I've had Sonos speakers dotted around the house for years, including a single 5 in my home office. I've just wall mounted a pair of KEF LSX IIs and I'm blown away by the improvement. I know it's disingenuous pitching one 5 against two KEFs but the sound quality difference is stark. Additionally, due to the large number of inputs on the KEF, I've been able to connect it to my PC and my TV in the room. Another connectivity option, missing on the Sonos, is Bluetooth. I will continue using my Sonos speakers around the house of course; their flexibility, sound quality and the multiroom experience is superb on the whole, but I'm glad I've invested in the KEF's for more serious, dedicated listening.
hi i need an advice on speakers which was meant for salon business. i have 1 floor of 4 meter width and 16 meter length while mezzanine at same width and 12 meter length so it leaves an open space area of 4 meters and 6 meters height. can a pair of sonos 5 or KEF cope with that ?
I have a pair of play5’s in stereo pair and was blown away by the sound and the imaging, the speakers disappear completely. I have done the procedure for trueplay. Best is the tweeters to the inside, this will provide best imaging. Everybody who is listening to them are asking where the sub is located, but there is no sub. And believe me, I have another very high end system to compare these SONOS speakers with. Love the sound, and very fun. For details there are better systems but will cost a lot more believe me.
I want to expand my system and only have the play bar and 2 play 1 . To get similar to your sound, kan I just buy one sub mini (and maybe additional 2 x play one)? Maybe I am making this too complicated… Just want to know if it is worth expanding to 2 more play 5 which is a lot of money. Have you any experience hearing the play bar + sub + 2 x play 1 ?
@@AzizIzgin Look at "Peter Pee" he has a fantastic channel and is testing and measuring SONOS Gear. I have done some REW measurements with the 5's and they are good. Go to a dealer and ask for a demo, two 1's with a sub should be close to two 5's without. You will not regret adding a sub to the two 1's you have got. In the high-end world they are bashing about Sonos I think because they know it is a good system. When they start shooting at a war-plane you are flying above the enemies territory ;-)
You get a tighter soundstage with the 5s the other way up - with the SONOS on the inside rather that the outside. It’s to do with the orientation of the drivers. You might change your mind about imaging the other way up…
We’re moving to Bangkok to set up a home/office/studio/gallery setup. Sonos just ticks all the boxes, whether it’s zoned music with different music playing on all four levels and all rooms in those levels, or when a big event is happening, being able to play music all over the place, at comfortable levels, while still encouraging conversation and interaction.
KEf is always a good choice. The sound is never fatiguing on the ear, and never muddy. This is the same with any Kef product I have listened too. I would love to hear the metas with the sub, I bet they sound amazing.
The KEF LSX can be a bit fatiguing, I lowered the treble -1db to solve that problem. It can be a bit bright with some music. With the treble down 1 db it’s also more forgiving with bad recordings.
Tengo un par de SONOS PLAY 5 2Gen en estéreo y de cenro una barra Sonos Beam 2Gen Las tres bocinas están agrupadas en una cónsola de 3 metros. Creo que en calidad precio, no hay nada que se le acerque. Es realmente fantástico y puedes ponerlo al 100% con una inmersión excepcional.
... never fatiguing ==> my ass , except B&W , all british speakers are "audiophile ass" oriented with a boooring & dry sound .... of course the exception here are the 1% of people with golden ears from heaven who can hear anytime and anywhere a 1db difference in treble ....
I have both sets. I like the Sonos Fives more for home theater (currently using as rear surrounds with Arc and Sub) and I like the KEF LSX II more for music. Looking to get the KEF sub KC62 eventually.
I have used the 5s for tv sound and they were very good especially with movies. You can adjust any lag and it never bothered me. I worked in TV for 25 years so I am extremely aware of any lip sync issues.
Does the 75ms delay affect the experience at all? I'm looking into using them as surrounds for a home theater setup and that's a potential issue some people have mentioned
Guessing the LSX II are more nuanced and better with soundstage, but the Fives are probably more.. fun? It's interesting, I've been trying to dig into speakers, subwoofers, streamers, DACs, specifications for years, and just bought a Sonos Move and.. wow. It's not that they're "audiophile" grade exactly, I think the magic is that they are so incredibly accessible. Play music instantly, anywhere, filling a room with ease. Doesn't even need a power cable except the charging dock, carry it around anywhere, and you can pair it up in a stereo or surround pair. To me that's the magic of Sonos, the convenience and simplicity, making me want to listen to music more and more often. But I have no doubt at all that KEF are probably the more detailed, nuanced, "audiophile" grade speakers so to speak.
I have a pair of LSX plus sub for serious listening and I assure you that gives me the best experience. I also have a B&O Bluetooth speaker to carry around and that convenience is very nice, but it doesn’t compare to the two channel, audiophile grade, full range listening on my LSX plus sub. Except mobility, my LSX is just as convenient if it comes to streaming. I can use my iPhone, IPad, Apple Watch or remote to operate the system. Multi room use with The KEF LSX or LS50 wireless are just as easy to setup and used with Airplay, but all two channel audiophile grade. How more convenience do I need?
@@leokuiper2593 My point is you can't just grab a single LSX and take it anywhere, even while the music is playing, like the Move. When they're hooked up, it's still more of a "stationary" system.
@@rsolsjo As I told, that’s why I have my B&O Bluetooth speaker beside my LSX with sub. That way I have best of both worlds. A mobility speaker and audiophile grade full range, two channel audio. With my LS50 WII in the living room the LSX in the bedroom I also have multi room audio over Airplay
If by "fun" you mean sound like the boombox you had as a kid but at 10x the cost. I can do what the Sonos do with any generic crap out there and you would never be able to tell the difference.
i own the sonos five pair, and i just heard the kef lsx II in a HIFI room, to be honest the sonos is much more rich in overall sound and especially low end. heard it after a few seconds, the kef lsx II sounds very neutral and cold, not my kind of sound
Hello sir do you test only one of your 5s?how it sounds?im just curious bec i want to by one to add on my home cinema sonos i have the Arc two sub gen 3 and two sonos one as surround and i wanted to add for now one sonos 5 to be use with my actual set but only for music.Do you think it will be a good upgrade?thank you..
I decided for the KEF LSX II for the quality of sound, design, and the app. After reading the latest Sonos app reviews in the App Store this was a no brainer for me.Considering how much longer the Sonos are around, there is absolutely no excuse to read the majority of reviews saying the Sonos app is getting worse with every update.
We actually got a pair of Devialet Phantom Golds as a gift. Those are $7K+ speakers. Eventually replaced it with a Sonos pair with sub. For sure the Phantoms are objectively louder and better if one has a lot of space and ability for proper placement. However, the Sonos' integrated room adjustment made them sound a lot better in a smallish room. Of course, Sonos' integration for the whole home is unmatched.
Im suprised by your experience, have heard the devialet phantom golds in the store and they were excellent! wouldnt think that the much cheaper sonos could be compared to them in a home environment. Thank you for sharing!
@@Pianist7137Gaming Just saw your post. Yes, I was stunned having had some other nice audio. The confirmation was my wife who does not care about equipment one whit, but has superb ears. I've gone to speaker stores and she heard things right away that took me a while to figure out. Anyways, she listened to the two in a small room and said the Sonos was clearly better. I think that something about the Gold in our small room just did not work. Sonos was more organic and natural. But if we wanted to shake the house, the Devialet was louder than two Sonos 5 and a Sub. Our Sonos set up was two Ones and a Sub in the test. (We had all things Sonos originally to test.) if the Gold had auto room correction then, I have no doubt that we would have kept the gold.
How would it work to put together a pair of LS60 wireless with two pairs of LSX II around the house? Can the LSX II be placed in two separate rooms playing mono? Is the app good enough to choose in which rooms you want the music to play, and can you play different music in the LS60 and the LsX II if you want to (simultaneously)?
I like Sonos. The speakers are great and practical for the modern home. But KEF is for audiophiles. If you intend to sit down and seriously listen, get the KEFs. The LSX IIs bathe me in luxurious sounds. Nothing can come close.
I know I'm only listening over the net but the Kef sounded much cleaner and clearer. I have a pair of the sonos 5's -I use a connect in my main system (a pair of Linkwitz Orion III's) and consider the sonos good enough for background everyday listening but not serious listening but I think that the Kef could be a serious speaker - maybe the LS60 though?? The thing I don't like about sonos is you get trapped into the sonos ecosystem,
This will be good!!! I traded in my KEF’s for the fives. For price point - you get more with Sonos. The KEFS do have a great soundstage but lack bass. I don’t want to purchase an additional sub just for bass with the LSX speakers
I have both the LSX (first generation) and the Five’s. I have a sealed Sonance 10” subwoofer for the LSX in my office and they sound incredible. I have stereo pair of Five’s in my living room with the Sonos Sub and they also serve their purpose very well. That KEF software, though… I have never in my life experienced such a garbage app. I legitimately don’t believe there’s a single positive review on the App Store.
@@ephektz In version 2 the app is much better, it uses the same software as the LS50 WII. I have the gen 1 too, but I never use the software other then for the settings. Using my native streaming app exclusively avoids any problems the KEF app might have.
Sonos 5 have been great for me. I do have them in a large sunroom. I play an eclectic set of music and, for me, they deliver beautiful rich sound across the spectrum. Thanks for your videos - always instructive, and interesting.
hi i need an advice on speakers which was meant for salon business. i have 1 floor of 4 meter width and 16 meter length while mezzanine at same width and 12 meter length so it leaves an open space area of 4 meters and 6 meters height. can a pair of sonos 5 or KEF cope with that ?
Honestly seems like each are filling heir specific roles well. Sonos is made specifically for very solid whole home listening, with a focus on entertainment. The KEF is made for more solo listening, with the option for a lot of inputs
hi i need an advice on speakers which was meant for salon business. i have 1 floor of 4 meter width and 16 meter length while mezzanine at same width and 12 meter length so it leaves an open space area of 4 meters and 6 meters height. can a pair of sonos 5 or KEF cope with that ?
@@bpwcuncacuan5698 For a business space, I’d save the money and get a pair of Ones. You are not going to want very loud sound and paying for higher end speakers won’t really be the best bet. You could even get the IKEA Symphonik bookshelf speakers. A single pair or even two pairs will be a solid sound coverage for the space at low levels. You’ll lose out on bass, but you probably wouldn’t want thumping bass in a salon anyway.
Great video thanks! What are the chances that later updates in Mac or phone OS or chip updates will obsolete these kinds of devices after a certain number of years? Will there come a day in the not so distant future that I can’t get a new phone because to do so I won’t be able to use/control these speakers? I recently had to buy a new Mac book pro in order to run adobe photoshop because it no longer ran on my older laptop.
hi i need an advice on speakers which was meant for salon business. i have 1 floor of 4 meter width and 16 meter length while mezzanine at same width and 12 meter length so it leaves an open space area of 4 meters and 6 meters height. can a pair of sonos 5 or KEF cope with that ?
Great informative video… personally I’ll stay within my Sonos ecosystem. Do like the availability of multiple connection options! Keep these type of comparisons coming… very informative and helpful always.
The first generation LSX can also do 24/96 with the cable. The biggest advantage with the second generation is you get to use a 3 star rated app as opposed to a 1 star. 🤮 I love my first generation LSX, but the apps for them are T E R R I B L E.
@@bartbarelds8454 I might use AirPlay occasionally if it didn’t turn into a garbled, unlistenable mess after a minute and a half. 🤷♂️ I’ve thought about getting an Airplay dongle for it. I use it with optical.
@@ephektz Maybe you have a faulty pair, I rarely experience any problems with Airplay 2 except a very occasional glitch. Also have first gen LSX. A occasional restart solved any problems I ever had before. As anything having a processor and software a restart is sometimes needed.
The M20’s offer exceptional value for money but haven’t got the finesse of the KEF’s. They however are a lot better than the price would suggest and I would recommend them.
@@smarthomesounds Here in Sweden are the M20 and Triangle Borea BT almost the same price, let's see which one that end up in my modest crib. Thanks for the quick reply.
This is great. You totally were fair on both I didn’t feel swayed on either. I had a preference on one because hats what I wanted to know more about and I think you helped me make the right choice. Sonos is better if you like bass and get the other ones if you love vocals and can pimp it out with a sub. Lovely. Thank you. The other comments are great. Love this channels community.
Hello sir new subscriber here,i have one question please.i have the Arc,2 sonos sub gen 3 and 2 sonos one sl as surrounds,if i add one sonos 5 to my system to use use it for music together with my my existing system,is worth it?will i notice a huge improvement of the sound quality?in music?thank you
I own the Sonos Fives and they are not great speakers IMO, they are splashy and hot in the treble and massively V-shaped and the EQ is very limited for trying to correct this. TruePlay is terrible for music in my experience. They are quite a bit cheaper than the KEF in Australia where I am and they give you the the flexibility to be used in HT setups and multi-room (which is why I went for them). If it's just for music and price is not an issue, I would 100% go for the Kefs.
Yep we all have preferences and listen differently just like our tastes in music and what works in one environment may not work in another. Mess with all the EQ parameters and speaker positioning and then if it’s not to your liking it’s not the product for you, time to find something else. At least Sonos has a great return policy to try out products and simply return for a refund. It would be great if all manufacturers offered the same returns on their lifestyle products.
If u use trueplay and set the eq to neutral no loudness etc they sound quite balanced. Just a bit “brighter/tinnier” compared to expensive wooden speakers.
Putting on a pair of good headphones, I can conclude that the LSX is more neutral, and the Five has a more V-shaped signature (boosted bass and treble)
The Sonos sounds quite brittle in the higher end to me, but that's over UA-cam so who knows. The KEF's probably sound a little. better, especially with a sub.
i bought the KEF LSX II a while ago and while the sound quality is great, the usage is terrible. half of the time i want to listen to anything my smartphone cannot connect to the speakers or it takes a really long time. without connection, i cannot start them. sometimes i even have to set them to factory reset mode and initialize them again. it's really annoying if you have to spend 10-15 minutes most of the time to start listening. thinking of getting the Sonos solely for that reason.
What about planned obsolescence? Older Sonos products will eventually stop working altogether when Sonos stops releasing software updates for them. Is this also going to be an issue with the KEFs?
You can always add an up to date streamer using the physical connections. Even without software updates you can still use the speakers using the latest version app.
@@jkherberger I get Ken Chow, first most people don’t spend 1400 USD on a single phone, second we are used to use a pair speakers much longer then phones. Hifi gear is used at times for several decades. But your right, it’s not only phones that get obsolete these days, I hear nobody complain about other smart products, like TV’s. I had a few of those going out of date because modern software didn’t work anymore while they were still working fine. While 1400 USD is still close to a top model phone, there are smart products now that costs you 6k or more. Like the KEF LS60. I get people get to worry by such a purchase even more. But as said you can add up to date streaming by using physical connections. Those often have a much longer life cycle.
I've sold my SONOS equipment (not that there were too many) for this concern. Who knows what happens when S3 rolls around? Also, the cost of connecting equipment into the system is expensive.
@@TheOtherNEO Not likely that there will be an S3 any time soon. Sonos will have learned from there first mistakes, when they worked in new territory developing WiFi streaming. They will have build in enough headroom to let software develop in S2. But i think you are right that Sonos doesn’t do enough to take worries away for their customers. They stick to their own streaming platform solely, while other companies offer other solutions like Apple Airplay or Chromecast on top of their own streaming platform. The lack of physical connections with Sonos products makes it nearly impossible to add other streaming options. This is my one of my main criticism with Sonos products. Second is they are just mid-fi and should be working towards hifi in my opinion. Third I don’t think they don’t really stand out in visual design. They don’t come close to the wireless products from a company like KEF that don’t lack in the 3 criticism points I mentioned above.
All anyone can do is try the products, adjust position and EQ. See if they work for them in their own environment. If not it’s time to move on. I personally find EQ adjustment can be a pain in many products. At least Sonos offer buy and return for refund if they don’t work for you in your own environment. It would be great if all life styles brands offered this.
I really enjoy all your content!! Thank you for all your hard work sir!! I have a couple questions if I may? I have a Sonos system,it consists of Arc,2 5’s,2 subs gen 2/3. I really want to get or add Era 300 to the system.? Can I do that and if so what would that be labeled as? I know with 2 300’s an Arc and 2 subs are a 7.2.4.
Sennheiser Ambeo or even others, compared: to Sonos ARC with a sub? Sonos ARC with a pair of Sonos 5? ARC with mini sub and a pair of 5s? Audio dynamics: highs, mids and lows? does adding a sub and or Sonos 5s allow the Sonos ARC to be noticeably, cleaner and more dynamic since some of the work goes to other speakers? Or is it just the Sonos software and hardware design that stops it from sounding as good as say a quality pair of studio monitors, like say Yamaha HS8? Room size is 13ft x 19ft and 8ft high I do not listen to rap and do not like too much bass. I listen to all rock, Country Western, Bluegrass,new age, bag pipes, pipe organ, punk, piano, a cappella, metal, I hate the stuff they pass off as music mostly since all the auto tune and gridding of noise/music, or since about late 90s. Most pop "music" today is just cheap and easy to make noise. Country today is crap! Thank you!
Once you have it you will love it you control it in your phone,with the sonos app,imagine if you have 10 sonos speakers in different rooms you can adjust all of the rooms only in your phone no remote needed..you can adjust the volume of each room or turn off the rooms you want to turn off in your phone,but if it only works with remote you have to go to each room to do so..
My guess is for a millennial "old fashioned" is anything around 10 years old... Stuff like tapes etc will look Stone Age to them. While I grew up with the stuff.
@@Mr21scott Why would you fabricate a statement to respond to, are you mentally ill? I'm so sorry your identity revolves around the brands you consume, I hope you get help.
One possible reason for the popularity of Sonos is that they offer over a months trial and offer full refund if they don’t work for you in your own home. Another could be the overall package of sound, form & function being liked by a huge number of people. It would be great if all lifestyle brands offered the trial and full refund. IMO Sonos are massive because they have a good Balance of marketing, form, software ease of use and sound quality that can be tweaked for a majority of lifestyle buyers ears. 😊
@@evrythingis1 Your opening comment on the other thread… “If by "fun" you mean sound like the boombox you had as a kid but at 10x the cost. I can do what the Sonos do with any generic crap out there and you would never be able to tell the difference.” Now look at your opening comment in this thread… “I'm shocked how bad the Sonos sounds in your recorded comparison. Good thing people that buy Sonos products have terrible headphones too!”. Then there’s your last comment about a “…literal bot…”. These are perfect examples of how NOT to win friends or influence people, not to mention it’s all poorly written. The point I am making has nothing to do with the support of any products or brands. It’s purely directly about your style of written comments. Here is what I encourage you to try in future comments… “I'm shocked how bad the Sonos sounds in your recorded comparison. IMO I hear the Fives treble is rather forward and brash. The treble is not well integrated with the midrange resulting in some music styles sounding thin and quite hollow at times. The KEF’s come across far more balanced and convey a more natural soundscape to my ears in this video. All audio enthusiasts know that UA-cam compression does not do a good job of representing the sound as heard live in the room. Did SHS tweak EQ’s to get the best balanced tonal response from either product? Can SHS please give us your opinion of the sounds from both products in the room compared to the UA-cam recording?” Basically, I’m saying try leaving out the superfluous and derogatory jabs at products and people. Focus on describing objective and factual, positive or negative personal experiences that have led you to make your personal point of view known to the Internet. Ask questions. Be sympathetic to the balanced content of the video presenter. Respond in kind. This opens up productive and objective discussion with the video producers and like-minded enthusiasts. All parties might actually learn something. This is what UA-cam comments are there for. Not to throw aggravating, narrow minded comments around. Sadly you are not alone. Once in a while I’ll put this sentiment out there when I see repeat noise. Enjoy your personal choice in audio reproduction, but please let others do the same, without blatantly berating a strangers own personal preferences. Now I’m done
@ Media Fox Then you didn’t listen to John Darko very well. The speakers on their own, John Darko liked one over the other depending the type of music you would listen. The Sonos would win software wise over the LSX, but the comparison was LSX 1 that had different software. The LSX II has a much better app. The Fives on their own are better for bass heavy music because they have more bass extension then the LSX. The LSX on their own have more refinement in the midrange and high frequencies and better soundstage and imaging. All this Darko pointed out. If you gonna add a subwoofer to the game the LSX will blow the Fives away though. The advantages from the Fives being better in bass are taken away in such a setup, while the LSX keeps it’s better soundstage, imaging and more refinement in mid- and treble range. The LSX II has more physical connections and streaming capabilities, stays in sync with a TV set.
@@TemujinScott80 My remarks where directed to Media Fox, I will edit my comment to make that clear. I agree in your assessment. By adding a subwoofer to both of this speakers sets the LSX wins all over, while on its own The Fives only win in the bass and software department, but software wise only with the LSX version one which was compared by Darko. Adding a sub to the Fives won’t improve their midrange, treble and imaging capabilities , in that regard they will always underperform compared to the LSX.
@@leokuiper2593 the fives win based on music genre and folks on a budget. Plus you have the option to separate the speakers and change between all in one to a paired speaker experience. End result: you won’t lose if you select either one.
I had the fives, but returned them due to lack of high crisp highs klipsch is known for. Unfortunately. I've had klipsch reference series in the past and the fives do not satisfy my ears.
Just got the KEF LSX II and using my old REL T2 subwoofer for my home office. Easy to setup and pair with the KEF speakers with my desktop computer that has an optical output from my motherboard. The sounds are amazing compared to my Razer soundbar.
I've had Sonos speakers dotted around the house for years, including a single 5 in my home office. I've just wall mounted a pair of KEF LSX IIs and I'm blown away by the improvement. I know it's disingenuous pitching one 5 against two KEFs but the sound quality difference is stark. Additionally, due to the large number of inputs on the KEF, I've been able to connect it to my PC and my TV in the room. Another connectivity option, missing on the Sonos, is Bluetooth. I will continue using my Sonos speakers around the house of course; their flexibility, sound quality and the multiroom experience is superb on the whole, but I'm glad I've invested in the KEF's for more serious, dedicated listening.
hi i need an advice on speakers which was meant for salon business. i have 1 floor of 4 meter width and 16 meter length while mezzanine at same width and 12 meter length so it leaves an open space area of 4 meters and 6 meters height. can a pair of sonos 5 or KEF cope with that ?
I have a pair of play5’s in stereo pair and was blown away by the sound and the imaging, the speakers disappear completely. I have done the procedure for trueplay. Best is the tweeters to the inside, this will provide best imaging. Everybody who is listening to them are asking where the sub is located, but there is no sub. And believe me, I have another very high end system to compare these SONOS speakers with. Love the sound, and very fun. For details there are better systems but will cost a lot more believe me.
I want to expand my system and only have the play bar and 2 play 1 .
To get similar to your sound, kan I just buy one sub mini (and maybe additional 2 x play one)?
Maybe I am making this too complicated…
Just want to know if it is worth expanding to 2 more play 5 which is a lot of money. Have you any experience hearing the play bar + sub + 2 x play 1 ?
@@AzizIzgin Look at "Peter Pee" he has a fantastic channel and is testing and measuring SONOS Gear. I have done some REW measurements with the 5's and they are good. Go to a dealer and ask for a demo, two 1's with a sub should be close to two 5's without.
You will not regret adding a sub to the two 1's you have got. In the high-end world they are bashing about Sonos I think because they know it is a good system.
When they start shooting at a war-plane you are flying above the enemies territory ;-)
@@patrickmeylemans9627 😅🙏🏻
You get a tighter soundstage with the 5s the other way up - with the SONOS on the inside rather that the outside. It’s to do with the orientation of the drivers. You might change your mind about imaging the other way up…
We’re moving to Bangkok to set up a home/office/studio/gallery setup. Sonos just ticks all the boxes, whether it’s zoned music with different music playing on all four levels and all rooms in those levels, or when a big event is happening, being able to play music all over the place, at comfortable levels, while still encouraging conversation and interaction.
I have KEF LSX (Gen 1) + focal sub (with wireless dongle) and Sonos Port and few Sonos around the house. 2 Roams, 2 One. It's a love for both world.
I have the GEN three and the arc I just bought a pair of LSX Gen 2 s
KEf is always a good choice. The sound is never fatiguing on the ear, and never muddy. This is the same with any Kef product I have listened too. I would love to hear the metas with the sub, I bet they sound amazing.
The KEF LSX can be a bit fatiguing, I lowered the treble -1db to solve that problem. It can be a bit bright with some music. With the treble down 1 db it’s also more forgiving with bad recordings.
Tengo un par de SONOS PLAY 5 2Gen en estéreo y de cenro una barra Sonos Beam 2Gen Las tres bocinas están agrupadas en una cónsola de 3 metros. Creo que en calidad precio, no hay nada que se le acerque. Es realmente fantástico y puedes ponerlo al 100% con una inmersión excepcional.
... never fatiguing ==> my ass , except B&W , all british speakers are "audiophile ass" oriented with a boooring & dry sound .... of course the exception here are the 1% of people with golden ears from heaven who can hear anytime and anywhere a 1db difference in treble ....
KEF has a wireless transmitter as an option would you want to use a sub wireless, but it will set you back about another 200 USD
I have both sets. I like the Sonos Fives more for home theater (currently using as rear surrounds with Arc and Sub) and I like the KEF LSX II more for music. Looking to get the KEF sub KC62 eventually.
but lip sink is delayed?
@@Kishore-bc2wp There's no lip sync delays using HDMI eARC connection with Sonos
I have used the 5s for tv sound and they were very good especially with movies. You can adjust any lag and it never bothered me. I worked in TV for 25 years so I am extremely aware of any lip sync issues.
TV Sony 9505 (андроид) - > Sonos five (2 шт / stereo) . Как пустить звук с телевизора на Sonos по воздуху ?
KEF LSX II without a doubt!
I have the 5’s as rears for my great room surround sound system and they are unreal. We are fully immersed in anything we watch.
Does the 75ms delay affect the experience at all?
I'm looking into using them as surrounds for a home theater setup and that's a potential issue some people have mentioned
I have KEF LSX (mk1) and Sonos Five, The KEF is on another level in terms of sound quality. I can't say Sonos Five is a hifi speaker.
Guessing the LSX II are more nuanced and better with soundstage, but the Fives are probably more.. fun?
It's interesting, I've been trying to dig into speakers, subwoofers, streamers, DACs, specifications for years, and just bought a Sonos Move and.. wow. It's not that they're "audiophile" grade exactly, I think the magic is that they are so incredibly accessible. Play music instantly, anywhere, filling a room with ease. Doesn't even need a power cable except the charging dock, carry it around anywhere, and you can pair it up in a stereo or surround pair. To me that's the magic of Sonos, the convenience and simplicity, making me want to listen to music more and more often. But I have no doubt at all that KEF are probably the more detailed, nuanced, "audiophile" grade speakers so to speak.
Perfectly summed up. If your music is more accessible hopefully you get to enjoy it more.
I have a pair of LSX plus sub for serious listening and I assure you that gives me the best experience. I also have a B&O Bluetooth speaker to carry around and that convenience is very nice, but it doesn’t compare to the two channel, audiophile grade, full range listening on my LSX plus sub. Except mobility, my LSX is just as convenient if it comes to streaming. I can use my iPhone, IPad, Apple Watch or remote to operate the system. Multi room use with The KEF LSX or LS50 wireless are just as easy to setup and used with Airplay, but all two channel audiophile grade. How more convenience do I need?
@@leokuiper2593 My point is you can't just grab a single LSX and take it anywhere, even while the music is playing, like the Move. When they're hooked up, it's still more of a "stationary" system.
@@rsolsjo As I told, that’s why I have my B&O Bluetooth speaker beside my LSX with sub. That way I have best of both worlds. A mobility speaker and audiophile grade full range, two channel audio. With my LS50 WII in the living room the LSX in the bedroom I also have multi room audio over Airplay
If by "fun" you mean sound like the boombox you had as a kid but at 10x the cost. I can do what the Sonos do with any generic crap out there and you would never be able to tell the difference.
Waited for this comparison for months! Thanks.
i own the sonos five pair, and i just heard the kef lsx II in a HIFI room, to be honest the sonos is much more rich in overall sound and especially low end. heard it after a few seconds, the kef lsx II sounds very neutral and cold, not my kind of sound
Hello sir do you test only one of your 5s?how it sounds?im just curious bec i want to by one to add on my home cinema sonos i have the Arc two sub gen 3 and two sonos one as surround and i wanted to add for now one sonos 5 to be use with my actual set but only for music.Do you think it will be a good upgrade?thank you..
Your ears must be filled with wax 🤣
@@KillDozer187 👏🏼👏🏼
KEF come with a nice remote control. You don’t need to rely on your phone...
Dude - Please enter the current century.
I decided for the KEF LSX II for the quality of sound, design, and the app. After reading the latest Sonos app reviews in the App Store this was a no brainer for me.Considering how much longer the Sonos are around, there is absolutely no excuse to read the majority of reviews saying the Sonos app is getting worse with every update.
We actually got a pair of Devialet Phantom Golds as a gift. Those are $7K+ speakers. Eventually replaced it with a Sonos pair with sub. For sure the Phantoms are objectively louder and better if one has a lot of space and ability for proper placement. However, the Sonos' integrated room adjustment made them sound a lot better in a smallish room. Of course, Sonos' integration for the whole home is unmatched.
Im suprised by your experience, have heard the devialet phantom golds in the store and they were excellent! wouldnt think that the much cheaper sonos could be compared to them in a home environment. Thank you for sharing!
Sonos 😂
@@Pianist7137Gaming Just saw your post. Yes, I was stunned having had some other nice audio. The confirmation was my wife who does not care about equipment one whit, but has superb ears. I've gone to speaker stores and she heard things right away that took me a while to figure out. Anyways, she listened to the two in a small room and said the Sonos was clearly better. I think that something about the Gold in our small room just did not work. Sonos was more organic and natural. But if we wanted to shake the house, the Devialet was louder than two Sonos 5 and a Sub. Our Sonos set up was two Ones and a Sub in the test. (We had all things Sonos originally to test.) if the Gold had auto room correction then, I have no doubt that we would have kept the gold.
Interesting review. I would love to see a comparison between Sonos and bluesound speakers as well between their system. Thanks
How would it work to put together a pair of LS60 wireless with two pairs of LSX II around the house? Can the LSX II be placed in two separate rooms playing mono? Is the app good enough to choose in which rooms you want the music to play, and can you play different music in the LS60 and the LsX II if you want to (simultaneously)?
I like Sonos. The speakers are great and practical for the modern home. But KEF is for audiophiles. If you intend to sit down and seriously listen, get the KEFs. The LSX IIs bathe me in luxurious sounds. Nothing can come close.
I know I'm only listening over the net but the Kef sounded much cleaner and clearer. I have a pair of the sonos 5's -I use a connect in my main system (a pair of Linkwitz Orion III's) and consider the sonos good enough for background everyday listening but not serious listening but I think that the Kef could be a serious speaker - maybe the LS60 though?? The thing I don't like about sonos is you get trapped into the sonos ecosystem,
Hola, que soportes de pie son los que tienes con las Kef?. Gracias!
What stands are under the fives at 11:57?
I like the dark furniture at 9:20
What brand is it and where can I get it? 😅
Can the 5's be used as front speakers for a TV.?
Hi 👋🏼
Which one better Sonos five or Naim muso qb 2nd gen ?
This will be good!!! I traded in my KEF’s for the fives. For price point - you get more with Sonos. The KEFS do have a great soundstage but lack bass. I don’t want to purchase an additional sub just for bass with the LSX speakers
I have both the LSX (first generation) and the Five’s. I have a sealed Sonance 10” subwoofer for the LSX in my office and they sound incredible. I have stereo pair of Five’s in my living room with the Sonos Sub and they also serve their purpose very well. That KEF software, though… I have never in my life experienced such a garbage app. I legitimately don’t believe there’s a single positive review on the App Store.
@@ephektz I found it to be cumbersome. I made sure get assistance from a KEF rep.. they offered minimal help
@@ephektz In version 2 the app is much better, it uses the same software as the LS50 WII. I have the gen 1 too, but I never use the software other then for the settings. Using my native streaming app exclusively avoids any problems the KEF app might have.
that was what i'm looking for. Thanks a lot!
Sonos 5 have been great for me. I do have them in a large sunroom. I play an eclectic set of music and, for me, they deliver beautiful rich sound across the spectrum. Thanks for your videos - always instructive, and interesting.
hi i need an advice on speakers which was meant for salon business. i have 1 floor of 4 meter width and 16 meter length while mezzanine at same width and 12 meter length so it leaves an open space area of 4 meters and 6 meters height. can a pair of sonos 5 or KEF cope with that ?
@@bpwcuncacuan5698 yes
Honestly seems like each are filling heir specific roles well. Sonos is made specifically for very solid whole home listening, with a focus on entertainment. The KEF is made for more solo listening, with the option for a lot of inputs
hi i need an advice on speakers which was meant for salon business. i have 1 floor of 4 meter width and 16 meter length while mezzanine at same width and 12 meter length so it leaves an open space area of 4 meters and 6 meters height. can a pair of sonos 5 or KEF cope with that ?
@@bpwcuncacuan5698 For a business space, I’d save the money and get a pair of Ones. You are not going to want very loud sound and paying for higher end speakers won’t really be the best bet. You could even get the IKEA Symphonik bookshelf speakers. A single pair or even two pairs will be a solid sound coverage for the space at low levels. You’ll lose out on bass, but you probably wouldn’t want thumping bass in a salon anyway.
Great video thanks! What are the chances that later updates in Mac or phone OS or chip updates will obsolete these kinds of devices after a certain number of years? Will there come a day in the not so distant future that I can’t get a new phone because to do so I won’t be able to use/control these speakers? I recently had to buy a new Mac book pro in order to run adobe photoshop because it no longer ran on my older laptop.
hi i need an advice on speakers which was meant for salon business. i have 1 floor of 4 meter width and 16 meter length while mezzanine at same width and 12 meter length so it leaves an open space area of 4 meters and 6 meters height. can a pair of sonos 5 or KEF cope with that ?
yes im my opinion
Great informative video… personally I’ll stay within my Sonos ecosystem. Do like the availability of multiple connection options! Keep these type of comparisons coming… very informative and helpful always.
Glad you found it helpful and some interesting videos on the way.
The first generation LSX can also do 24/96 with the cable. The biggest advantage with the second generation is you get to use a 3 star rated app as opposed to a 1 star. 🤮 I love my first generation LSX, but the apps for them are T E R R I B L E.
Only use airplay with my first gen LSX
@@bartbarelds8454 I might use AirPlay occasionally if it didn’t turn into a garbled, unlistenable mess after a minute and a half. 🤷♂️ I’ve thought about getting an Airplay dongle for it. I use it with optical.
@@ephektz Maybe you have a faulty pair, I rarely experience any problems with Airplay 2 except a very occasional glitch. Also have first gen LSX. A occasional restart solved any problems I ever had before. As anything having a processor and software a restart is sometimes needed.
@@ephektz same as Leo, haven’t had any problems and use it pretty often
@@leokuiper2593 I probably need to send them in to KEF.
KEF vs Q Acoustics M20? Are they comparable?
The M20’s offer exceptional value for money but haven’t got the finesse of the KEF’s. They however are a lot better than the price would suggest and I would recommend them.
@@smarthomesounds Here in Sweden are the M20 and Triangle Borea BT almost the same price, let's see which one that end up in my modest crib. Thanks for the quick reply.
This is great. You totally were fair on both I didn’t feel swayed on either. I had a preference on one because hats what I wanted to know more about and I think you helped me make the right choice. Sonos is better if you like bass and get the other ones if you love vocals and can pimp it out with a sub. Lovely. Thank you.
The other comments are great. Love this channels community.
Hello sir new subscriber here,i have one question please.i have the Arc,2 sonos sub gen 3 and 2 sonos one sl as surrounds,if i add one sonos 5 to my system to use use it for music together with my my existing system,is worth it?will i notice a huge improvement of the sound quality?in music?thank you
I own the Sonos Fives and they are not great speakers IMO, they are splashy and hot in the treble and massively V-shaped and the EQ is very limited for trying to correct this. TruePlay is terrible for music in my experience. They are quite a bit cheaper than the KEF in Australia where I am and they give you the the flexibility to be used in HT setups and multi-room (which is why I went for them). If it's just for music and price is not an issue, I would 100% go for the Kefs.
Turn off loudness in EQ
Yep we all have preferences and listen differently just like our tastes in music and what works in one environment may not work in another. Mess with all the EQ parameters and speaker positioning and then if it’s not to your liking it’s not the product for you, time to find something else. At least Sonos has a great return policy to try out products and simply return for a refund. It would be great if all manufacturers offered the same returns on their lifestyle products.
If u use trueplay and set the eq to neutral no loudness etc they sound quite balanced. Just a bit “brighter/tinnier” compared to expensive wooden speakers.
Putting on a pair of good headphones, I can conclude that the LSX is more neutral, and the Five has a more V-shaped signature (boosted bass and treble)
I would like to hear the kef metas wired with a sonos amp. Has anyone tried it
The fives seems to have more bass. Arrent the LSX II twice the price? About 1100?
But you need to buy two Fives to make them into a stereo pair
Had both and if you like more pleasing, live sound take Sonos. I have been anti-sonos until I tried and bought them. Really good
It would be very interesting to compare Audio pro with Sonos.
Company from Sweden with the same USB
I just moved from sonos to Kef but moving from beam to q950 is not really a comparison lol
Great comparison thanks!
Just got a pair of Kef for £799. Wow!
The Sonos sounds quite brittle in the higher end to me, but that's over UA-cam so who knows. The KEF's probably sound a little. better, especially with a sub.
i bought the KEF LSX II a while ago and while the sound quality is great, the usage is terrible. half of the time i want to listen to anything my smartphone cannot connect to the speakers or it takes a really long time. without connection, i cannot start them. sometimes i even have to set them to factory reset mode and initialize them again. it's really annoying if you have to spend 10-15 minutes most of the time to start listening. thinking of getting the Sonos solely for that reason.
I was at a Best Buy today and the salesperson was demoing the kef LSX Ii and Ls50. Both were having a ton of connectivity problems.
Just for balance I've had the LSX II for months and use them every day, never had an issue with connectivity
When are you reviewing marshall woburn 3 ?
We are due it very soon and will be looking to review it along with the other new III speakers.
@@smarthomesounds review it with tv as well. Can it replace a soundbar or not? As it comes with a hdmi now. Will look forward to it
Waiting too long. So I have to ask. When will you review the Sony X90K?
We are currently testing this TV right now with a full review coming soon.
that you can't use the sonos without a lipsync delay is a deal breaker.
100%
What about planned obsolescence? Older Sonos products will eventually stop working altogether when Sonos stops releasing software updates for them. Is this also going to be an issue with the KEFs?
You can always add an up to date streamer using the physical connections. Even without software updates you can still use the speakers using the latest version app.
Don't buy a smart phone as it'll be useless in a few years. Smh
@@jkherberger I get Ken Chow, first most people don’t spend 1400 USD on a single phone, second we are used to use a pair speakers much longer then phones. Hifi gear is used at times for several decades. But your right, it’s not only phones that get obsolete these days, I hear nobody complain about other smart products, like TV’s. I had a few of those going out of date because modern software didn’t work anymore while they were still working fine. While 1400 USD is still close to a top model phone, there are smart products now that costs you 6k or more. Like the KEF LS60. I get people get to worry by such a purchase even more. But as said you can add up to date streaming by using physical connections. Those often have a much longer life cycle.
I've sold my SONOS equipment (not that there were too many) for this concern. Who knows what happens when S3 rolls around? Also, the cost of connecting equipment into the system is expensive.
@@TheOtherNEO Not likely that there will be an S3 any time soon. Sonos will have learned from there first mistakes, when they worked in new territory developing WiFi streaming. They will have build in enough headroom to let software develop in S2. But i think you are right that Sonos doesn’t do enough to take worries away for their customers. They stick to their own streaming platform solely, while other companies offer other solutions like Apple Airplay or Chromecast on top of their own streaming platform. The lack of physical connections with Sonos products makes it nearly impossible to add other streaming options. This is my one of my main criticism with Sonos products. Second is they are just mid-fi and should be working towards hifi in my opinion. Third I don’t think they don’t really stand out in visual design. They don’t come close to the wireless products from a company like KEF that don’t lack in the 3 criticism points I mentioned above.
great, detailed review! Will buy a second Sonos Five. Thanks a lot
It’s worth it 🚀
Sonos rules here ...
Definitely the Sonos
Get the kef’s then pair them with a WiiMe pro . Now you have the best of both worlds .
Your recording equipment could be better. With my over ear headphones, the sound is muffled. Maybe record in binaural?
Naim Muso is a little bit more expensive but blows them away on sound quality ❗️
It's nearly double the KEF price. If we are playing that game for actually a little more money, the KEF LS50 Wireless 2 blow away the Naim.
Wait, are there no physical controls on the LSX II? That's really changed my mind about buying them.
There is a remote control included !
I really like Sonos myself but they sound a bit “harsh/metally” to me, not warm like other hifi speakers (mostly made out of wood) anyone agrees?
All anyone can do is try the products, adjust position and EQ. See if they work for them in their own environment. If not it’s time to move on. I personally find EQ adjustment can be a pain in many products. At least Sonos offer buy and return for refund if they don’t work for you in your own environment. It would be great if all life styles brands offered this.
@@djt6546 ye I agree Sonos is very cool. But I can’t help it sounding a bit “bright”..
Kef needs grills or covers . Also wish it had some kind of room correction
I think the look great without grills
@@leokuiper2593 so do I but when next to a TV they are distracting. My LS50 are very distracting in a dark room while watching a movie
@@Not884 High gloss Finish?
I got a pair of Google Max Speakers.
Google have done their best to make them as shit as possible...
KEF's for music, Sonos Fives for movies.
I really enjoy all your content!! Thank you for all your hard work sir!! I have a couple questions if I may?
I have a Sonos system,it consists of Arc,2 5’s,2 subs gen 2/3. I really want to get or add Era 300 to the system.? Can I do that and if so what would that be labeled as? I know with 2 300’s an Arc and 2 subs are a 7.2.4.
Yes and yes, the .4 front and rear height channels make a big difference.
Sennheiser Ambeo or even others, compared: to Sonos ARC with a sub? Sonos ARC with a pair of Sonos 5? ARC with mini sub and a pair of 5s? Audio dynamics: highs, mids and lows?
does adding a sub and or Sonos 5s allow the Sonos ARC to be noticeably, cleaner and more dynamic since some of the work goes to other speakers? Or is it just the Sonos software and hardware design that stops it from sounding as good as say a quality pair of studio monitors, like say Yamaha HS8?
Room size is 13ft x 19ft and 8ft high I do not listen to rap and do not like too much bass. I listen to all rock, Country Western, Bluegrass,new age, bag pipes, pipe organ, punk, piano, a cappella, metal, I hate the stuff they pass off as music mostly since all the auto tune and gridding of noise/music, or since about late 90s. Most pop "music" today is just cheap and easy to make noise. Country today is crap!
Thank you!
Btw thanks for the nice song! In and out of love
No physical remote for the play 5s, is a dealbreaker for me.
Once you have it you will love it you control it in your phone,with the sonos app,imagine if you have 10 sonos speakers in different rooms you can adjust all of the rooms only in your phone no remote needed..you can adjust the volume of each room or turn off the rooms you want to turn off in your phone,but if it only works with remote you have to go to each room to do so..
Old fashioned touch controls? Lol. Old fashioned would be a volume knob😂😂
My guess is for a millennial "old fashioned" is anything around 10 years old... Stuff like tapes etc will look Stone Age to them. While I grew up with the stuff.
I think a better comparison would be sonos 5 vs kef ls50w ii.
size wise and power yes, but the price is more than 2x
@@shaanssonnets430 Yes yes I agree. Just thought the 2 items should be of the same weight class (as in sports).
Good Comparo! Sonos Five's FTW.....BUT, neither is as good as Bluesound Pulse 2i in pair!!!!!
You can't really compare speaker sound like this....over UA-cam. Your comments are more meaningful than the audio.
Both are over Priced ! You can buy a AV and better speakers cheaper !
Network problems, don't buy
Sonos é melhor.
KEF sound a lot better
I'm shocked how bad the Sonos sounds in your recorded comparison. Good thing people that buy Sonos products have terrible headphones too!
I'm shocked you actually think anyone goes by the sound on YT alone to make a decision. Good thing people (other than you) don't go by that!
@@Mr21scott Why would you fabricate a statement to respond to, are you mentally ill? I'm so sorry your identity revolves around the brands you consume, I hope you get help.
One possible reason for the popularity of Sonos is that they offer over a months trial and offer full refund if they don’t work for you in your own home. Another could be the overall package of sound, form & function being liked by a huge number of people. It would be great if all lifestyle brands offered the trial and full refund. IMO Sonos are massive because they have a good
Balance of marketing, form, software ease of use and sound quality that can be tweaked for a majority of lifestyle buyers ears. 😊
@@djt6546 We all know you're a literal bot just advertising for Sonos. This crap right here is why sheep buy them.
@@evrythingis1 Your opening comment on the other thread… “If by "fun" you mean sound like the boombox you had as a kid but at 10x the cost. I can do what the Sonos do with any generic crap out there and you would never be able to tell the difference.” Now look at your opening comment in this thread… “I'm shocked how bad the Sonos sounds in your recorded comparison. Good thing people that buy Sonos products have terrible headphones too!”. Then there’s your last comment about a “…literal bot…”. These are perfect examples of how NOT to win friends or influence people, not to mention it’s all poorly written. The point I am making has nothing to do with the support of any products or brands. It’s purely directly about your style of written comments. Here is what I encourage you to try in future comments… “I'm shocked how bad the Sonos sounds in your recorded comparison. IMO I hear the Fives treble is rather forward and brash. The treble is not well integrated with the midrange resulting in some music styles sounding thin and quite hollow at times. The KEF’s come across far more balanced and convey a more natural soundscape to my ears in this video. All audio enthusiasts know that UA-cam compression does not do a good job of representing the sound as heard live in the room. Did SHS tweak EQ’s to get the best balanced tonal response from either product? Can SHS please give us your opinion of the sounds from both products in the room compared to the UA-cam recording?”
Basically, I’m saying try leaving out the superfluous and derogatory jabs at products and people. Focus on describing objective and factual, positive or negative personal experiences that have led you to make your personal point of view known to the Internet. Ask questions. Be sympathetic to the balanced content of the video presenter. Respond in kind. This opens up productive and objective discussion with the video producers and like-minded enthusiasts. All parties might actually learn something. This is what UA-cam comments are there for. Not to throw aggravating, narrow minded comments around. Sadly you are not alone. Once in a while I’ll put this sentiment out there when I see repeat noise. Enjoy your personal choice in audio reproduction, but please let others do the same, without blatantly berating a strangers own personal preferences. Now I’m done
Darko likes the Sonos 5 over the Lsx bruh
Did he??? I assumed he liked the KEFS more
@ Media Fox Then you didn’t listen to John Darko very well. The speakers on their own, John Darko liked one over the other depending the type of music you would listen. The Sonos would win software wise over the LSX, but the comparison was LSX 1 that had different software. The LSX II has a much better app. The Fives on their own are better for bass heavy music because they have more bass extension then the LSX. The LSX on their own have more refinement in the midrange and high frequencies and better soundstage and imaging. All this Darko pointed out. If you gonna add a subwoofer to the game the LSX will blow the Fives away though. The advantages from the Fives being better in bass are taken away in such a setup, while the LSX keeps it’s better soundstage, imaging and more refinement in mid- and treble range. The LSX II has more physical connections and streaming capabilities, stays in sync with a TV set.
@@leokuiper2593 I did listen to him and it appeared he favored the KEF over the fives. Of course with an additional sub it would “blow them away”.
@@TemujinScott80 My remarks where directed to Media Fox, I will edit my comment to make that clear. I agree in your assessment. By adding a subwoofer to both of this speakers sets the LSX wins all over, while on its own The Fives only win in the bass and software department, but software wise only with the LSX version one which was compared by Darko. Adding a sub to the Fives won’t improve their midrange, treble and imaging capabilities , in that regard they will always underperform compared to the LSX.
@@leokuiper2593 the fives win based on music genre and folks on a budget. Plus you have the option to separate the speakers and change between all in one to a paired speaker experience. End result: you won’t lose if you select either one.
The Sonos always sound too stressed and overly energetic.
The Fives - by Klipsch.
Darko reviewed and hated those. Haven't heard them myself but Klipsch are fatigue city from what I've heard.
I'm also looking into these.
@@jkherberger I've seen that review, and have been looking at other reviews too. Ultimately, I think I need to go and have a listen for myself.
I had the fives, but returned them due to lack of high crisp highs klipsch is known for. Unfortunately. I've had klipsch reference series in the past and the fives do not satisfy my ears.
I wouldn't insult my apartment with the ugliness of Sonos, seriously, could it be any uglier.
Ok, so...Kef real hi-fi, Sonos no.
do not buy , most of the time it does not work
Just got the KEF LSX II and using my old REL T2 subwoofer for my home office. Easy to setup and pair with the KEF speakers with my desktop computer that has an optical output from my motherboard. The sounds are amazing compared to my Razer soundbar.
Is the DSP done by the computer or the LSX II in this setup?
Can you control their volume from a Mac with usb or Bluetooth for the kef?