KEF LS50 vs Dali Rubicon 2 (5-song comparison)

[@mykeldg]

Blues/Vocals KEF 0:00 , DALI 1:34 Jazz KEF 3:05 , DALI 3:56 Acoustic KEF 4:40 , DALI 5:44 Female Vocals KEF 6:41 , DALI 7:44 Rock KEF 8:34 , DALI 9:39

[@carldaniel3155]

Dali Rubicon 2 sound absolutely incredible, so alive, dynamic, holographic... just perfect.

[@igaldins]

On jazz dali are too bright for me..

[@timschutte3961]

@@igaldins That is why you need a warmer sounding amp with Dali otherwise too bright cause Dali is on the bright side of neutral.

[@igaldins]

@@timschutte3961 Compare to Dynaudio it is.

[@MrVoayer]

To my ears Dali's sound less muffled, fuller and more engaging !

[@petrvodkin5001]

Kef sounds like an open can of beans, on the the third day,

[@vasyapupkin3300]

The LS50 has a slight metallic color of sound.

[@mykeldg]

Yes it does

[@vrsimha]

I think it is obvious the clarify and good staging belongs to Dali Rubicon 2

[@KitaristChannel]

What is the first song called?

[@jimsregaturntableshifijukebox]

Just came across your channel, have subbed.

[@RennieAsh]

The Dali more exciting "airy", the KEF a bit smoother/cleaner

[@sivaramnagarajan8791]

I just got the Rubicon 2s and have paired with Hegel H190. Does the Rubicons need to be burned in?

[@mykeldg]

maybe only for a few hours but it wont change it drastically. most important is the placement and room. they dont like it near the wall and reverberating corners. sound tends to thin in midrange. but placed well, it became my favorite speakers.

[@__-uy6sm]

dali cho chất âm rất tinh tế và chi tiết

[@АлександрХворостян-щ7м]

Интересно так, всегда любил дали и они у меня есть, а тут кеф нравится больше. В нем больше середины и ровной музыки и сцены, да верха дали открытее но их много, и много низов так что середина пропадает. Очень интересное открытие для меня. Слушал на наушниках Хайфай Ария

[@igaldins]

I love this Karen Souza Esentials album! I listen to it when I go to sleep😴 . It is beautiful!

[@mykeldg]

Yes it is! Very well recorded too

[@Slim-man1977]

Sorry body but the Rubicon will sound bright if not you have a dac on the dark side of neutral and refined. The new range of Nad sounds compleatly different from the old series. The c388/398, Primare or PS audio are exceptional with the Rubicon. My favorite combination is preamp/dac with Dirac and a class ab poweramp or AB integrated+ dac/streamer with dirac ombord. The Node 2i streamer will resolve the issue. By trigging the tone controles the Node add a touch of darkness, precision and refinement and the inprove ment is over 25%. It sounds strange but you have to experience this fenomen on your own.

[@mykeldg]

hey there - do you also have the Rubicons? Whats the best combination you've had so far?

[@Slim-man1977]

A resolving integrated amp + bluesound node streamer with tonescontrole ON. The c568 with dirac is even better

[@kiangdv]

Running Ikon 6 MK2 on M32 - looking forward to upgrade to Rubicon 6 - just had a test listening. But, great comparison - thx!

[@mykeldg]

@@Cantatos which model? I had pm5005 with opticon 2 and the marantz was a bit v shaped.

[@nainghtetsoeyi7440]

I am using with Matrix Audio X-Sabre-3, Perreaux Audiant 100p and Rubicon 2 with REL Tx5 in a pair for stereo sub setup. Rubicon sounds beautiful! Never regret my decision 😊. But I would like to try KEF LS50 and Rubicon 2 with different amplifier and DAC .

[@momocarmelo15]

No subwoofer? The bass's are impressive for both speakers - Ls50's sounded sweeter and more relaxed while keeping the details, they sounded very neutral - Rubicon's sounded spicier, very bright, they showed more character

[@mykeldg]

center image and vocals are very good on kef. Dali is Dali hehehe

[@roybrolsbeak]

meaning ?@@mykeldg

[@russellparker4568]

The kef sound like a hifi speaker, the dalis sound like a music performance. Dalis if you want the music and emotion, kef if you want to be impressed by a speakers ability to make sound. Well that’s how it sounds from this end. The kefs sound impressive but they can’t do what those rubicons do

[@mykeldg]

exactly this. I find Dali speakers have soul in them despite not sounding perfect according to hifi standards -- I even preferred them over the special 40s because of this.

[@gmomolguin]

What don you prefer? A new ones Dali Spektor 2 or a used ls 50 (no meta) first model?

[@alex-cd9jc]

hi, which one would you choose for a mid/large room? rubicon 2, opticon 2 or opticon 6 (old version) as the mk2 is not available in indonesia at the moment. I mainly listen to jazz, soft rock and electronic music. i prefer detail highs but not too much, neither too forward mids. good imaging and big soundstage. will add svs 1000 pro sub to the system, so bass is not what I am concerned with. can they both disappear after the right placement? thanks in advance and great job. recordings sound pretty good at your place. cheers

[@mykeldg]

How big is the room? Since you have a sub, I would personally pick the Rubicon 2 or if you can stretch it -- the Rubicon 5. However, for such a big spend, try to audition the 3 options as much as possible. I find the jump from opticon to rubicon was quite big, but you might subjectively find the opticon's more forgiving sound preferrable. The rubicons are quite close to the epicons being much more detailed, refined and controlled using similar (but not fully identical) woofer & tweeters.

[@mykeldg]

here is my comparison of O2 vs R2. However back then, my amplification and room treatment are still not optimal so just know that the rubicons in the old comparison video is not getting their fullpotential : kzbin.info/www/bejne/eqXEm2CKoKp_bq8

[@alex-cd9jc]

@@mykeldg Hey, thanks for your fast reply. My room is 6 meters wide x 7 long. For what you are saying I´ll go straight for the rubicon 2 with the sub. Would love to get the 5´s instead but their price is a bit too high for me unfortunately haha. Certainly the rubicons have a fast attack, that´s important for my fav genres of music. I was just worried that the opticons were not detailed enough on the top end, totally prefer the rubicons if the are such a big step up, later I can minus with the schiit lokius if needed. Thanks again and keep up the good work.

[@desned]

Opticon 2 MK2….incredible sound and way more better than the previous version…if you have budget Rubicon 2 of course…😉

[@hansiangng2808]

Gotta say the KEF in your recording really sounds like the KEF i know. Really nice ❤

[@edwinabuel324]

How about for movies which one you prefer?

[@mykeldg]

the Kef r300 was better. coaxial drivers have superior coherence and imaging for movies. not to mention better bass extension and weight

[@edwinabuel324]

​@@mykeldg Thank you !

[@plasticpenguin1]

You'll never get the best out of either speaker with a NAD 356. It's a very good budget amp but both the KEF and Rubis need very high quality amplification, with a clean current. IMO absolute minimum is a Leema Pulse or Roksan K3.

[@mykeldg]

yes tried the Roksan blak, it was quite great and is one of the best amp i heard the rubicons on.

[@hansiangng2808]

Have you tried B&W speakers? Do you think the sound is similiar to the rubicon 2 in general?

[@mykeldg]

Only the 606 but they don't sound alike to me. The b&w have a bit of a v curve while the dalis have a fleshed out midrange and smoother rhythm. Maybe the 700 & 800 series are more balanced. I also find that the Rubicon have more fleshed out midrange than even the dynaudio special 40. but that is in my room with lot of soft surfaces.

[@mykeldg]

I only compared the 606 to opticon 2 in this video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rWTdq4iLqteXfa8

[@vasyapupkin3300]

Hi, is NAD still in your system?

[@mykeldg]

HI, yes in this video, it is using the NAD. Unfortunately, it died on me. Right now I borrowed a Roksan Blak while Nad is being repaired.

[@vasyapupkin3300]

@@mykeldg And what can break in this?) Okay. We are waiting for new videos!

[@julesfrenay9619]

Is this the 1st generation KEF LS 50 or later. Or the KEF LS50 meta?! The Dali Rubicon 2 got slowly more expensive the last year. Now € 1.000,- per piece. The KEF is cheaper. Does it sound cheaper as well? I only have experience with my Dali Rubicon 2 (combined with Azur851A amp by Cambridge Audio and Cxnv2 streamer.

[@mykeldg]

yup this is the 1st version. I believe the newer meta is ever so slightly more refined in the upper mids and treble and overall slightly cleaner sounding -- but nothing game changing. If you have experience with the Rubicon 2, its quite a league and a half ahead from the LS50 (even meta) and for my taste is still one of the best standmounts I've had (including the special 40)

[@mykeldg]

LS50 is actually quite impressive for the price - it has a very balanced and direct & focused sound and imaging. Its also not dull like other balanced speakers (cough* dynaudio, Cough* kef r300) - its actually quite engaging and a bit fleshed out. However, as the volume approaches it limits, its easy to hear that it is a smaller speaker with limitations and sounds compressed against larger speakers like the Rubicon 2. Its not that audible / apparent in this recording because the volume levels are matched. But in real life, the Dali scales much larger and louder and more effortless. Also I find that I get fatigued from the LS50 metal dome tweeter within 15 minutes. If the Meta version solves that ring in the tweeter, maybe it would be a great speaker for smaller rooms.

[@julesfrenay9619]

@@mykeldg Thanx a lot. So I’ll certainly keep the Dali’s. 👍🎼👍

[@VinnieMoore1986]

Rubi 👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🎼🎶🎵🎶🎼🎶🎵

[@BadMonkeyFinger_Audio]

LS50s definitely sound more integrated than the Dalis, but I think the Dalis would probably be more fun in real-world use.

[@emrahdemir5636]

Dali Rubicon: It gives a detailed, three-dimensional, more subtle and elegant sound. Kef Ls50 : Realistic sound, solid sound, full sound, analogue sound Both have their advantages over the other, it's a matter of preference. Kef: 10/9 Dali 10/8.5

I was listening on the phone. hard to understand. kef liked low-mid. but if the author says that rubicon spices are tastier, then why not. sounds like the first music has different volumes. Thank you.

[@叶黄不動]

ダリを選ぶ。濃さとリアル感。磁気歪みが少ないからの開放感。等等。 かしこ^^;^^;^^;^^;^^;^^;^^;。

[@rmzidann]

The Dali sounds way better. More timber accuracy and natural voicing that sounds like real instruments. The KEF? Nah… those KEF drivers will never sound natural, like real musical instruments. Just doesn’t have the natural tone and timbre to my ears!

[@tasosat6807]

in KEF voice is lost in space

[@borlach321]

Miss the kid.

[@shih-shenghuang2159]

I have both, use l-505uxii to drive both, dali is better than kef

[@MrJorrma]

No hifi-spk need burn-in, only PA/musical /ntrumets-spk with hard spiders and textail roundings need some 20 to 100hr to setle. 🤠🇫🇮

[@net_news]

LS50 sounds less congested to me.

[@mykeldg]

Thats because bass drops off steeply from 70-60hz. Thus, it excites the room modes less due to this. But yes it will have more focus & tightness. Quite impressive for a speaker of its size.

[@ΣακηςΜανος]

Μy ATC scam 11 sounds more dynamic with better clarity

[@mykeldg]

atc are great speakers for precision and midrange clarity

[@Edin8140]

I prefer the kef ls50

[@richardlo-ying-seng4228]

Pour mon écoute je préfère les Dali c'est plus détaillé, moins métal

[@Chris-rk5dd]

Dali

[@vadimvadimvasiliev5169]

Budget NADs do a poor job of capturing the personality and idiosyncrasies of even these inexpensive speakers.

[@Psychedelic-Playground]

Wtf the KEF are the win here! By far! For me. The music sound so different on the Dali.

[@kowalskik.1333]

There is absolutely no difference

[@burakharley272]

absolutely rubicon 2. The ls50 showed again that it is not a good speaker.