★ *REVIEWING: **bit.ly/37HOx27**, **amzn.to/3eOr0hP* ★ *QOTD: We have reviewed a lot of powered speakers - which is your favorite?* ★ *Love our conversation/outtakes? Be sure to watch to the end* ★ *COMMENT RULES: Please be respectful. No outside links, URLs, email addresses, etc. Violations are automatically deleted.*
So far I’m a Kanto guy, unless the Klipsch Promedia 2.1 count. The Klipsch have always been computer speaker because of the lack of connection options but if Klipsch ever just updated that area and left the rest alone, they would have a monster powered speaker offering that has always just ROARED! Until then the Kantos 4’s are in my budgetary sweet spot.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I discovered the 2’s through a guy at work. We had them on our desks but an office doesn’t really let you test a speaker. As soon as we started working from home we both upgraded. Me to the 4’s and him to the 6’s. I don’t think either of us will ever be able to go back to the office!! Hey, where’d the usual cabinet go? Did your TV finally squeeze it out?
Love your set up look. Finally someone who appreciates lifestyle and design than just audiophile sound. So tired of looking at expensive setups being showcased in some garage with extra speakers and components all over the place. Keep up the fantastic work.
I’ve heard the KEF Blade speakers in a show room. Granted the show room was the worst for that quality of a speaker but the bass was the most articulate deep bass I’ve ever experienced in any speaker and made me stay for hours listening to song after song.
Happy Sunday morning Andrew and Kristi. The LS50W II will find a home in many systems and they fill a need for those who wants a “do it all “ speaker. Wireless is going to be the future for many audiophiles, but it is not there yet. As mentioned the sound is the sound. With passive speakers along with the right gear will undoubtedly sound better. The one advantage of wireless is with updates to the speaker’s software. The sound signature can be tweaked by the manufacturer as Klipsch did with the Fives. One thing I will say… the room setup in this video was awesome. Those Kef’s looked fantastic along with the furniture in the space. Kudos to you and Kristi for great production work.
I appreciate you pronouncing Porsche correctly, lol. Always love your reviews, you both have a refreshing perspective on Hifi and make us aware of your preferences and biases which I think makes your reviews more trustworthy than others.
Thank you so much. We do our best to just let you know what we thought of the product given how we live and we try and make it approachable for everyday people as well as more die hard enthusiasts.
Very excited to see you guys cross the 200k mark! Keep up the amazing work, you’re my favorite to watch and have helped me along my audio journey. Cheers to 200!
As a owner of a pair of KEF R3s, I can say personally I know the R Series! I have a buddy that works at KEF. I was back and forth between R3s and R5s. Through his guidance, I went with R3 and I haven't looked back. That being said, I had a chance to listen to the Blades 2 and a few of the Reference series. I can not describe in words the sound all of those speakers produced. I actually had dinner with a couple of the KEF guys last night and FINALLY heard the KC62. Little guy packs a serious punch! I'm hoping to visit their NJ movie theater soon made up of nothing but R Series CI speakers! Great video!
I did. You guys always have great reviews. Now the KEF's ls50w II are a great option for someone looking for simplicity and not looking to spend money on seperate components and experimenting trying to find the perfect synergy. But, if you are someone that is looking to put together a badass hifi system, and is willing to spend a little time and money, the KEF Meta's are a GREAT speaker. I heard them fresh out of the box with a Rodgers tube amplifier, no subs, not broken in, and their sound was truly amazing. KEF overall produces very good quality audio components and I think anyone with a pair of LS50 metas or wireless II have a speaker thats truly remarkable.
I’m with Christy (hope I spelled that right). I’m just starting to listen to the Kef LS50 Wireless II now. For me the simplicity demanded a serious listen, but the reality is if they don’t sound right the alternative will be separates. I wasn’t shopping for all-in-one. It’s always about the sound and there really isn’t anything that directly compares so yeah I think it perfectly reasonable to compare these with some other stack.
Affordable: JAMO S 801 PM High-End: ELAC Navis ARB-51/KEF LS50 (KEF LS 50 Wireless II) Draw Caveat - With the JAMO S 801PM’s, I would add a sub to them to augment and fill out the bass just a little more. And even adding a nice and affordable sub to the JAMO S 801 PM’s, you’ll still come out WAY LESS than both of my high-end choices (the ELAC’s and the KEF’s). -Charles-
Amazing speakers. Great for someone like me that has a smaller living room, small child, and can't fit a ton of components. Expensive, but, there are others less expensive speakers that can get the job done almost as good. I've never considered powered speakers for me, but, you convinced me that they can be good. Thx, and all the best to you and Kristi.
Adam T5V £135 each are near field monitors but are liked as audiophile speakers. Active speakers are very different to just a powered speaker. Kef LS50 and B&W Formation Duo are active DSP speakers.
This is awesome, I’m super interested in powered speakers, I think allowing yourself to let go of the idea that a “real” system consists of passive speakers, an amp, and an outboard source is really exciting
Very very interesting take from Kristy focusing on how much the "setup" influences sound eventually on passive speakers, and the fact that you are able to create your sound from them. With powered you get what you get, which can be a good thing and limiting also.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews in the end I didn't want my electronics inside the speaker and felt I would be better served with separates. Added the Rotel RA-1572 and it works well for me.
Not relevant to this specific review, but just wanted to say that I really appreciate you including Christa's opinions in your reviews. As a (apparently rare) female audiophile, I really appreciate hearing where you guys agree and where you don't. And I also really enjoy hearing her take on the aesthetics of various speakers/amps as well. Maybe it's a female thing, but I've never understood why companies make beautiful sounding speakers that make my eyes bleed when I look at them, and I'm glad I'm not the only one.
Not sure if u read comments of older videos later, but this speakers gets firmware updates too! which possibly also increases the streaming and sound quality. I've had this with Sonos, which the Arc's latest update really changed the sound in a positive way. And I noticed in the release notes of the ls50w2 they also do these kinds of updates.
Something incredibly cool about these is if you're using them with a Mac that has Apple Silicon, the app works on your computer giving you 100% control at your fingertips without having to grab your phone or use the cheap remote.
I think a lot of questions arise when you consider the Wireless IIs which have an “arguably ideal” amp pairing, versus the Metas where some budgets might have an amp like the AXR 100 or a NAIM Uniti Atom - comparatively the Metas could be a lot more or a little less. Do you or Kristi have an opinion on using Metas with a “budget amp” versus the Wireless IIs?
Hi guys. Want to thank you for your show. I look forward to seeing the latest to bolster my knowledge. Compared to all of you out there, I feel very amateurish. Not into the techno lingo stuff, but at some point I know they are a valuable resource. I just know I like what I hear....and what I don't. Ibdont have the opportunity to go and experience all of these units out there, So I count on you for some guidance. Andrew and Kristi's diffetent perspectives is must see TV, as far as I'm concerned. Great job!
I had the KEF Q950's for a year and wasn't a fan. I replaced them with the Canton Vento 896.2 DC's and they're better in every way. The KEF's were not all that revealing in the mid's, the treble wasn't great and they didn't play down very low for the size of the towers they were. The Canton's are the best sounding speaker I've had in this house.
I have been waiting for your review of these for a while and as usual, you didn’t disappoint. I certainly agree with your description of the sound and I was initially a little disappointed by the neutrality. I have had them at home for a month now and certainly appreciate them as an all round package. I got off the high end Merry go round a couple of years ago and have been looking for a good looking all in one solution with good quality sound and I feel that these fit the bill as they also fit perfectly in to the aesthetics of my living room. Thanks for producing quality and engaging reviews.
I want the speakers to be configurable to MY personality. So in that manner I don't want the speakers to have its own personality, does that make sense? So... clinical is good. Thanks for the review!
Loved this video Andrew & Kristi, you gotta get more KEF gear for review. I'm lucky enough to have heard Blade's and they are amazing!! I have a 7.1 set up using KEF R series, R700, R500, R100, R200c and R400b sub with Yamaha RX-A3080 and Rotel Rb1552mkii power amp. Love it
I have been waiting for this review since I first saw the LS50 Wireless II speakers in the background. Just because of Kristi's take on Meta video six months ago "I think that they may not get those back" When Kristi was talking about powered Wireless II speakers :D
I simply couldn't bring myself to buy something with all this technology built into a single device that should be able to last 10+ years (a speaker). The tech will all have changed in 10 years and you will be left with a great speaker that doesn't support the latest streaming service that you want to use or even the latest lossless wireless tech. And don't bet on that KEF app working nicely on your iPhone in 10 years. KEF will be bringing out new devices and you can bet that after 5 years they will reduce support for the old ones (already happening for their older speakers). Having the amp built into the speaker makes sense for matching, crossover, etc. But that's about all.
@@cooluser23 I can see your logic but I doubt they would shift many speakers with only an HDMI input used for audio, for many reasons. I think the best approach would be a box that connects to your devices that has all the various inputs and this transmits wirelessly to the speakers using some lossless protocol. They only have power in. The box can be upgraded as new inputs appear on the market.
But to do everything at the same quality that the active LS50Wii can do with a passive speaker you would have to spend more than the cost of the active speaker just on the components that drive the passive speaker, such as a streamer, amp/DAC, cables.... and those separates could go out of date after 10 years as well.
Spot on. I’m fine with buying them for the matching amp, but there should be balanced inputs for future proofing. I’d happily skip the their software, codecs, connect app and the rest of it.
Thanks! I am A/V full ATMOS oriented so trying to integrate a setup with powered is over the line of possible. I had the Q-towers and they were great for orchestral works but I found the rock and roll a bit set back.
I think its all what you like and nothing else. You two are pretty good at reviewing tech i like listening to you. Keep doing what you do and be blessed overall.
Big fan of your reviews and how well produced your videos are! Kef has really become a strong contender for my next home theater. Really hope to see more Kef reviews from you guys in the future!
This is one honest n accurate review. It’s just a great speaker for its price. Not a very resolving or refined speaker but to get that one needs to spend quite a bit more. I would love these speakers for say the living room. Hook them up a sub and to the TV. It’s good enough to enjoy music or a simple HT system. By the way, the satin finish is just lovely and they look great with the S2 stands.
@@KristiWright I really like your input to the reviews. Andrew does a pretty good job, but your discussions just elevate everything to a whole other level.
I would like to see podcast style videos where you and Cristie sit down and discuss certain audio products or topics. Something similar to what the AEC guys do.
I'm curious as to what firmware you were running on your review sample. Firmware 1.7 sounded absolutely amazing in every way. Once the speakers auto updated to 1.8 a good deal of the magic was lost. The soundstage isn't as wide or deep, and the sense of air around instruments, particularly drums, was dialed way back. Leading edge transients were also softened. I even tried out a second pair, but they suffered the same exact fate. I tried contacting KEF support, but they made it clear to me that their software vetting process is infallible, and thus couldn't possibly be the cause of the problem I am having.
I picked up a set of Metas after seeing your review of those and I absolutely love them! Interesting to see your thoughts on the wireless version. I'm thinking about picking up a subwoofer for my setup but I wonder if the SVS is a good choice considering the brand has a reputation for making their presence known in a way that something like the KC62 does not. Decisions decisions.
Andrew - you can’t accuse Kristi of the sin of comparing the active Formation Duo to the Passive LS50 Meta, because that’s what purchasers are going to do. They’ll weigh the pros and cons of active v passive. Interesting that you noted the lack of air and sparkle, as people thought there was too much in the original LS50 and LS50w and the highs now roll off more i the newer models. What shocked me is that I’ve had to return one of my LS50s to Kef for repair under warranty, so I bought a used pair to tide me over. The used pair and my originals sound *way* different. There’s way more bass with the second pair. My stands haven’t moved so the characteristics should be the same. I’m surprised
i have the R41pm's (with a sub) and the 5's from klipsch. 41's are at my desktop and the 5's are in the living room 16x16 ish on some bookshelf's from ikea. i talked my cousin into buying the R51pm's. i run my 41's through a cambridge dac. otherwise everything else is tos link or eArc from a tv with only bluetooth ever reachin them. i think powered is the future too. the amount of options it solves for is too much to disagree with. people still want pug in play. personally ill always be separates until I die lol. cost is my only inhibitor to that. great video and congrats on 200k and to another 800k!
Since Andrew brought up powered hifi speakers. Anyone here using powered speakers, HiFi or Studio oriented monitors (ADAM, GENELEC, FOCAL etc), for both guitar playing and Audiophile purposes? If yes which brand do you recommend and how do they perform on those two functions? Pros cons? I would love to hear your thoughts.
If you're right, and the future is powered and smart, I hope the future is also more than 2 channels if desired. Perhaps in a product generation or two these speakers would also have 5.1 or greater decoding and upmixing on board, with the ability to add more speakers and assign positions in the app. If we can get that kind of functionality, I'm totally down with a wireless powered speaker future.
B&W in the Formation range and B&O seem to already supply surround sound speaker options now. I control 5.1 from the external sound card of my computer. But this means I am connecting to the analogue input of the speakers (Meridian D600) that have better built in DACs. Buchardt Audio and Kef look like they work in a 5.1 system but it is not any clearer than Devialet who mention 5.5 for Phantoms but support tell you they are a stereo only solution. There are always the likes of Meridian - if you can work out how to feed and control their DSP speakers from your digital source without breaking the bank.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I'm looking forward to a review on the new Onkyo TX-RZ50. I WANT TO UPGRADE my speakers also with a complete klipsch tower dolby atoms set up... you guys rock. Hopefully you guys will get that receiver for review. I really trust your reviews overall.
I would love if you could review the Blade 2 speakers. I think that would be a fun review to watch!! Crossing fingers that will happen at some point. As for powered speakers I'm bias since I have LS50 meta, and would say the LS50 WII speakers.
Despite what anyone says, a consistently neutral sound is the holy grail of music. A system (not just speakers) that truly reveals what the artist wanted us to hear, is the only thing to look for in equipments. Anything beyond that is subjective. At that point, reviews of any equipment, basically become useless.
Glad you finally got these in! They seem versatile and incredibly professional, but I have always heard that the sound is divisive, and you definitely confirmed that. I think you finally steered me away from the dream of one day owning a pair of KEFs (in a good way), but I wouldn't be opposed to hearing them sometime.
Used to have KEF Ref 107 (known as Daleks) way long ago. Passive but amazing. Built like a tank, weigh a ton. See pictures just for fun last sold 20yrs +
honestly, my favourite are the LS50s. But below the $1000 price tag, the Klipsch Fives are really a no brainer for a budget speaker, especially if someone who really doesn’t know much about audio gear and just wants a, grab, setup, listen and grin for the rest of their life with no regrets! But I really really hope KEF comes out with an LSX Meta. I have a very good feeling it might. And when it does, cant wait for your review! 😄👍🏼
If I already have a Powernode 2i and RSL Speedwoofer 10s, would you recommend getting the LS50 Meta or selling the Powernode and buying the LS50 Wireless II? Subjectivity will of course affect this decision, but just wanted to get your thoughts.
For some reason I’d really like to see a powered tower version of those ls50 wireless speakers… like an easy setup for those who want towers without the the hassle of 2 or 3 other boxes in a cabinet…
Great review, just the thing I was researching. I’ve decided to resume my audiophile hobby after a gap of 15 years due to family reasons, I don’t fancy going back in time to return to tube amps etc etc and and am rather keen to explore new avenues & the latest advancements such as these wireless ii powered speakers system. It seems to tick most of the boxes for me and besides I never enjoyed all that spaghetti hanging out the back. So thanks for the tips.
Am I the only one struggling between whether I want the KEF LS50 Wireless II's or the Senheiser Ambeo Soundbar. Two completely different setups but each the best at what they do.
I got Metas purely to have the option to change through different amplifiers, currently running them with a Rotel A11 tribute, in the months to come I will try a NAD C388, then maybe Rega. You only get one experience on the W2s.
@@happycamper4786 The amp is fairly powerful to drive them it has enough headroom with out any clipping etc. They sound like magic to me however my preference always will and has been to listen to Music at moderate volume levels not to say that they are not loud enough but that's just my personal preference. Rotel Max mode enhances the bass quite nicely as well, which is something else I enjoy about the tribute. Other Amplifiers that can work are Rega Elicit and Elix. NAD is C368 and C388 was also rumoured to work on different forums however they are Class D and I would rather drive the KEFs with an AB amplifier. To add my source of music is the Bluesound Node 3rd Generation
Especially appreciated the talk afterwards. I'm sceptical about the value proposition of the "smart" functionality and connectivity part of the Wireless II. Streaming sources are so cheap and easy to come by, whether through used chromecast audio's or very user friendly Raspberry Pi solutions (e.g. Volumio offers Tidal connect). Why depend on KEFs in-house apps and electronics? Same for DACs, with the excellent value Chifi products. If you spend €2500, sound is a way more important issue than connectivity. In this sense the Wireless II vs. Meta passive comparison is very valuable. It's also a terrifying prospect to me that you might encounter software bugs and the like, just to listen to your hifi.
You mentioned noise issues with affordable digital amps before. Have you experienced any issues with noise when idle with these active speakers? Thanks.
Great content, Andrew. I went with the Formation Duo myself for the sound and aesthetics. I wish the Formation Duo had more connectivity, but I see where they are going with it.
The Duos are great and I can totally see why you (or anyone) would pick them. Do you have the Formation hub? That is a great way to add more connectivity if you need it.
Hi Andrew and Chrissy (I hope i spelled that right), can you guys do a review of an "on-wall" speaker? I think that thin profile speakers mounted on the wall is just the most beautiful way to go, and practical (with kids). Are there any major sacrifices with those on-walls offered by KEF, Klipsch, Dali, etc? I'd be willing to pay significantly more for on-walls with equal sound quality, so as to avoid the pain of breaking them, or breaking my shins, as the years go by. Also, a video on the most beautiful/artistic speaker systems out there in general, would be great too. Digital Trends did a great video about a Portland-based artistic speaker series. I feel like this genre is right down your alley. Thanks for all your amazing content.
I would choose the Stage if I knew the bulk of my use was HT based. Actually I would take the Stage for music too. Sure the LS50 Wireless II does true stereo imaging etc., but I prefer the overall tone of the Stage to that of the IIs.
@Joesph Ramos, Kristi has been working on getting those speakers in house since January. If you don't see it on the channel, more than likely it's not for a like of trying.
How do you integrate this into a 7.2.4 setup in the future, or any active powered speaker like the fives? Do you need to get a receiver with pre-outs, and plug this into those channels? What is your upgrade paths with active speakers?
That's not something you do with this particular speaker or the Fives. You would need "dumb" powered speakers like Tannoy Gold we talk about in the bonus conversation to do a powered multichannel set up.
With B&W Formation speakers you can do this. Flex for rears, Bass for subwoofer, Bar for centre and Duo for front. B&O can do this but perhaps not at this price point. Any active analogue speaker can be set up this way, although you might have to handle the balance between them all unless you have five or seven identical speakers. Many choices giving analogue output and control. Taking advantage of built in DAC or full DSP speakers is less well explained and they usually suggest trained dealer set ups. A receiver and passive speakers is easy to discuss and explain the set up. Taking a 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound from an HDMI cable and sending video to a monitor and digital sound to 6 or 8 speakers directly isn't a case of just buying a "box". I have mix passive speakers with analogue active speakers using a pre-amp. New and old equipment. When mixing units with digital inputs there is a big problem with synch. Each digital part has different performing hardware. A DSP controller should be able to adjust for delays. B&W do this but it is not so clear how other companies achieve that in their ranges. Much easier to sell a passive analogue system that works. For stereo no problem; none of these issues need be worried about.
I was considering the wireless 2 + KC62 combo but this video has me reconsidering. That overly clinical / flat sound by itself can be fun - it’s the way I originally felt about my Adam A7X monitors. But it can be drab when you’re spoiled by something more immersive and lush. My Adams no longer did it for me after a week on my Sonos Arc/ ERA 300s and gen3 Sub system. Maybe a Denon HT + Dali Speaker set would be a better fit for me, especially at outclassing (and outlasting) the Sonos walled garden.
@@Dasbeerboots Ended up going with KEF q350, Cambridge cxa81 amp and an SVS sub. Was incredible for the first few weeks when it worked - but ended up returning them when I started hearing mid/high frequency distortion. Several people have had similar issues with LS50 due to a faulty crossover.
I had the opportunity to go to a presentation given by Kef by my local dealer. There was a comparison between the Blade speakers and the top model of t he Reference range.Both are in the same price range and are the top of Kef.My impression was that the blade is not an allround speaker. For classical music I preferred the Reference. The Reference range excells in al music styles but has a classic design. The Blade is a very modern design. The Blade is in my opinion a very good speaker and you could compare it with the original LS 50 in overall sound character but much bigger. Ore you can say the LS 50 is a small version of the Blade and at that time there was no Metha. For me totally unaffordable but if you have the money take a listen. The Bade is on the market for several years.
Great Reviews. I'm fairly new to the channel and I love your reviews. Is there a way to use them as part of a 5.1 Home Theatre setup? (and keep using them as a stereo streaming speakers) I assume if the AVR has pre outs, it can, right?
Thank you for a honest review, and one of the first II's review that is not entirely overwhelmingly positive. Design wise, I would recommend you trying the KEF R3 (or a tower version). I've heard they should work really well for both HiFi and cinema.
Loved the review. Hope you have fun with the KEF Blades! Polite question: you do realise just how large and heavy they are and that a team of strong men will be needed for installation? Your doors and door frames might suffer a bit getting the Blades in and out.
Finally! I have been WAITING for this one... Truth be told, I already have original LS50Ws and I've just been waiting for an excuse to upgrade to the new edition. HDMI ARC might just tip it over for me...
I am thinking of moving to the KEF LS50 Wireless II s. which i can just about afford. My question is - would i regret not stretching to the B & W Formation Duos? I listen mainly to Classical music. Comments from yourself and any fortunate owners (of either system) much appreciated!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Well, I have had the LS50W2s and KC62 for over a year now and .... love them. But, as ever in this game, Just when you think you are totally satisfied, along comes something that looks tempting - the gorgeous LS60s!
So, for a first time home theater on a budget would you recommend a good stereo setup or a goodish surround? Also my living room is not even remotely symmetrical 🤣.
I think you could get by with either, though if you're worried about room interactions the ability to use a receiver or processor with room correction may prove more flexible than say a pair of powered smart speakers such as these.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I was thinking of getting a marantz nr1200 and a pair of elac debut 6.2 or Polk S20's, I like bass, are the polk better for that?
★ *REVIEWING: **bit.ly/37HOx27**, **amzn.to/3eOr0hP*
★ *QOTD: We have reviewed a lot of powered speakers - which is your favorite?*
★ *Love our conversation/outtakes? Be sure to watch to the end*
★ *COMMENT RULES: Please be respectful. No outside links, URLs, email addresses, etc. Violations are automatically deleted.*
So far I’m a Kanto guy, unless the Klipsch Promedia 2.1 count. The Klipsch have always been computer speaker because of the lack of connection options but if Klipsch ever just updated that area and left the rest alone, they would have a monster powered speaker offering that has always just ROARED! Until then the Kantos 4’s are in my budgetary sweet spot.
@@SeanVedell The Kanto speaker line, especially the YU line, represent insane value for money. So good!
My fave but not yet reviewed is the Harmon citation towers. Looks and able to be integrated with other citation satellites.
@@creativeslink Those Citation speakers do look interesting, though I have not seen them around so they may be a bit of cult hit 🤷♂️
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I discovered the 2’s through a guy at work. We had them on our desks but an office doesn’t really let you test a speaker. As soon as we started working from home we both upgraded. Me to the 4’s and him to the 6’s. I don’t think either of us will ever be able to go back to the office!! Hey, where’d the usual cabinet go? Did your TV finally squeeze it out?
Love your set up look. Finally someone who appreciates lifestyle and design than just audiophile sound. So tired of looking at expensive setups being showcased in some garage with extra speakers and components all over the place. Keep up the fantastic work.
Thank you so much @ID Chan. We try and show folks how you can live WITH hifi opposed to living around or surrounded by hifi.
I’ve heard the KEF Blade speakers in a show room. Granted the show room was the worst for that quality of a speaker but the bass was the most articulate deep bass I’ve ever experienced in any speaker and made me stay for hours listening to song after song.
+1 for KEF R series reviews! Great work as always
Happy to give them a listen if KEF wants to send a pair our way!
Happy Sunday morning Andrew and Kristi. The LS50W II will find a home in many systems and they fill a need for those who wants a “do it all “ speaker. Wireless is going to be the future for many audiophiles, but it is not there yet. As mentioned the sound is the sound. With passive speakers along with the right gear will undoubtedly sound better. The one advantage of wireless is with updates to the speaker’s software. The sound signature can be tweaked by the manufacturer as Klipsch did with the Fives. One thing I will say… the room setup in this video was awesome. Those Kef’s looked fantastic along with the furniture in the space. Kudos to you and Kristi for great production work.
Happy Sunday to you, Brian. Thank you so much for hanging out with us today!
I appreciate you pronouncing Porsche correctly, lol.
Always love your reviews, you both have a refreshing perspective on Hifi and make us aware of your preferences and biases which I think makes your reviews more trustworthy than others.
Thank you so much. We do our best to just let you know what we thought of the product given how we live and we try and make it approachable for everyday people as well as more die hard enthusiasts.
Very excited to see you guys cross the 200k mark! Keep up the amazing work, you’re my favorite to watch and have helped me along my audio journey. Cheers to 200!
Thanks so much!
As a owner of a pair of KEF R3s, I can say personally I know the R Series! I have a buddy that works at KEF. I was back and forth between R3s and R5s. Through his guidance, I went with R3 and I haven't looked back. That being said, I had a chance to listen to the Blades 2 and a few of the Reference series. I can not describe in words the sound all of those speakers produced. I actually had dinner with a couple of the KEF guys last night and FINALLY heard the KC62. Little guy packs a serious punch! I'm hoping to visit their NJ movie theater soon made up of nothing but R Series CI speakers! Great video!
love the Kristy conversations - nice touch
Man, I've been looking for this review for a while!!
Hope it was worth the wait! Thanks for joining us!
I did. You guys always have great reviews. Now the KEF's ls50w II are a great option for someone looking for simplicity and not looking to spend money on seperate components and experimenting trying to find the perfect synergy. But, if you are someone that is looking to put together a badass hifi system, and is willing to spend a little time and money, the KEF Meta's are a GREAT speaker. I heard them fresh out of the box with a Rodgers tube amplifier, no subs, not broken in, and their sound was truly amazing. KEF overall produces very good quality audio components and I think anyone with a pair of LS50 metas or wireless II have a speaker thats truly remarkable.
I’m with Christy (hope I spelled that right). I’m just starting to listen to the Kef LS50 Wireless II now. For me the simplicity demanded a serious listen, but the reality is if they don’t sound right the alternative will be separates. I wasn’t shopping for all-in-one. It’s always about the sound and there really isn’t anything that directly compares so yeah I think it perfectly reasonable to compare these with some other stack.
Just received the LS50 wireless ll less than a week.
I absolutely love it. I like the one box solution and it really performs well.
That's great! So happy to know this.
Affordable: JAMO S 801 PM
High-End: ELAC Navis ARB-51/KEF LS50 (KEF LS 50 Wireless II) Draw
Caveat - With the JAMO S 801PM’s, I would add a sub to them to augment and fill out the bass just a little more. And even adding a nice and affordable sub to the JAMO S 801 PM’s, you’ll still come out WAY LESS than both of my high-end choices (the ELAC’s and the KEF’s).
-Charles-
Amazing speakers. Great for someone like me that has a smaller living room, small child, and can't fit a ton of components. Expensive, but, there are others less expensive speakers that can get the job done almost as good. I've never considered powered speakers for me, but, you convinced me that they can be good. Thx, and all the best to you and Kristi.
Adam T5V £135 each are near field monitors but are liked as audiophile speakers. Active speakers are very different to just a powered speaker. Kef LS50 and B&W Formation Duo are active DSP speakers.
This is awesome, I’m super interested in powered speakers, I think allowing yourself to let go of the idea that a “real” system consists of passive speakers, an amp, and an outboard source is really exciting
I find it very exciting and still believe it is the future 100%. Thanks for watching!
Very very interesting take from Kristy focusing on how much the "setup" influences sound eventually on passive speakers, and the fact that you are able to create your sound from them. With powered you get what you get, which can be a good thing and limiting also.
💯
Listened to the Metas & the 2's and decided on the Metas in the end.
The perfect speaker for me.
Enjoyed the review, thanks.
What ultimately swayed you to get the Metas? Thanks for watching!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews in the end I didn't want my electronics inside the speaker and felt I would be better served with separates.
Added the Rotel RA-1572 and it works well for me.
Not relevant to this specific review, but just wanted to say that I really appreciate you including Christa's opinions in your reviews. As a (apparently rare) female audiophile, I really appreciate hearing where you guys agree and where you don't. And I also really enjoy hearing her take on the aesthetics of various speakers/amps as well. Maybe it's a female thing, but I've never understood why companies make beautiful sounding speakers that make my eyes bleed when I look at them, and I'm glad I'm not the only one.
To be fair though, the Formation Duo as many B&W are real eyesores.
Hi!! I hope you'll not be a stranger!
Not sure if u read comments of older videos later, but this speakers gets firmware updates too! which possibly also increases the streaming and sound quality. I've had this with Sonos, which the Arc's latest update really changed the sound in a positive way. And I noticed in the release notes of the ls50w2 they also do these kinds of updates.
I am using KEF LSX. I love it. I will get KEF Wireless 2 soon. Beside that, I like your video & I subscribed it.
Wireless II is here everyone is forgotten the 1.. Still in love with the one..
How does this compare with Sony Ht A9 ? This will help me makeup my mind , I watch movies and listen to music
Something incredibly cool about these is if you're using them with a Mac that has Apple Silicon, the app works on your computer giving you 100% control at your fingertips without having to grab your phone or use the cheap remote.
You mean there is a Kef app for Mac? I just use the Qobuz app on my Mac
@@theLEGOguy22 If you have an Intel Mac: No.
If you have an Apple Silicon Mac: Yes.
Love the art work in the background. Just bought the boy blowing bubble painting. Thanks!.........oh ya great review!
Awesome! Thank you!
I think a lot of questions arise when you consider the Wireless IIs which have an “arguably ideal” amp pairing, versus the Metas where some budgets might have an amp like the AXR 100 or a NAIM Uniti Atom - comparatively the Metas could be a lot more or a little less. Do you or Kristi have an opinion on using Metas with a “budget amp” versus the Wireless IIs?
You are right... removing all imperfections from the music can make it one dimensional.
Hi guys. Want to thank you for your show. I look forward to seeing the latest to bolster my knowledge. Compared to all of you out there, I feel very amateurish. Not into the techno lingo stuff, but at some point I know they are a valuable resource. I just know I like what I hear....and what I don't. Ibdont have the opportunity to go and experience all of these units out there, So I count on you for some guidance. Andrew and Kristi's diffetent perspectives is must see TV, as far as I'm concerned. Great job!
Every time I look at these speakers there's a battle within me. So beautiful. So expensive. But so beautiful. Stop it, so expensive!
I had the KEF Q950's for a year and wasn't a fan. I replaced them with the Canton Vento 896.2 DC's and they're better in every way. The KEF's were not all that revealing in the mid's, the treble wasn't great and they didn't play down very low for the size of the towers they were. The Canton's are the best sounding speaker I've had in this house.
THANKYOU!!! Been looking forward to this!!!
I have been waiting for your review of these for a while and as usual, you didn’t disappoint. I certainly agree with your description of the sound and I was initially a little disappointed by the neutrality. I have had them at home for a month now and certainly appreciate them as an all round package. I got off the high end Merry go round a couple of years ago and have been looking for a good looking all in one solution with good quality sound and I feel that these fit the bill as they also fit perfectly in to the aesthetics of my living room. Thanks for producing quality and engaging reviews.
Thank you for tuning in! So glad you found the review helpful. I LOVE these speakers for the simplicity and miss them already for that reason.
I know this is an old post. But from an app and sound perspective, what reasons do I have to upgrade from version one to two?
I want the speakers to be configurable to MY personality. So in that manner I don't want the speakers to have its own personality, does that make sense? So... clinical is good. Thanks for the review!
Klipsch The Fives because of your review and I absolutely love them
Glad to hear!
I got the fives paired with a klipsch subwoofer and they are great.
Loved this video Andrew & Kristi, you gotta get more KEF gear for review. I'm lucky enough to have heard Blade's and they are amazing!! I have a 7.1 set up using KEF R series, R700, R500, R100, R200c and R400b sub with Yamaha RX-A3080 and Rotel Rb1552mkii power amp. Love it
I have been waiting for this review since I first saw the LS50 Wireless II speakers in the background. Just because of Kristi's take on Meta video six months ago "I think that they may not get those back" When Kristi was talking about powered Wireless II speakers :D
Hopefully you enjoyed this one!
@@KristiWright I sure did. Great review!
Great review! All the better for having multiple perspectives. Great job!
Thanks for watching until the end!
I simply couldn't bring myself to buy something with all this technology built into a single device that should be able to last 10+ years (a speaker). The tech will all have changed in 10 years and you will be left with a great speaker that doesn't support the latest streaming service that you want to use or even the latest lossless wireless tech. And don't bet on that KEF app working nicely on your iPhone in 10 years. KEF will be bringing out new devices and you can bet that after 5 years they will reduce support for the old ones (already happening for their older speakers). Having the amp built into the speaker makes sense for matching, crossover, etc. But that's about all.
All it needs is an amp and eARC. Everything else comes from my TV. Much nicer to use Spotify on a screen.
@@cooluser23 I can see your logic but I doubt they would shift many speakers with only an HDMI input used for audio, for many reasons. I think the best approach would be a box that connects to your devices that has all the various inputs and this transmits wirelessly to the speakers using some lossless protocol. They only have power in. The box can be upgraded as new inputs appear on the market.
But to do everything at the same quality that the active LS50Wii can do with a passive speaker you would have to spend more than the cost of the active speaker just on the components that drive the passive speaker, such as a streamer, amp/DAC, cables.... and those separates could go out of date after 10 years as well.
Spot on. I’m fine with buying them for the matching amp, but there should be balanced inputs for future proofing. I’d happily skip the their software, codecs, connect app and the rest of it.
Love the channel and learning something new about audio each upload.
Thank you!
That's awesome. Thank you!
I’m intrigued by the kef R11…would be good,to hear your impressions. Once again…another great feature…thank you.
So, if i connect these to my tv hdmi arc/eARC. These will operate just like my soundbar. With original tv remote. Right?
Thanks! I am A/V full ATMOS oriented so trying to integrate a setup with powered is over the line of possible. I had the Q-towers and they were great for orchestral works but I found the rock and roll a bit set back.
Would be nice if you reviewed KEF LS60.
I think its all what you like and nothing else.
You two are pretty good at reviewing tech i like listening to you. Keep doing what you do and be blessed overall.
I hate how awesome your videos are
I appreciate you saying that, a lot goes into each one so it's nice to know that you guys appreciate it.
Big fan of your reviews and how well produced your videos are! Kef has really become a strong contender for my next home theater. Really hope to see more Kef reviews from you guys in the future!
This is one honest n accurate review. It’s just a great speaker for its price. Not a very resolving or refined speaker but to get that one needs to spend quite a bit more.
I would love these speakers for say the living room. Hook them up a sub and to the TV. It’s good enough to enjoy music or a simple HT system.
By the way, the satin finish is just lovely and they look great with the S2 stands.
Love the conversations with Christie after the review... keep it up..
Thanks for watching until the end!
@@KristiWright I really like your input to the reviews. Andrew does a pretty good job, but your discussions just elevate everything to a whole other level.
@@TomIsaksson That's very kind of you to say. Andrew makes what he does look so easy. Glad to know that you enjoy our discussions!
@@KristiWright thanks for the reply.... plus now I know how to properly spell your name, Kristi :D
How would you compare these and the Kanto Tuk as far as sound ?
Wasn't really a big fan of the Tuks and Kristi disliked them even more. These are more even and mellow in comparison.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Thank you
Yes, the same thing about lack of openness around the music happens with the Klipsch active tower speakers when compared to their reference 8000s
I would like to see podcast style videos where you and Cristie sit down and discuss certain audio products or topics. Something similar to what the AEC guys do.
I'm curious as to what firmware you were running on your review sample. Firmware 1.7 sounded absolutely amazing in every way. Once the speakers auto updated to 1.8 a good deal of the magic was lost. The soundstage isn't as wide or deep, and the sense of air around instruments, particularly drums, was dialed way back. Leading edge transients were also softened. I even tried out a second pair, but they suffered the same exact fate. I tried contacting KEF support, but they made it clear to me that their software vetting process is infallible, and thus couldn't possibly be the cause of the problem I am having.
I picked up a set of Metas after seeing your review of those and I absolutely love them! Interesting to see your thoughts on the wireless version. I'm thinking about picking up a subwoofer for my setup but I wonder if the SVS is a good choice considering the brand has a reputation for making their presence known in a way that something like the KC62 does not. Decisions decisions.
We haven't tested the KC62 but the this SVS sub (amzn.to/3e5LlPJ) is very, very good.
I like the Bonus Conversation
hey andrew. i wonder how this sound compare to 2 devialet phantom ii 95db. they’re almost the same price
These like any small speaker needs a sub or two. I have these with two KC62s and it makes a dramatic difference. Wouldn't own them without the subs.
Did you happen to look at the KF92 over the KC62 pair? Trying to work that out myself. Do mix of TV and music so not sure if route.
Andrew - you can’t accuse Kristi of the sin of comparing the active Formation Duo to the Passive LS50 Meta, because that’s what purchasers are going to do. They’ll weigh the pros and cons of active v passive. Interesting that you noted the lack of air and sparkle, as people thought there was too much in the original LS50 and LS50w and the highs now roll off more i the newer models. What shocked me is that I’ve had to return one of my LS50s to Kef for repair under warranty, so I bought a used pair to tide me over. The used pair and my originals sound *way* different. There’s way more bass with the second pair. My stands haven’t moved so the characteristics should be the same. I’m surprised
i have the R41pm's (with a sub) and the 5's from klipsch. 41's are at my desktop and the 5's are in the living room 16x16 ish on some bookshelf's from ikea. i talked my cousin into buying the R51pm's. i run my 41's through a cambridge dac. otherwise everything else is tos link or eArc from a tv with only bluetooth ever reachin them. i think powered is the future too. the amount of options it solves for is too much to disagree with. people still want pug in play. personally ill always be separates until I die lol. cost is my only inhibitor to that. great video and congrats on 200k and to another 800k!
Since Andrew brought up powered hifi speakers. Anyone here using powered speakers, HiFi or Studio oriented monitors (ADAM, GENELEC, FOCAL etc), for both guitar playing and Audiophile purposes? If yes which brand do you recommend and how do they perform on those two functions? Pros cons?
I would love to hear your thoughts.
If I ever want to treat myself and seriously upgrade my kanto yu6 these will be top of my wanted list
Totally understand as they are notably more expensive. Thanks for watching!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews the 1st generation are a reasonable price now
@@Cornwall1888 You could also try something like this: amzn.to/3xYfR6F
@@andrewrobinsonreviews yeah considered those or Kanto tuk too
If you're right, and the future is powered and smart, I hope the future is also more than 2 channels if desired. Perhaps in a product generation or two these speakers would also have 5.1 or greater decoding and upmixing on board, with the ability to add more speakers and assign positions in the app. If we can get that kind of functionality, I'm totally down with a wireless powered speaker future.
B&W in the Formation range and B&O seem to already supply surround sound speaker options now.
I control 5.1 from the external sound card of my computer. But this means I am connecting to the analogue input of the speakers (Meridian D600) that have better built in DACs.
Buchardt Audio and Kef look like they work in a 5.1 system but it is not any clearer than Devialet who mention 5.5 for Phantoms but support tell you they are a stereo only solution. There are always the likes of Meridian - if you can work out how to feed and control their DSP speakers from your digital source without breaking the bank.
Beautiful speakers but I'm still a strong believer you need at least a 5.1 set up to get a fully room balance!!! Awesome review 👏🏽
Thanks for watching Nicholas, and appreciate your comment/view. Totally understand.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I'm looking forward to a review on the new Onkyo TX-RZ50. I WANT TO UPGRADE my speakers also with a complete klipsch tower dolby atoms set up... you guys rock. Hopefully you guys will get that receiver for review. I really trust your reviews overall.
@@movie_av_impulse Thank you so much, and we have an Onkyo in house so stay tuned!
Love my LS50 WII’s! They sound fantastic in my room. Thanks for the review!
I would love if you could review the Blade 2 speakers. I think that would be a fun review to watch!! Crossing fingers that will happen at some point. As for powered speakers I'm bias since I have LS50 meta, and would say the LS50 WII speakers.
Despite what anyone says, a consistently neutral sound is the holy grail of music. A system (not just speakers) that truly reveals what the artist wanted us to hear, is the only thing to look for in equipments. Anything beyond that is subjective. At that point, reviews of any equipment, basically become useless.
Glad you finally got these in! They seem versatile and incredibly professional, but I have always heard that the sound is divisive, and you definitely confirmed that. I think you finally steered me away from the dream of one day owning a pair of KEFs (in a good way), but I wouldn't be opposed to hearing them sometime.
You should definitely listen to them for yourself!
OMG I'd love to see what you think of the KEF Blades... they're a gorgeous looking speaker and I think would really suit your style tastes! 😁
Used to have KEF Ref 107 (known as Daleks) way long ago. Passive but amazing. Built like a tank, weigh a ton. See pictures just for fun last sold 20yrs +
honestly, my favourite are the LS50s. But below the $1000 price tag, the Klipsch Fives are really a no brainer for a budget speaker, especially if someone who really doesn’t know much about audio gear and just wants a, grab, setup, listen and grin for the rest of their life with no regrets!
But I really really hope KEF comes out with an LSX Meta. I have a very good feeling it might. And when it does, cant wait for your review! 😄👍🏼
They have very overemphasised and bloated bass. Fun, but very unrefined sound as with all non heritage klipch products, only at too high of a cost.
@@En_Joshi-Godrez yes i agree
If I already have a Powernode 2i and RSL Speedwoofer 10s, would you recommend getting the LS50 Meta or selling the Powernode and buying the LS50 Wireless II? Subjectivity will of course affect this decision, but just wanted to get your thoughts.
For some reason I’d really like to see a powered tower version of those ls50 wireless speakers… like an easy setup for those who want towers without the the hassle of 2 or 3 other boxes in a cabinet…
Great review, just the thing I was researching. I’ve decided to resume my audiophile hobby after a gap of 15 years due to family reasons, I don’t fancy going back in time to return to tube amps etc etc and and am rather keen to explore new avenues & the latest advancements such as these wireless ii powered speakers system. It seems to tick most of the boxes for me and besides I never enjoyed all that spaghetti hanging out the back. So thanks for the tips.
The sound you describe sounds similiar to monitors, and as I was writing that you said it!
Am I the only one struggling between whether I want the KEF LS50 Wireless II's or the Senheiser Ambeo Soundbar. Two completely different setups but each the best at what they do.
I got Metas purely to have the option to change through different amplifiers, currently running them with a Rotel A11 tribute, in the months to come I will try a NAD C388, then maybe Rega. You only get one experience on the W2s.
How do the Metals sound with the Tribute? Is their enough headroom with that amp to unleash the full potential of the Metals?
@@happycamper4786 The amp is fairly powerful to drive them it has enough headroom with out any clipping etc. They sound like magic to me however my preference always will and has been to listen to Music at moderate volume levels not to say that they are not loud enough but that's just my personal preference. Rotel Max mode enhances the bass quite nicely as well, which is something else I enjoy about the tribute. Other Amplifiers that can work are Rega Elicit and Elix. NAD is C368 and C388 was also rumoured to work on different forums however they are Class D and I would rather drive the KEFs with an AB amplifier. To add my source of music is the Bluesound Node 3rd Generation
Especially appreciated the talk afterwards. I'm sceptical about the value proposition of the "smart" functionality and connectivity part of the Wireless II. Streaming sources are so cheap and easy to come by, whether through used chromecast audio's or very user friendly Raspberry Pi solutions (e.g. Volumio offers Tidal connect). Why depend on KEFs in-house apps and electronics? Same for DACs, with the excellent value Chifi products. If you spend €2500, sound is a way more important issue than connectivity. In this sense the Wireless II vs. Meta passive comparison is very valuable.
It's also a terrifying prospect to me that you might encounter software bugs and the like, just to listen to your hifi.
LOL when your head bloated up about the comments on what makes a good speaker gave me a good laugh
You mentioned noise issues with affordable digital amps before. Have you experienced any issues with noise when idle with these active speakers? Thanks.
Great content, Andrew. I went with the Formation Duo myself for the sound and aesthetics. I wish the Formation Duo had more connectivity, but I see where they are going with it.
The Duos are great and I can totally see why you (or anyone) would pick them. Do you have the Formation hub? That is a great way to add more connectivity if you need it.
Hi Andrew and Chrissy (I hope i spelled that right), can you guys do a review of an "on-wall" speaker? I think that thin profile speakers mounted on the wall is just the most beautiful way to go, and practical (with kids). Are there any major sacrifices with those on-walls offered by KEF, Klipsch, Dali, etc? I'd be willing to pay significantly more for on-walls with equal sound quality, so as to avoid the pain of breaking them, or breaking my shins, as the years go by. Also, a video on the most beautiful/artistic speaker systems out there in general, would be great too. Digital Trends did a great video about a Portland-based artistic speaker series. I feel like this genre is right down your alley. Thanks for all your amazing content.
For the watching movie perspective, could you compare this speakers without a sub to B&O Beosound Stage? Which one should you choose?
I would choose the Stage if I knew the bulk of my use was HT based. Actually I would take the Stage for music too. Sure the LS50 Wireless II does true stereo imaging etc., but I prefer the overall tone of the Stage to that of the IIs.
What would you say has been tue best sounding bookshelf speaker?
Andrew, what about some love for the Danish guys and review some Dynaudio speakers like their Evoke lineup?
@Joesph Ramos, Kristi has been working on getting those speakers in house since January. If you don't see it on the channel, more than likely it's not for a like of trying.
How do you integrate this into a 7.2.4 setup in the future, or any active powered speaker like the fives?
Do you need to get a receiver with pre-outs, and plug this into those channels? What is your upgrade paths with active speakers?
That's not something you do with this particular speaker or the Fives. You would need "dumb" powered speakers like Tannoy Gold we talk about in the bonus conversation to do a powered multichannel set up.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews gotcha. Thanks. commented too early before seeing that sub point in the bonus convo
With B&W Formation speakers you can do this. Flex for rears, Bass for subwoofer, Bar for centre and Duo for front.
B&O can do this but perhaps not at this price point.
Any active analogue speaker can be set up this way, although you might have to handle the balance between them all unless you have five or seven identical speakers. Many choices giving analogue output and control. Taking advantage of built in DAC or full DSP speakers is less well explained and they usually suggest trained dealer set ups.
A receiver and passive speakers is easy to discuss and explain the set up.
Taking a 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound from an HDMI cable and sending video to a monitor and digital sound to 6 or 8 speakers directly isn't a case of just buying a "box".
I have mix passive speakers with analogue active speakers using a pre-amp. New and old equipment. When mixing units with digital inputs there is a big problem with synch. Each digital part has different performing hardware. A DSP controller should be able to adjust for delays. B&W do this but it is not so clear how other companies achieve that in their ranges. Much easier to sell a passive analogue system that works. For stereo no problem; none of these issues need be worried about.
This is the first speaker you reviewed I have! I got a pair in the bedroom on 2 Rel T/7i subs
I loved the comparison between the Meta and the Wireless II.
Exactly. I’m literally in the process of setting up and the Metas have been my target. Glad this came out as I was wondering the same.
I love your speaker stands... Went to the link to check out, SOLD OUT!!! Man...
What speakers stands are being used in the video, please?!
I was considering the wireless 2 + KC62 combo but this video has me reconsidering. That overly clinical / flat sound by itself can be fun - it’s the way I originally felt about my Adam A7X monitors. But it can be drab when you’re spoiled by something more immersive and lush. My Adams no longer did it for me after a week on my Sonos Arc/ ERA 300s and gen3 Sub system.
Maybe a Denon HT + Dali Speaker set would be a better fit for me, especially at outclassing (and outlasting) the Sonos walled garden.
Should go with the R series.
@@Dasbeerboots Ended up going with KEF q350, Cambridge cxa81 amp and an SVS sub.
Was incredible for the first few weeks when it worked - but ended up returning them when I started hearing mid/high frequency distortion. Several people have had similar issues with LS50 due to a faulty crossover.
You need a way better amp to drive the metas
It sounds like you want the LS60 if it’s still within budget.
Hi Guys. Thanks for the great review. Do you mind specifying which RBH speakers you were reffering to? I would love to see a review on them
Do we know which these are?
I had the opportunity to go to a presentation given by Kef by my local dealer. There was a comparison between the Blade speakers and the top model of t
he Reference range.Both are in the same price range and are the top of Kef.My impression was that the blade is not an allround speaker. For classical music I preferred the Reference. The Reference range excells in al music styles but has a classic design. The Blade is a very modern design. The Blade is in my opinion a very good speaker and you could compare it with the original LS 50 in overall sound character but much bigger. Ore you can say the LS 50 is a small version of the Blade and at that time there was no Metha. For me totally unaffordable but if you have the money take a listen. The Bade is on the market for several years.
Great Reviews. I'm fairly new to the channel and I love your reviews. Is there a way to use them as part of a 5.1 Home Theatre setup? (and keep using them as a stereo streaming speakers) I assume if the AVR has pre outs, it can, right?
Hi do you suggest anything other than a subwoofer to increase the sound quality on this? Would love to know. Thanks.
Hope to see some Kef tower reviews from you guys in the future.
Me too.
I haven't gotten to demo lots of stuff in person, but the Q950 and Q750 were brilliant to me. I'd love to hear your thoughts on amp pairings.
Thank you for a honest review, and one of the first II's review that is not entirely overwhelmingly positive. Design wise, I would recommend you trying the KEF R3 (or a tower version). I've heard they should work really well for both HiFi and cinema.
Loved the review. Hope you have fun with the KEF Blades! Polite question: you do realise just how large and heavy they are and that a team of strong men will be needed for installation? Your doors and door frames might suffer a bit getting the Blades in and out.
Finally! I have been WAITING for this one... Truth be told, I already have original LS50Ws and I've just been waiting for an excuse to upgrade to the new edition. HDMI ARC might just tip it over for me...
another fine review.
Thank you kindly.
I am thinking of moving to the KEF LS50 Wireless II s. which i can just about afford. My question is - would i regret not stretching to the B & W Formation Duos?
I listen mainly to Classical music. Comments from yourself and any fortunate owners (of either system) much appreciated!
I don't think you would regret either purchase. Both are very good speakers. For more, please watch COMPARISONS: 09:06
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Well, I have had the LS50W2s and KC62 for over a year now and .... love them. But, as ever in this game, Just when you think you are totally satisfied, along comes something that looks tempting - the gorgeous LS60s!
So, for a first time home theater on a budget would you recommend a good stereo setup or a goodish surround? Also my living room is not even remotely symmetrical 🤣.
I think you could get by with either, though if you're worried about room interactions the ability to use a receiver or processor with room correction may prove more flexible than say a pair of powered smart speakers such as these.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I was thinking of getting a marantz nr1200 and a pair of elac debut 6.2 or Polk S20's, I like bass, are the polk better for that?