Does anyone have experience with the Kef LS50?

[goldendarko]

I have been under powering my LS50 for a while till I decided to try them with my Quad 909 , 140 watt per channel amp with my peak volcano as a pre amp and wow the difference is from here to the moon.

I was using a low wattage integrated tube amp I think 15 watts per channel and they sounded beautiful but lacked dynamics, punch and a little detail.

I have the whole quad system driving my old spendor sp1 which are just Jewels. I am planning on returning my quad amp to my main system and getting either an emotiva , a parasound or maybe another quad if I find a good deal.

I plan to keep this speakers forever , they r just amazing!

 


These little suckers really sing when given some juice, I've got mine hooked up to 220 watts of Peachtree Audio's finest and boy do they sound great, especially for the pice!

 

[steveting99]

I'm thinking of getting these in a future move to a new place. Space is limited and plan to sit about 10' away.
 
How close to the wall one can place the LS50 without de-grading sound quality? Page 5 of the owner's manual recommends 500mm with the port open and down to 200mm with plug in the port.
 
Have any of the LS50 owners experimented with the plugs and distance from walls? What combination gave the best sound stage and imaging?

 

[daerron]

  I'm thinking of getting these in a future move to a new place. Space is limited and plan to sit about 10' away.
 
How close to the wall one can place the LS50 without de-grading sound quality? Page 5 of the owner's manual recommends 500mm with the port open and down to 200mm with plug in the port.
 
Have any of the LS50 owners experimented with the plugs and distance from walls? What combination gave the best sound stage and imaging?

 
I sit a little bit closer to them than that (8 ft) and they work fine in that space, but the setup on the stands was the trickiest part. I've found the sweet spot in our room to be between 400-450mm away from the wall.Too far back they sound boomy (the foam bungs doesn't seem to do much to reduce mid bass boost) and setting them too far forward makes them sound a bit too lean and it messes with the width positioning if you sit as close to them as I do. Get it right and you will be very happy! I'm driving mine with a 150W solid state amplifier from Myryad and it makes them sing very nicely.

 

[dmacg]

I have had the Kef LS50's for a couple of months now. I had intended to up-grade my main speaker system from the NHT Classic Three and NHT B-12d subwoofer combination I had been running for a couple of years. I had previously added a Bryston B135 SST² and Cambridge Audio Azur 851C, and though very happy, thought that an investment in speakers would put the final touch on the main system. I set a budget of between $4 to 5k.   Problem was, when I took my Classic 3's to the store (sans B-12d sub) to play them beside what I was considering; or when I brought home the new contender, as I was able to do with the 3 that I had narrowed down as truly worth the effort at the store, they were all returned.   What I had learned, beyond any doubt, was how absolutely amazing my NHT Classic Three speakers are. (I will keep them forever). How does a $900 pair of speakers outdo some of the most respected speakers in the $4-5k range??
Admittedly, one, and to a lesser degree, two of the pairs I brought home were better than my Classic Three's in combination with the B12d.  However, their level of improvement; could in no way justify an outlay of $5 and $6k for the pair. So I gave up, and concluded that until I was able to spend well above my original budget I was very happy.
 
After reading rave review after review on the LS50's, I thought hell, for that money I'll try them. I have a deep respect for my B-12d's musical capability and thought they may go well together. I also know from 30+ years at this, that there can be, very occasionally, a true anomaly when it comes to any type of audio product. My NAD 3020 purchased in 1976 (?) proved to be one, and the Classic 3's another.
 
I am utterly GOBSMACKED....... After the initial pre-requisite 100-200 hours of break in and a little set up fine tuning on placement and subwoofer integration (kudos to Jim Smith's book, 'Get Better Sound') I have a speaker system that I could very conceivably be happy with for the rest of my life.( I know, I'm 58, but hey.... ) I cannot begin to describe how magnificent this combination is; as I do not possess the vernacular needed to accurately do so as I am not a "reviewer". However, let me say this at least; if you purchase the Kef LS50's, adding sufficient quality and quantity of power, good source, and proper care and attention to placement and room configuration, I would find it hard to believe that you could best your modest overall investment in the area of $4-8k, with anything justifiable approaching less than a minimum of 3-5 times your initial system cost. You will have reached the cliff of diminishing returns at that point.
 
Cheerio;
 
Doug  (dmacg)

 

[dizzyorange]

Do the LS50's do well with rock?  
 
I'm hugely tempted, but hesitant too — any time I've spent over a grand on a single hi-fi component, I've always been disappointed.  My (limited) experience has been that once you get past the $1000 barrier, the sound gets progressively thinner and colder.  I love that warm "wall of sound" feeling and don't want to give that up, but I also want my classical/vocal music to sound great too.
 
So, can the LS50's excel at both?  I'm planning to pair them with the warmest amp/DAC combo I can find... haven't decided yet but would welcome suggestions if anybody has any.
 
Also looking at the Dali Zensor 3 (only a third of the price at $500), which are described as fun and messy speakers. 
 
To sum up, I want fun/messy but also 3D imaging and all that other goodness you don't get with most fun/messy speakers.

 

[proglife]

Do the LS50's do well with rock?

I love my LS50's and will be keeping them indefinitely, but I would say in my room, they are not the ideal speakers for rock. That said, I'm powering them with a Brio-R, which might not have enough juice for the way I play rock. The Brio-R driving my Vienna Acoustics Bach Grands is a much better combo for rock.

The LS50's are addictively coherent and transparent. The VA's feel a bit more full bodied/richer and have much better low bass. Still, the LS50's are taking the top spot in my house. In the long run, I'd like to augment them with a pair of stereo subs and more current to hopefully make them rock better.

 

[daerron]

  Do the LS50's do well with rock?  
 
I'm hugely tempted, but hesitant too — any time I've spent over a grand on a single hi-fi component, I've always been disappointed.  My (limited) experience has been that once you get past the $1000 barrier, the sound gets progressively thinner and colder.  I love that warm "wall of sound" feeling and don't want to give that up, but I also want my classical/vocal music to sound great too.
 
So, can the LS50's excel at both?  I'm planning to pair them with the warmest amp/DAC combo I can find... haven't decided yet but would welcome suggestions if anybody has any.
 
Also looking at the Dali Zensor 3 (only a third of the price at $500), which are described as fun and messy speakers. 
 
To sum up, I want fun/messy but also 3D imaging and all that other goodness you don't get with most fun/messy speakers.

 
I like mine for rock, but I'd recommend pairing it with a good subwoofer to get that wall of sound feeling. Due to their steep bass roll-off they integrate nicely with subs. Imo the speakers on their own with the wrong gear can sound a bit edgy and thin with rock, more so with metal, but they more than making up for it with their speed, imaging and coherence. I played some Metallica records yesterday and it sounded pretty awesome. I wouldn't say the speakers don't have warmth, but the mids and highs are more prominent. I think system synergy plays a big role here and feeding them enough power.
 
NAD amps have a bold sound with lots of drive that I think works well the LS50s. I bought the LS50s based on their sound connected to a midrange NAD integrated. If you are after more warmth, check out Arcam. The important consideration is not to skimp on the quality of the amplifier and to get the speaker placement right and having solid stands. The LS50s are very transparent and they easily show differences with your upstream gear. My Emotiva Mini-X doesn't cut it. Also don't be scared trying them out with a tube amp. I'd love to try a 40W tube amp sometime just to hear what they sound like, reckon it could be magical.
 
I've heard the Dali Zensor's before and from memory they are not near the performance of the LS50s. The LS50s competes more with the Ikon Mk2, which has a magical midrange and airy sound. The LS50s are closer to high end bookshelf speakers than the low end. The KEF R300 is a better rocker and more laid back sounding and won't require a sub.

 

[dizzyorange]

I love my LS50's and will be keeping them indefinitely, but I would say in my room, they are not the ideal speakers for rock. That said, I'm powering them with a Brio-R, which might not have enough juice for the way I play rock. The Brio-R driving my Vienna Acoustics Bach Grands is a much better combo for rock.

The LS50's are addictively coherent and transparent. The VA's feel a bit more full bodied/richer and have much better low bass. Still, the LS50's are taking the top spot in my house. In the long run, I'd like to augment them with a pair of stereo subs and more current to hopefully make them rock better.

 
 

   
I like mine for rock, but I'd recommend pairing it with a good subwoofer to get that wall of sound feeling. Due to their steep bass roll-off they integrate nicely with subs. Imo the speakers on their own with the wrong gear can sound a bit edgy and thin with rock, more so with metal, but they more than making up for it with their speed, imgaging and coherence. I played some Metallica records yesterday and it sounded pretty awesome. I wouldn't say the speakers don't have warmth, but the mids and highs are more prominent. I think system synergy plays a big role here and feeding them enough power.
 
NAD amps have a bold sound with lots of drive that I think works well the LS50s. I bought the LS50s based on their sound connected to a midrange NAD integrated. If you are after more warmth, check out Arcam. The important consideration is not to skimp on the quality of the amplifier and to get the speaker placement right and having solid stands. The LS50s are very transparent and they easily show differences with your upstream gear. My Emotiva Mini-X doesn't cut it. Also don't be scared trying them out with a tube amp. I'd love to try a 40W tube amp sometime just to hear what they sound like, reckon it could be magical.
 
I've heard the Dali Zensor's before and from memory they are not near the performance of the LS50s. The LS50s competes more with the Ikon Mk2, which has a magical midrange and airy sound. The LS50s are closer to high end bookshelf speakers than the low end. The KEF R300 is a better rocker and more laid back sounding and won't require a sub.

 
Thanks for the replies.  My budget is currently about $2500 for a new speaker system.  The only component I have so far is a Dragonfly 1.2 DAC.  I wonder what will the best way to distribute this budget across the components.  My gut instinct is to put most of it into the speakers and go with generic cables (or Blue Jeans).  Right now my tentative plan is to get the LS50, an NAD D 3020 amp, and stick with the Dragonfly for now as a source (mostly FLAC).  
 
I have to admit I'm attracted to the NAD D 3020 because of the bass boost button on the back.  I know that I'll be the only person in the history of the world to use bass boost with the LS50 

.  I wonder if the NAD is powerful enough to run the LS50s though?  I won't be listening at super high volumes because of the neighbors.
 
I'm also considering buying a DAC, but the problem is that there is only DAC that I want, and it costs $3500!  It's so lovely:


Also considering the Arcam irDAC and the Halide HD DAC but that Vega just makes me drool.  I'd almost rather just skimp for now and save up for it.

 

[che15]

I have listened to mine with my soundquest integrated tube amp And with quad 909 amp, they sound great with both. U definitively need a sub with them , but believe me for the money or even more , you will not find better.
Why will u not use the built in DAC in the 3020? My friend just got one and he loves it!
I have not heard the nad with the kef but in stereophile they say they are an amazing match.
I will suggest to buy everything in audiogon and u will save money and have a great little system. They have the model above the 3020 which has more power and other features there for $750 with warranty.
Send me a pm if u would like some more advice, I have listened to lots of hi end gear and would not mind helping u put together a nice system.

 

[goldendarko]

   
 
 
Thanks for the replies.  My budget is currently about $2500 for a new speaker system.  The only component I have so far is a Dragonfly 1.2 DAC.  I wonder what will the best way to distribute this budget across the components.  My gut instinct is to put most of it into the speakers and go with generic cables (or Blue Jeans).  Right now my tentative plan is to get the LS50, an NAD D 3020 amp, and stick with the Dragonfly for now as a source (mostly FLAC).  
 
I have to admit I'm attracted to the NAD D 3020 because of the bass boost button on the back.  I know that I'll be the only person in the history of the world to use bass boost with the LS50 

.  I wonder if the NAD is powerful enough to run the LS50s though?  I won't be listening at super high volumes because of the neighbors.
 
I'm also considering buying a DAC, but the problem is that there is only DAC that I want, and it costs $3500!  It's so lovely
Also considering the Arcam irDAC and the Halide HD DAC but that Vega just makes me drool.  I'd almost rather just skimp for now and save up for it
 

Have you considered Peachtree Audio, they have some great affordable integrated's that pair well with the LS50's. I think the Dragonfly might be a weak link in your chain, though otherwise the LS50's rock well, listening to Led Zeppelin III on them right now

 

[proglife]

My gut instinct is to put most of it into the speakers and go with generic cables (or Blue Jeans).  Right now my tentative plan is to get the LS50, an NAD D 3020 amp, and stick with the Dragonfly for now as a source (mostly FLAC).  

From my personal experience, that's a no brainer. I'd never go for anything more expensive than Blue Jeans Cables. And upgrading the Dragonfly won't have nearly the same impact as getting the right amp/speaker combo or room treatments.

 

[dizzyorange]

  Have you considered Peachtree Audio, they have some great affordable integrated's that pair well with the LS50's. I think the Dragonfly might be a weak link in your chain, though otherwise the LS50's rock well, listening to Led Zeppelin III on them right now

 
What's the Peachtree sound signature like?  btw that album has one of my fave zep songs: Tangerine.  I agree that the Dragonfly will probably not be up to par with the LS50, but I'm worried that a higher-end DAC will be too thin and fatiguing.  I owned the Benchmark DAC1 a few years back and couldn't get myself to like it no matter how hard I tried.
 

From my personal experience, that's a no brainer. I'd never go for anything more expensive than Blue Jeans Cables. And upgrading the Dragonfly won't have nearly the same impact as getting the right amp/speaker combo or room treatments.

 
How do you like your Brio-R?  I hadn't heard of it before but it seems to have gotten very good reviews a few years ago.  Does it lean towards a warm thick sound or the other way?

 

[goldendarko]

   
What's the Peachtree sound signature like?  btw that album has one of my fave zep songs: Tangerine.  I agree that the Dragonfly will probably not be up to par with the LS50, but I'm worried that a higher-end DAC will be too thin and fatiguing.  I owned the Benchmark DAC1 a few years back and couldn't get myself to like it no matter how hard I tried.
 
 
How do you like your Brio-R?  I hadn't heard of it before but it seems to have gotten very good reviews a few years ago.  Does it lean towards a warm thick sound or the other way?

I would say it's a slightly warm sounding amp, but the LS50's really do well with soundstaging and instrument seperation so I wouldn't pair them with an amp that is more analytical sounding like some can be. I think the Brio-R is probably another good bet, one of which I considered before settling on the Peachtree. I mainly just wanted oodles of power (220 watts with my NovaPre & 220 Power Amp) to drive them to their best. Here is a value option that I might consider, and probably would have done myself if it was this cheap before:
 
http://www.musicdirect.com/p-2701-wadia-151-powerdac-mini.aspx
 
Also, I think someone already said it, but you might want to consider a proper subwoofer to fill out the bottom end. The KEF's do an admirable job but since I added my REL sub there is definately no going back. Cheers!

 

[swimcoleby]

Thanks for the replies.  My budget is currently about $2500 for a new speaker system.  The only component I have so far is a Dragonfly 1.2 DAC.  I wonder what will the best way to distribute this budget across the components.  My gut instinct is to put most of it into the speakers and go with generic cables (or Blue Jeans).  Right now my tentative plan is to get the LS50, an NAD D 3020 amp, and stick with the Dragonfly for now as a source (mostly FLAC).  

I have to admit I'm attracted to the NAD D 3020 because of the bass boost button on the back.  I know that I'll be the only person in the history of the world to use bass boost with the LS50  .  I wonder if the NAD is powerful enough to run the LS50s though?  I won't be listening at super high volumes because of the neighbors.

I'm also considering buying a DAC, but the problem is that there is only DAC that I want, and it costs $3500!  It's so lovely:




Also considering the Arcam irDAC and the Halide HD DAC but that Vega just makes me drool.  I'd almost rather just skimp for now and save up for it.

The arcam dac is a nice bit of gear but just be weary of the NAD d3020,yes it's a great amp but I tried it with my ls50's last week and it just doesn't have the control or finesse to get anywhere near the potential of the kef's!
All imo of course but it really wasn't a great pair for me.
Roksan and arcam pair nicely with ls50 from my experiences at reasonay priced amps.

 

[daerron]

My money would be on the Wyred4Sound mINT if you can sell the Dragonfly and raise a little bit more money. Good DAC, decent headphone amp and 100W amplifier in a compact package. I think it also has preamp outputs which you can connect to a sub later on. The NAD D3020 is a surprising little unit for the money. We've got a couple of folks here using them as desktop amps, but I haven't heard it with the LS50s yet.
 
The Dragonfly DAC has quite a fun sound and it is tuned a bit bass heavy. Higher end DACs usually give you more body to the music, especially in the mids. I bought the Resonessence Labs Concero as a replacement for my DF last year and it is pretty strange to think that they use the same ESS9023 DAC, because I wasn't expecting the improvement I got from the Concero. The Concero would be a nice DAC to pair with a warmer amp. I used my Concero when I demo'ed the Rega Brio-R with the Dali Ikon 2 speakers late last year and it sounded very good.