such as Jennifer Warnes, Linda Ronstadt or Anna Netrebko) took a high loud note it sounded harsh and irritating to the point where it was unlistenable to me. I later discovered that the cause for the above issues was not the speakers, but the amp. My NAD was not able to drive the speakers well. Why was this happening? I quote John Atkinson from Stereophile, who measured the LS50s: “Somewhat optimistically specified at 8 ohms, the LS50's impedance drops to 4 ohms at 200Hz and to 5.4 ohms at the top of the audioband.” (www.stereophile.com/content/kef-ls50-anniversary-model-loudspeaker-measurements) In simple words: when speakers’ impedance drops from 8 to 4 Ohms they demand double power from the amp. If an amp is not capable to give this power the sound you hear will be dynamically compressed and distorted. That’s what I heard with the NAD. I sold the NAD and got a $1000 vintage Accuphase. I don’t remember the model, but it was a mighty solid state amp (at least 100w). It weighted over 10 kg, and that’s important because that means it had very capable transformers able to draw all the current the KEF LS50s require when their impedance goes down. All the issues that I experienced with NAD were gone. The bass became tight, clear and well-controller. The upper-mids and high frequencies sounded very open, smooth, without a hint of harshness or distortion. I later upgraded to a more expensive tube amplification and it improved the sound even more, but I could have stopped and be very happy with that Accuphase. It was a great match to the LS50s. I am not an engineer, but here’s what I think about picking the right amp for the KEF LS50s. The hardest thing to tackle is not their low sensitivity, but their uneven impedance. That’s what makes them so difficult to drive for most budget amps. If you want simple advice: get an amp that weighs over 10 kg, and says in its specs, that it can deliver 100w into 8 Ohms and 200w into 4 Ohms. Such amp is pretty much guaranteed to sound great with the LS50s. Unfortunately, this kind of amps are never cheap. In all other cases - listen and decide for yourself.

[@aaronphillips1210]

@@audiofun999 I would definitely agree. I have the d3020. It's a solid amp but it doesn't push nearly enough wattage to make the ls50s sing. I think the big thing here is that it's not class D that was the problem, it was wimpy class D that was. Beefy Class D does very well with hard to drive loads as it can handle radical shifts in impedance because it has power and the ability to go up and down the ohms chart in spades. But 100% agree, that specific class D amp would be match for those speakers.

[@audiofun999]

@@aaronphillips1210 definitely, it's not about the amp's class, a proper class D amp can driive LS50s very well. Unfortunately, KEF does not tell anything about impedance swings in LS50s' specs. They could have done better job informing customers about the importance of choosing the right amp. For me It took many trials and errors to realize that it was the NAD causing that annoying harshness in vocals, I initially thought it's the reverb in my untreated room.

[@gtk_NO]

@@audiofun999 I had almost exact same story with harshness and the other stuff you describe on Kef R3 but that was with weak class AB amps before I got it sorted. R3s are even more demanding than LS-50. Fortunately I didnt sell the speakers and started to test different amplifiers instead.

[@zeissiez]

The Line Magnetic 508ia tube amp and Passlab DIY F5t work very very well with the LS50, full bottom end without needing a sub. The speaker is very transparent, and has no coloration. This is both good and bad. People who appreciate coloration may get bored of it after a while. And these speakers need room to breath, they are very sensitive to room acoustic, imaging could fall apart if the room is not well treated.

[@WarinPartita6]

Thanks for your sincere & very informative comments. :-))))

[@monaco308308]

I am really impressed with this speakers. And the bass is more than enough coming from the kef iq30😁. Difference like night and day. Super happy with them.

[@mookie2637]

Very good, very carefully considered comments, thank you. I snapped up a pair for £400 recently and am setting them up tonight with a Naim 250....

[@lawchoongseng789]

I drive my LS50 on Partington Super Dreadnought stands with Krell KAV400XI / Perreaux R200i amplifier. Esoteric X05 CD player. Crystal Standard cables / Nordorst Heimdall, Frey cables. Really Fantastic sound.

[@Silence-and-Violence]

Lol gearheads are the same no matter the hobby. Audiophiles talk about their setups exactly like gun and car guys.

[@thom3321]

There is a lot of misinformation in these comments. Herb Reichert of Stereophile magazine reviewed the Kef LS50 speakers when they were introduced many years ago. He powered them with the Rouge Audio Sphinx class D amp giving the combination a very positive review commenting that he could happily listen to this setup forever. It was not long after that when I purchased the exact setup that he recommended. I added a quality subwoofer which absolutely is recommended. Keep in mind that there is no midfi setup that is perfect for everyone, but to say that a class D amp will not pair with the LS50 is simple incorrect. Keep in mind that while they are rated at 8 ohms, they have been independently tested and are closer to a 4 ohm speaker. Pair them with a quality amp around 100 watts with good clean current and a good sub and, if you enjoy the Kef sound, you will enjoy these speakers. They have clean resolving treble which some people coming from speakers that are not as resolving up top, describe as bright. I bet most of those comments are also from a low power setup without a sub. I have other speakers but my LS50s get more playing time than any others. I have enjoyed them for more than 10 years and they are not going anywhere. I listen to rock, jazz and pop vocalist, accoustic and various other types of music and think these are wonderful and a true classic. Best wishes to all and keep those reviews coming Jay.

[@jeffagain7516]

Thanks and well done Sir! Gotta agree with all your points. I feed my LS50s with a Bryston 4B and they eat that power with aplomb. I also support their bottom range with an Axiom dual aluminum cone sub, that digs down to 16 Hz. Finally, I indeed have them at ear level when seated and pointed at my ears. All together, the stage is magical and I'm thoroughly impressed. I suspect these speakers will last me for quite some time to come. :)

[@edmundgil6008]

I loved this video! People can disagree with your opinion if they want, but your reasoning is backed by science, experience with different type of amplification, and experienced listening. I love it! I was going to mention the amp section for the LS50 Wireless, but you beat us to it. It very much supports your views. I wonder what tube amp owners would say? Chow! And thank you bro!

[@buttonman1831]

You are absolutely correct friend. These speakers require a quality amp period or they just don't sound that good. I can tell just by the character of their sound this is the case. They sing nice when you have a quality amp and yes it doesn't have to be high wattage per se, but Naim, Hegel, Moon would have low wattage amps that would sound great with these speakers.

[@vibesahead]

Is the Cambridge CAX81 also a good match you think? With the LS50.

[@russredman6427]

So many are sold on the used market because so many were sold new. Like the VW Beatle. When you have market saturation such as the LS50 you see them being moved as used. Nothing else to add. They are great at the price. When paired w a good sub they can't be beat at the price.

[@gli7utubeo]

VW Beetle. :)

[@herrtrigger7220]

gotta love a guy referencing decades of speaker changes who is only 20 years of age

[@FOH3663]

Wise beyond his years ...

[@greglandesman3741]

@@FOH3663 😆😆😆

[@rueben1001]

This dude is so accurate with all the pros and cons of the speaker. likes so freaking accurate. I own these and im just nodding my head with every single thing he says about the LS50s

[@Smorfar]

Would you still recommend them? I listen mostly to HipHop and sometimes Movie Soundtracks, Some vocals, some alternative.

[@brydon10]

These actually work great with a good quality Class D amp.

[@michaelbrathwaite7019]

@@brydon10 He clearly stated ‘compared’ to class A or B

[@rueben1001]

@@brydon10 you need a really good class D like the parasound new classic 200 integrated :) but the more current you get the better it sounds!

[@rueben1001]

@@Smorfar I would only use for HipHop if you integrate a REALLY fast sub like the kc62 kef makes or one from REL

[@krzysztofs3t532]

6:50 - good sub is very important. If yo heard it once you will want to use it even with a full spectrum floorstanders. The accoustic pressure that subwoofer gives you is a gamechanger. It's not about the bass, but something that can be named as weight and authority of a sound.

[@sonycarp8271]

Perhaps two fast subwoofers, as one can get quite messy, for lack of a better word, 👍

[@MynheerSuperbusVonUnderduk]

Wow, I have the LS50 for years and all of these points are so true. Other thing I would mention is if you try to reach high volumes (especially with a lower power amp) the drivers can and will break because of clipping.

[@stevenholt5484]

Thank you man, you killed it. I own the Spout 100 and this is exactly why I went with the Klipsch RP series instead of the LS50. Not throwin' shade at KEF, they are great, but I had to do what's right for me.

[@tjp444]

Agreed. As a test I moved my LS50's to my desktop with the Sprout 100. It was disappointing to say the least. My $300 Dali Spekktor's sounded better on the Sprout.

[@stevenholt5484]

@@tjp444 I'm with you bro, too many people buy the LS50's without first taking a hard look at their front end gear.

[@bridge4tune120]

My Klipsch 150m powered by Elekit 8200 are miles ahead from my Kef LS50 powered by Rega R Brio on my desktop..Im so pissed..

[@gtk_NO]

@@bridge4tune120 They are ok only up to a certain volume before it breaks apart with the Brio I agree. I will get the Elicit-R, minimum would be something like Elex-R in the Rega Lineup. You shouldnt be pissed though like me you probably bought a hard to drive speaker at the time without realizing it requires decent electronics. For me after adapting the KEF sound is totally worth it. For KEF R3 I needed 2x140w before it satisfied my ear. There is something very special about the KEF sound to me, but demanding on partnering electronics.

[@bridge4tune120]

@@gtk_NO Im using the Kef 50 nearfield as desktop monitors...never forced. Medium volume at most. I might need to get a pream or ome buffer on the way..

[@mark0077777]

The LS50s are not recommended to be at ear level, even from KEFs own documented recommendations. Even though that's the usual guidance for most speakers, not for these.

[@seraphthecreator]

I didn't know anyone under the age of 40 and living outside the UK knew of BBC monitors.

[@sequentialgear]

I'm driving my LS50's with a Crown XLS1500 and an iTube as a preamp, lots of headroom to spare. They sound like a much bigger speaker, bass hits hard and overall very dynamic and smooth!

[@alainyap9611]

Interesting. Might try this. Was offered Schiit Ragnarok but not wife-approved

[@Projacked1]

Where are they sold so much? Have any links ? Great video dude, you know your stuff.

[@gordthor5351]

Kef recommends 24" stands. Yeah, you can't over emphasize how important it is to power LS50s with a high current (and high power) quality amp to make them shine. I hooked up my LS50s to my JC1 mono blocks and was blown away by how great they sounded, even when pushed very hard. The bass was super tight and much more powerful than I ever expected from small speakers with 5" drivers. Even with a 150watts/ch Parasound 2125 amp, the LS50s sounded stressed at 80-100 watts (if the bass gets sloppy, everything sounds sloppy from the concentric driver on the LS50s). The LS50s aren't very efficient (85db) and they dip down to low 3 ohms, but when you put some real power to them, they really shine across the board. Bryston amps also have great bass control, so I'm sure those would be a great match too.

[@stevenjackson8226]

Agreed. This is a great speaker, and worthy of its modern classic status. When I have seen complaints about them, and people have relayed the gear they're using with them, I get why they might not have a good experience with them. They are rather demanding of the gear they're playing with. Magnepans are like this, too. They demand quality. The better the gear they're used with - and the better the elusive'ish synergy - the better the LS50s sound. On the used market, those looking for a great speaker deal have the benefit of the success of these speakers - KEF sold a lot of them and there are a lot of them on the market. Supply is good. Initially, when I got my LS50s, I tried many of Stereophile's reviewers recommended synergy of the humble NAD D3020. It is a very nice pairing. Yes, Class D (I don't have a broad objection to Class D; there are many great-sounding Class D amps), not especially powerful, but it works very nicely. They also sound great - and, yes, better - with the Schiit Vidar and the Odyssey Audio Khartago, each of which are nice sounding amplifiers and have plenty of power for the LS50.

[@dollag2k9]

Great vid and have praised this to so many people. only thing i do disagree with is the class d element. I was using a naim supernait 2 and found they struggled to control them sub 100hz. The naims low damping factor imo is not a good match for the ls50 A hegel h160 seemed give much better control. I also paired them with a pair of nord acoustic mono blocks which use hypeX class D modules paired with class a input buffers from sonic imagery. best amplifcation i have yet to pair with ls50's. as you said, they scale super well.

[@vibesahead]

I have those KEF LS50 together with vintage Quad reciever 405 (overhauled) for a couple years now and i loved hem because i don't now other amplifiers. But now i'm gonne buy the Cambridge CXA61 and am sure after all this years listening to the Quad a new world is gonna open for me even without listening to this amplifier CXA61.

[@rtacconi]

I did my speaker stands and it was a good idea. I still have a Sprout but I am looking for a better amplifier, what you are saying makes sense.

[@gordthor5351]

Absolutely, an excellent review. You definitely know these speakers. In my opinion the LS50s needs a neutral and high current amp (like Parasound) and it's a must to have them on solid (and sand filled if on a wooden floor system) stands for clean sound. People won't be happy (for long) if they power these speaker with a mass market receiver, or an amp that is bright. I haven't yet hooked them up to my JC1 monoblocks, but the sound quality has improved greatly with better pre-amps and especially better DACs. The LS50s are quite revealing, so they will show the strength of the electronics, and certainly any weaknesses. I bought the Parasound JC1 monoblocks to power my Kef R 900s, based on the fact that Kef often uses those amps (at least in the North American market) to demo their speakers. I'm still learning about all the tweaks (especially room factors and placement) to achieve the best sound quality and I am extremely sensitive to anything that bites (listening fatigue), so I instantly notice when I try things that make a real improvement. When I got my LS50s I set them on top of my Polk RTi A9s and they sounded like ass, because they resonated the RTi A9 cabinets). I made some sand filled stands with MDF tops and bases with ABS pipe in between and the resonance problem was gone, but the plastic pipe wasn't solid enough, so the stands were wobbly, which caused distortion from the speakers rocking. I bought solid metal Paradigm stands (very similar to Kef LS50 stands) and filled them full of sand and now they sounds great. I think it is imperative to have stand speakers (I refuse to call them "bookshelf" speakers, because such placement will destroy the sound quality) mounted on solid and sand filled stands. I plug the ports on all my speakers, set everything flat/direct and all my amps are neutral sounding. Kef included port plugs for all their speakers and shows a a green check mark and graph with a flat frequency response in the picture with the ports plugged. They show a big spike in frequency response and a red X with the ports open (that is for HT, not music). If anyone owns the RTi A9s, those speakers gain the most by plugging the ports (I used socks due to the irregular shape and front and back port design) to tighten up the bloated bass and feed them a neutral signal and they won't be so bright. They sound pretty good (for the price, $750 Canadian on sale) in a well damped room, spiked through carpet to concrete floors. Detailed speakers are finicky to set up properly, but if you can get it right it really pays off. I would never sell my LS 50s and R900s and I have way too many speakers. I totally understand why some people might give up on them if they don't have the time and patients to tweak out the set up where they sound as they should (pretty damn sweet).

[@ctr289]

They need a thrash bin to be thrown in. Even if you give them power, the woofer will just blow out, the net is full of broken Kef woofer by people who really though you could drive these toy speakers with a lot of power.

[@gordthor5351]

@@ctr289 That is utter BS. I have fed my R900s with at least 300 -350 watts from my JC1 mono blocks and about 150watts for the LS50s. and both stayed super tight. I have pushed the Q100s too and they weren't complaining either. Especially the LS50s you can't push them with a shitty amp that can't handle the load (they dip down to low 3ohms), or control the bass. The harder an amp clips, the more distortion it produces and also sends DC current to the speakers. Which will cook the voice coils if played very long if the amp is clipping badly. You clearly don't have any experience with kef speakers, thus your comment is made out of ignorance. I have never blown a speaker in my life.

[@ctr289]

@@gordthor5351 Sure you fed 150w into the LS50. Ha ha! The volume knob is highly non-linear in operation, maybe you had the knob close to the max, but I'm sure you fed something under 100w. There are other speakers that go to 2.5 Ohm even and there aren't picture of them ripped apart all over the internet like in the case of kef. I've seen clipped kef-s and the tweeter was fried, when the woofer is ripped (like it's the case with almost all broken kefs), it's the power handling of the speaker.

[@gordthor5351]

@@ctr289 I didn't have the volume close to max because the LS50s would have went up in smoke. My mono blocks will put out 1500 watts at 3 ohms. I have several amps and I have bench tested them, so I know exactly how much clean RMS power they put out and I know at what level on my preamp volume (with a 2 volts input signal). I would never push my LS50 to 150 watts on any of my very stout (high quality and high current) 150 watt amps, because they can't control the bass on the LS50s past 100 watts. My mono blocks can control any speakers out there, so they had no problem keeping the LS50s super tight at 150 watts. Kef puts a 200 watt class D amp for the bass in the wirerless version and a 30 watt class A amp for the highs. You can keep arguing out of your ass, but I know what I taking about and you just got fooled by the algorithms, so now you think LS50s are breaking everywhere in the real world. Fools can break anything, but to say that Kef drivers are weak is just plain ignorant. I have put several pairs of Kef speakers to the test and they all can stay clean at power levels much higher than the rated value. I will be the first one to say that the LS50s will get sloppy if push harder than the amp can handle. I have some fairly decent 100 watt high current amps that can't even control the LS50s past 70watts. The LS50s are great speakers, but they aren't for everyone. The power rating for mass market receivers are a joke. If they claim 150W/ch, the unit likely has 50 watts RMS and they are current limited, so they can't drive 4 ohm loads, let alone 3 ohms. I bet the dummies who destroyed their LS50s, tried to push them hard with a weak amp that couldn't control the driver and also put out a ton of distortion and DC current. That will fry any speaker if left to play very long like that.

[@caznrod]

Hi young man, I'm from Germany so my english ist not so good. I totally agree with your information. I used to have B&W loudspeakers (607 S2) and I regret the selling. The B&W were quite uncomplicated and the KEF LS50 is rather complicated to drive well. I have a 8 ohm amplifier but unfortunately few power with 35 watts @ 8 ohm. So I intend to buy a 100 watt @ 8 ohm (cambridge audio) and the I'll see... With the B&W I was all of a sudden in love and with the KEF I'm still waiting for that feeling... You're right with the positioning, this is basically. If I should not be satisfied I'll buy me again a B&W loudspeaker, but this time the 706 S2, I heard them, they were totally open and transparent and just great but also quite expensive. Thank you for the honest information.

[@CaptainCrunch823]

LS50’s + crown xls 2502 + REL T7i (connected directly to amp) works great for me on my 8 foot wide desk

[@thedownunderverse]

Mike S I have two REL T5i's, supporting B&W CM5 S2's in a 2.2 setup. Considering changing the B&W's for KEF LS 50's.....

[@totalplonker824]

@@thedownunderverse did your rel t5i s ever get round to having a partnership with the KEF ls50s ?

[@thedownunderverse]

Welsh divvy stone age techy didn’t happen. Stuck with my B&W’s...

[@cryptocanuck1537]

Great vid...I love my LS 50's paired with the Arcam A39, Blusound Node and Kef Kube 10 Sub

[@skyengeh]

Ok I hear you, so does that count out most AV receivers ? (for stereo music listening) or do you know of a AV receiver/amplifier that would be a good match.

[@nightmaregamez420]

Using the sprout 100 and they work flawless

[@stephenc2738]

This reviewer is bang-on when matching a good small speaker to the right electronics. I once owned Rogers LS35A (11 ohm version) and played them with a Revox 90 watt integrated amplifier- mediocre sound at best! A few months later, I bought a Mark Levinson ML28 Preamp and ML29 Poweramp. The ML29 was rated at 50 rms @ 8ohms/100 rms @ 4ohms/180 rms @ 2 ohms with massive current reserves and it ran cool. The LS35A's came to life in my room when paired with these electronics. There are many budget & Class D integrated amplifiers which look good on paper and deliver passable reproduction but can't deliver the goods with more revealing speaker systems.

[@maceblanc]

Agree. I got a pair of LS50 on steel Monolith stands for my McIntosh MA6300, which is 100W/ch in 8 Ohms, and as a stand alone speakers they where a total disappointment. Heavy bass music (i.e. Interstellar soundtrack) at moderate volumes made the drivers wobble in and out in a crazy way with notable distortion. Even they smelled a little bit like overheating (I got scared...). The McIntosh is a very good integrated amplifier but some reviews said that "it doesn´t like to be pushed hard" but I got excellent results with it and a pair of Monitor Audio Bronze 500 (which I have reserved for another set). On the other hand my room is relatively large. I have an old Energy subwoofer s10.2 (Canadian and really good, capable to down at 23Hz) with high level connections, so I passed the LS50 through the subwoofer crossover filtering them at 75-80Hz and this changed everything. The LS50s blended very good with the Energy and now they are much more efficient. The key is keeping them free of low frequencies below of its 79Hz low frequency response limit. Yes, they definitely need a subwoofer and a crossover to by-pass them and achieve the best from them.

[@speakertoni2680]

I agree that the LS50 needs a quality amp and although that applies to all speakers it’s more noticeable with the LS50 I’m just wondering why you would also need a lot of power since 10 watts are already enough for 95db of volume for one speaker or roughly 101db of volume for a stereo pair If you get a good 2x30 watt amp I think you should have more than enough headroom with these

[@gtk_NO]

Specs list powerhandling up to 100w. Quite possibly its because the speaker provides some hard phase angles to drive with dips to min.3.2 Ohms that lesser amplifiers cannot handle. I ran into exactly the same thing with KEF R3. I tried all sorts of 60-80w amps for R3, cheapest Hegel etc, that didnt do it for me. Once i got up to 2x140w the speakers play with real heft and power behind them, less strain etc. The same thing is probably an issue with LS-50s too. You will start to hear some really good character out of the speakers at lower wattages and you may even go wow, but there is a bigger wow to be had once you hear them with more power on tap than you think. Thats properly why people are selling them because of dissapointment because their partnering electronics cannot bring them fully to life.

[@speakertoni2680]

BiM-gtk the effect you’re describing is true but does not relate to the power output of the amplifier more watts don’t have to equal better low impedance performance on speakers it still seems this way tho the reason being that amps with a higher power output usually are the higher end/more expensive ones which means that they perform better overall besides having a higher maximum power output with the more expensive amps by a certain brand you not only get 2x or 3x the power but they also improve other parts in the amplifiers circuitry which after all leads to improved low impedance performance

[@gtk_NO]

@@speakertoni2680 Yes the problem is without a database with those kinds of measurements its close to a wild goose chase. The issue I see is yes I can buy a super high quality expensive but lower wattage amp, but when id like to experiement and Im suddenly faced with actual wattage hungry speakers I then need a new amp. Id rather buy something with more wattage from the get go these days than risk being starved. Ive noticed most of the the time as you say theres a correlation between wattage and price as well, not always though. I do feel like most amp manufactureres these day are making more wimpy amps than even average bookshelf speakers actually sound best with. I get that their cutting corners on price but its causing a lot of people a lot of problems since its giving a lot of people the impression that a particular amp will be enough with a specific set of speakers and leaves the buyer dissapointed.

[@FEGTTTSDH]

I am very agree, I have this speakers and with a Onkyo rz830 the sound was crap, with a Yamaha RS700 the sound was a bit better but still meh, after with a Sansui au607 alpha restored the sound became very good... But I try a Cambridge cxa80, the sound became amazing... My setup is not cheap PS audio dectet, dac chord qutest, isoacoustics stands, a mundorf mod crossover, Silver plate cables... Well this for me sounds amazing

[@paulrobb8474]

Really Informative video mate. I currently have an arcam a85 amp. Would these ls50 speakers be a good combination with that do you know. Other options I have been considering are B & W 606 and Elac Debut B6. 2. It's so difficult to know what to go for. Any advice would be appreciated.

[@DMcKENZIEMUZIK]

Same I would love some recommendations for the class AB amps please!!!

[@arongatt]

My experience with KEF and every 85-89db speaker needs good Amplifier to really get the best out of them. Try a dual mono block amp, they will bloom

[@ctr289]

You'll break them. They are insensitive but at the same time they can't handle much power, they're just a bad design, thousands of them have been broken by people who fed them too much power. In fact, all kef coaxials are prone to damage.

[@Stuart-85]

I have been a Kef Ls50 owner since 2017; the KEF is a relatively benign load still but still has its limits (either a very complex piece of music or playing at very high or very low volume levels). Even the LS50 can cause the combination of amplifier and loudspeaker to sound shrill. That said, I'm looking to upgrade my current Marantz PM8005 amplifier. My source components are Cambridge CXN V2 and a Rega Dac. I plan to get an excellent in-built dac inside my amplifier and discontinue the Rega. So ideally, I need an amplifier with balanced outputs and would be looking at an amplifier with a minimum of 100w into 8 ohms. Can you recommend some models worth looking at, for around £2000 - £3000, that will drive KEF Ls50s at higher and lower volumes? Preferably a European, British, Or Japanese brand, as their easier to access within my region. Keep up the excellent work, Jay. Top job, as per usual.😎

[@ingalook]

KEF ls50 are budget speakers???

[@TheKb117]

budget for the rich, imho... hahahaha

[@kevinpwoodward]

900 bucks. I would say that is a budget bargain speaker.

[@kakauga]

costs less than iphone

[@dougbenjestorf280]

Thank You for another excellent review.

[@alonsotoledo4304]

Hi, I really like your Chanel and the way you present it. Im kind of new in this world and have almost the same doubt I've seen in a lot of people looking for the best/adecuate amp for Kefs Ls50 Meta (and a REL SUB). Was advised to go for the Musical fidelity M5si as a solid choice. On the other hand I really like Hegel but can't reach at this moment the h190 because of my budget. Do you think h120 would be a good choice, even above Musical Fdelity M5si. My other option is Lyngdorf TDAI1120 since it has room correction. Both the h120 and Lyngdorf have poor gain ( according to some reviews, but never tried them with the keys). which one should I go after in your opinion? In case the h120 is the best choice should I get an external DAC to improve the sound quality? Or the built in is just fine.

[@rotecrl9719]

Steve Guttenberg liked them with a Rega Io? That should not be a thing then, right?

[@afaiz288]

Excellent video... Great suggestions... Thumbs up

[@DrWillis1990]

do you have any recommendations for class ab amps? Very informative and great video.

[@DMcKENZIEMUZIK]

Same I would love some recommendations for the class AB amps please!!!

[@TysonHook-22-]

If the LS50s were discountiued tomorrow prices would sky rocket on the used market, scarcity increases the value exponetially.

[@Starch1b2c3d4a]

Tyson Hook 🤣

[@Old_Sailor85]

They have been discontinued. At least they are no longer on KEF's web site. They have been replaced by the new LS50 Meta.

[@TysonHook-22-]

@@Old_Sailor85 Yes i'm fully aware of the Kef LS50 meta release, I absolutely love the blue/gold edition... in about 10 years or so when there being discotinued maybe i'll grab a set haha I just picked myself up a set of the black edition KEF LS50s about 6 months ago, when I found them on clearance sales and I for sure plan to pick up another set well there on final clearance. Right now i've got mine set up with a KEF Q100 as the center channel and a couple Q100s as surrounds... its a awesome setup! but to please my eyes and soul i've gotta get a matching KEF LS50 to complete my L+C+R

[@TysonHook-22-]

@@Starch1b2c3d4a In my original statement I meant if KEF discontinued the LS50 line with no replacement in sight... it would drive a entirely different used market for the KEF LS50s... of course with a newer more advanced version being released the cost of the previous edition is gonna decrease... but had KEF completely discontinued the LS50 line with no plans of ever making another, the used market value would've for sure skyrocketed. Theres many speakers and headphones from KEF, JBL, Polk, Klipse etc etc that have long be discontinued yet are still highly sought after by music enthusiast and consistently fetch premimum price points on the used market.

[@frankspark]

"You're firing your damn speakers on your foot" LMAO

[@CaptainJamesTKirk-en4kt]

I totally agree with you comments, I had a pair being used in a upstairs system, using small HT receiver and they got decent bass as they were sitting on a bookshelf but I felt they where lacking detail, so I replied them with a front firing port KEF and move these downstairs to try them out with a bigger Int. Amp and also on a pair of Mono-Blocs, night and day difference, you are spot on as there sensitivity being 85db, a receiver just can't get decent bass out of them either unless your combining them with a Sub. What your take on Buchardt S400, more bass for sure, but lets put things in perspective they are double the cost in most cases now. KEF LS50 is well built and as you state, if you use the right Amplification they can be a very good speaker.

[@RelativeResonance]

Is Cambridge audio cxa80 adequate for it? It's 80 watts per channel. Price at release was 1200$, now b-stock from them is 800$.

[@anatolegoffaux721]

How do i know that my amplificateur is enough for those

[@Gadgetdad007]

Could anyone tell me if my NAD C388 amplifier would be a good pairing with the Buchardt S400 and the Klipsch RP-600M speakers ?

[@machone539]

Most people hate their speakers because they do not have the right combo (speaker and amp). Kind of like putting econo tires on a Corvette.

[@parvezshaikhul]

Thnx Bro nice review I liked it a lot Plz suggest for me a sub that blends seamlessly with it. What about Rel acoustic and marantz pm 8006 or pm- ki/ruby to start with

[@brennanruelle]

I've been interested in the LS50s. I have a cambridge audio cxa60 integrated amp. Will I be fine with this pairing?

[@brennanruelle]

What if they're cut off at 80hz?

[@asm200sx]

If your room is small the Cambridge CXA 60 is enough. That is one of the pairings that I have in my system.

[@doronkavillio5738]

I combined the LS50 with a McIntosh 611 and I was amazed in every aspect!

[@joeygonzo]

a little overkill , don't you think ?

[@margix1172]

ls50 sucks aesthetically snd sonically, the best for mcintosh are klipsch jbl klh

[@doronkavillio5738]

@@margix1172 you are so funny!!!

[@margix1172]

@@doronkavillio5738 Try the speakers that I have suggested and you will see your mcintosh hugs you.

[@doronkavillio5738]

@@margix1172 NEVER!

[@MrSouzy]

I agree with everything you say. My room tends to increase the bass so I use some old foam headphone pads to block the ports partially. Depending on the recording that works for me. For bad thinly mastered recordings I take them out. I use a NAD 365 which has 80watts but actually has more due to the way that NAD measure their power output. Recently I did try out a low powered (only 15w) class A amp which ordered from China with them and amazingly it worked pretty well. So now I am thinking that this amp must have a high current.

[@brydon10]

The LS50 needs a good amp that can run 4 ohm speakers well.

[@gordthor5351]

brydon Absolutely. The LS 50s are 85db sensitivity and they dip into the 3 ohm range. They will definitely want to suck some current at 3 ohms.

[@rwlewko]

My most recent purchase is an integrated amp - the Moon 340dpx. I'm upgrading my system one piece at a time. I've started working from the sources to the amp and now I want to get speakers that work with the system. The speakers I have now are B&W CM5S2's which are bright and I get fatigued after about 90 minutes. First, since the theme of this video is that the KEF LS50 requires good amplification to sound good my question is: does the Simaudio Moon 340dpx have the current and power to make these speakers sound good? Second question - I assume that because these are popular speakers that they are good at imaging etc., but would they be less fatiguing without sacrificing clarity and detail in the higher frequencies?

[@danab7472]

I own KEF speakers and I think people tend to push them too hard trying to fill large rooms. The LS50, bless its coaxial heart, is not a big room loudspeaker. The Uni Q driver does not like abuse and no matter how much power you feed it (I acknowledge the need for plenty of power with them no question) they will not fill a big room. That’s when you go to some of KEF’s larger offerings. The LS50 is not a cheap speaker if you use it as it wants to be used: in smaller to medium sized rooms. Just my experience with KEF in general. The Uni Q drivers have always been like that.

[@lesmatthews459]

Just recently found your videos. Like them! Just subscribed.

[@alonzosmith6189]

How about the Edifier AirPulse A100, A200, A300?

[@scottlowell493]

Just auditioned some. ( 7/19/23). There is a definitely a metallic sheen to the sound. They also (for me). need a sub. I agree on power : the NAD integrated amp in the demo room didn't help. Class D amps have pretty poor treble. They modulate noise, stuff above 10khz measures badly.

[@chrissimmonds4383]

My Ls50's are powered by a Roksan M2 integrated which has a rating of 85 watts per channel which is not very high but it drives the Kefs very well due to high-current capability. The Ls50's can sound very bright and forward without careful matching. I use a sub with a slight boost under 65Hz and I also listen nearfield with the speakers toed in. They sound excellent. They need good stands and keep them away from the rear wall as they can get overblown in the bass.

[@larryhoffman7471]

I use the LS 50’s with a Yamaha A-S801 integrated. It’s 100 watts per channel and in the reasonably low ceiling small to medium sized room I have my stereo in, it sounds very good. Would love to try a higher end amp, but I’m quite pleased right now and really can’t afford anything better. The Yamaha is a lot of amp for the money and I recommend it.

[@richarddegannes2928]

Hello, Would you honestly recommend buying these Kef LS50 speakers at US$ 899 and are there any other comparable or better speakers at this price point? Thanks

[@Slickman2006]

I'm between LS50's and Triangle Comete/Titus EZ. What's better in your opinion?

[@fengyink]

Cannot tell the reason - demand / supply. But the ls50 definitely needs $1500-2000 amp to make it sounds like they should.

[@AngelInTheDesert]

Would a Marantz SR7012 push these enough? I’ll be using them for mixed music & movies. I have a SVS SB-13 Ultra subwoofer to cover the low low end.

[@picsaintloup5953]

What about Rotel rb1572 mk 1 D class 250 w per Chanel ?

[@cartossin]

There's plenty of class D amps that are better than 99% of class A/B. Dont worry too much about the type of amplifier. These blanket generalizations are wrong.

[@V1ralB1ack]

Hypex ncore and ice power class d are pretty great. People can also go with tube amps and schiit amps are a perfect pairing with Kef especially the ragnarok and aegir

[@badkid73]

Jay couldn’t be more wrong about Class D generalizations. Modern class D amps based on Hypex Ncore or Purifi modules can easily handle 4 ohm and even 2 ohm loads with plenty of power/current. And they are highly affordable. Power on an amplifier does not equal heft. The heft is from the massive heat sinks required by the inefficient wasteful space-heaters that are known as class A amplifiers.

[@jamesccart]

have you tried any high quality professional amps apart from bryston? thinking mc2 specifically such good value compared to the hifi world and measure as good as it gets

[@johnshore3095]

So a bit of a bargain SH if you can match it with the right amp AND place it correctly for £450

[@MALI1185]

WHat subwoofers would you generally recommend to be used with these speakers?

[@3DAragon]

Is anyone running the Kef ls50metas with the Technics SU G700 Mk2? It only has 75ws and is sort of a class D'ish amp ... I own it, and am chasing the perfect detailed sound in a pair of speakers. All this talk of class d not working well with them scares me to pull the trigger.

[@JG-nx3jg]

Ive currently got a naim atom and a rel sub paired with proac studio 118's. Im up for a change, sounds like ill be alright with the ls50 metas.

[@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120]

Your doing a great Job ! ! You have alot of passion fir Audio, Thats so awesome to see , When i was your age back in 93-94 i only had a Radio shack a JCpenny catalog and a Crutchfield magazine with very high dollar Audio , But in 1994 we Got a Best Buy in a near town !! And i was pumped upted !!!! Yamaha Pioneer JBL And yes BOSE !!! Then came along Klispch KG 2.5s Loud speakers 499.00 US a pair matched to a Yamaha RX-396 2 channel pure analog Real reciever 599.00 US and a sharp 777 cd player from kmart display model 80.0p bucks lol i was in HOG HEAVEN !

[@turlesRfun]

Hi! I was wondering what are those foam block risers that you use for your monitors? Thanks in advance :)

[@JonathanSwiatek]

Yoga blocks

[@FOH3663]

Auralex Mopads work great, they're not expensive.

[@RayPaganJr]

I’m on the fence whether to get the mega or the old ls50. I will be using a Parasound 2003A amp with Emotiva preamp, Velodyne 1000 watt sub. Any thoughts? I’d like to save money and wondering if the extra $500 will be significant on my 62 year old ears. BTW, my hearing is fine other than the usual aging process.

[@1st2mind]

You are aware, that the LS50 Wireless is powered by a Class D amplifier right...and a class A/B; 30 watt class A/B for high and 200 watt class D for mid and lows. Also a lot of respected people from the hi-fi community including Paul from PS Audio, uses LS50 passive with the Sprout 100.

[@jooneitaly]

Can my Audiolab 8300a drive them? I currently use it with Dali Zensor3

[@jonberg469]

Since when did Joseph Gordon-Levitt start doing speaker reviews?

[@Jayiyagi]

Im asian

[@daviewavie112]

The Next Best Thing Studio it’s the facial structure

[@polocash11]

Sony TA-N77ES Would this work for LS50? This is 200 w/ channel and weigh 55 lbs.

[@mrt6349]

So my Marantz pm8005 is a decent match for the kef ls50 meta, i am seriously thinking on it and a sub. I was also thinking about the kef r3.

[@marijnmertens7568]

I connected Myanmar ls50meta with rotel A-14 amplifier. Perfect sound 👌

[@SuperDamny]

I bet you didn't try LS50s on NAD C298. Class D, but very capable.

[@tomcreese5737]

Hi, I have a 20 Yr old sugden a21a integrated amp , I'm.thinking it might just be the dogs bo####ks 👌 to pair with these? Any thoughts .

[@c.s.herman860]

Hey l enjoy the reviews 👍. I'm wondering what you think about the KEF Q150? My budget is about $1000 CAD and I'm trying to put together a 2.1 system

[@Sheisintomalakasdino]

KEF LS50 are 894cdn at visions right now

[@cuchanu]

You can find a good used subwoofer/amp to make that budget work

[@mrt6349]

I got the marantz pm8005 would that suffice?

[@ythagakure]

Do your research on your amp, check the specs, what class is it and what speakers would pair best with them. Remember, just because a speaker is popular it does not mean it is the right speaker for your home, business, or room dynamics.

[@ythagakure]

The Marantz PM8005 integrated stereo amplifier delivers audiophile grade sound quality along with system operational flexibility. Rated at 70 watts per channel into 8 ohms, the PM8005 features a robust power supply along with high current capability to deliver 100 watts per channel into 4 ohms, for compatibility and operational stability with the widest range of loudspeakers. So now, what do you think? Does your Marantz pair well with this speaker?

[@FEGTTTSDH]

Yes, in power and quality is good, try if You can...

[@asphalthedgehog6580]

I understood the impedance lowers to 3.5Ohm, so forget a class D amp. I'm thinking about the LS 50 Meta. I'm still running a 1983 2x130W on 4 Ohm amp - bought new- every day, that can handle 2Ohm, so I should be safe. Never liked KEF though, so I have to do some careful listening first.

[@BenjiGator23]

Interesting take... I didn't realize that their sensitivity was only 85db. I wonder why the amplifier requirements only state 25-100W on their website if the sensitivity is that low. Also, how do the R3's compare to the LS-50s in terms of what you feed them? Are they also very picky with what you feed them with?

[@Jayiyagi]

R3 is less hard to drive. Less picky in my opinon but still need correct placement and attention to amplification as it does scale.

[@alvarojaramoreno2740]

any review of the monitor s audios behind you?

[@DougMen1]

Those look like the Gold 100 with their version of an AMT tweeter. It's my bucket list bookshelf speaker!

[@lukeydukeyz]

What amp do you suggest with the LS50s then?

[@DMcKENZIEMUZIK]

Same I would love some recommendations for the class AB amps please!!!

[@felixxia3604]

a kef seller in jakarta told me exactly this about 4 years ago. kef ls50 is kinda pointless if you need to use expensive amp ( more expensive than the speaker itself ). they had peachtree nova 300 watt at the time.

[@AMan-wu8eg]

I use mine with a NAD 388 amp and I’m happy so far... maybe I should follow your advise and get a better amp...

[@robertwillemen6407]

Try a Primare I30. It will give performance a boost!

[@michaelboyce3619]

Will the LS50s work with the Parasound New Classic 200 integrated?

[@henrylawson430]

I have KEF LS50 with a Yamaha A-S 701 amp and it works for me. I think the LS50 is particularly good for classical music, jazz, and more acoustic sounds in general like folk rock. It is probably not so great for highly distorted rock music. I have also purchased a REL t7i subwoofer to fill in the low end better. I previously and simultaneously owned Wharfedale 225 and for 90% of the music I listened to from Mozart to Sinatra, Norah Jones to REM and even Led Zeppelin, the LS50s were consistently better.

[@Freedom89984]

Just buy a secondhand Arcam A38 for €500 and a secondhand Rel sub for €150. Try to get the LS50 secondhand for €600 and for €1250 you have hi end sound that will always makes you happy. Maybe throw in some real good stands and it’s fine for the times to come.

[@johngarbutt]

I completely agree that these should be placed at ear level and not too low down.

[@ronnietjikoeri9965]

So are my klipsch speakers

[@anandshah71]

Buddy have you tried Hypex UcD amps forget Bryston Hypex rocks

[@Digiphex]

How would it pair with Yamaha A-S1200?