Summary – KEF LS50 Review
The KEF LS50 are audiophile-grade speakers engineered to deliver true high-fidelity sound with an incredible amount of detail and bass. It’s a pair of speakers designed specifically for audiophiles looking to take their listening experience up to the next level, with plenty of detail, soundstage, vibrancy and internal balance. Let’s get some of the specs out of the way – these speakers connect wirelessly via dual-band Wi-Fi or Bluetooth 4.0, and can be wired via USB, digital TOSLINK input or via RCA analog input. We would recommend digital inputs if you want to get the best sound quality out of these speakers.
Technical Specifications
The LS50 speakers uses a 5.25” Uni-Q driver capable of reaching lows of down to 40 Hz, and comes with a built-in 192kHz/24bit DAC and 230W amplifier for superb sound reproduction. You can also wirelessly control the LS50W with the iOS or Android App. You can also connect to the LS50W to an additional subwoofer if required, and the output to the connected subwoofer is controlled by the LS50W app. The best feature about the LS50 speakers is the Uni-Q driver speaker array that provides natural sound performance with extremely detailed sound performance. These speakers feature a wide frequency range of 45 Hz to 28 kHz and a max SPL of 106dB.
Sound Performance
We found the sound settings in the app very useful – you can change high-frequency responses in very small increments, and tune the speaker for proximity to the rear wall. This allows you to tune the sound settings according to your preferences to get accurate, detailed and smooth sound output. The bass response on the LS50Ws is impressive – they produce very tight and musically balanced bass that feels well-integrated into the speaker’s overall sound signature. The bass feels tight and effective without muddying into any midrange frequencies. It’s the kind of bass that you’ll expect from a really high-end speaker system designed for audiophiles that adds a layer of finesse to the music.
These speakers maintain crystal clear sound performance and tonal balance from low to high volume levels. There’s practically zero distortion coming from these speakers and they have enough internal amplification to sustain high volume levels. This music system has tight and fast low-frequency performance with full-range sound reproduction. The level of detail that you get with these speakers across the entire frequency spectrum is excellent from classical music to rock, EDM and hip-hop genres. Every single aspect of these speakers is well engineered and thought out.
We were particularly impressed by how well the internal digital signal processing (DSP) technology worked. You get layers upon layers of sound and bass that make it extremely satisfying to listen to. They can articulate depth and bass without any ‘bass boost’ – the sound feels deep, powerful and vibrant with sonic presence. It’s pretty hard to believe that so much sound and bass is coming from these medium-sized speakers. Everything is digital tuned to reproduce clean and near-perfect audio performance. Listening to these speakers is simply pure bliss at every level and with all music genres that you can throw at it.
The Verdict?
The KEF LS50 is a really good choice if you appreciate high-fidelity audiophile sound. It’s a speaker system designed for serious audiophiles that want to get a really powerful speaker system with dynamic audio frequency response and superb digital signal processing. Every aspect of the sound coming from this speaker is perfectly tuned and well-balanced, with crisp highs, very detailed midranges and tight bass. You’ll hear notes in musical soundtracks that you never thought existed, and the level of soundstage that you get from these speakers is pretty spectacular. It feels as though you are sitting in a real life concert hall – and much more. If you are an audiophile looking to get the best speaker system straight out of a box without additional fine-tuning and setup, the KEF LS50 is probably your answer.