Had these since October, using on solidsteel Italian stands Replaced my 1989 pioneer A656 amp and MS20 mordaunt short speakers First upgrade in 30 years Stunning speakers. Truly delighted.
Hello Askatasun, thanks for your feedback, I appreciate it. The easiest and probably best way is to stream music from the iMac to the KEFs. Personally, I use 'Audirvana' to do that. Sounds great and works flawlessly. Have a great day and best regards, Yuri.
Hello Airidas, thank you for your question. I have only once tried the Aux input with the headphone output of my LG G8 Thinq Phone, when I did a direct comparison playing the same song via Spotify Connect and the headphone out. The Aux Input sounds good, but in my opinion, Spotify connect sounds better. Might be the headphone output of my phone, though. Best regards, Yuri.
Great review! I'm saving money to get a nice HiFI pair for my TV setup, and currently considering KEF's or Dynaudio Xeo 20, can't find any comparisons between those 2, and can't audition them either, so it's really hard to choose. I own Dynaudio Xeo 2's as my PC speakers and love them, so I imagine Xeo 20's would be really nice, however those LS50Wireless II-s get really rave reviews everywhere. Please help me choose! :(
Hello Rafael, thank you for your positive feedback and question. The Dynaudio XEO 20 is a fantastic sounding speaker and I know that most people who love Dynaudio, do not generally like KEF. So I’m inclined to say, go for the XEO 20s. Personally, I am not a big fan of their ‘wireless only’ connectivity, but that is just me. If I was to choose an active Dynaudio setup within the same price range as the KEF LS50 WII, I’d go for the Dynaudio LYD 7 and hook them up to a nice Preamp/DAC, like for example the RME ADI-2 DAC FS. Nevertheless, it would be great if you could get a chance to listen to the ‘KEF LS50 Wireless II’ before you make up your mind. Maybe you can ask a local dealer, although most stores are closed, many still offer private auditions. You could even bring your Dynaudios for a direct comparison. Hope that helps, best regards, Yuri.
nice reivew thanks... have the original ls50s with an sbs 2b2000 ...thinking of upgrading to the new series ...has anyone on here have the original and upgraded...was the upgrade worth it?
Looking at purchasing a pair shortly are there any other powered speakers you would also recommend looking at prior to pulling the trigger as they are fairly hefty price tag in Australia . Klipsch sixes/fives etc , elac arb 51 , Dynaudio Xeo 20 , Edifier S3000 pro or all these a huge step down ?
Hi K H, all those sound great too, not sure about the Edifier S3000 though, since I have never heard those. Do you need all the options that the KEF have, or do you just want powered speakers and a DAC to connect to a PC? If I was looking for a more affordable setup, I'd go with a good pair of studio monitors, like the Dynaudio LYD7 or their outgoing model, the BM5 MKIII and combine those with a good mid-priced DAC-Preamp, like the Pioneer U-05 or maybe a Schiit Jotunheim 2. Best regards, Yuri
Thank you Yuri for sharing the experience. I just have received my LS50 wireless ii today and noticed the EQ on the app is hard to configure. Would you share your EQ setting?
@@thomas1254 Without a sub, the only adjustment I make is up the Treble Trim by 1 dB. Wall and Desk modes are off, even though I keep them on my desk and fairly close to the wall. Also, Bass extension is set to Standard and The Sub gain is kept on '0'. However, the EQ settings partially depend on the 'room' they are in. My office space has a some acoustic treatment. The sound quality will improve after a couple of albums, though. Also, they highly benefit from using speaker stands, instead of placing them directly on a desk or sideboard.
Excellent review summary and I couldn't agree more! I've had my crimson red LS50 Wireless II for almost a month now. Absolutely stunning loudspeaker and I'm used to considerably more expensive audiophile designs (Waveform Mach Solo) and professional monitors (Klein & Hummel O410). The Wireless II's are the best speakers I've ever owned and yet one of the least expensive! Great sound when used on their own and state of the art when well integrated with a quality subwoofer. Interesting problem with the KEF connect app on multiple Samsung phones. I'm running the KEF connect app on two IOS devices (iPhone and iPad) and an M1 MacBook with no problems at all - but IOS automatically syncs all your devices under the same ID so I wouldn't expect any. Regarding the sound being laid back that some have commented on - there is a very slight dip around the crossover point on the passive version that the active model doesn't have but more likely it is the absence of the hardness and aggressiveness of conventional (non-MAT) tweeters that leads you to feel this way. With time, you may find everything else starts to sound strident and shrill in comparison.
Hi Bruce, thanks for your positive feedback, I really appreciate it. Yes, google also syncs all my devices and I can connect to the KEFs with the google home app, just not with the KEF Connect App. Not a big deal, since this problem is only on 1 phone and everything else works fine. Maybe it is the anti-virus software messing with connectivity. Have you tried these with a subwoofer? I wanted to order a REL T5i, but due to the lockdown, my dealer has delivery issues. What sub would you recommend? Best regards, Yuri.
@@YuriBrus I'm currently using a KEF Kube10 I've moved from my home theatre to the Wireless II's. The Wireless II's are strictly for music in the Living room. It works well but I'm also interested in the REL's. The recommendation from the REL website for my room setup is a pair of T7i's which is a bit pricey. Same lockdown problem here in Toronto, Canada. No instore demos available right now.
@@YuriBrus Just got an email from KEF regarding a new UNI-Core bass technology. Looks like an ultra-compact version of the force cancelling woofers in the Blades and KF92 subwoofer. Might be worth waiting to see what this can do for the Wireless II's. I"m enthused!
I have the same Marantz PM14 S1 Se amp and matching CD player. The amp feels a bit underpowered when I borrowed a pair of LS50 speakers and needs to be played loud. I get the same result with my B&W 803 speakers and the Marantz.
Whach out with your watches and those speakers, I have measured the magnetic field of those speakers and it's enough to magnetize a watch with some time.
Thank you very much for bringing this up. I actually never realized that. I will definitely keep an eye on it in the future. Magnets and automatic watches don't mix well.
Since childhood ive built my own speakers and have also bought and sold many branded speakers. Now much older and with a family, there is no time for that. I was out looking for a good system when I heard these and they blew me away. I cane back home thinking that I just hadn't heard anything as good in that price and size in a long while. Convinced myself and my wife that I should get them..couldn't be happier and I enjoy them every day, every day I'm rediscovering the joy of listening to music. My only gripe is the Bluetooth functionality is irratic and needs the speakers to be turned off and on from the mains for the Bluetooth to be able to form a connection
Thank you for sharing, that is indeed a great compliment for the LS50, from someone with your experience. In regards to BT, myself, I try to avoid that as much as possible, it just doesn't sound right to me.
how would you reccomend to connect these speakers to PC if Im NOt - 1) listening music from streaming services, only from a PC hard drive ! 2) if I want to connect them only by wirres, not wirelessly!!
Only thing that can touch these speakers in the similar field is Buchard's excellent active range which go a bit deeper but are are a fair bit more. Ditched all my passive set up for these and whilst active have had the music production world wrapped up for decades, KEF is truly bringing this into the audophile hifi world. You are correct that even though not cheap they are great value and you would be looking at least double for separates that can touch this system. Also don't overlook their little brothers, the LSX as again they are cracking little speakers for the smaller room.
Thank you Sir, this was the final push I needed to go ahead and buy a pair of these speakers. I can't believe the power rating, 700 plus watts that's impressive . Great channel keep up the great work. Cheers from San Francisco🍻
Hey @Fabester71! Thank you so much for your kind words and support. I'm thrilled to hear that videos helped you make your decision. You're going to love the KEF LS50 Wireless II speakers! They truly pack a punch with their impressive power rating and incredible sound quality. Enjoy your new speakers! 🍻
If you can, I would recommend the wired option. Under perfect conditions, without any sort of interference, there is hardly any audible difference, in reality however, there is always some sort of interference going on and you will unavoidably experience occasional dropouts. If the included cable is too short, and you don't want to spend a fortune on a replacement, then the entry level Audioquest Pearl is a solid choice.
I now have these speakers. But man, these have given me problems! I try to play music from Spotify from my Samsung S21 Ultra phone. Sometimes it works. But sometimes KEF connect can't find my speakers anymore! This can happen even after they played fine for half an hour with the Spotiy app. I see that the WIFI led on the speaker is still OK, but my phone does not see the speakers anymore! Turning the speakers on and off solves the problem for like 1 or 2 minutes. I do not know what to do!
Hi Frank, thanks for your question. Sorry to hear you're experiencing connectivity problems. Have you tried clearing Spotify's App cache (S21>Phone Settings>Apps>App Info>Spotify>Storage>Clear Cache) Sometimes that solves this kind of issue.
@@YuriBrus I will give that a try. But this was a fresh install on a new phone. Still in the meantime we have had a new firmware update for the KEF's. So maybe cache clearing will help.
Hi Catherine, thank you for the recommendation. On my 3rd reinstall now, but still no luck. It's really weird that it's just the one phone that refuses to connect. Not a big deal yet, since it works on my other phones, but still ... Thanks again and kind regards, Yuri
@@YuriBrus Well, Fiddlesticks!!! And that's my experience with the LS50 W1. The app is consistently inconsistent as opposed to the BlueOS, which has been rock-solid. It's the KEF software engineering that is flawed.... Good luck getting this sorted out.
The KC62is a beautifully designed and engineered subwoofer, that sound fantastic as well. Still, unless you really need the small form factor, I'd recommend either a REL T series or an SVS SB. Both will give you comparable or even better performance for far less money.
You're welcome. Yes, they are great. Be advised, though that they will not perfectly fit the LS50 unless you remove the sticky feet of the LS or use an adapter plate. I believe Isoacoustics has those as well now.
Thanks for the tip, I appreciate it. For some reason those issues only occur with an LG G8. With any other phone it works fine. Have a great day and best regards, Yuri
Can you comment on the 3.5mm jack of the LS50W II series when connecting to turntable? I have the first generation and quite happy with the RCA port. With the 3.5mm on the new models, does the sound will be affected as from what I know, 3.5mm is worse compare to RCA?
Personally, I would have preferred it, if they would have kept the RCA inputs. Nevertheless, the 3.5mm input on the Wireless II sounds good and I don't think there is an audible difference. Unfortunately I cannot confirm this since I don't have the Wireless 1 to make a direct comparison.
Hdmi port does not work with my LG oled tv. I have tried to connect kef and received no response. I like the speakers but will be returning. This is a known issue and Kef has failed to address this issue. I wish I had known about this issue prior to purchasing and wasting a great deal of time.
Hello Toriuz and thank you for your input. Happy to hear you found a combo that works well for you. I'm not ready to sell my LS50s yet, but will keep your suggestion in the back of my head. Have a great day and best regards, Yuri.
@@YuriBrus KEF Reference 1+ Hegel 390 best, but expensive. :( Kef R3 + Hegel 190 is expensive but affordable. The dimensions kef R3 are 31 centimeters deep without clamps, just like the ls50W2. They will fit on your table. Kef R3 is better than the Ls50 by about 40%. This is frequency separation and bass.
@@toriuz271 yeah, in my office room, the LS50s do fine on their own, but in my living room I always pair them with a sub. Did you add another source, or do you stream directly through the Hegel?
@@YuriBrus Hegel's dac is better than its competitors Denon 2500, a very worthy usb for desktop or streaming services. But the 190 model does not reproduce the DSD and asio if it is important. 390 reproduces. it makes no sense to add an external DAC to the hegel. or very expensive
Hello Jason, thank you for your positive feedback. Yeah, I am from the Netherlands but I don't live there anymore. Great city,' Haarlem'. I used to live in Rotterdam. Best regards, Yuri
Hi, very nice review. Thanks for your insight. I have a question since I'am kind of new to speakers setup (headphones/IEMs only so far). I am about to order a pair of KEF LS50 Wireless II. Their will be placed at my desktop and I want to feed them with my PC through USB. I read that is impossible since USB port is only used as a maintenance terminal. So will it be posiible to go arround this through external DAC (RME ADI-2 DAC fs is on its way). If yes what's the best way to connect the DAC with the speakers? Thank you.
Hi there and thank you for your feedback and question. If I got that right, you already ordered the RME but not the KEFs? If that is the case I would forget about the KEFs and get a pair of powered studio monitors, maybe the Genelec 8030 and connect them via XLR to the fantastic RME ADI. That will save you a lot of money and still sound awesome. The only way you would be able to connect the RME to the LS50 Wireless II is via unbalanced analog and that is far from ideal.
@@YuriBrus Thank you for your quick answer. You just stopped me from ordering KEFs ;) Yes RME is being shipped as we speak. I got it mostly to replace my current headphone/IEM DAC. But since I am looking arround for a pair of speakers (monitors) I thought I might also connect them to this DAC. So what (besides Genelec 8030) would you suggest for this combo? Need to have a few options to choose from ;) Thanks once again.
@@slawmac7352 It depends on your budget, but my recommendation would be the Yamaha HS5 or HS7 as a low cost option, if your budget is larger and you don't like the looks of Genelec, then the Dynaudio LYD 5 or 7 are very good as well. Those are just my preferences, though. Depending on your location, there are a lot of great powered monitors from other manufacturers available as well.
The only reason that's preventing me from going out and buying LS50W II is the Buchardt A500. So I am checking every single review on LS50W II and A500. If I buy Kef, I will also be buying SVS PB 1000 Pro Sub (because Kef KC62 sub is too expensive). Another combination that was in my mind was KEF R3 + Marantz PM7000N. If money was not an issue, I would have aimed at Kef R11 or Buchardt A700.
I would like to buy the KEF LS50 Wireless 2, but they need to fit in a TV cabinet environment. I can't buy the original KEF speaker stands because they would be too high if I put them INSIDE the TV cabinet (because there is cupboard space underneath), or they would get in the way of my living room if I put them IN FRONT of the TV put furniture. Either I could mount them on the back wall of the TV cabinet via a wall bracket (but KEF doesn't sell that), or I could put the speakers on speaker isolation stands (eg ISOacoustics Aperta - I think they are shown in this video). Which of these options is best?
Hi ‘raphy1981’, thank you for your positive feedback. The small speaker under the TV is a discontinued model from KEF and is part of a 5.1 speaker setup that is connected to an AV-receiver. Best regards, Yuri.
Hi, thanks for your great review. I'm dealing with a problem :) I have IsoAcoustics Aperta stands, I was using them while I had Kef Ls50w. The problem is Aperta stands do not suit ls50w II because of the rubbers. I learned thanks to you, rubbers are removable but I feel like I'm harming its originality. If I remove them, What kind of glue would you suggest I use to avoid damaging the speaker? Maybe I can reposition the rubbers to fit the aperta size.
Hello, and thank you for your positive feedback 😀. Did you remove them already? If not, you could try using an extra plate between the KEFs and the IsoAcoustics. That is what I did.
@@YuriBrus Thank you for your quick reply. No I didnt. What material would you recommend? If it is hard it may scratch and the speaker may slip, the rubber will fit but if it is too soft it may bend. I am really confused
Hey, awesome review. I have an opportunity to purchase for a pretty good price a pair of klipsch rp-280, and was thinking of buying a mini dsp shd and connect it to two amps i have lying around, which would allow to actively bi amp them akin to how the kef ls50 wireless ii function. that set up would cost me 2000$. In summery does the imaging and soundstage on kefs compare to that of standmounts? Am i saving money going this route or will i get much more value for my money buying the kefs?
Hi Aaron, thanks for the positive feedback. I very much appreciate it. In my opinion, the choice depends on the room that you want to use these in. The KEF LS50 W2 is a fantastic package, no doubt about that. Still, they are compact sized speakers and, depending on the room, they are no match for impressive floorstanders like the RP-280. I'm currently using the KEFs in my office room, which is about 25 m2, that works well. For larger rooms, one or two subwoofers would be required to match the scale that the RP-280s deliver. May I ask what 'Mini DSP' you had in mind? Best regards, Yuri
@@YuriBrus thank you for the reply! The product I am considering is the minidsp shd, it is one of they're newer products. The shd has onboard a dac and network streamer loaded with volumio, balanced and rca inputs, and two sets of balanced and rca outputs. I'm moving into a smaller apartment, and I'm hoping the combination of active bi amping and dirac live can compensate for the less than ideal acoustic conditions, especially with controlling the low end. However, I am aware that every review I have wached/read regarding dirac has been by someone with a very well treated room, which i do not have. I am possitivley addicted to wide and open sounstages, which is what's leading me towards this possible solution, however I am worried that I am setting myself up for failure. So to rephrase my question, what would be more appropriate when trying to achieve decent imaging and Soundstage, floorstanders with the type of room correction I am considering, or high end stand mounts that are more room appropriate such as the kef's?
Hi Yuri, I am continuing to enjoy my KEF LS50 Wireless II speakers; simply love them. Off late I am wondering if I should invest in a subwoofer. Some of the questions I am struggling with include: 1) When should I consider a subwoofer? 2) What would be the benefit of a subwoofer? 3) Is the KEF KC62 a good addition to this speaker system? 4) For someone who grew up in the 80s and 90s and listens to pop and mid-tempo music, would I feel a difference in the sound? 5) Can I make do with one subwoofer for the KEF LS50 wireless II? - Can you please help advise me. I find your suggestions helpful. Thanks
Hi Ashish, thanks for your question. A lot of people, including myself, seem to be struggling with this issue. I have spent a lot of time experimenting with different subwoofers in combination with my LS50s and have concluded that I like them best on their own ‘without’ any subwoofer at all. It is true, that when properly setup and adjusted, an additional subwoofer will improve the soundstage and significantly extend the lows. However, I always end up fiddling with the adjustments more than I like, because, what sounds perfect for one recording, does not sound right at all for the next one, and so on. Also, my listening room is not that large and I am actually quite happy with the amount and quality of bass the LS50s produce on their own. That is of course, my opinion and I do encourage you to do some experimenting yourself. Maybe you have the chance to try out one or more subwoofers before you have to commit to purchasing one. Yes, the KEF KC62 would be a good match for the LS50s, or alternatively, the new SVS SB-3000 Micro, which is quite a bit cheaper and a very good subwoofer as well. Two subwoofers seems to be the standard recommendation from most subwoofer manufacturers, but in my experience, unless you have a dedicated home theater or a very large room, 1 subwoofer is usually sufficient.
Thanks for the review and would like to seek comments/advices on 2 issues. 1) I am using Tidal, both Tidal Connect on Android and Tidal Web Player on my notebook. But I feel the sound quality is better with Tidal Connect, is this because Tidal Web Player need to stream via the notebook while Tidal Connect is streaming directly to the speakers? 2) I am using the LS50 W2 in a rectangular room about 11' x 20" (speakers placed along the short side) and thinking of adding a KEF kube 8B sub-woofer, mainly for better mid-range clarity, better dynamic range, and occasional movie watching. Is kube 8B adequate, or I need a 10B?
Hello Ed, thank you for your feedback and question. Yes exactly, with Tidal Connect, music streams directly from Tidal to the LS50 Wireless II, instead of first being routed through another device. There is a desktop app version of Tidal available for download as well, that way you can also use Tidal Connect via your notebook. As for subwoofer recommendations, I live in Switzerland and here the prices for both the Kube 8 and 10 are nearly identical and therefore my choice would be the ‘10’. Nevertheless, for your room size, the 8 would be quite adequate, especially when used primarily for music. Hope that helps, best regards, Yuri.
@@YuriBrus Thanks a lot Yuri. Prices difference between 8B and 10B here in Hong Kong is about US$130. If 8B is adequate I will go for 8B which looks cute.
@@edleung4046 That's a big price difference, here it's about $50. In that case I would probably also go for the Kube 8b. Definitely looks great together with the LS50s.
great review, you would review your DAC, I had a bad experience with the SU-9, now I am happy with the Schiit Modi 3+, but after your sound staging recommendation, I can trust in your review
Great Video & nice speakers.. Bought the LSX in black for my desktop setup 2 months ago. Great speakers for almost half the price ;-) Enjoy you KEF´s :-)
Hi Yuri. I am so happy you found the Wireless IIs. The original LS 50 was my main Speaker for 4 years when it came out. Of course the Meta was not available back then. I noted the same difficultys as you, namely the lack of dynamic output with the wrong amplification and a bottom up sound (fixed by the meta). The reason why it blew me aways was because with the right amplifier it Sounded controlled and balanced like a ultra engineerd high end speaker. I have only heard this kind of sound from the likes of Magico as such. Combined with the superlative soundstage capabilitys and Bass quality. Considering this speaker costs 1500chf, I had no choice but ro consider it the only way to go at the time!
Hello 'Happiness Living'. Exactly, the lack of dynamics in combination with the PM14 had me worried if the actives could deliver. But man, they do!!! Which amplifier did you use with the passive LS50s?
@@YuriBrus Hi. I ended up using Roksan Amplifiers with them. Not surprising really that two big british brands would work well together. I wish I got to hear the Roksan Blak Amp with them. To this day still the best affordable amp I can recommend with Kefs! Regards Christian
@@happinessliving6713 Yeah, the Roksan Blak integrated is supposed to sound really good. Never had a chance to listen to one, unfortunately. They don't show up so often here in Switzerland.
The phone app issue was a phone issue not an app issue - its because your network already had a connection assigned to it. Now add the dedicated wireless sub and your ears will explode. Mine have. Time and time again - all good - great honest review of a fantastic system - I used to work in the industry many many years a go and had the pinnacle Kef Reference 2's - they were the bomb but things have moved on - the Ls50II wireless are incredible - simple, effortless and for the aesthetic of as you say a 'two box solution - well try and show me something better with that sound for the money.
Hello and thank you for feedback. Spotify connect is definitely a good way to play music via the KEFs. Tidal Connect also works great, in addition, if you have music stored on a NAS on your local network, you can play that easily as well. No additional streamer or source needed, this system can basically perform as a complete setup on its own.
Hey man any small speaker stands (like the ones you have the KEFs on on your desk) you can recommend for purchase in UK? My room is too small to have them on proper stand alone speakers taking up floor space.
Hi James Yeah sure, those are the Iso Acoustics ISO155, they are also available in the UK, for example here: www.amazon.co.uk/IsoAcoustics-ISO155-Speaker-Stands-Pair/dp/B07D3TMSJ4?th=1
@James Contos In my opinion, yes. I believe they make a noticeable difference in the sound quality. But don't just take my word for it, best read them customer reviews on Amazon.
thank you! I haveorderedthemfor my kefs arriving tuesday! a present to myself. may i ask, what do the stands actually do / how do they improve sound? Is there somewhere i can read about this in simple terms? thanks so much for your content and your answers.
Does the LS50 Wireless II has some kind of delay? I would like to use them for listening, but also for DJing, therefore any delay or processing would be really annoying (if not familiar to DJing, imagine playing an instrument with delay on your return/booth sound)
I used them playing video games occasionally via TOSLINK and there is no delay that I can appreciate and I would really notice for that use case. If you are streaming over the network I suspect it would be a different story, but there is a TOSLINK connection so just use that if latency is a big deal for you.
from my, very small experience (i only use external triangle aio c wifi streamer and bluedento hd bluetooth adapter for some vintage hifi), trinagle hifi (and i don't think any other are that much different in this) have too much delay for any serious real time dj playing, specially with streaming services. and honestly, i wouldn't use this amp speakers and parties etc, too expensive and not suited for that.
@@izoyt thank you! Also, i understand your concern! Not considering it for parties, just personal use with sound at reasonable volume in a 12m2 room. Also in an apartment building with neighbours, so full volume is not being considered. Thanks for ypur answer and advice!
Would this be a bit overkill for a home office / gaming room. I'm slowly building out the room and I'm definitely keen on these next to my PC screen.. but wonder if it's a waste of money not being in the living room instead :P
It's a great system and still one of the best looking desktop speakers too. But, as just a PC speaker system, it's definitely a bit pricey. I love mine a lot and I also have them on my desk. But, I have to admit that they do not nearly get as much playtime as they should. So quite honestly, in my case it is a bit of an overkill.
@@sickhcivc Well, that is actually my only complaint. This newer model, the Wireless II, no longer has a USB input for connecting a PC, like the previous model. With these you would have to use optical, to connect direct or Ethernet and stream music over your home network.
finally got my own LS50 wireless 2, the grey one is really good looking speaker. but i notice that bluetooth connection has serious sync delay that it is unusable for watching videos, maybe that’s why KEF doesn’t metion bluetooth much on their product page.
Hi Brad, congrats on your new speakers. I haven't tried the BT connection for watching video myself, but I can believe that what you're saying is true. I had the same problem with several BT headphones. Are you using the KEFs in your living room, connected to the TV via BT?
@@YuriBrus No, i use hdmi instead. The problem isn't that important when there is wifi feature actually, just wonder why bluetooth on LS50 gets delay badly than every cheaper speakers i own, but i guess it's better than none.
I heard about BT problems in the ls50 wireless 1. As I know, the problems were solved with a software update. It make sense to write an email to KEF support. Please let me know if they fix it, because I'm considering to buy ls50 wireless 2. By the way, I have the same problem with my portable speaker JBL Flip which connects via Bluetooth. It's annoying.!
@@ivankukushkin Got it, I will try to send a report and ask them on twitter then. What's your generation of JBL Flip? I have a Gen 5, and yeah it has some little delay but not a big deal compared to LS50 i can tell.
@@Brad-hv7lp I have a 4 Gen speaker. Like a workaround you can additionally try to connect the speakers to a TV via sound cable with one output and two inputs(white and red "bells").
Hallo Anthony, sorry for my late reply. I somehow missed your question. After I purchased these new, I let a 'Purist Audio CD' run on repeat for about 24 hours. I believe it made a difference. Straight out of the box, they sounded just a bit cool, for my taste at least. Best regards, Yuri.
Hi Frank, thanks for your question. Yes, depending on the available connections on the PC, you can use the headphones out, coaxial or optical out or even PCM over HDMI. What you cannot do, because of the lacking USB input, is use the internal DAC of the KEFs as an external soundcard for the PC. Best regards, Yuri
@@YuriBrus Ah, thanks! I'm planning to use these with my Realiser A16 with my PC. I read somewhere that the speakers still have to be connected to a network, otherwise you would not be able to set the output channel, is that correct? And can I combine different inputs, like a wired connection with PC and a wireless to another device?
@@nossy232323 When they are not connected to a network, you will loose the APP control. They do however come with an old fashioned remote control and the main speakers has some buttons on top, so it should still be possible to operate basic functions, such as input select or volume up/down, when offline, although I have not tested this myself. All Inputs, as well as a Network, can be connected simultaneously and then selected separately via either the App, the Remote or the buttons on top of the main speaker.
Here is my product suggestion to KEF. A dac/amp box that can be connected to the LS50 Meta to give it equal sound and functions to that of the Kef LS50 Wireless. Basically having external that internals of the LS50W functionality. Why not sell a box and by doing this they can sell updated boxes over the years for those that want to keep the LS50 Meta for many years will have a KEF alternative to upgrade.
I have followed all your Kef LS50 Wireless II video reviews and really, really enjoyed your finding. I find your openness and personal opinion really refreshing when you compared it to the other HiFi kit that you have and is a really good testament to just how good the new Kef LS50 II sounds, I have at home the Kef LS50 connected to the Marantz PM7000N I have been pleased with the overall sound but would now like to add an extra system which is to be based on the Kef LS50II wireless. I have a few questions about the Internet Radio App from Kef, would I still be able to receive most stations as my current app is the Heos App and need to know if I would still get all BBC Radio Stations (currently living in Germany)? I also noticed that you use different mains lead, could you share your experience, many thanks, Regards John
Good morning John Thank you very much for your interesting questions and my apologies for my late reply. Had to make sure for myself, but now can confidently confirm that there are at least 70 different BBC radio stations available on the KEF LS50 Wireless II. I have just listened to BBC1, BB2 and BBC3 from my location, which is in Switzerland. I can't guarantee though, that all these stations will be available at your location, but it is my understanding that BBC radio is a free service and usually available online, all over the world. As for mains leads, I use Supra LoRad MKII 2.5 cables. Those are shielded cables, intentionally developed for use with audio equipment. The shielding should minimize RF-Interference. By the way, I love the Marantz PM7000N, excellent machine. Have a great day and best regards, Yuri.
Hi there, thanks for the well-made and informative video. I'm thinking of getting these as a desktop pair. Can I connect them to my PC using a HDMI cable from the motherboard HDMI out to the speaker eARC input?
Hello and thank you for your positive feedback. I am pretty sure you can, although it will be in PCM quality. You might want to experiment which option sounds better, HDMI or streaming the content from your PC via Ethernet. Have a great day and best regards, Yuri
@@YuriBrus Hi Yuri thanks for your quick response. From what I gather, streaming via Ethernet from PC is only for playing music on my hard drive (maybe I'm wrong). I'm looking for a solution where all PC sound gets played on the speakers (gaming, internet browsing, etc).
You can certainly use it like that. If it was me, though. For your intended use, I'd look for something with a USB port, so it can function as an external soundcard. The previous version actually did have that option, and I'm hoping that the newer version will do as well.
@@YuriBrus oh is there a newer version coming out soon? I have a fiio K7 dac which has USB input. So worst case, I can use that as an "in between". I don't know which has a better dac (the K7 or the LS50IIs) though, but I think it would be negligible?
No, I haven't heard anything about a newer version yet, just hope that if they do bring out one, it will have a USB-B port. You could also look into active studio monitors, then you can keep the DAC you're using now. Currently I am using a pair of Dynaudio Lyd 7 as desktop speakers, and I'm very happy with those
Hi Toriuz, thanks for the great tip. I'm reading into the specs and functions of the Gustard U16 8620 right now, and it's really a very interesting device. Do you have experience with it?
@@YuriBrus Singxer SU-6, Audiobyte Hydra Z will be much better. Yuri Do you know Russian? I can drop a link to the user forum with reports on converters informative. or google translator.
Sony TVs are great, even the cheaper LEDs have a good picture quality and great compatibility with most audio and video formats. As for a stereo music setup, the KEF Wireless II Set is outstanding but maybe a bit pricey as a first set. If you want high quality music though, I would advice against any soundbar and maybe listen to the KEF LSX or KLIPSCH The Fives.
@@YuriBrus You wouldn’t consider the devialet phantom 2 (smaller ones)? The lsx need a cable between them tho right? I just want a minimalist set up. What city are you in, in Switzerland? I lived in Zurich for a bit many moons ago.
@@krugmeup2162 The Devialet Phantom is most definitely a gorgeous speaker to look at. Do you have a possibility to listen at forehand? I run my LS50s with a cable in-between them as well, this improves the stability and quality. Cool, I live near Baden, about 20 minutes from Zürich.
Finished watching! Try resetting the speaker or did you already signed in your account on your main phone? And for the USB connection. I bought a DAC, the Topping D10s. Also we have the same stands. But your stand might be the aluminum. Mine is only the plastic.
I switched back to the plastic Isoacoustics as well. Found the metal ones too shiny😅. Yeah, tried resetting and almost about anything else, no clue really. Not a big deal, since the app works fine on my old phone and I always use Tidal anyway. Thanks for the DAC tip, will check it out.
@@YuriBrus ohhh that’s a good point. If I went to the aluminum (which my wife will be mad after all the cost of the speaker and plus the stands) it will not match the mate finished of the speaker. Well it’s maybe the app that is need to be updated. I use iPhone and no problem at all.
@@jetlagfrias My wife just found out, after watching this video, how much they cost 😳. Yeah, the App also works fine on any other phone we have at home, just not on my daily phone.
I have these speakers and after much listening, I have concluded they are awful sounding. The treble has an annoying metallic sharp peak that overlays everything with an unnatural, artificial distortion making them fatiguing and hard to continue listening to, not unlike the metallic peak in Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro headphones. Metal tweeters have always sounded this way to me but I thought after the last 30 years companies like KEF would have fixed this issue. This is the second time I bought KEF, but I would never buy KEF again with these types of drivers. The size and eArc input are pluses but I would rate them at 3.5/5 overall
Funny, I have only seen positive reviews everywhere but when I auditioned LS50 W (v1) I thought they sounded kind of artificial and not very organic, like too much calculations were going on inside of them. I thought they might have bettered this on v2 but now I hesitate. What did you end up buying instead?
Hi Richard, thank you very much for the positive feedback, it is much appreciated. Regarding your question, you may want to double check this, but I believe that the ISO200 is slightly too large and will protrude from the sides. The 155 seems to be the perfect fit, although you will have to remove the sticky rubber feet from the LS50. Unless you use a similar spacer plate like the one, I use. Hope that helps, have a great day and best regards, Yuri.
Thanks for your reply Yuri. So do the speakers not sit securely without that adjustment? And if not, are there specific spacer plates that you recommend? Sorry, I’m quite new to all of this..
@@richardhughes4987 Hi Richard. No worries, they fit fine om the ISO 155s without a spacer plate. They do come preinstalled with thin rubber feet, so you can also place them directly on a desk without stands. They do benefit from the IsoAcoustics Stands, since these will decouple the speakers from the desk and also align the speakers better at ear level. The thin rubber feet are self adhesive and can be peeled off. When you use the IsoAcoustics stands, you can leave them on, but it will be a better fit without them. The only reason why you would want to use a spacer plate is, if you don't want to take the rubber feet of, because you want to use the speakers on different platforms. As for the spacers themselves, I use top plates from speaker stands, that I had laying around, but any thin rectangular plate will do. Nothing special, really. If you need additional info, like pics or so, you can also mail me under: contact.hifireference@gmail.com Best regards, Yuri.
Hi Yuri (me again)..thanks for all the advice, I bought the stands and I am happy with them. I was wondering if you can give me advice/opinion on placement of the kefs (and hi fi system in general) near to windows, and hence direct/indirect sunlight. My record cabinet which will hold my records and speakers atop of, with the turn table on a hanging shelf above are all positioned to the side of huge 2 meter high bay windows. I’m worried that this amount of daylight will have a negative affect on my set up over time, my speakers specifically..or if it will be ok so long as the sunlight isn’t direct. Do you know anything about this? Thanks again, Rich.
@@richardhughes4987 Hi Richard, nice to hear back from you. Happy you like the IsoAcoustics stands. I don't think that sunlight can damage the functionality of your HiFi equipment. However, direct sunlight can possibly effect the appearance. The surface of the Bluesound Node 2i, for example, can get sticky from too much sunlight.
Hi Yuri. My speakers arrived recently and I love them. I agree that the speakers stands improve the sound a lot. To me, they are a must. I always listen via Tidal Connect and unfortunately I have had some connection issues with the device (I use both LG G8 & Samsung Tab S4) suddenly losing the connection to the speakers after listening for a while, especially if left idle (e.g. listening to a playlist without skipping tracks). To restore connection I have had to unplug and then replug the main speaker (to reset WiFi connection) and/or turn off and then turn on the "offline" mode on Tidal. I have always managed to resolve the problems but not sure why they occur and if anyone else has the same issues. All devices are connected to the same WiFi network.
Hi John, thanks for your question. Sorry to hear you're experiencing connection issues. Have tried clearing Tidal's App cache (LG G8>Phone Settings>Apps>App Info>TIDAL>Storage>Clear Cache) Sometimes that does the trick. Another issue I have heard of, is when the Tidal App is stored on an SD card, instead of the phone's internal storage. Hope that helps, best regards, Yuri.
Hello and thank you for your question. If your turntable has a built-in preamp, like for example the 'REGA Planar 1 Plus' you can connect it directly to the analog stereo input of the LS50 WII. If your turntable does not have a built-in preamp, you'll need to put a phono stage in between, like for example the REGA Fono MM. In both cases you will need an adapter, from 2 x RCA to 1 x 3.5mm stereo jack. Have a great day and best regards, Yuri.
@@YuriBrus imo, this this should have phono preamp and proper contacts, since they're filling it with tech and want to tack audio world. they probably leave that to 3rd edition, with 3k price mark..
Nice review! I'd really like them for the TV. Could one build a 4.1 set? And, at 1:57 there are some metal other stands which look awesome. Which are those?
@@pietpara7827 Hello Piet, thank you for your positive feedback and questions. As far as I know, you can only turn these into a 2.2 setup, unless maybe, you connect them to a seperate preamplifier. The silver colored stands are the Isoacoustics Aperta stands. They look great, but for my desk, I prefer the regular ones. Best regards, Yuri.
@@YuriBrus Thanks, I read another comment of yours where you said you cannot use the internal DAC of the KEFs as an external soundcard for the PC if u use optical. ...does that matter? I honestly dont know. I was planning on getting these speakers just to use as pc speakers thru optical without any additional sound cards or hardware. optical is like the only input Im planning on actually using : p
@@slopedarmor For my taste, USB usually sounds better than Toslink. Nevertheless, not everyone shares my opinion and lots of people prefer optical over USB. I also use these KEFs as my desktop music system. However, I did not connect my PC directly to them, instead I only stream over Ethernet cable. Either from my PC or from Tidal. This option seems to sound best.
Hi Graham, thanks for your feedback. I allowed the KEF App to use the location of my phone, but that did not help. I believe it is a setting in the phone itself, but I can't figure out which.
@@YuriBrus yes mine also but have to turn location on myself every time. I love the wireless ii (I have the white version) but have mine wired to the Internet the connection in wireless wasn't good took a few minutes to connect.
@@grahamscarr6862 Yeah, I also have everything wired, the speakers to each other as well as to my network. Everything works great, except for the App on my LG G8 Thinq phone.
Hello Carrera 1972. Yeah, unfortunately there is no headphone connection nor is two way Bluetooth supported either, at least as far as I know. Would have been nice, but I guess KEF figured that most people connect their headphones to their smartphone anyway. Still, if you use them on a desk, like I do, a headphone connection would have been helpful. Have a great day and best regards, Yuri.
I just bought LS50 Wireless II after your reviews. Love them so far! Just have one question. Is it normal, that I hear quiet ticking after turning on and turning off speakers? When turning on, just before this welcome sound and when turning off just after this sound. Wondering if it's normal ;)
Hello Aleksander, Thank you for your feedback and question. Do you mean the kind of quiet ticking that resembles the sound of a stylus on vinyl? Mine make the exact same sound after turning on and off. Although, its really short and I can only hear it when I'm very close with my ears to the speakers. Not exactly sure what it is and if it should be considered normal, but I doubt that it is something to worry about. Best regards, Yuri
This sound is caused by the relays in each speaker taking it out of standby mode and powering up the amplifiers. The original LS50 Wireless did it as well but they were much louder. I think KEF has changed from mechanical relays to static relays on the Wireless II. This is good as they have no moving parts and are more reliable.
I enjoyed your review. Great job! I auditioned the original LS50W music system a couple years ago when they first came out on release. I absolutely loved them minus the absolute garbage KEF app. I ended up returning them with the intention of buying again once KEF addressed the said app's terrible issues. My go to "all in one" active speaker package right now is The Vanatoo Transparent Encore system. Unreal sound for the price ($599 usd). There is no denying that the original KEF LS50W's punches deeper and has more thrust than the Vanatoo's ( just slightly more which is amazing and baffling at the same time) but clarity is equal between the two. I have an RSL Speedwoofer sub on order to add to my Vanatoo's which was a suggestion to bring them to the next level of listening. Now my curiosity to try the LS50W 2's is getting the best of me after watching your review!!! If you get a shot I'd love to see you review the Vanatoo Encore speakers!
Hello B A and thanks for your positive feedback. I have been living with the Wireless II for just over three months now and except for the problem that I had with one particular phone, the App works flawless. Nevertheless, if you read through the consumer feedback on Amazon, you'll see that there are still plenty of people who do have issues with the App so before you make a decision, you might wanna check that out. Unfortunately, the Vanatoo Transparent Encore system is not available here in Switzerland. I have read so many positive reviews about them, though and it seems like a great package. Hopefully, in the near future, I will be able to travel to the US again and then I will most definitely check them out. Have a great day and best regards, Yuri.
Thank you for your kind feedback. Yeah, KEF is clever enough to put some effort in their design as well. Makes it a lot easier to pass the 'wife acceptance' test😄.
Had a set for around a month now, stunning however rather laid back speaker, have a kube 10b in the mail so hoping that will fill the bottom end out and add a bit more feeling and kick in the chest, will likely add another when I can afford.
The Kube10 is a good and economical choice. I've moved my Kube10 from the home theatre to the LS50 Wireless II and am thinking of adding a second Kube10 as well.
@M Pi I did look at and consider both, went for the cleaner sound of the kefs, they are stunning I just miss a bit of that feeling that hopefully a bit more bottom end can fill out
@M Pi my last hifi was 1980s Morton short floor standers, last couple of years I've had a JBL charge 3 in my house, the w2s sound stunning and I love the soundstage, constantly amazed at where the sound is coming from and the notes that they can produce, listening to a bit of EDM and stuff I do miss the bass, they play Skrillex amazingly for what they are (I had to try) however being my first set of bookshelf speakers I am missing that 30 / 60hz rumble and feel, extremely excited to hookup and play with a sub
The same happened to me. The LS50 didn't sound as good as the active LS50 and not even as good as the LSX that are inferior. The passive speakers need more power than the recommended which is demonstrated with the internal amps in the active version.
![Cody Johnson - I'm Gonna Love You (with Carrie Underwood) [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/yy9PuYMU29g/mqdefault.jpg)
Had these since October, using on solidsteel Italian stands
Replaced my 1989 pioneer A656 amp and MS20 mordaunt short speakers
First upgrade in 30 years
Stunning speakers.
Truly delighted.
Hello Brian
I am happy to hear you are content as well. Have a great day and best regards, Yuri.
Hi there, what would be the best option to connect them to the latest iMac, thanks in advance and keep up the good work.
Hello Askatasun, thanks for your feedback, I appreciate it. The easiest and probably best way is to stream music from the iMac to the KEFs. Personally, I use 'Audirvana' to do that. Sounds great and works flawlessly.
Have a great day and best regards, Yuri.
Nice review. Thank you. Did you tried Aux input? If yes, How is it performed?
Hello Airidas, thank you for your question. I have only once tried the Aux input with the headphone output of my LG G8 Thinq Phone, when I did a direct comparison playing the same song via Spotify Connect and the headphone out. The Aux Input sounds good, but in my opinion, Spotify connect sounds better. Might be the headphone output of my phone, though.
Best regards, Yuri.
Great review! I'm saving money to get a nice HiFI pair for my TV setup, and currently considering KEF's or Dynaudio Xeo 20, can't find any comparisons between those 2, and can't audition them either, so it's really hard to choose.
I own Dynaudio Xeo 2's as my PC speakers and love them, so I imagine Xeo 20's would be really nice, however those LS50Wireless II-s get really rave reviews everywhere. Please help me choose! :(
Hello Rafael, thank you for your positive feedback and question. The Dynaudio XEO 20 is a fantastic sounding speaker and I know that most people who love Dynaudio, do not generally like KEF. So I’m inclined to say, go for the XEO 20s. Personally, I am not a big fan of their ‘wireless only’ connectivity, but that is just me. If I was to choose an active Dynaudio setup within the same price range as the KEF LS50 WII, I’d go for the Dynaudio LYD 7 and hook them up to a nice Preamp/DAC, like for example the RME ADI-2 DAC FS. Nevertheless, it would be great if you could get a chance to listen to the ‘KEF LS50 Wireless II’ before you make up your mind. Maybe you can ask a local dealer, although most stores are closed, many still offer private auditions. You could even bring your Dynaudios for a direct comparison.
Hope that helps, best regards, Yuri.
@@YuriBrus thanks for the elaborate answer, I appreciate it.
@@RafaelGrigorian anytime 👍
nice reivew thanks... have the original ls50s with an sbs 2b2000 ...thinking of upgrading to the new series
...has anyone on here have the original and upgraded...was the upgrade worth it?
Looking at purchasing a pair shortly are there any other powered speakers you would also recommend looking at prior to pulling the trigger as they are fairly hefty price tag in Australia . Klipsch sixes/fives etc , elac arb 51 , Dynaudio Xeo 20 , Edifier S3000 pro or all these a huge step down ?
Hi K H, all those sound great too, not sure about the Edifier S3000 though, since I have never heard those. Do you need all the options that the KEF have, or do you just want powered speakers and a DAC to connect to a PC? If I was looking for a more affordable setup, I'd go with a good pair of studio monitors, like the Dynaudio LYD7 or their outgoing model, the BM5 MKIII and combine those with a good mid-priced DAC-Preamp, like the Pioneer U-05 or maybe a Schiit Jotunheim 2.
Best regards, Yuri
Thank you Yuri for sharing the experience. I just have received my LS50 wireless ii today and noticed the EQ on the app is hard to configure. Would you share your EQ setting?
Hi Thomas, are you using a subwoofer?
@@YuriBrus No, I don’t use a subwoofer and no plan to add in near future.
@@thomas1254 Without a sub, the only adjustment I make is up the Treble Trim by 1 dB. Wall and Desk modes are off, even though I keep them on my desk and fairly close to the wall. Also, Bass extension is set to Standard and The Sub gain is kept on '0'.
However, the EQ settings partially depend on the 'room' they are in. My office space has a some acoustic treatment. The sound quality will improve after a couple of albums, though. Also, they highly benefit from using speaker stands, instead of placing them directly on a desk or sideboard.
@@YuriBrus Thank you very much for the detailed reply. 👍
So many reviewers on youtube these days, by far, yours was to the point and straight forward. Looking forward to your other reviews.
Hello Johnny, thank you very much for your positive feedback. You made my day😃👍
Miller Sharon Lewis David Thompson George
Hi there! Not sure what you mean, but if you’re referring to some music-related names, feel free to share more details! 😊
Excellent review summary and I couldn't agree more!
I've had my crimson red LS50 Wireless II for almost a month now. Absolutely stunning loudspeaker and I'm used to considerably more expensive audiophile designs (Waveform Mach Solo) and professional monitors (Klein & Hummel O410). The Wireless II's are the best speakers I've ever owned and yet one of the least expensive!
Great sound when used on their own and state of the art when well integrated with a quality subwoofer.
Interesting problem with the KEF connect app on multiple Samsung phones. I'm running the KEF connect app on two IOS devices (iPhone and iPad) and an M1 MacBook with no problems at all - but IOS automatically syncs all your devices under the same ID so I wouldn't expect any.
Regarding the sound being laid back that some have commented on - there is a very slight dip around the crossover point on the passive version that the active model doesn't have but more likely it is the absence of the hardness and aggressiveness of conventional (non-MAT) tweeters that leads you to feel this way. With time, you may find everything else starts to sound strident and shrill in comparison.
Hi Bruce, thanks for your positive feedback, I really appreciate it. Yes, google also syncs all my devices and I can connect to the KEFs with the google home app, just not with the KEF Connect App. Not a big deal, since this problem is only on 1 phone and everything else works fine. Maybe it is the anti-virus software messing with connectivity.
Have you tried these with a subwoofer? I wanted to order a REL T5i, but due to the lockdown, my dealer has delivery issues. What sub would you recommend?
Best regards, Yuri.
@@YuriBrus I'm currently using a KEF Kube10 I've moved from my home theatre to the Wireless II's. The Wireless II's are strictly for music in the Living room. It works well but I'm also interested in the REL's. The recommendation from the REL website for my room setup is a pair of T7i's which is a bit pricey. Same lockdown problem here in Toronto, Canada. No instore demos available right now.
@@brucek6838 😀I also got the recommendation for 2 x 7i on the REL site, even if I select 'small room'! Probably gonna go with the 5s though.
@@YuriBrus Just got an email from KEF regarding a new UNI-Core bass technology. Looks like an ultra-compact version of the force cancelling woofers in the Blades and KF92 subwoofer. Might be worth waiting to see what this can do for the Wireless II's. I"m enthused!
@@brucek6838 Thanks for the tip. Gonna check it out asap.
I have the same Marantz PM14 S1 Se amp and matching CD player.
The amp feels a bit underpowered when I borrowed a pair of LS50 speakers and needs to be played loud.
I get the same result with my B&W 803 speakers and the Marantz.
I waited a bit got the red ones. OMG I LOVE THEM
The red ones are super SEXY! 👍👍👍
Rolex..... Could buy you some great audio gear....
😆😄
Whach out with your watches and those speakers, I have measured the magnetic field of those speakers and it's enough to magnetize a watch with some time.
Thank you very much for bringing this up. I actually never realized that. I will definitely keep an eye on it in the future. Magnets and automatic watches don't mix well.
Since childhood ive built my own speakers and have also bought and sold many branded speakers. Now much older and with a family, there is no time for that. I was out looking for a good system when I heard these and they blew me away. I cane back home thinking that I just hadn't heard anything as good in that price and size in a long while. Convinced myself and my wife that I should get them..couldn't be happier and I enjoy them every day, every day I'm rediscovering the joy of listening to music.
My only gripe is the Bluetooth functionality is irratic and needs the speakers to be turned off and on from the mains for the Bluetooth to be able to form a connection
Thank you for sharing, that is indeed a great compliment for the LS50, from someone with your experience. In regards to BT, myself, I try to avoid that as much as possible, it just doesn't sound right to me.
how would you reccomend to connect these speakers to PC if Im NOt - 1) listening music from streaming services, only from a PC hard drive ! 2) if I want to connect them only by wirres, not wirelessly!!
I would make a hardwired connection to my home network and stream music from either a NAS or PC.
Only thing that can touch these speakers in the similar field is Buchard's excellent active range which go a bit deeper but are are a fair bit more. Ditched all my passive set up for these and whilst active have had the music production world wrapped up for decades, KEF is truly bringing this into the audophile hifi world. You are correct that even though not cheap they are great value and you would be looking at least double for separates that can touch this system. Also don't overlook their little brothers, the LSX as again they are cracking little speakers for the smaller room.
Thank you Sir, this was the final push I needed to go ahead and buy a pair of these speakers. I can't believe the power rating, 700 plus watts that's impressive .
Great channel keep up the great work.
Cheers from San Francisco🍻
Hey @Fabester71! Thank you so much for your kind words and support. I'm thrilled to hear that videos helped you make your decision. You're going to love the KEF LS50 Wireless II speakers! They truly pack a punch with their impressive power rating and incredible sound quality. Enjoy your new speakers! 🍻
Looking forward to them, thanks again.👍
Is there a noticeable quality difference between the wireless and wired interspeaker connection?
Wireless: 96kHz/24bit PCM
Wired: 192kHz/24bit PCM
If you can, I would recommend the wired option. Under perfect conditions, without any sort of interference, there is hardly any audible difference, in reality however, there is always some sort of interference going on and you will unavoidably experience occasional dropouts. If the included cable is too short, and you don't want to spend a fortune on a replacement, then the entry level Audioquest Pearl is a solid choice.
I now have these speakers. But man, these have given me problems! I try to play music from Spotify from my Samsung S21 Ultra phone. Sometimes it works. But sometimes KEF connect can't find my speakers anymore! This can happen even after they played fine for half an hour with the Spotiy app. I see that the WIFI led on the speaker is still OK, but my phone does not see the speakers anymore! Turning the speakers on and off solves the problem for like 1 or 2 minutes. I do not know what to do!
Hi Frank, thanks for your question. Sorry to hear you're experiencing connectivity problems. Have you tried clearing Spotify's App cache (S21>Phone Settings>Apps>App Info>Spotify>Storage>Clear Cache) Sometimes that solves this kind of issue.
@@YuriBrus I will give that a try. But this was a fresh install on a new phone. Still in the meantime we have had a new firmware update for the KEF's. So maybe cache clearing will help.
You may have to delete the ap and then reinstall. That's SOP for the LS50 w1. (Owner here). It's enough of an annoyance I won't recommend the LS50 w2.
Hi Catherine, thank you for the recommendation. On my 3rd reinstall now, but still no luck. It's really weird that it's just the one phone that refuses to connect. Not a big deal yet, since it works on my other phones, but still ...
Thanks again and kind regards, Yuri
@@YuriBrus Well, Fiddlesticks!!! And that's my experience with the LS50 W1. The app is consistently inconsistent as opposed to the BlueOS, which has been rock-solid. It's the KEF software engineering that is flawed.... Good luck getting this sorted out.
@@catherinelugg4321 Thanks😅
Yes, I agree. I never had a more solid streamer than my Node 2i. Not once has it let me down.
What do you think about the Kef KC62 subwoofer as addition to the LS 50 Wireless II speakers? Will you review it?
The KC62is a beautifully designed and engineered subwoofer, that sound fantastic as well. Still, unless you really need the small form factor, I'd recommend either a REL T series or an SVS SB. Both will give you comparable or even better performance for far less money.
What are the speaker stands on the desk? Thanks
Hello Paul,
those are the 'ISO155' from 'IsoAcoustics'.
Best regards,
Yuri
@@YuriBrus Thanks. They look perfect for the desk
You're welcome. Yes, they are great. Be advised, though that they will not perfectly fit the LS50 unless you remove the sticky feet of the LS or use an adapter plate. I believe Isoacoustics has those as well now.
What are the speaker stands being used? thanks
Regarding the connectivity issue on your phone and the Kef connect app, disable VPN worked for me.
Thanks for the tip, I appreciate it. For some reason those issues only occur with an LG G8. With any other phone it works fine. Have a great day and best regards, Yuri
Can you comment on the 3.5mm jack of the LS50W II series when connecting to turntable? I have the first generation and quite happy with the RCA port. With the 3.5mm on the new models, does the sound will be affected as from what I know, 3.5mm is worse compare to RCA?
Personally, I would have preferred it, if they would have kept the RCA inputs. Nevertheless, the 3.5mm input on the Wireless II sounds good and I don't think there is an audible difference. Unfortunately I cannot confirm this since I don't have the Wireless 1 to make a direct comparison.
Hdmi port does not work with my LG oled tv. I have tried to connect kef and received no response. I like the speakers but will be returning.
This is a known issue and Kef has failed to address this issue. I wish I had known about this issue prior to purchasing and wasting a great deal of time.
What? I am at the verge of purchasing these speakers to be paired with my LG C7 Oled! Thanks for sharing your feedback.
but I want to tell you Yuri that Kef R3 + Hegel 190 is better than ls50w2
Hello Toriuz and thank you for your input. Happy to hear you found a combo that works well for you. I'm not ready to sell my LS50s yet, but will keep your suggestion in the back of my head. Have a great day and best regards, Yuri.
@@YuriBrus KEF Reference 1+ Hegel 390 best, but expensive. :( Kef R3 + Hegel 190 is expensive but affordable. The dimensions kef R3 are 31 centimeters deep without clamps, just like the ls50W2. They will fit on your table. Kef R3 is better than the Ls50 by about 40%. This is frequency separation and bass.
@@toriuz271 yeah, in my office room, the LS50s do fine on their own, but in my living room I always pair them with a sub. Did you add another source, or do you stream directly through the Hegel?
@@YuriBrus Hegel's dac is better than its competitors Denon 2500, a very worthy usb for desktop or streaming services. But the 190 model does not reproduce the DSD and asio if it is important. 390 reproduces. it makes no sense to add an external DAC to the hegel. or very expensive
Very useful review. Perhaps you are inthe Nederlands? I lived in Haarlem for many years and miss it when I hear the accent.
Hello Jason, thank you for your positive feedback. Yeah, I am from the Netherlands but I don't live there anymore. Great city,' Haarlem'. I used to live in Rotterdam. Best regards, Yuri
A similar track I recommend is Shunt by ex Depeche Mode member who has his solo project called Recoil
Thanks, didn't know that one yet, but I will check it out 👍
Hi, very nice review. Thanks for your insight. I have a question since I'am kind of new to speakers setup (headphones/IEMs only so far). I am about to order a pair of KEF LS50 Wireless II. Their will be placed at my desktop and I want to feed them with my PC through USB. I read that is impossible since USB port is only used as a maintenance terminal. So will it be posiible to go arround this through external DAC (RME ADI-2 DAC fs is on its way). If yes what's the best way to connect the DAC with the speakers? Thank you.
Hi there and thank you for your feedback and question. If I got that right, you already ordered the RME but not the KEFs? If that is the case I would forget about the KEFs and get a pair of powered studio monitors, maybe the Genelec 8030 and connect them via XLR to the fantastic RME ADI. That will save you a lot of money and still sound awesome.
The only way you would be able to connect the RME to the LS50 Wireless II is via unbalanced analog and that is far from ideal.
@@YuriBrus Thank you for your quick answer. You just stopped me from ordering KEFs ;) Yes RME is being shipped as we speak. I got it mostly to replace my current headphone/IEM DAC. But since I am looking arround for a pair of speakers (monitors) I thought I might also connect them to this DAC. So what (besides Genelec 8030) would you suggest for this combo? Need to have a few options to choose from ;) Thanks once again.
@@slawmac7352 It depends on your budget, but my recommendation would be the Yamaha HS5 or HS7 as a low cost option, if your budget is larger and you don't like the looks of Genelec, then the Dynaudio LYD 5 or 7 are very good as well. Those are just my preferences, though. Depending on your location, there are a lot of great powered monitors from other manufacturers available as well.
From what I read Genelec would be the way to go. Thanks :)
@@slawmac7352 Excellent choice 👍
The only reason that's preventing me from going out and buying LS50W II is the Buchardt A500. So I am checking every single review on LS50W II and A500. If I buy Kef, I will also be buying SVS PB 1000 Pro Sub (because Kef KC62 sub is too expensive). Another combination that was in my mind was KEF R3 + Marantz PM7000N. If money was not an issue, I would have aimed at Kef R11 or Buchardt A700.
Yeah, the Buchardt A500 are supposed to be really good. Unfortunately I have not yet had a chance to listen to them.
You mean Buchardt is better than kef ls50?
I would like to buy the KEF LS50 Wireless 2, but they need to fit in a TV cabinet environment.
I can't buy the original KEF speaker stands because they would be too high if I put them INSIDE the TV cabinet (because there is cupboard space underneath), or they would get in the way of my living room if I put them IN FRONT of the TV put furniture.
Either I could mount them on the back wall of the TV cabinet via a wall bracket (but KEF doesn't sell that), or I could put the speakers on speaker isolation stands (eg ISOacoustics Aperta - I think they are shown in this video).
Which of these options is best?
Hi, nice review, how do you wire the small central speaker in your tv setup? I suppose you use it for voices (3.1 setup)? Thanks!
Hi ‘raphy1981’, thank you for your positive feedback. The small speaker under the TV is a discontinued model from KEF and is part of a 5.1 speaker setup that is connected to an AV-receiver. Best regards, Yuri.
Hi, thanks for your great review. I'm dealing with a problem :) I have IsoAcoustics Aperta stands, I was using them while I had Kef Ls50w. The problem is Aperta stands do not suit ls50w II because of the rubbers. I learned thanks to you, rubbers are removable but I feel like I'm harming its originality. If I remove them, What kind of glue would you suggest I use to avoid damaging the speaker? Maybe I can reposition the rubbers to fit the aperta size.
Hello, and thank you for your positive feedback 😀. Did you remove them already? If not, you could try using an extra plate between the KEFs and the IsoAcoustics. That is what I did.
@@YuriBrus Thank you for your quick reply. No I didnt. What material would you recommend? If it is hard it may scratch and the speaker may slip, the rubber will fit but if it is too soft it may bend. I am really confused
Hey, awesome review.
I have an opportunity to purchase for a pretty good price a pair of klipsch rp-280, and was thinking of buying a mini dsp shd and connect it to two amps i have lying around, which would allow to actively bi amp them akin to how the kef ls50 wireless ii function. that set up would cost me 2000$.
In summery does the imaging and soundstage on kefs compare to that of standmounts? Am i saving money going this route or will i get much more value for my money buying the kefs?
Hi Aaron, thanks for the positive feedback. I very much appreciate it.
In my opinion, the choice depends on the room that you want to use these in. The KEF LS50 W2 is a fantastic package, no doubt about that. Still, they are compact sized speakers and, depending on the room, they are no match for impressive floorstanders like the RP-280.
I'm currently using the KEFs in my office room, which is about 25 m2, that works well. For larger rooms, one or two subwoofers would be required to match the scale that the RP-280s deliver.
May I ask what 'Mini DSP' you had in mind?
Best regards, Yuri
@@YuriBrus thank you for the reply!
The product I am considering is the minidsp shd, it is one of they're newer products. The shd has onboard a dac and network streamer loaded with volumio, balanced and rca inputs, and two sets of balanced and rca outputs. I'm moving into a smaller apartment, and I'm hoping the combination of active bi amping and dirac live can compensate for the less than ideal acoustic conditions, especially with controlling the low end. However, I am aware that every review I have wached/read regarding dirac has been by someone with a very well treated room, which i do not have. I am possitivley addicted to wide and open sounstages, which is what's leading me towards this possible solution, however I am worried that I am setting myself up for failure.
So to rephrase my question, what would be more appropriate when trying to achieve decent imaging and Soundstage, floorstanders with the type of room correction I am considering, or high end stand mounts that are more room appropriate such as the kef's?
Hi Yuri, I am continuing to enjoy my KEF LS50 Wireless II speakers; simply love them. Off late I am wondering if I should invest in a subwoofer. Some of the questions I am struggling with include: 1) When should I consider a subwoofer? 2) What would be the benefit of a subwoofer? 3) Is the KEF KC62 a good addition to this speaker system? 4) For someone who grew up in the 80s and 90s and listens to pop and mid-tempo music, would I feel a difference in the sound? 5) Can I make do with one subwoofer for the KEF LS50 wireless II? - Can you please help advise me. I find your suggestions helpful. Thanks
Hi Ashish, thanks for your question. A lot of people, including myself, seem to be struggling with this issue. I have spent a lot of time experimenting with different subwoofers in combination with my LS50s and have concluded that I like them best on their own ‘without’ any subwoofer at all. It is true, that when properly setup and adjusted, an additional subwoofer will improve the soundstage and significantly extend the lows. However, I always end up fiddling with the adjustments more than I like, because, what sounds perfect for one recording, does not sound right at all for the next one, and so on. Also, my listening room is not that large and I am actually quite happy with the amount and quality of bass the LS50s produce on their own. That is of course, my opinion and I do encourage you to do some experimenting yourself. Maybe you have the chance to try out one or more subwoofers before you have to commit to purchasing one. Yes, the KEF KC62 would be a good match for the LS50s, or alternatively, the new SVS SB-3000 Micro, which is quite a bit cheaper and a very good subwoofer as well.
Two subwoofers seems to be the standard recommendation from most subwoofer manufacturers, but in my experience, unless you have a dedicated home theater or a very large room, 1 subwoofer is usually sufficient.
@@YuriBrus thank you so much Yuri, this is very helpful
@@AshishBytes Anytime 😊
Seem no RCA input for the turntable? That’s the deal breaker
Correct, the only analog input is a 3.5mm jack input.
I think your issue will be because you have a 2.4ghz WiFi and also a 5ghz WIFI address. Make sure both are connected to the same address.
How close do the LS50 wireless 2s get to the big KEF Blades?
2,5 K vs 25K go figure! :)
Thanks for the review and would like to seek comments/advices on 2 issues.
1) I am using Tidal, both Tidal Connect on Android and Tidal Web Player on my notebook. But I feel the sound quality is better with Tidal Connect, is this because Tidal Web Player need to stream via the notebook while Tidal Connect is streaming directly to the speakers?
2) I am using the LS50 W2 in a rectangular room about 11' x 20" (speakers placed along the short side) and thinking of adding a KEF kube 8B sub-woofer, mainly for better mid-range clarity, better dynamic range, and occasional movie watching. Is kube 8B adequate, or I need a 10B?
Hello Ed, thank you for your feedback and question. Yes exactly, with Tidal Connect, music streams directly from Tidal to the LS50 Wireless II, instead of first being routed through another device. There is a desktop app version of Tidal available for download as well, that way you can also use Tidal Connect via your notebook. As for subwoofer recommendations, I live in Switzerland and here the prices for both the Kube 8 and 10 are nearly identical and therefore my choice would be the ‘10’. Nevertheless, for your room size, the 8 would be quite adequate, especially when used primarily for music. Hope that helps, best regards, Yuri.
@@YuriBrus Thanks a lot Yuri. Prices difference between 8B and 10B here in Hong Kong is about US$130. If 8B is adequate I will go for 8B which looks cute.
@@edleung4046 That's a big price difference, here it's about $50. In that case I would probably also go for the Kube 8b. Definitely looks great together with the LS50s.
great review, you would review your DAC, I had a bad experience with the SU-9, now I am happy with the Schiit Modi 3+, but after your sound staging recommendation, I can trust in your review
Hi Douglas, I haven't heard the Modi 3+ myself yet, but it's high on my wish list.
@@YuriBrus If you are in the US I think you can borrow mine
great review - can I ask what speaker mini stands you're using?
Thank you very much 😊. Those are ISO-155 stands, from IsoAcoustics.
Great Video & nice speakers.. Bought the LSX in black for my desktop setup 2 months ago. Great speakers for almost half the price ;-) Enjoy you KEF´s :-)
Thank you very much! Love the LSX as well. Definitely one of the best desktop systems out there. Have a great weekend and best regards, Yuri.
@@YuriBrus Thanx Yuri! Have and bon weekend, too! Greetings from Switzerland, Georg
@@g.b.4488 Liebe Grüsse aus Aargau
Hi Yuri. I am so happy you found the Wireless IIs. The original LS 50 was my main Speaker for 4 years when it came out. Of course the Meta was not available back then. I noted the same difficultys as you, namely the lack of dynamic output with the wrong amplification and a bottom up sound (fixed by the meta). The reason why it blew me aways was because with the right amplifier it Sounded controlled and balanced like a ultra engineerd high end speaker. I have only heard this kind of sound from the likes of Magico as such. Combined with the superlative soundstage capabilitys and Bass quality. Considering this speaker costs 1500chf, I had no choice but ro consider it the only way to go at the time!
Hello 'Happiness Living'.
Exactly, the lack of dynamics in combination with the PM14 had me worried if the actives could deliver. But man, they do!!! Which amplifier did you use with the passive LS50s?
@@YuriBrus Hi. I ended up using Roksan Amplifiers with them. Not surprising really that two big british brands would work well together. I wish I got to hear the Roksan Blak Amp with them. To this day still the best affordable amp I can recommend with Kefs! Regards Christian
@@happinessliving6713 Yeah, the Roksan Blak integrated is supposed to sound really good. Never had a chance to listen to one, unfortunately. They don't show up so often here in Switzerland.
The phone app issue was a phone issue not an app issue - its because your network already had a connection assigned to it.
Now add the dedicated wireless sub and your ears will explode. Mine have. Time and time again - all good - great honest review of a fantastic system - I used to work in the industry many many years a go and had the pinnacle Kef Reference 2's - they were the bomb but things have moved on - the Ls50II wireless are incredible - simple, effortless and for the aesthetic of as you say a 'two box solution - well try and show me something better with that sound for the money.
I bought a pair a month ago. They are a bargain. I think they are only limited by the quality of whatever you feed them.
Nice review! What source are you using? Does it require a music streamer to have a better sound or spotify directly from phone is enough?
Hello and thank you for feedback. Spotify connect is definitely a good way to play music via the KEFs. Tidal Connect also works great, in addition, if you have music stored on a NAS on your local network, you can play that easily as well. No additional streamer or source needed, this system can basically perform as a complete setup on its own.
@@YuriBrus many thanks for your reply
@@albinalaan5296 Anytime
Hey man any small speaker stands (like the ones you have the KEFs on on your desk) you can recommend for purchase in UK? My room is too small to have them on proper stand alone speakers taking up floor space.
Hi James
Yeah sure, those are the Iso Acoustics ISO155, they are also available in the UK, for example here: www.amazon.co.uk/IsoAcoustics-ISO155-Speaker-Stands-Pair/dp/B07D3TMSJ4?th=1
@@YuriBrus thanks so much. Do they make a significant difference vs having them on their pads on a shelf?
@James Contos In my opinion, yes. I believe they make a noticeable difference in the sound quality. But don't just take my word for it, best read them customer reviews on Amazon.
thank you! I haveorderedthemfor my kefs arriving tuesday! a present to myself. may i ask, what do the stands actually do / how do they improve sound? Is there somewhere i can read about this in simple terms? thanks so much for your content and your answers.
I sold my Hegel H390 and Kef R900 speakers for these speakers with partington broadside stands and I’m delighted.
Does the LS50 Wireless II has some kind of delay? I would like to use them for listening, but also for DJing, therefore any delay or processing would be really annoying (if not familiar to DJing, imagine playing an instrument with delay on your return/booth sound)
I used them playing video games occasionally via TOSLINK and there is no delay that I can appreciate and I would really notice for that use case. If you are streaming over the network I suspect it would be a different story, but there is a TOSLINK connection so just use that if latency is a big deal for you.
from my, very small experience (i only use external triangle aio c wifi streamer and bluedento hd bluetooth adapter for some vintage hifi), trinagle hifi (and i don't think any other are that much different in this) have too much delay for any serious real time dj playing, specially with streaming services.
and honestly, i wouldn't use this amp speakers and parties etc, too expensive and not suited for that.
@@MattOatesUK thank you!
@@izoyt thank you! Also, i understand your concern! Not considering it for parties, just personal use with sound at reasonable volume in a 12m2 room. Also in an apartment building with neighbours, so full volume is not being considered. Thanks for ypur answer and advice!
Would this be a bit overkill for a home office / gaming room. I'm slowly building out the room and I'm definitely keen on these next to my PC screen.. but wonder if it's a waste of money not being in the living room instead :P
It's a great system and still one of the best looking desktop speakers too. But, as just a PC speaker system, it's definitely a bit pricey. I love mine a lot and I also have them on my desk. But, I have to admit that they do not nearly get as much playtime as they should. So quite honestly, in my case it is a bit of an overkill.
@@YuriBrus thanks for the reply!! I have a hard decision to make :)
@@YuriBrus sorry one last question, How do you recommend I go about connecting these to a PC?
@@sickhcivc Well, that is actually my only complaint. This newer model, the Wireless II, no longer has a USB input for connecting a PC, like the previous model. With these you would have to use optical, to connect direct or Ethernet and stream music over your home network.
finally got my own LS50 wireless 2, the grey one is really good looking speaker. but i notice that bluetooth connection has serious sync delay that it is unusable for watching videos, maybe that’s why KEF doesn’t metion bluetooth much on their product page.
Hi Brad, congrats on your new speakers. I haven't tried the BT connection for watching video myself, but I can believe that what you're saying is true. I had the same problem with several BT headphones. Are you using the KEFs in your living room, connected to the TV via BT?
@@YuriBrus No, i use hdmi instead. The problem isn't that important when there is wifi feature actually, just wonder why bluetooth on LS50 gets delay badly than every cheaper speakers i own, but i guess it's better than none.
I heard about BT problems in the ls50 wireless 1. As I know, the problems were solved with a software update.
It make sense to write an email to KEF support. Please let me know if they fix it, because I'm considering to buy ls50 wireless 2.
By the way, I have the same problem with my portable speaker JBL Flip which connects via Bluetooth. It's annoying.!
@@ivankukushkin
Got it, I will try to send a report and ask them on twitter then.
What's your generation of JBL Flip?
I have a Gen 5, and yeah it has some little delay but not a big deal compared to LS50 i can tell.
@@Brad-hv7lp I have a 4 Gen speaker.
Like a workaround you can additionally try to connect the speakers to a TV via sound cable with one output and two inputs(white and red "bells").
Yuri, how many hours until break in and was it noticeable ?
Hallo Anthony, sorry for my late reply. I somehow missed your question. After I purchased these new, I let a 'Purist Audio CD' run on repeat for about 24 hours. I believe it made a difference. Straight out of the box, they sounded just a bit cool, for my taste at least. Best regards, Yuri.
How about stands that you used on desks compare to tall stand?
I would always prefer tall stands, the only reason I use desk stands, is because my desk is very wide (from wall to wall).
So, without USB connector, can these be used as normal speakers for a PC?
Hi Frank, thanks for your question. Yes, depending on the available connections on the PC, you can use the headphones out, coaxial or optical out or even PCM over HDMI. What you cannot do, because of the lacking USB input, is use the internal DAC of the KEFs as an external soundcard for the PC. Best regards, Yuri
@@YuriBrus Ah, thanks! I'm planning to use these with my Realiser A16 with my PC. I read somewhere that the speakers still have to be connected to a network, otherwise you would not be able to set the output channel, is that correct? And can I combine different inputs, like a wired connection with PC and a wireless to another device?
@@nossy232323 When they are not connected to a network, you will loose the APP control.
They do however come with an old fashioned remote control and the main speakers has some buttons on top, so it should still be possible to operate basic functions, such as input select or volume up/down, when offline, although I have not tested this myself.
All Inputs, as well as a Network, can be connected simultaneously and then selected separately via either the App, the Remote or the buttons on top of the main speaker.
Here is my product suggestion to KEF.
A dac/amp box that can be connected to the LS50 Meta to give it equal sound and functions to that of the Kef LS50 Wireless.
Basically having external that internals of the LS50W functionality.
Why not sell a box and by doing this they can sell updated boxes over the years for those that want to keep the LS50 Meta for many years will have a KEF alternative to upgrade.
What stands are you using? I just bought them too!
Congrats! I'm using the ISO-155 from IsoAcoustics.
People that figure out how to use lockdown to their advantage are geniuses.
I have followed all your Kef LS50 Wireless II video reviews and really, really enjoyed your finding. I find your openness and personal opinion really refreshing when you compared it to the other HiFi kit that you have and is a really good testament to just how good the new Kef LS50 II sounds, I have at home the Kef LS50 connected to the Marantz PM7000N I have been pleased with the overall sound but would now like to add an extra system which is to be based on the Kef LS50II wireless. I have a few questions about the Internet Radio App from Kef, would I still be able to receive most stations as my current app is the Heos App and need to know if I would still get all BBC Radio Stations (currently living in Germany)? I also noticed that you use different mains lead, could you share your experience, many thanks, Regards John
"get all BBC Radio Stations" - the answer is YES! I listen to BBC Radio 3 from US without problems!
@@lookbacktime9422 Thats great news, thank you
@@lookbacktime9422 Thats a sensible tip, I will send them a email. Regards, John
Good morning John
Thank you very much for your interesting questions and my apologies for my late reply. Had to make sure for myself, but now can confidently confirm that there are at least 70 different BBC radio stations available on the KEF LS50 Wireless II.
I have just listened to BBC1, BB2 and BBC3 from my location, which is in Switzerland. I can't guarantee though, that all these stations will be available at your location, but it is my understanding that BBC radio is a free service and usually available online, all over the world.
As for mains leads, I use Supra LoRad MKII 2.5 cables. Those are shielded cables, intentionally developed for use with audio equipment. The shielding should minimize RF-Interference. By the way, I love the Marantz PM7000N, excellent machine.
Have a great day and best regards, Yuri.
Hi Yuri,
Good sounding speakers for sure but their customer service is the worst.
Hi there, thanks for the well-made and informative video. I'm thinking of getting these as a desktop pair. Can I connect them to my PC using a HDMI cable from the motherboard HDMI out to the speaker eARC input?
Hello and thank you for your positive feedback. I am pretty sure you can, although it will be in PCM quality. You might want to experiment which option sounds better, HDMI or streaming the content from your PC via Ethernet. Have a great day and best regards,
Yuri
@@YuriBrus Hi Yuri thanks for your quick response. From what I gather, streaming via Ethernet from PC is only for playing music on my hard drive (maybe I'm wrong). I'm looking for a solution where all PC sound gets played on the speakers (gaming, internet browsing, etc).
You can certainly use it like that. If it was me, though. For your intended use, I'd look for something with a USB port, so it can function as an external soundcard. The previous version actually did have that option, and I'm hoping that the newer version will do as well.
@@YuriBrus oh is there a newer version coming out soon? I have a fiio K7 dac which has USB input. So worst case, I can use that as an "in between". I don't know which has a better dac (the K7 or the LS50IIs) though, but I think it would be negligible?
No, I haven't heard anything about a newer version yet, just hope that if they do bring out one, it will have a USB-B port. You could also look into active studio monitors, then you can keep the DAC you're using now. Currently I am using a pair of Dynaudio Lyd 7 as desktop speakers, and I'm very happy with those
Excellent review. You have a very nice demeanor.
Hello Anthony, I thank you kindly and wish you a fantastic day. Best regards, Yuri.
Have you tried to use USB / SPDIF converter Gustard U16 to connect ls50w2 ? This should be the best PC solution.
Hi Toriuz, thanks for the great tip. I'm reading into the specs and functions of the Gustard U16 8620 right now, and it's really a very interesting device. Do you have experience with it?
@@YuriBrus Singxer SU-6, Audiobyte Hydra Z will be much better. Yuri Do you know Russian? I can drop a link to the user forum with reports on converters informative. or google translator.
@@toriuz271 No, sorry. I don’t speak Russian. I'm actually Dutch, but would love the link. Nowadays Google translate works pretty well.
reviews in the list
the best Singxer SU-6 Hydra Z Berkeley Alpha USB
What would you compare these to if you were starting out? Just a two channel set up for music and Sony tv, wireless?
Sony TVs are great, even the cheaper LEDs have a good picture quality and great compatibility with most audio and video formats. As for a stereo music setup, the KEF Wireless II Set is outstanding but maybe a bit pricey as a first set. If you want high quality music though, I would advice against any soundbar and maybe listen to the KEF LSX or KLIPSCH The Fives.
@@YuriBrus You wouldn’t consider the devialet phantom
2 (smaller ones)? The lsx need a cable between them tho right? I just want a minimalist set up. What city are you in, in Switzerland? I lived in Zurich for a bit many moons ago.
@@krugmeup2162 The Devialet Phantom is most definitely a gorgeous speaker to look at. Do you have a possibility to listen at forehand? I run my LS50s with a cable in-between them as well, this improves the stability and quality.
Cool, I live near Baden, about 20 minutes from Zürich.
@@YuriBrus I see thanks. Yes I think so. Shopping in Sydney is still full of covid BS rules so I’ll wait.
@@krugmeup2162 Yeah, not much better here in Europe :(
Finished watching! Try resetting the speaker or did you already signed in your account on your main phone?
And for the USB connection. I bought a DAC, the Topping D10s.
Also we have the same stands. But your stand might be the aluminum. Mine is only the plastic.
I switched back to the plastic Isoacoustics as well. Found the metal ones too shiny😅.
Yeah, tried resetting and almost about anything else, no clue really. Not a big deal, since the app works fine on my old phone and I always use Tidal anyway. Thanks for the DAC tip, will check it out.
@@YuriBrus ohhh that’s a good point. If I went to the aluminum (which my wife will be mad after all the cost of the speaker and plus the stands) it will not match the mate finished of the speaker.
Well it’s maybe the app that is need to be updated. I use iPhone and no problem at all.
@@jetlagfrias My wife just found out, after watching this video, how much they cost 😳.
Yeah, the App also works fine on any other phone we have at home, just not on my daily phone.
@@YuriBrus 😂
💸💸💸
Great review! :)
Thank you Szymon and have a great day!
I have these speakers and after much listening, I have concluded they are awful sounding. The treble has an annoying metallic sharp peak that overlays everything with an unnatural, artificial distortion making them fatiguing and hard to continue listening to, not unlike the metallic peak in Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro headphones. Metal tweeters have always sounded this way to me but I thought after the last 30 years companies like KEF would have fixed this issue. This is the second time I bought KEF, but I would never buy KEF again with these types of drivers. The size and eArc input are pluses but I would rate them at 3.5/5 overall
Funny, I have only seen positive reviews everywhere but when I auditioned LS50 W (v1) I thought they sounded kind of artificial and not very organic, like too much calculations were going on inside of them. I thought they might have bettered this on v2 but now I hesitate. What did you end up buying instead?
Hi, thanks for the great review, I just bought a pair myself. Do you recommend the iso 155 over the iso 200s for these speakers?
Cheers!
Hi Richard, thank you very much for the positive feedback, it is much appreciated. Regarding your question, you may want to double check this, but I believe that the ISO200 is slightly too large and will protrude from the sides. The 155 seems to be the perfect fit, although you will have to remove the sticky rubber feet from the LS50. Unless you use a similar spacer plate like the one, I use. Hope that helps, have a great day and best regards, Yuri.
Thanks for your reply Yuri. So do the speakers not sit securely without that adjustment? And if not, are there specific spacer plates that you recommend? Sorry, I’m quite new to all of this..
@@richardhughes4987 Hi Richard. No worries, they fit fine om the ISO 155s without a spacer plate. They do come preinstalled with thin rubber feet, so you can also place them directly on a desk without stands. They do benefit from the IsoAcoustics Stands, since these will decouple the speakers from the desk and also align the speakers better at ear level. The thin rubber feet are self adhesive and can be peeled off. When you use the IsoAcoustics stands, you can leave them on, but it will be a better fit without them. The only reason why you would want to use a spacer plate is, if you don't want to take the rubber feet of, because you want to use the speakers on different platforms. As for the spacers themselves, I use top plates from speaker stands, that I had laying around, but any thin rectangular plate will do. Nothing special, really. If you need additional info, like pics or so, you can also mail me under: contact.hifireference@gmail.com Best regards, Yuri.
Hi Yuri (me again)..thanks for all the advice, I bought the stands and I am happy with them.
I was wondering if you can give me advice/opinion on placement of the kefs (and hi fi system in general) near to windows, and hence direct/indirect sunlight. My record cabinet which will hold my records and speakers atop of, with the turn table on a hanging shelf above are all positioned to the side of huge 2 meter high bay windows. I’m worried that this amount of daylight will have a negative affect on my set up over time, my speakers specifically..or if it will be ok so long as the sunlight isn’t direct. Do you know anything about this?
Thanks again, Rich.
@@richardhughes4987 Hi Richard, nice to hear back from you. Happy you like the IsoAcoustics stands.
I don't think that sunlight can damage the functionality of your HiFi equipment. However, direct sunlight can possibly effect the appearance. The surface of the Bluesound Node 2i, for example, can get sticky from too much sunlight.
Hi Yuri. My speakers arrived recently and I love them. I agree that the speakers stands improve the sound a lot. To me, they are a must. I always listen via Tidal Connect and unfortunately I have had some connection issues with the device (I use both LG G8 & Samsung Tab S4) suddenly losing the connection to the speakers after listening for a while, especially if left idle (e.g. listening to a playlist without skipping tracks). To restore connection I have had to unplug and then replug the main speaker (to reset WiFi connection) and/or turn off and then turn on the "offline" mode on Tidal. I have always managed to resolve the problems but not sure why they occur and if anyone else has the same issues. All devices are connected to the same WiFi network.
Hi John, thanks for your question. Sorry to hear you're experiencing connection issues. Have tried clearing Tidal's App cache (LG G8>Phone Settings>Apps>App Info>TIDAL>Storage>Clear Cache) Sometimes that does the trick.
Another issue I have heard of, is when the Tidal App is stored on an SD card, instead of the phone's internal storage. Hope that helps, best regards, Yuri.
@@YuriBrus Hi Yuri! Clearing the cache did the trick! Many thanks :-)
@@johndiking5881 Happy to hear that. Have a great day 👍
@@YuriBrus thank you! Have a great day too. By the way, I really like your videos. I filled my speakers stands with sand just as you did
hey are you able to recommend any smaller speaker stands i can use on my shelves for tthese? I dont have the room for standalone ones
This grolsch ish not ready yet!!
😄
Are you stereo or Atomos minded? Mister?
Home theater with my family and stereo for me👍
how do you connect a turntable to this speaker set?
Hello and thank you for your question. If your turntable has a built-in preamp, like for example the 'REGA Planar 1 Plus' you can connect it directly to the analog stereo input of the LS50 WII. If your turntable does not have a built-in preamp, you'll need to put a phono stage in between, like for example the REGA Fono MM. In both cases you will need an adapter, from 2 x RCA to 1 x 3.5mm stereo jack.
Have a great day and best regards, Yuri.
@@YuriBrus imo, this this should have phono preamp and proper contacts, since they're filling it with tech and want to tack audio world. they probably leave that to 3rd edition, with 3k price mark..
Very professional review 👍🏻
Thanks, you made my day!
Thanks for the review! What speaker stands are you using?
Thank you, for your view and question. I am using the ISO-155 from IsoAcoustics. Best regards, Yuri
Nice review! I'd really like them for the TV. Could one build a 4.1 set?
And, at 1:57 there are some metal other stands which look awesome. Which are those?
@@pietpara7827 Hello Piet, thank you for your positive feedback and questions. As far as I know, you can only turn these into a 2.2 setup, unless maybe, you connect them to a seperate preamplifier.
The silver colored stands are the Isoacoustics Aperta stands. They look great, but for my desk, I prefer the regular ones.
Best regards, Yuri.
Thanks for the review!
You're welcome 😊
380W RMS x2. They must be joking. 2x50 w it s more realistic
@Sergio Clay At least sound more realistic than 380w RMS x 2 😆
Fantastic review! Straight to the point
Hi A Z, thank you very much. I am happy you liked it. Have a great day and best regards, Yuri.
Yeah. The review is out!!!
Yeah, finally. Took me over a month, but I haven't changed my mind, still love them👍
Great review .
Thanks, you made my day!
What subwoffer do you recommend?
I haven't heard it yet, but the new KEF KC62 seems like the perfect match.
@@YuriBrus I just ordered KC62 yesterday, will see when it arrives.
@@FatedMaster1907 Very cool👍👍👍 I am so jealous. Can only preorder it here in CH, with no estimate on delivery time.
Thank you.
I thank you as well, for your view and kind feedback. Best regards, Yuri.
can still connect it directly to pc via optical right?
Yes, you can 👍
@@YuriBrus Thanks, I read another comment of yours where you said you cannot use the internal DAC of the KEFs as an external soundcard for the PC if u use optical.
...does that matter? I honestly dont know. I was planning on getting these speakers just to use as pc speakers thru optical without any additional sound cards or hardware. optical is like the only input Im planning on actually using : p
@@slopedarmor For my taste, USB usually sounds better than Toslink. Nevertheless, not everyone shares my opinion and lots of people prefer optical over USB. I also use these KEFs as my desktop music system. However, I did not connect my PC directly to them, instead I only stream over Ethernet cable. Either from my PC or from Tidal. This option seems to sound best.
@@YuriBrus thanks Ill keep it in mind. Now fly away, dutchman
@@slopedarmor 🙃😆
You have to turn location on your phone for kef app.
Hi Graham, thanks for your feedback. I allowed the KEF App to use the location of my phone, but that did not help. I believe it is a setting in the phone itself, but I can't figure out which.
@@YuriBrus i allowed the app to do this also but I still have to turn it on manually. Try that if you haven't already.
@@grahamscarr6862 When I check the App's location permission status, it says. 'Allowed when in use' just like with my other phone. Really riddles me.
@@YuriBrus yes mine also but have to turn location on myself every time. I love the wireless ii (I have the white version) but have mine wired to the Internet the connection in wireless wasn't good took a few minutes to connect.
@@grahamscarr6862 Yeah, I also have everything wired, the speakers to each other as well as to my network. Everything works great, except for the App on my LG G8 Thinq phone.
What are the mini stands you have?
Hi P A
Those are IsoAcoustics ISO 155 desktop stands.
Regards, Yuri
Nice review !
Can't wait for the LSX Meta :-)
Thanks😀
Yeah, pretty sure they will come out soon.
I’ve just bought these , love them , but I’ve no idea how to connect my headphones ?
There is no headphone Jack plug ?
Hello Carrera 1972. Yeah, unfortunately there is no headphone connection nor is two way Bluetooth supported either, at least as far as I know. Would have been nice, but I guess KEF figured that most people connect their headphones to their smartphone anyway.
Still, if you use them on a desk, like I do, a headphone connection would have been helpful.
Have a great day and best regards, Yuri.
I just bought LS50 Wireless II after your reviews. Love them so far! Just have one question. Is it normal, that I hear quiet ticking after turning on and turning off speakers? When turning on, just before this welcome sound and when turning off just after this sound. Wondering if it's normal ;)
Hello Aleksander,
Thank you for your feedback and question.
Do you mean the kind of quiet ticking that resembles the sound of a stylus on vinyl? Mine make the exact same sound after turning on and off. Although, its really short and I can only hear it when I'm very close with my ears to the speakers. Not exactly sure what it is and if it should be considered normal, but I doubt that it is something to worry about.
Best regards, Yuri
@@YuriBrus Thank you very much for testing. It is exactly as you described. I feel a little relieved;)
@@sontagstudio I noticed it before but never thought anything of it, most gear makes some sort of sound when powering on or off.
This sound is caused by the relays in each speaker taking it out of standby mode and powering up the amplifiers. The original LS50 Wireless did it as well but they were much louder. I think KEF has changed from mechanical relays to static relays on the Wireless II. This is good as they have no moving parts and are more reliable.
@@brucek6838 Hi Bruce, thank you very much for your helpful reply. So in that case, no need to worry, right?
I enjoyed your review. Great job! I auditioned the original LS50W music system a couple years ago when they first came out on release. I absolutely loved them minus the absolute garbage KEF app. I ended up returning them with the intention of buying again once KEF addressed the said app's terrible issues. My go to "all in one" active speaker package right now is The Vanatoo Transparent Encore system. Unreal sound for the price ($599 usd). There is no denying that the original KEF LS50W's punches deeper and has more thrust than the Vanatoo's ( just slightly more which is amazing and baffling at the same time) but clarity is equal between the two. I have an RSL Speedwoofer sub on order to add to my Vanatoo's which was a suggestion to bring them to the next level of listening. Now my curiosity to try the LS50W 2's is getting the best of me after watching your review!!! If you get a shot I'd love to see you review the Vanatoo Encore speakers!
Hello B A and thanks for your positive feedback. I have been living with the Wireless II for just over three months now and except for the problem that I had with one particular phone, the App works flawless. Nevertheless, if you read through the consumer feedback on Amazon, you'll see that there are still plenty of people who do have issues with the App so before you make a decision, you might wanna check that out. Unfortunately, the Vanatoo Transparent Encore system is not available here in Switzerland. I have read so many positive reviews about them, though and it seems like a great package. Hopefully, in the near future, I will be able to travel to the US again and then I will most definitely check them out. Have a great day and best regards, Yuri.
I could sit and stare at them all day, superb design! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for your kind feedback. Yeah, KEF is clever enough to put some effort in their design as well. Makes it a lot easier to pass the 'wife acceptance' test😄.
@@YuriBrus ‘wife acceptance test’ Brilliant 😂
@@Cheezwizzz 😄😄😄
Great video! Sorry if someone already asked, but what is the name of those desktop speaker stands?
Thank you, @Robeddo86! I appreciate your kind words. The desktop speaker stands I used in the video are called ISO-155, by IsoAcoustics. 😊🔊👍
Had a set for around a month now, stunning however rather laid back speaker, have a kube 10b in the mail so hoping that will fill the bottom end out and add a bit more feeling and kick in the chest, will likely add another when I can afford.
The Kube10 is a good and economical choice. I've moved my Kube10 from the home theatre to the LS50 Wireless II and am thinking of adding a second Kube10 as well.
@M Pi I did look at and consider both, went for the cleaner sound of the kefs, they are stunning I just miss a bit of that feeling that hopefully a bit more bottom end can fill out
@M Pi my last hifi was 1980s Morton short floor standers, last couple of years I've had a JBL charge 3 in my house, the w2s sound stunning and I love the soundstage, constantly amazed at where the sound is coming from and the notes that they can produce, listening to a bit of EDM and stuff I do miss the bass, they play Skrillex amazingly for what they are (I had to try) however being my first set of bookshelf speakers I am missing that 30 / 60hz rumble and feel, extremely excited to hookup and play with a sub
The same happened to me. The LS50 didn't sound as good as the active LS50 and not even as good as the LSX that are inferior.
The passive speakers need more power than the recommended which is demonstrated with the internal amps in the active version.
Yes, in that regard the LS50 Wireless II is actually a good deal.