[dizzyorange]

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.

Can you elaborate on what the NAD D 3020 sounded like with the LS50s?  By lack of control or finesse, do you mean the bass sounded boomy and loose?  Just curious.  Thanks.

 

[swimcoleby]

Can you elaborate on what the NAD D 3020 sounded like with the LS50s?  By lack of control or finesse, do you mean the bass sounded boomy and loose?  Just curious.  Thanks.

Loose, yes. the bass to me would be best described as not very articulate. Low end detailing just felt muddled and uncontrolled.

Boomy would be harsh, it's not awful, just not as refined or controlled as the ls50's should sound. It's the same story elsewhere though, the presentation just isn't up to scratch in terms of separation and soundstage. The upper fequencies lack detail and spaciousness too, but the warmth of the amp could be a contributing cause of this.

I want to clarify I am a fan of the D3020, I think it's a great unit, just not with the ls50.

 

[dizzyorange]

Loose, yes. the bass to me would be best described as not very articulate. Low end detailing just felt muddled and uncontrolled.

Boomy would be harsh, it's not awful, just not as refined or controlled as the ls50's should sound. It's the same story elsewhere though, the presentation just isn't up to scratch in terms of separation and soundstage. The upper fequencies lack detail and spaciousness too, but the warmth of the amp could be a contributing cause of this.

I want to clarify I am a fan of the D3020, I think it's a great unit, just not with the ls50.

That is useful info, thanks for replying!

 

[dizzyorange]

I finalized and ordered my system tonight—based on the very helpful feedback I got here.
 
speakers: KEF LS50  ($1500)
amp: NAD D 3020 ($500)
DAC: NAD D 1050 ($500)
cables: blue jeans (~$50)
 
So, I know those who replied are shaking their heads 

.  Well I must admit, I am a basshead. I like my bass boomy, wet, and wild 

.
 
The 3020 is universally described as a warm amp, a little bit loose in the lower registers, perfect for me. 
 
The 1050 DAC (not the same DAC as in the 3020), is consistently described as thick and bassy, perhaps best summed by Audiostream's review: "Think rich, fat, and fun with a nice big bottom."
 
Finally I will turn on the 6db bass boost button on the back of the 3020 

.
 
Call me crazy.  Or tell me I should get a subwoofer.  Or just a Sony boombox.  I don't care hehe.  Can't wait for this to get here!

 

[proglife]

You're crazy. Get a subwoofer. If you don't care that it's balanced, it doesn't need to be expensive.

 

[goldendarko]

Sounds like it will be a great setup, congrats. I wouldn't worry about the naysayers either, if you know the kind of sound you enjoy and did the research I'm sure you will find something that performs well and fits your tastes. Hope to see some pics when you get it all set up

 

[dizzyorange]

You're crazy. Get a subwoofer. If you don't care that it's balanced, it doesn't need to be expensive.

Well I still want the nice detail up top—and I can always turn off the bass boost for classical music.  Plus, I wanted to invest in one "permanent" component (the LS50s), and spend a little less in the other components.  When I upgrade in the future, I'll probably be looking into stuff like the Auralic Vega and Magnat RV3:
 

 
while keeping the LS50s.  I guess my point is, I'd rather have a very resolving speaker and then soften that up with warm input than the other way around.  Maybe I'll hate the LS50s, who knows... I am buying them blindly.  But Amazon has an excellent return policy so I'm not too worried.  

 

[proglife]

Definitely let them break in and put them on a heavy stand. On cheapo stands, mine sounded pretty harsh

 

[dizzyorange]

Sounds like it will be a great setup, congrats. I wouldn't worry about the naysayers either, if you know the kind of sound you enjoy and did the research I'm sure you will find something that performs well and fits your tastes. Hope to see some pics when you get it all set up

Thanks!  There will definitely be pictures!  I can barely wait until it gets here.  In the meantime, I'm graduating from school and moving from New Jersey to North Dakota to start a job.  Because I'll be driving there and have to fit everything in the car (plus another person), I gave away all my possessions except for clothing and toiletries.  So the only things in my new apartment will be this speaker system, a pair of stands, a desk, my computer, and a mattress on the floor—the Bohemian life

 

[dizzyorange]

Definitely let them break in and put them on a heavy stand. On cheapo stands, mine sounded pretty harsh

Do you use blu-tack or isolation foam or anything like that?  What stands do you have?

 

[daerron]

 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

I finalized and ordered my system tonight—based on the very helpful feedback I got here.
 
speakers: KEF LS50  ($1500)
amp: NAD D 3020 ($500)
DAC: NAD D 1050 ($500)
cables: blue jeans (~$50)
 
So, I know those who replied are shaking their heads 

.  Well I must admit, I am a basshead. I like my bass boomy, wet, and wild 

.
 
The 3020 is universally described as a warm amp, a little bit loose in the lower registers, perfect for me. 
 
The 1050 DAC (not the same DAC as in the 3020), is consistently described as thick and bassy, perhaps best summed by Audiostream's review: "Think rich, fat, and fun with a nice big bottom."
 
Finally I will turn on the 6db bass boost button on the back of the 3020 

.
 
Call me crazy.  Or tell me I should get a subwoofer.  Or just a Sony boombox.  I don't care hehe.  Can't wait for this to get here!

 

 
Your call, but I think you discarded the advice given here too easily. $2500 remains a lot of money to spend. With your budget I'm really surprised that you allocated so much funds to the purchase of a DAC and ignored the advice about adding a subwoofer. For that money you could have purchased a SVS SB-1000 10" sealed or a PB-1000 ported sub and it would have made a real difference... A warm sounding well designed amp like the Arcam FMJ A19 would also have made a difference.
 
A DAC can never "fix" the inherent properties of the speakers and amplification. It is like trying to polish a murky diamond and expecting it to reflect light brighter. Or consider it like seasoning in a meal. No amount of seasoning can make up for a bland tasting meal. In this instance, the LS50 will never be boomy or have loose bass or will inherently sound crap whilst doing so. It was not designed to output boomy bass, it messes with the Uni-Q driver integration which will harden the sound in the upper mids and treble (another benefit of adding a sub). Whilst its bass for the size is remarkable, the LS50s can't change the laws of physics. Small box = limited bass output. At 50Hz it rapidly rolls off, boost button or not.
 
I kind of resent that reviewers try to present DACs with such extensive vocabulary to try and describe their sonic differences. I think it it creates unrealistic expectations of what they do. They do make a difference, but it comes with pre-conditions attached. In your situation I would have asked hard questions on whether the LS50s would have been the right speakers for me. There are many other bookshelf speakers in your budget that would have given you the bass you are looking for. The Wharfedale Diamond's, whilst not nearly as detailed and clear as the LS50s certainly has the boomy bass and warm sound you are looking for and works nicely with the D3020.

 

[proglife]

I agree with daerron. DACs don't sound dramatically different.

Blu tack and Skylan 27-sp filled with sand

 

[dizzyorange]

   
Your call, but I think you discarded the advice given here too easily. $2500 remains a lot of money to spend. With your budget I'm really surprised that you allocated so much funds to the purchase of a DAC and ignored the advice about adding a subwoofer. For that money you could have purchased a SVS SB-1000 10" sealed or a PB-1000 ported sub and it would have made a real difference... A warm sounding well designed amp like the Arcam FMJ A19 would also have made a difference.
 
A DAC can never "fix" the inherent properties of the speakers and amplification. It is like trying to polish a murky diamond and expecting it to reflect light brighter. Or consider it like seasoning in a meal. No amount of seasoning can make up for a bland tasting meal. In this instance, the LS50 will never be boomy or have loose bass or will inherently sound crap whilst doing so. It was not designed to output boomy bass, it messes with the Uni-Q driver integration which will harden the sound in the upper mids and treble (another benefit of adding a sub). Whilst its bass for the size is remarkable, the LS50s can't change the laws of physics. Small box = limited bass output. At 50Hz it rapidly rolls off, boost button or not.
 
I kind of resent that reviewers try to present DACs with such extensive vocabulary to try and describe their sonic differences. I think it it creates unrealistic expectations of what they do. They do make a difference, but it comes with pre-conditions attached. In your situation I would have asked hard questions on whether the LS50s would have been the right speakers for me. There are many other bookshelf speakers in your budget that would have given you the bass you are looking for. The Wharfedale Diamond's, whilst not nearly as detailed and clear as the LS50s certainly has the boomy bass and warm sound you are looking for and works nicely with the D3020.

 
Despite being a basshead, I don't like subwoofers.  Actually that's one of the big things that attracted me to the LS50s, that the drivers were concentric—because for some reason (perhaps psychological, or because I sit very close to the speakers) I hear sound coming from each driver separately instead of a cohesive whole.  I don't think I will ever purchase another set of speakers where the tweeter is physically on top of the woofer.  I considered the ClairAudient One for this reason:

I realize you're not supposed to be able to localize sounds in the bass region, but systems with subwoofers just don't sound cohesive to me.
 
I kind of disagree with you saying that a DAC can't "fix" the sound.  To me, the DAC is the source of the sound—the amplifier and speakers can "fix" or modify the DAC's sound, but they have to work with they're given.  It's not the DAC's job to fix the sound, but to make the sound in the first place.  I'll admit I haven't heard the super-expensive DACs, but the ones I've heard have a fairly different sound from each other.  More so than the difference between the amplifiers I've heard. My current opinion is that the amplifier is the component (after cables) that affects sound the least.
 
Now, my experience with nicer equipment is limited, so I'm not saying that I couldn't be wrong or change my mind in the future.
 
Finally, the form factor of the NADs and as well as the small size of the LS50s were a significant factor in my decision, as I will be using these as essentially desktop computer speakers (albeit on 12" stands with some isolation foam).
 
But I appreciate your thoughtful response!

 

[mamba315]

Picked up a pair of these KEF's while I wait for a more expensive speaker to be made.  First day I was ready to send them back.  The first 15 hours they sounded thin, bright, and lacked dynamic contrast.
 
Well after tweaking the setup a bit (still only 20 hours on them), they are starting to sound much better.  I would say that they need to be kept away from walls and other reflecting furniture/gear.  Due to the small woofer, the dispersion pattern will be fairly wide (although well controlled, by design).  I got the Reference 3a stands that were mentioned earlier in this thread and really like them.  They are height adjustable, match the LS50's aesthetically, and have a quality look/feel.  The KEF's are blu-tacked to the stands, which are isolated from the floor with sorbothane hemispheres of the appropriate weight rating.  I have IsoAcoustic stands on the way to replace the blu-tack.  This will provide more height & rake options, and the decoupling idea sounds interesting too.
 
The monoblock amps I'm using are rated around 125w into 8 ohms, and 250w into 4 ohms.  I think this is important since the KEF's impedance goes fairly low (3.2 ohms minimum).  I think a high-current design that doubles its power into 4 ohms is a good idea for those wanting to maximize performance.
 
Mine should have over 100 hours on them by the time the IsoAcoustic stands arrive.  Can't wait to see how good they'll be with more hours and better positioning.

 

[daerron]

Nice! Try experimenting with different heights too. I've now realised that I prefer the speakers slightly below ear level. They sound a touch more forgiving and musical on stands around 600-650mm in height. Toughest task is getting the correct distance from the walls, the LS50s are very sensitive to this. Also going to go scan through this thread for new stands. I've given my cement pillar stands away and will look for something a little bit more stylish!