Have had them for a month - they are very good…. Really decent sound, fit well in a living room, and are very pleasant to listen to…. Thanks for the review!
I have their cousins, the LS-50 Metas. I needed to use them for tv audio. I have a Marantz NR-1200 driving them and a REL T5-x to handle the low end. Great little system
Great review and in-depth! Nice set-up Greg! I have the KEF LSX with the REL T5X Sub and just ordered the LSX II. I can’t wait to hear what differences there are.
@@HomeTheaterHobbyist Will do. I’m a film composer and using them for my laptop setup only. I use the ATC SMC 25’s and sub for my composing work. I do a fair bit of listening on my laptop too and these seem to be a fairly good speaker for the price range for that. We’ll see!
Thank you for your great review. (Semi-new subscriber…;-) I really appreciated your sound comparison to the LS50 IIs! I’m pretty sure you’re the first to break it down like that! I hope you consider doing more wireless speaker reviews, even though your forte is home theater! (System Audio?) Thanks again!
Thank you for subscribing! 😁👊🏾 I’m glad you found the LS50 comparison helpful, it’s good to hear what people want. Hopefully I’ll get some more active speakers sent for review! Do you have any you’d like to see reviewed?
Using a Mac, looking for desk top speakers, in UK these are £1,000. How would they compare to 2 Apple HomePods? HomePods are £600 for stereo pair. I do love the look of these. Would use wired to Mac to play WAV files and stream Hi res via Apple Music. Great review thanks!
How would these compare to the Sonos Five in stereo? Did you find the range increasing when connecting to a sub? Asking in terms of having them for a living room.
Great review! Does the high pass filter in the app means that the KEF LSX ii doesn't play full range? If so, that is a great feature because usually that means a better midrange. The subwoofer takes some of the work from the KEF's.
Thanks! You're correct it will no play down to 20Hz, it starts to drop off in volume around 50Hz if memory serves. Yes, the subwoofer connection is a great addition! Using the sub allows the on-board amps to focus on midrange and treble performance.
Just a point of reference.Various comments on here describing the HDMI port on the back of these speakers being HDMI E Arc..It's not they are only HDMI Arc.The what Hifi review may have originally had EArc on their review at Launch , but that has now been altered to ARC.
I had them for a whole 3 days before I couldn't bear the weight of their price. While they're good, they aren't worth the 800 I got them for, let alone the normal 1500-1600 you'd get them for. Truly great speakers, but not great price to performance.
Great review ! Considering new SVS w2 (5.25" driver), the LSXw2, and the LS50w2 for secondary (no surround) TV system as opposed to soundbar or TV speakers. Compact size of LSX is a big plus but worry about room volume (large open area). We use this TV for news, sports, and occasional movie mostly as background sound but compared to TV speakers the LSX must be an improvement ????
Yes compared to tv speakers these are definitely an improvement. I don’t know what tv you have but…….Much larger drivers and cabinets, a long with better amplification means you’ll be able to play louder with little to no distortion if you choose. Plus you’ll have better bass performance and pretty much all volumes. The other benefit is that you can use them for music when your tv isn’t on.
Hello there! I'm planning to use them as TV speakers, but have few questions: 1) As I understood, I need smartphone and Wi-Fi in order to setup them for the first time or if I want to change equalizer settings. But should these speakers always be connected to WIFI in order to operate as TV speakers (wired interconnection)? Сan I forget about smartphone and Wi-Fi forever after setup? 2) If I don't need Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, can I switch it OFF on these speakers? Or these signals always work and transmit some data while speakers work? 3) Each time I turn ON/OFF my TV - should I also turn ON/OFF these speakers? Or they turn off automatically after I turn off my TV? 4) How about bass on these speakers? Is it good enough?
Great test, how do they compare to the q acoustic 3020i? i really heistate between the 2, i know the prices difference is huge, but in terms of sound quality, is there a significant difference?
REALLY like the look of these red ones for desktop use. Would prefer the blue also had matching woofer color like the red. I think for the price they should support Dolby. Great timing on this video as I've been wanting to hear KEF sound in my own environment for a while now and also been looking for desktop speakers. Question: does that HDMI port work with ARC/eARC? I'm assuming so as I couldn't see another way for these speakers to use it.
Yes, it does work. I tried it and verified Dolby audio doesn't work. I changed my TV's audio setting to PCM output everything worked flawlessly. They are great for the desktop since their relatively small and don't require any additional amps or anything else on the desk. Respond to this thread and let me know what you decide to purchase. 😁
Interesting that you request that, because I did but I edited it out because I thought it was too much so I just showed screen shots. Thanks for the feedback! 👍🏾
The difference won’t be huge, they have the same drivers. The difference in sound is only by improved DSP algorithms. But beside there is the better connectivity. I own the first release too, but for me the difference doesn’t make me to consider an upgrade.
Yes, at the high end certainly. If you used A/B amp in small active speakers they would get too hot. DSP + class D with room correction much of what is wrong in separate matching and trial and error search is fixed in one unit.
is the LS50 wireless suitable for a desktop speaker? i am looking for a desktop speaker for my computer but i think the LS50 Wireless is a little big for a desktop speaker, which do u recommend for a desktop speaker?
Nice review, but you should have mentioned that the high gloss finishes are less suitable for placing beside a screen. Especially when watching movies in a dark room reflections on the high gloss will be very annoying and distracting.
That's a good point but I don't find it as distracting next to the screen, when a gloss surface is below the screen is where I find it most distracting. But again this is definitely something to consider.
Wow, great question!! I haven't heard the 1st gen LS50s in my room but based on my LS50 Wireless ii experience.......... I assume the 1st gen will yield a fuller richer sound with greater output compared to the LSX II's. So if you're planning to place them in a room without a subwoofer I expect the LS50 1st gen to sound slightly better than the LSX II. If you're planning to put them on a desk the LSX II maybe better because they have a smaller footprint. If you planning a subwoofer the LSX II maybe the easy choice because you can adjust the sub for a nice balanced sound and the package maybe slightly less expensive than the used LS50 1st gen (I don't know how much they go used😁). I'm not sure if the LS50 1st gen uses the older KEF app or the new "KEF connect" app but if it uses the older app definitely read some reviews and find out how people feel about it because the app is a primary interface. Since they created a new app (KEF connect) I somewhat assume the previous app wasn't very good but that is my assumption. Sorry so long but hopefully this helps. Respond to this comment and let me know what you get and how you like it. Enjoy! 😁
Would you consider these sufficiently powerful for a living room setup where my seated position is approx 2.5m from where the speakers would be located? Or do you think they are only suitable for near field desk use? Thanks!
The AI61 is Bluetooth only, so that means lossy. The LSX gives you the real Hifi experience with a high quality detailed sound, amazing sound stage and center image. Looks sound and build wise you will always feel the premium quality with theLSX.
@@leokuiper2593 You are 100% right, no doubt about it. My use scenario is for desktop use only. AI61 has bigger driver and I can always add DAC like modi multibit which will cost around $500 in total. AI61 cannot match the aesthetic or sound quality of LSXII but if it sounds even 3/4 close to LSXII, it is good for me.
@@muzammelhaquemukul7089 Especially for desktop use the LSX is much better, for close up listening KEF’s Uni-Q driver sounds much more coherent with all the frequencies coming from one single point source. It will never happen that your ears are closer to one of the drivers (tweeter or midrange/bass driver) as will happen with regular two way speakers. Of course the investment is quit much more for the LSX, but they are definitely worth it. I can’t look into your wallet, but if you see a way to stretch your budget I would go for the LSX. With the LSX II in the stores now there’s quit some people upgrading and you could get version 1 for a little more then 500 on the second hand market. With the first version you won’t have a usb connection, but only optical or analog 3.5 mm jack.
They should be but a lot more work has to be applied, selecting the right amp, DSP, etc. So if they don’t spend enough time selecting the right components and listening to the combinations it may not perform optimally.
Active speakers are speakers with power amplifies without a passive cross over so have an amp for the tweeter and one for the bass. Both left and right speakers have their own amps. Powered speakers have passive crossovers (usually) and the amp in one speaker only - the other is passive and wired to the amp in the primary speaker. B&O made a 4 channel amplifier for a Raspberry Pi computer. This fits into a LX50 with two channel for the left and two for the right speaker. The original crossover is removed. The cable between the speakers is four core so they original passive speakers become streaming active speakers. In terms of money spent you could for example find the right amp to power Kef LS Meta (passive) speakers that out perform the LS 50 II. Add in a streamer, DAC you are unlikely spend as little as the LS50 II and "gain" less than you expect even when doubling the outlay.
Neither of LS50 II or LSX II offer everything. That also applies to most of the steaming wireless digital speaker systems. If you use a computer as a media player (music and video library) the KSX II has USB C input. Chrome cast and Airplay will also work on audio files and both have uPnP. Both have eARC for use with a television where a lot of the competition have lag even if having Toslink inputs. The LSX II appears to have the better HDMI eARC. Neither are advertised for a 5.1/7.1 system and the software does not support it. Analogue output to the sub which adds bass for a 2.1 but not for use in a 5.1 surround system. LSX II 54Hz - 28kHz , 102db Network up to 384kHz/24bit *RJ45) Optical up to 96kHz/24bit USB Type C up to 192kHz/24bit HDMI up to 1.411Mbps PCM Wireless: all sources resampled to 48kHz/24bit PCM Wired: all sources resampled to 96kHz/24bit PCM Sub woofer on RCA output LS50 II wireless 45 Hz - 28 kHz, 108dB Network up to 384kHz/24bit Optical up to 96kHz/24bit Coaxial up to 192kHz/24bit HDMI up to 192kHz/24bit Wireless: all sources resampled to 96kHz/24bit PCM Wired: all sources resampled to 192kHz/24bit PCM USB A is service only Sub woofer on RCA output
True separates can be found for less but they will probably take up more desk space. These have a fairly small footprint so that’s great when real estate is a premium. 🙂
Yes and still have all those boxes n cables, all that system components deliberations, and then matching, plus tweaking time, and all that clutter. The all in one market is catering for a different market than diy audio hobbyists.
This is not a independent review. The "reviewer" have recieved these speakers for free, and makes commision on every sale from the links. Come on! Spending lots of time on describing how good the speakers look, without mentioning the history of the design. The design is many years old, and the only new design feature is the fabric covered version of the speakers. As for sound quality, I would never trust a Klipsch fanboy trying to sell a high end set of speakers. Its totally a different ballpark. I was hoping for an independent review, but this is worthless to me.
🤣🤣🤣 This is hilarious!!! You're speaking with authority but wrong in several areas. This is not "free product", in the video I said I have to send the speakers back to KEF because they are review hardware, ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-OV5_bomNWRQ.html. Yes, I make a small commission on affiliate links, it’s no secret, it’s in the video description. An older design that still looks good today is great design, some would use the term "timeless design". Similar to a Porsche 911, tweaked over the years but essentially the same and still looks good. You are correct, I didn't dive into the design history, as a creator I decided to focus my attention elsewhere. In all seriousness, if you really want to see a video about the design history and haven't found one I encourage you to make the video you want to see and publish it. Thanks for watching at least one of my other videos since you know I own klipsch speakers.I don't consider myself a "fanboy", I understand and appreciate the criticism others have regarding my reference premieres. I've discussed it in previous videos such as here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-A6lgO4zG6do.html. Owning a speaker brand doesn’t preclude me or anyone else from understanding and enjoying different sound characteristics made by other manufacturers. In life a person can enjoy/appreciate multiple things such as types of food, places to vacation, different hobbies, and movies to name a few. If you don’t "trust" my thoughts just watch another video, there are many other creators on RU-vid and other publications highlighting their thoughts on different products. Thanks for the comment, this one really made me laugh!! Have a great and blessed remainder of your weekend! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
By referring this design many years old you must mean the ls50 line which is true. The baby brother LSX is many years less old. It doesn’t matter anyhow, I have my first version LSX a couple of years now and I still enjoy how they look. Btw, in version 1 the fabric was already there on most of the finishes. In assessing the sound quality this review doesn’t stand on his own. Almost all reviews sing this little speakers praise as do almost every experienced user. Some users are disappointed because they don’t understand the physical limitations of a little speaker like this and because they payed a high end price expected them do dig deep into the low regions. I dare to say this little speaker is a great deal. It sounds amazing and the build quality is exceptional. Beside that it is packed with technology. Every single driver in the pair has dedicated amplification, DSP and DAC’s. Great streaming technology and a stable app. Yes for full range sound with this speaker a sub is needed like with any speaker of this size. The only negative thing I can say about this speaker set is the cheap looking remote, that btw does the job well enough. You are just one of those naysayers that are browsing the internet trying to breaking down reviewers with unfounded accusations. While I am not a Klipsch fan too and Klipsch is known for its budget speakers with it’s own distinctive sound, which are loved by many users, Klipsch has some serious high end products too. Okay they are not world leaders in refinement, but that’s not the goal they are going for. The big high end brothers go for dynamics and a life like sound instead of a high detailed, refined sound profile. Sound comes in many different forms and there’s nothing wrong with that. There are many different people, with many different tastes. Because the Klipsch sound is not my cup of tea doesn’t want me to break it down as a brand. It has it’s place in the market. If you want your criticism be taken seriously, don’t try to play on the person with unfounded accusations, don’t hide behind a number nickname profile without picture and come up with valid points like bad build quality, error rates. Even your personal taste would be valid if it doesn’t exclude people whose taste is different then yours.
@@leokuiper2593 I am not negative to these KEF speakers. I am actually concidering to buy them myself. I have been looking for serious reviews for a long time. I am negative to the "review", that is clearly colored by the possibilitiy of earning commision on sales. RU-vid have very strict rules about paid promotion in order not to mislead potensial customers. The reviewer failed to meet theese rules. Instead of reporting to RU-vid, I chose to write a feedback. Thank you for your answer. You did a better job at describing the speakers, than the reviewer. As for my sound preference, I like the sound to be as neutral as possible. Bowers & Wilkins is my choice of brand, but they dont have any speakers suitable for a desktop.
@@Harald. Every reviewer is on RU-vid trying to earn some money. It maybe by commercials viewed while watching the reviews, it may be by sponsoring a video or by a small commission on sales by provided links. The bigger reviewers even made this their main job. As long it is not manufacturers from the product being reviewed paying a reviewer in trade of a positive review there is no conflict of interest. You have no proof whatsoever that this review was a trade between KEF and the reviewer, an accusation you ventilated in your initial comment. Now you back down to the commission from sales, which is totally accepted on RU-vid as long the reviewer is open about it. It’s not the point a reviewer has financial interest, they all have, on RU-vid or anywhere else. They all do it as a full or parttime job. Trying to hurt someone’s reputation by accusations without proof is one bad thing and making degrading remarks about someone’s taste because he owns a certain brand of speakers is a second sign of a bad personality. If you want to criticise it should be respectful towards a person with a goal to improve someone’s reviewing skills.
Good question, I’m sitting about 19 inches from them and I typically keep the volume around 26 or 27 which is plenty. So if you go smaller you may need to increase the volume a little but it shouldn’t be too bad.
Look are always a matter of preference, but you are really an exception by experiencing these as ugly. Usually people really love the LSX and LS50 lineup.
