Review KEF LS50 Wireless II compact speakers

The audio brand KEF guarantees excellent audio products for audio enthusiasts. For example, the KEF Mu3 Earphones were introduced at the beginning of this year and audio enthusiasts will especially know the famous KEF eggs. Other high-quality products are, for example, the KEF LS50 Wireless II compact speakers, the review of which you can find here.

KEF LS50 Wireless II
The second version of the KEF LS50 Wireless has been technically redesigned, including a new KEF Connect app. The weighty 10kg bookshelf speakers each measuring 30 x 20 x 31cm (H x W x D) require a sturdy bookshelf or also look great on optional floor stands. The charming compact appearance does not differ much from the previous version and the units are available in elegant variants of the colors white, grey, black, blue and red. The cone is visible and comes in a contrasting color. They are speakers with built-in amplifiers and can be connected wirelessly and via cables, so you don’t need a separate amplifier. There is a primary unit with the connections and control buttons and a secondary unit for the other channel. It is a stereo set in which it can be determined via the app which unit plays which channel. The secondary unit can be linked wirelessly, but if you want maximum bandwidth and no chance of sound interruptions, an RJ45 cable is preferred. Optionally, an extra woofer can be added to the stereo set, which is recommended for use as a home theater. The bass reflex port is located at the rear of the units, so some distance from the wall is necessary.

Connection options and app
The connection options are countless and adapted to today’s requirements, including HDMI/eARC to connect a TV, optical to a TV or Ziggo box, etc., digital coax, analog via 3.5mm jack and ethernet via an RJ45 connector. connector. An alternative is wireless ethernet via WiFi. Communication protocols are AirPlay-II, ChromeCast, Bluetooth 4.2 (SBC, AAC), UPnP/DLNA for example a NAS link and ROON (https://roonlabs.com/howroonworks). In the app we see selectable music servers from the cloud: Amazon Music, Deezer, Qubuz, Spotify Connect and Deezer. In addition, Internet Radio, Podcast selection and Music from your own network, such as Media Servers or NAS. The new app is very complete and works surprisingly fast. In addition to the buttons on the master unit and a physical remote control, the app has an integrated remote control where the inputs can be selected and the volume controlled. The physical remote must be pointed at the eye of the primary unit for it to respond.

powerhouse
Each unit’s internal amplifier is a powerhouse of 280W/Class-D each for mids and lows and 100W-A/B for the highs. One speaker is used with Uni-Q technology for separate bass/mid and treble control. The sound is balanced across the board and sounds excellent and manages to make a big impression, especially with a little more volume. With the Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT), KEF manages to create a pure sound: clear and detailed because there is hardly any interference between high and low and therefore no distortion, which can be heard too well. It will be clear that this set feels primarily in its element with high quality data streams (WAV, FLAC, DSD). The app could be a bit more user-friendly and we would like to see an alphabetical selection and search function for CDs added to make it easier to access an extensive NAS library. The use of the KEF Connect app is preferred for music playback, because control via other streaming apps does not always work well or slowly.
This pricey but high-quality set is recommended for anyone looking for a compact stereo set with sublime sound.

Product: KEF LS50 Wireless II

Rating:
MSRP: € 2799,-

Pros
+ superb sound
+ many control options

Negatives
– operation can be optimized
– limited to stereo