Great video! I've had the LS50 speakers for about 4 years now and I listen to records almost every day - and they're just insane speakers! I have a 2.1 system (Onkyo A-910 amplifier, Morel SUB-10X subwoofer & Technics SL-1210GR) and the sound is just so much fun and so alive! I will never sell them.
Great video! I use the Metas in a small room with a sub and HPF/LPF (as most bookshelf speakers require) and absolutely love the imaging and soundstage. I do agree with Randy about the midrange and vocals. I find them to be recessed like he said, not forward like most reviews state. I think they are overpriced at MSRP. I got mine $500 off open box 2 years ago. When they were on sale for $1k they were completely worth it, IMHO. Not many other $1k speakers with that build quality, style, and performance. They are definitely a low sensitive speaker, so Randy is correct in that aspect as well. No fatigue for me like I had with my Klipsch. I've been eyeballing Heco for awhile, might have to give them a go.
I went into the showroom to buy the KEF ls50s to pair with my Naim uniti Atom but came out with the superior sounding PMC Prodigy1 Bookshelf Speakers. Far better low end frequency response and more punch than the Kefs. The KEFs look far better but I love my plain looking PMC Prodigy1 Bookshelf Speakers who sit stealthly in the room until they shine all about the music the second they come to life. Overall its all about preference but make sure you listen to the PMC Prodigy1s before handling your hard earned money over.
I have owned many major brands of speakers under $6000 too many to mention. I have owned both the regular LS 50’s and the Metas and in my opinion the cheap audio man is spot on. Both were nothing special, they were will built but the sound never really drew me in to the listening experience. I tried many amps with both sets including Tubes, Class AB and class D and the music coming from them was never really involving. I guess that’s why there are so many speaker manufacturers as speakers are very personal. I really wanted to like them but sadly that was never to be.
Those (LS50 Meta) are tricky bastards. Unlike most other speakers, without sub, they are better closer to the wall and are really meant for small spaces. But once complemented with a pair of decent subs, and placed correctly, they are very fun as long as you don't expect 100db at 3 or more meters. I like live performances. And those really shine in bringing them home on decent recordings. The one important thing is size. For me it is much easier to fit into my living space a pair of bookshelves and a pair of subs, than a pair of a truly full range towers.
@@jamesschneider3828 Not to this extent. The LS50s are infinitely better (if you have equally or better quality source than the LS50s can resolve). Randy is in it for the money, so he pushes the cheap crap that sounds like as$ and pretends the budget sh!t is not only equal, but better. The LS50's are very hard to drive, thus garbage cheap amps will sh!t the bed and pour a ton of distortion into them. Learn the basics of electronics and then scammers like Randy won't fool you. I have played the LS50s on many amps and they play up waaaaaaay beyond their price point. They sound absolutely amazing on my Parasound JC1s , JC2, VMV D1 dac and subs in a huge room. I have much more expensive tower speakers, but the LS50s totally disappear, have a much bigger 3 dimensional soundstage, better imaging, can play very detailed, airy ,dynamic , fast and agile, better instrument separation, without never sounding edgy. You need to understand that speakers are passive and can only play what they are given. The LS50s sound like sh!t on weak and harsh front ends (especially a weak amp), because they are detailed and not very forgiven for the crap Randy pushes on people as "giant killers". Be realistic and realize you get what you pay for. The LS50s are easily the best bang for the buck, but only if you spend the money on equally higher end gear. Only Randy could be so dense (because his focus is on making money) to assume that he knows better than the 100,000 plus people stupid enough to pay $1500 for the LS50, when they could have just bought a $98 Sony that it better. Pull your heads out your asses. It's not logical.
I think one thing is clear about the LS50's they are one of the most polarising speakers I've heard, almost like Marmite, a lot of people really like them, and a lot of people really don't. Personally for me I don't get along with them, but I haven't heard a dual concentric design yet that I get along with, from any manufacturer, but I can see their appeal. For what it's worth I am a HiFi advisor in a retail outlet, and would not put anyone off the LS-50s, but they absolutely have to listen to them and not just ride the hype train and buy them blind.
@@forbeginnersandbeyond6089 I know a lot of engineering went into them, and I am sure they sound good in the right room with the right gear. I found them rather thin and boring, as did my friend that owned them. They did sell rather quickly though.
I found a comment down here where someone mentioned what I think the real problem is. Kef SL50 meta are excellent speakers. That is my opinion, BUT I also knew exactly what I was getting when I purchased my Kef speakers. Kef SL50 Meta are about 85dbs. At the cheapaudioman level, there are ZERO amp able to move them. 84 is considered poor (rule of thumb) and 92 are excellent. When I purchased my Kef speakers, I was listening to a Yamaha 801, rated at 100 watts. I knew my Kef would sound just like any other speakers when connected to that amp. Thing changes dramatically when I connected them to a Willsenton R300 PLUS , that is only 8 watts amp. But it has balls to move (just a bit) my Kef speakers. Then I moved to a more powerful amp. Willsenton R800i 300B 805 tube Integrated Amplifier, Now I am in a different ball park. The sound I get now is what I was expecting from my KEF. These speakers are amazing, but you have to give them juice. At the end of the day, it is all about loving your music.I am very happy with my Kef SL50 meta.
@@UnitedStatesofAnalog I was running them off a Cambridge CXA60, boosted by an Isotek EVO3 power cable (nice improvements in dynamics and bigger soundstage). Although I have since upgraded to a Lyngdorf TDAI1120 fed through a Cambridge Edge W. But I use Tannoy XT6f as I'm in a larger room now. The LS50s are more suited to smaller rooms or with subwoofer.
The LS50 is like most the Kef stuff and really needs a great front end to achieve the magic that people rave about. Its truly a speaker that you could throw double or triple the $ of the speaker into electronics and hear a huge difference. They image left to right and front to back really, really well...not the tallest image or biggest sounding speaker, but for a small room or a near/midfield listening position, they are awesome! Great video Bob, love the content.
I certainly agree with you there. They scale up very well but they don't scale down. Good speakers will usually bring out the flaws in low end stuff. They appear to need the juice too, to make them sing. Great point.
The other thing is the repairabilty. I was watching GR-Research (that channel that does cross over upgrades) and he didn't think he get at the crossovers without breaking something. I think a lot of the money on these speakers goes into the speaker boxes. I found my KEFs to be a little too shrill so I traded them for some old AR-11s.
As much as I believe Danny from GR-Research is a fair guy. I also understand he runs a business. Danny said very clear. The KEF SL50 Meta measure really well. Remember Danny NEVER listen to the speakers you sent to him. He only get ONE speaker and he plug it to his measuring system to see how they measure. He does NOT know how they sound, he does not plug the speakers into his stereo system, only into his meter to measure them. IF they are crappy, he would access the crossover and attempt to play with the components looking for measurement improvement. Then he would make a recommendation (often fair) and get $500 out of your pocket. That is completely unnecessary with the SL 50 meta, they already measure very good. The problem is the fact you can't access the crossover without risking damaging the box. With the LS50 meta, you will never EVER be his customer. No reason for Danny to recommend them even when they measure very well. Me, being a user of the LS 50 meta with the proper amp (or sort of ok amp) I totally understand the cheapaudioman as well. You can't have a cheap amp to make the sound good. He have to get them OUT of his cheap audio channel. That is what I think
Agree with Randy. Personally I'm not a fan at all of Kef speakers. I do listen to heavy metal music so they are not the appropriate speaker for my music.😊
@@formerhobbit5599 I have listened to them many times at local hifi shop. I spend a lot of time at KZOO Audio and get to play with all kinds of high end goodies including KEF. While not for me lots of people love them.😀
Which KEF's have you tried for metal?? I mostly listen to deathcore, black metal, progressive rock/metal. Looking to buy the R3's, did you ever try those or comparable for metal?
@@UnitedStatesofAnalog very well built with quality pieces, but for half money, Tekton Design Mini Lore will get you there. While the lore will add extension of the low frequencies without the need for a subwoofer.
You are correct about the original rp600m. Using some equalization these sound great. I think these would win overall in blind test. Randy would be sad😢
I trialed the metas from a local high store for a weekend and they didn't grab me. Connected to an Arcam SA20. Needless to say they weren't purchased. I do have the RP-600M in my collection and enjoy those for their exciting spirit. If I want a warmer experience then my Elac Debut Reference come out. Yes the Sony SSCS5 are in the mix as well. 😂
There's something about those RP600M's that is pretty special. I have much more pricey speakers, but I love the 600M's with a low powered tube amp . . .
I only listen to music through speakers made of "Walrus Ivory" and "Teak Wood", hand crafted by Quechuan artisans from the mountains of Peru. I hope I'm not being pretentious, but it's really the only way to truly experience music, instead of just hearing it.
Hello Bob. Another fun and informative video. I live in Sacramento, Ca. Can you tell me what radio staion you are on in the morning. I would love to give a listen on my streaming service. Keep up the great work
My own experience with the LS50 metas , you need a very gd front end , I’m using a 50W tube class A SET, then you need the S2 stands fitted with IsoAcoustic Gaias2 , then you need an analogue sounding R2R DAC like the Pontus 2 with a DDC with I2S and a streamer like the Eversolo A6 ME, Audioquest connects like the Carbon USB and Cardas speaker wires. As I moved up the chain , I heard every improvement to the sound quite significantly. Ofc you also need a sub , Rel TX5 If you use cheap front end , it’s not gonna sound very good. I’m waiting to buy the Kef R3 Meta as my upgrade.
Nice little retrospective mini review. Love the style and respect the opinion but you should have tried at least a few more tracks. Personally I really like the LS50; the biggest problem with them is they are a bit weak on bass and that has a consequence of making them sound just overall smaller in comparison to similar size speakers, even ones that are way cheaper.
The LS50 model is low sensitivity, which automatically means they are power hungry. Any components which do not provide a high current signal are going to sound anemic through these speakers. But, if you have a powerful amp that can control speakers with an iron fist, the LS50's sound absolutely amazing in small to medium sized listening rooms. Are they for everybody? No, and nothing ever really is. But for those with the right space and the right amplification, their imaging is reference level for a bookshelf speaker. Also, matching them to the right amplification may require a substantial investment, as the better the front end components, the better the sound you'll get out of them. Nice comparison/analysis Bob!
@@bgroovin1343, a friend of mine also uses a Parasound HINT 6 to power a pair of Magnepan 1.6QR's which are less efficient than the LS50's but still sound amazing. That Parasound integrated amp puts out 160W into 8 ohms with high current, so it's great for controlling low sensitivity speakers.
In the right room the LS50 Meta are amazing. Superb mids and highs. No need for a sub at all. The build is outstanding and ffs use a good amp. Love The Cheap Audio Man but that room he was using them in is not going to do any speaker a favour!
I've already listened to your friend, but what I've noticed lately is that the professional "mode" has turned into clown mode and that's unfortunate. Sorry, this is just my opinion. I have KEF LS60 after I listened to many ones and I just added a KEF KC92 subwoofer because it is what I like and it is fine to have other opinions, but not in this way. And your title is misleading, because of the same reason. You'll just attract a different kind of audience and if it's fine for you, OK.
I didn't know which way it was going to go when I started shooting. It's not my intention to mislead... only to have fun. I have no issues with KEF, My son has 150's and they sound nice for the price. When I think I could had Lintons or KLH 5 for the same price... well, that kind of puts it into perspective. Maybe the LS60's are a different beast. I'm talking about the LS50 Meta. I don't think they always excite. My opinion. But, no one ever died listening to them. Anyway, I DO appreciate your comments and the watch. I hope you'll give me and my channel another chance!
@@UnitedStatesofAnalog I just subscribed. And in the meantime, I also bought the new subwoofer from them, the KC92 and I'm extremely excited. Maybe because it looks that eight subs (four on each speaker) with two in the KC 92...I have now like ten woofers! I'm not a bass head but it seems that it helps with the highs and the mids, too! The problem with many reviews is that they consider too much the bass in the speakers, even in the shelf ones. If you need it, just add a compatible sub, to have a better system - and very often you'll see that a pair of speakers with an added sub will perform a lot better than the other speakers, even when you added to them the same sub and you considered better before.
I have a penchant for acoustic music, and I crave a sonic experience that faithfully reproduces the instrumentation with utmost precision. I desire to discern each instrument - be it the violin's soaring highs, the drum's dynamic attack, the flute's airy subtleties, or the guitar's rich timbre - with crystal clarity and definition. a sound signature that is unfatigueing and suitable for extended listening , very easy to ears , an all day speaker .Furthermore, I seek vocals that are layered, lively, and nuanced, with a sense of depth and dimensionality. Finally, I require a bass response that is taut, nuanced, and capable of conveying the subtlest textural details, thereby immersing me in a truly captivating sonic landscape. Sir, please suggest me a sub 500 dollar speaker best suited for my requirements and preference.🙏
In my view this review is missing the point a little. The Meta is nearly without technical flaws. Read the official white paper from KEF. The Meta is quite transparent to whatever source you are feeding them. They distort/colour the sound little themselves compared to most other speakers. If your goal is to listen to a album as it was recorded, the KEF can compete with the best, regardless of price. Other speakers in the same price range (and over) have bigger issues with cabinet resonance, frequency response on/off-axis and cone break up. This colors the sound. It may be a color that you prefers, but it is a color, and it will sound like a filter/layer on all your music. My biggest problem with the Metas is that they are quite inefficient. My favorite amp is the Musical Fidelity A1(2023) and this combo sounds fantastic but I really misses to play a bit louder sometimes.
I hear you! I really do! I guess if that's true... and it probably is... why don't more audio just go to guitar center and buy studio monitors. I am starting to think that people want a personality in their speaker! Maybe a sound profile they remember from their youth, or something they heard in their past. Where is the fun in perfection? None, I say! This is a great topic to debate, I think! Thanks for the detailed comments!!!
Yes. I see that perspective too. I admire the Metas more than I love them. The same can I say about some of the studio monitors I have heard. The most important is that you find something you like yourself. In my case I like to listen to full range drivers as an alternative to the Metas. I can also understand those who prefers effective loudspeakers with more slam and dynamics, or someone who prefers large sound from a Magnepan etc. I liked your comment about "sound profile from their youth or something they liked in the past". Much truth to that.@@UnitedStatesofAnalog
If used in a small to medium-small, with good amplification the LS50 is a nice speaker. Cheapaudioman was playing them in a huge room with 16 foot ceilings, not the room it was meant for.
Comparing Kef to the Sonys is hilarious. The Sonys are clearly a excellent choice for a novice hifi enthusiast who doesn’t have a wife with a high paying corporate job 😮
I have listened the meta several times and it’s an ok speaker, but for the life of me I have no idea why you and so many others in the industry love them so much. It’s an ok speaker, but really nothing to write home about!
On Amazon Klipsch RB 81 II is 249-299 depending on the season. I found out about those from an old Zeos review. They're a lot cheaper now than when he reviewed them and he raved about them at the old price. Basically I'm saying I want you to review them to see if I still want them.
Just got the rb81s about a month ago. Careful though as they are priced individually!!!! Not sold as a pair. Ask me how I know. I think they sound great. Some don't like the Klipsch sound, but I'm a sucker for detail. Ran them on a fosi tb10d and currently have them on a yamaha v385. No complaints except that people expect bookshelf speakers to be sold as a pair. Haha
the funny part is.. speaker tech has BARELY changed over the past 100 years.. to the point that a $150 speaker sounds better than a $1500 speaker.. ive personally made a point to take the WORST cheapest yardsale speakers and turn them into an audiophiles dream..
KEFs are very sibilant speakers. You can hear it on endless RU-vid sound demos let alone in person. Which is painful to some people. Also, if you have an amp that can push drivers into high excursion, like 55 watt or higher 70s vintage amps, the driver chuffs and pops when it separates from the tweeter. So you need to treat their UNiQ driver as a mid/tweeter and cross it at the amp to a sub at 80 Hz or even higher. Because if you send it low frequencies, it can pop and distort like its going to blow apart. Unless you just have an AVR. Very few of them have the power to do things like that. Even at high SPL. If you aren't sensitive to sibilance and brightness, they may sound good when crossed to a sub.
I have them on my desk. They are OK, but not good for the price. They need 50 watts or more of power. They NEED a subwoofer but they image well and their top end is slightly rolled off making them easy to listen to. They are fine . I just wish they were a better value.
They're built like rocks aka super-solid, premium cabinets w/ no resonance. The good: they can play super loud w/o even a hint of distortion, they throw a HUGE wide, robust, dynamic soundstage, they image like champs (good thing about concentrics), quality of materials & build The bad: tone ain't connected to ❤as much as i get w/ paper drivers, ya gotta really have a robust amp and even then ya gotta REALLY whip 'em before they start singin', not a great value at retail price. Like any premium brand, KEF is cashin' in on name & reputation & lifestyle aesthetics ...but most egregious, their accessories are even worse values (stands + filler + they really need a subwoofer) making the *overall* value low @ retail prices. However, if you can get em second-hand @ 50% or more off retail, their appeal starts to grow. The SUPER CRAZY VALUE are the gen1 LS50 Wireless: under $1000 for speakers w digital crossovers + built-in amps + DAC and some (limited) streaming functionality. Yo! Now **that** is a good value for a starter/newbie system or a second system.
@@UnitedStatesofAnalog 👏 your video here + the one from Jay’s iagi on second-hand LS50s helped coalesce the words …at last! 😆after years of going unexpressed
I’ve never heard the ls 50’s og or the meta’s… seems either loved or hated. Randy didn’t like them, he has 230k subs so there has to be some cred there.
Sonys are for old people that lost hearing in the treble. What sounds treble details is just boosted treble. Annoying after half an hour in my opinion. Kef are super neutral but lack bass and people are left disappointed.
Was that attacking! I'm a super fan of all of those guys and personal friends of some. Appreciate the watch though. You will eventually discover, Dan, that I am a pretty decent guy.
Before the pandemic every once in a while Amazon would have used SSCSCSSSCSCeseses on sale for like $50. Thats why I have 2 sets, wish I would have picked up a 3rd when they were that ridiculously low priced.
I've known KEFs since the 80s when all they sold were raw speakers and I have never encountered a more inefficient speaker. They have only one use, and that is a load for your amplifier. Sorry KEF.
hey if you think the sky has no personality, you def should come to Australia during the height of Summer as that beautiful Blue sky has a friend, a harsh terrifying friend in the sun who is happy to turn you lobster red in Minutes for dishing the beautiful blue sky. 🤔
Where can you even find Heco Aurora 300s? The KEFs are better simply because you can find them for sale. (The Heco you link to in the description are 200s. Are they the same?)
@@UnitedStatesofAnalog Apparently Amazon found one pair in their warehouse as they came back in stock with a "one left" notice; snagged 'em immediatly, they arrive tomorrow.
Hmm I have a pair in black, yes well built look impressive sound great. Bought used was worth the 700€ used . But there are more well sounding speakers out there. Probably much more “crap” sounding listening rooms. Still would go with the KEF meta R3 get those used for less than these new
They really prove the ‘point source’ concept with their eerie coherence and lack of phaseyness, more so than bigger KEFs. You can do better in terms of dynamics and tonality.
Didn't like them either. The tweeter has some amazing clarity that's rare but comes across as metallic / brass sounding with some music. Has no bass either really but puts out more sound and soundstage than expected. It's pretty surprising just not my flavor.
in metaphor Polk audio R series is mustang kef ls50 is bmw m3 Bang and olfson beolab 50 is rolls royce Bowers and wilkes 800 is ferrari most people complaining and saying there cheap speakers sounds better than the ls50 are like the people that would buy civics ( because they can’t afford the real deal) modify them and brag it’s faster than a porsche… their ears are playing tricks on them… also you don’t listen to heavy metal on audiophile level speakers… randy!!! you get cheap bass heavy loud speaker and crown apps for that kind of music… where there is no refinement…
Why are they not audiophile? Being audiophile is mostly about excellent passionate engineering and not so much about cost. I haven’t heard them but being 3-way could give them a big advantage making them more resolving in the treble.
@ United States of Analog. At first I was going to object as I had thought that Cheap Audio Man got this right. While I know the KEF LS50's has it's followers and for a while I was an advocate of the concentric drivers with having heard Tannoy speakers. But I have not heard Kef's variant. While the LS-50 does seem to be popular, I have come to more recent knowledge that the speaker is no only over hyped, but WAY over priced. I am one that would never spend more than $650 for a set of bookshelf speakers, so there is no way in hell, that I would ever spend $1600 for a set of speakers, (unless they were floor standing towers with AT LEAST dual 8" woofers). I know that there are many that don't like this speaker, including Kelvin of Stereo Review X, of whom I do hold in in high regard as a reviewer. While I like the look of the drivers, I DO NOT like the look of the cabinet. The Q-150's have a nicer cabinet, and from what I understand, it is a better sounding speaker and the best part, it is 1/3rd the price. After watching your video and how you rate the much cheaper Klipsch RP-600m and the Sony SSCS5's OVER the Kef-LS50, just had me grinning from ear to ear. Hi-end audio, particularly speakers is definitely an aspect of the audiophile hobby in which you DO NOT ALWAYS get what you pay for. There are MANY cases where an inexpensive speaker can outperform a more expensive one. So sadly, the budding audiophile really has to do his/her homework even if they DO have the money to spend. I look at the LS-50 and watched someone take it apart and I said to myself that there is no way that the speaker is even worth $800 from a materials standpoint. I wouldn't even buy it at that price either. The proof is that their much cheaper KEF Q150 speaker was pitted against the LS50 by many a review, and at least half said the Q150 was better and this speaker sells for less than 1/3 the prices of the LS-50s. So, do your homework people, and don't get sucked into the audiophile manufacterer's troll pricing. I would say that for those that seriously have about $1600 burning a hole in their pocket, a better alternative to the LS-50's would be the Zu Audio DWX speaker. At least here you get a 10" LF driver, and it has a concentric midrange. While it is considered a bookshelf speaker, it is big...really big! While I still think $1600 is a lot for a pair of speakers that are not towers, these might be worth looking into instead of the overhyped and FAR overpriced Kef LS-50s.
"I am one would NEVER spend more than $650 for a SET of bookshelf speakers." But look at spending $1700 on the dwx anyway. See what you did there, hahaha. I'm a budding wanna be but I don't think I have an ear. I like the Sony's but I wasn't impressed with the KLH Model 5 I got so now I'm gun shy about the DWX but they are interesting in his review of them today. I don't know what to get.
@@trauma50disaster1 There is a lot of screwing and trolling going on in hi-end audio. Just take a look at those that have taken apart the Focal Arias, a $2200 set of speakers that should be selling for less than $400. Yeah, they are that cheaply made. Now, Zu is an American company that builds the speakers here. They use Eminence, a renowned driver manufacturer to make their famed 10" driver. I don't really consider the DWX a bookshelf speaker. From what I gather though, it is an in between size speaker that performs like a tower. Further, there are many tower speakers that don't even have an 8" woofer, let alone a 10" one. So the speaker does fall into a classification onto itself. Granted I am still on the fence about forking over that amount of money for a dwx, but it is a speaker that I believe is the real deal and zu isn't trolling you there. But I do stand by my quote in that I wouldn't spend more than $650 on a typical 6.5" woofer or smaller bookshelf speaker.
My LS50 Meta measure excellent in my listening room. Visually stunning, and sound great. Its hard to deny they are a great speaker (even if Randy does care for them).
@UnitedStatesofAnalog no way man. For his service, yes. His show though is *extremely* suspect. "I do this for a living!". I don't want infomercials from some boob telling dad jokes. There's only one Shamwow guy in my heart. It's just me, you enjoy.
I have to totally disagree. He has no idea what good audio equipment sounds like. He's still doing reviews with poor Amplification. He doesnt seem to understand good amplification in the slightests then wonders why the KEFs sound poor. PMC 24 owner
@@solomonstewart1025 If people trust Randy to help them , they need their heads testing! It was only a year or so ago he was dismissing half the things he now talks about. How about a nice Hegel, Naim or Luxman for starters
If the speaker look and brand and built quality are very important to you then those LS50 (with or without meta) are for you. If sound that should move you or touch your soul is the most important for you and the question if the speakers are worth their new price the brand asks, then never I would buy those LS50 (meta). Have listened to one pair for around half an hour at a friend,s place who really liked them, I was quite impressed yes, detailled and punchy sound BUT also cold and a touch too analytical to me, so I would never buy them for me, especially for the new price KEF is selling them.
They seem flat to me now, but they didn't seem that way when I got them. Maybe we always have to subconsciously like own purchase decisions. Human protection circuit!
Yeah, they rule if you haven't heard anything better, even via comparison videos I can hear they are worse than some other non hyped ones, maybe they image good, but they are emotionless, which is the most important thing.
I bought a pair of Magnapan 0.7 for 1400 10 years ago. I bought, and returned the LS 50 for front channel AV Channels last years. The Maggie’s blew the Kef out the door!
Sadly we all buy what we like and we all have are own systems that's just the truth I listened to the keys I didn't like them I don't hate them just didn't play what I like in music that's just the truth
Quoteing Stereophile? Didn't they give the Radio Shack 3400 portable CD player something like Class B. This is the most "over hyped" speaker, (in price to performance ratio ) in audiophile history. Put it up for a vote.
Stereophile put the original LS50 in their highest Performance Grade category (back then); Class A. A Class A speaker. The average price of all the other speakers in their Class A category was probably $8,000 a pair. So they appeared to be a sensational value based on their review. Stereophile magazine is more influential than Randy, whose viewership overall are nowhere near that serious an audiophile as a reader of Stereophile, many of which tune in for a chuckle at his antics. Is he still doing routines about Sith Audio? Stereophile not only rated the Optimus cd 3400 cd player in Class B years ago, but also ranked the Sony Playstation 1 as high as Class B; used as a cd player. One of their reviewers ranked Jennifer Lopez as more beautiful than Angelina Jollee (spelling?), and in another way off topic blurt, one of their reviewers said that Green Tea tastes so much better without sugar. Almost nothing tastes better without sugar, including bread! Well, maybe not rye bread. Stereophile does have some good audio reviewers who know what they're talking about, like Herb Reichert. But over the years, they've definitely wasted some people's money, with their overenthusiastic reviews of equipment. The one who gave the rave review to the Radio Shack portable cd player was Sam Tellig aka The Audio Cheapskate. With reviews like that, it caused me to actually become an audio cheapskate. I buy just about everything used and for bargain prices. I have found many unbelievable bargains throughout the years. The LS 50 is a best seller; so a lot of people like them. KEF making a bad speaker would be like Lays making a bad potato chip. But they are fussy about related electronics. Most bad reviewers don't experiment with enough different tracks from enough different types of music OR different LISTENING DISTANCES, which can make a speaker sound like a totally different speaker often. Audio reviews to myself, are generally a real unscientific comedy of errors. I wouldn't put too much weight on what almost any of them say. Smartest thing always; is to listen for yourself; TO THE EQUIPMENT!
@@sidesup8286 Just to add something: Stereophile magazine has around 60,000 subscriptions and 34,000 followers on RU-vid. CAM has 231,000 subscribers and growing because of the complete nonsense that 'Audiophile" magazines continue to put out. For example: A small speaker that rolls off @ 70hz that sells for $1500 that I passed on because it was lifeless. I agree 100% with CAM's assessment. Like he said, "it's good, it's fine, but there are better options" for most people wanting more for their dollar.
