Kef LS50 Review 

Overview of Kef LS50

Founded by a former BBC electrical engineer in the 1960s, Kef has deep British roots and a history of bringing high-performance audio equipment for audiophiles everywhere.

In its deep catalog including speakers for your house or home theater and headphones, the Kef LS50 collection of loudspeakers is a fan favorite, with rave review scores from equipment enthusiasts and critics alike for its pristine sound and surprising power.

However, does this collection repeat what its forebears did, or is it truly the next step in the evolution of home loudspeakers? 

I will seek to answer just that in my Kef LS50 review by taking a look at its key features, design, things to consider before buying, comparable products on the market, and more. First, let’s look at some of the speaker’s highlights. 

Highlights

• Hi-fidelity loudspeakers focused on perfectly rendering your music
• One of the first speakers on the market to use metamaterial absorption technology
• High decibel output
• Wireless and standard options are available
• The wireless option can stream audio
• A trusted company in business for over 60 years

Kef LS50 Review

Kef designed the LS50 line of speakers to be the perfect center of your hifi listening experience. These speakers do this by utilizing the company’s special Metamaterial Absorption Technology that gets rid of 99% of high-frequency distortion, ensuring you have the most natural sound possible.

I’ll cover the entire product line as there are two different versions of this speaker you can get. The differences between the two are obvious as their names are the KEF LS50 Meta and the Kef LS50 Wireless II. Besides price differences and the wired versus wireless choice, both will give you nearly the same experience.

Price-wise, the Kef LS50 Meta costs $1,600 on the brand’s Amazon page while the Kef LS50 Wireless II costs a bit more at $2,800. Let’s dive deeper into these speakers.

Performance

Something you should know is that the latest models in my Kef LS50 review come from a long line of proven and trusted products. They are direct descendants of the Kef LS3/5a, which was a marvel speaker in the 1970s applauded for its clear sound and accurate transmutation of input to output.

Thankfully we live in the 2020s, so the Kef LS50 speakers I’m telling you about today have had plenty of time to improve upon the original Kef LS3/5a’s design. They can deliver high-fidelity audio through their integration of acoustic mastery with digital convenience.

Design

Here are the Kef LS50 specs that will matter most to audiophiles:

• Constrained layer damping mitigates coloration and can give a silky smooth listening experience
• Metamaterial Absorption Technology reduces distortion that clogs audio and damages its quality
• 6db frequency range between 47 Hz and 45 kHz for the Meta, 40 Hz to 47 kHz for the Wireless version
• 280-watt amplifier speaker for mid-range sounds, 
• Maximum output of 106 dB

These stunning features all come in a sleek cabinet design, available in an assortment of colors to perfectly blend in or stand out in your listening space.

What’s Included?

You can add more accessories to your Kef LS50 like a subwoofer or a stand, but they’ll cost extra. Each speaker comes with a remote control, an interspeaker cable, and a power cord.

The dimensions of the Kef LS50 Meta are 11.9” by 7.9” by 11 “. The Wireless II measures 12” x 7.9” x 12.2”.

Important Things to Consider Before Buying a Kef LS50

Plenty of what I’ve said so far in my Kef LS50 review is certainly exciting, but there are some elements that can affect whether or not this is the perfect speaker for you.

Frequency of Use

With speakers like these, you’re going to want to use them as often as possible. They’re designed for immersive listening experiences where the music is the focal point.

Performance

Both the Kef LS50 Wireless II and the Kef LS50 Meta seem to flood whichever room they’re in with sound, so choosing between the two is more a matter of price and convenience.

Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT™)

This is the technology that makes the Kef LS50 speakers worthy of a purchase, but you should ask yourself whether you need crystal clear audio quality or if you just want a speaker that can play the latest Bad Bunny single loudly.

Freedom

Despite its name, the Kef LS50 Wireless II isn’t as portable as a wireless JBL speaker for example. They have more freedom in regards to where you can place them in a room versus the Kef LS50 Meta, but they’re meant to stay in one area.

Design

Due to their encapsulating sound output and crystal clear quality, these loudspeakers are designed to grab your attention. 

User-Centered

This applies more to the Kef LS50 Wireless II, as Kef took great strides to make the set-up and app connectivity easy for new users. Properly positioning the speakers in a room requires that you understand the acoustics of your space so that you don’t muffle the sound.

Kef LS50 Alternatives

While you may be charmed by the speakers in my Kef LS50 review, you should also look at some alternatives to see how they stack up to the competition.

Elac UB5

While the Elac UB5 is more affordable than the other speakers, only costing $323, it pales in comparison when it comes to low register sounds and bass. Both of these are areas in which the Kef LS50 speakers excel.

KEF Q150

Another alternative comes from Kef themselves. The Kef Q150 costs $600 and shines when it comes to drum and bass audio output. However, it lacks the Kef LS50’s MAT, which means its overall quality is slightly worse.

So it’s possible to find some decent alternatives to the Kef LS50 for a cheaper price. But as I found while writing my Kef LS50 review, none can match them in terms of raw audio quality.

Kef LS50 Reviews: What Do Customers Think?

Now that you understand what the product is all about, let’s see what customers thought after using these loudspeakers. Here’s a list of Kef LS50 review scores pulled from several websites:

1. Kef LS50 Meta: 4.8/5 stars from 187 global ratings on Amazon
2. Kef LS50 Meta: 5/5 stars from 72 reviews on Crutchfield
3. Kef LS50 Wireless II: 4.2/5 stars from 47 global ratings on Amazon
4. Kef LS50 Wireless II: 4.5/5 stars after 53 reviews on Crutchfield

Unsurprisingly, most Kef LS50 reviews I found highlighted the speakers’ clear sound. People claimed they could hear every detail of their audio. As one customer put it: “Amazing upper-end detail, great soundstage, gorgeous design.”

Another user said that these speakers were a cut above their predecessors. They wrote: “The highs are more precise and smooth/silky. Here’s a better measurement: 40% more goosebumps vs legacy LS50s.”

Some people did say that these speakers would benefit from an additional subwoofer, but they described the overall audio quality with several enticing terms. Here’s how one Amazon customer described the sound: “Plump and juicy might be a good way to describe it. They put out a sound that belies their small size.”

From the reviews I found, it seems like customers everywhere love the sound quality of these speakers. Based on their long history, it’s no surprise that Kef has seemingly perfected the hi-fidelity listening experience.

Is Kef LS50 Worth It?

Based on what I’ve read, I think either one of the Kef LS50 speakers is worth it, but they may benefit from an additional piece of equipment to help bolster their sound. If you are in the market for hi-fi loudspeakers, Kef’s offerings are a great way to start.

Where to Buy Kef LS50

These are a few places where you can buy the Kef LS50:

• Amazon
• Through the company’s website
• A dealer near you, which you can find on the Kef website

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