Sometimes a new product seems very very similar to its predecessor. That first impression can be very misleading, we discovered (again) with the KEF LS 50 Wireless II. This recently released version of the successful wireless stereo speakers has been improved in so many ways that you can hardly compare old with new. In particular, the metamaterial and the addition of an HDMI-ARC port make for real progress.
With the first LS 50 Wireless, KEF almost on its own initiative created a new product category: active stereo speakers with streaming built-in and at hi-fi level. And intended for the discerning music lover who is nevertheless averse to a large pile of hi-fi gear and cables lying around like unwanted anacondas. They may not have been the first devices of this type, but the KEFs were without a doubt real trendsetters. Who first goes, of course, risks a lot. You do the heavy lifting required to try something new, and if something is still missing, a competitor can pick up on it.
What do you do as a brand? You provide a successor who tries to address any criticism. That’s the LS 50 Wireless II, a clear response to the latest trends and feedback from the market. With a solid injection of groundbreaking audio technology to improve the reproduction.
A lot has been adjusted with the LS 50 Wireless II, both in terms of software and hardware. You can connect the speakers to your television via HDMI and there are many more streaming options. You can now play music wirelessly via Bluetooth, Chromecast or AirPlay 2. Or you can use the new app, which supports more streaming services than before and internet radio. In terms of reproduction, much more power has been provided and there is a metamaterial â ???? explanation follows â ???? applied in the renewed Uni-Q driver. Some of those changes mirror the improvements in the passive version of the LS 50 Wireless, the LS 50 Meta. You will soon read a separate review about that speaker from colleague Max.
All this makes the 2. 499 – euro costing KEF LS 50 Wireless II even more a do-everything solution designed for people who don’t want a comprehensive music system, but want something better than what wireless speakers of the Sonos genre can offer. That you are talking about two separate speakers that are used in a stereo setup is therefore only logical. Music should be listened to in real stereo. For those who are used to Bluetooth speakers, going from one to two speakers is the first, most effective upgrade you can ever make. There is no longer a need to run a cable between the pair, another version II innovation borrowed from the tiny LSX. Plug in and listen to music.
Modern and traditional at the same time The original LS 50 Wireless was an active version of the passive LS 50 – speaker that requires separate amplifier and source devices. It was smart of KEF to do that, because in this way they built on an audio design that was almost universally acclaimed. So the British brand took an established name that sounded good and added a built-in amplifier that was completely optimized for the LS 50. And don’t forget: streaming.
The LS 50 Wireless II is a further evolution of that unlikely combination of tradition and trendsetting. So don’t expect a pair of loudspeakers that suddenly look completely different than before, although we must immediately add that the industrial design of the LS 50 was always more modern and waves than with traditional hi-fi speakers. The old and new LS 50 – speakers look mostly the same, though there are certainly things different. What we immediately noticed, for example, when we placed the Wireless II next to the first Wireless speakers, was the matte finish. The previous edition had a high-gloss finish. The shape, the rounded corners and the striking convex front with a copper-colored driver in the middle are still there. No problem, as far as we are concerned, because the LS 96 – designs introduced in 2011 stays fresh and modern. Due to the matte finish on the Carbon Black version that we received a visit, we thought that the new KEFs look just a bit more luxurious. It also shows less dust and fingerprints.
Crimson Red The LS 50 Wireless II is available in four colors: matte black, white, gray and a special edition in Crimson Red. To make it even better, the driver has each time received a suitable color. For the black and white versions, KEF opted for a matte copper color, for the titanium gray LS 50 Wireless II for red â ???? and with the red edition for a gray driver. So some of those editions are a bit more “outspoken”. than the others, but that’s fine. It is also typically KEF because of the LS 50 â ???? s and the smaller LSX also appeared exclusive finishes. The green and gold driver version of the LSX, for example, is still one of the most beautiful speakers we have ever seen. The new Meta in royal blue is also a winner. It is a pity that it is not available in a Wireless version.
These speakers are easy to place because of their wide appearance. They may even be a bit closer to the ground, although a placement at ear height is best. The LS 50 Wireless II also fits perfectly the new KEF S2 stands, available in matching colors. Close to a wall? In itself yes, because you can make many adjustments in the app to compensate for the placement. Due to the Uni-Q driver, they are also very suitable for near-field listening, i.e. at a short distance. They are relatively deep because the housing also contains a solid chunk of electronics in addition to the acoustic spaces. So you may need a carrier level desk before they fit on it properly, but it can be sound technically.
The speaker is the hub
Where some brands prefer to connect their active speakers from a separate hub, KEF opts to have all connections on the back of one of the two LS 50 Wireless II’s. Although this unit is named â ???? Primaryâ ???? does not mean that only one of the two speakers contains electronics. Both KEF speakers have their own amplification on board and come with their own power cord. An important difference with other active stereo solutions where one of the two speakers is a passive one, as is the case with the Klipsch The Fives.
Is the placement of all connections on the speaker itself or on a separate hub good or bad? Both options have advantages and disadvantages. After all, a hub is an extra device that you have to give a place, with the KEF approach you sometimes have to do a little more on cable management. It depends on how many devices you want to connect. If you have the LS 50 Wireless II on your If you want to connect TV via HDMI, you will in any case have to provide a sufficiently long HDMI cable.
If you look at the connections on the back of the Primary speaker, you will notice that there are two network connections. You can use one of these to connect to the network, although you can also work via WiFi. Setting up WiFi is very easy via the Google Home app, via the WiFi settings of an iPad or iPhone, or via the new KEF Connect app. Three ways, with the iOS approach being the easiest. But it is never difficult. The second port is provided to make a wired connection to the second LS 50 Wireless II. But this is also something optional, because new with version 2 is that the two speakers can connect equally well with each other wirelessly. That makes it just more convenient to neatly place the KEF speakers in your living room.
Why would you actually work with a cable between the two speakers? Actually it is only a must if you have files of more than 96 kHz / 24 – bit want to listen (with an upper limit is 192 kHz) and don’t want them downsampled. KEF says a cable connection can also be useful if the sound drops out due to interference. We mainly worked wirelessly during testing and never noticed dropouts, despite the presence of dozens of WiFi networks. You have that in a busy urban living environment.
Better with the TV Connect a television to the HDMI port. That KEF added that was a wise move. Previously you could use the LS 50 W with connecting a TV set via an optical cable, but then you could not control the volume with the TV remote control. That is possible with an HDMI-ARC connection, which is much more pleasant in terms of ease of use. You can also set the speakers to automatically switch to the HDMI input via the KEF app when you start watching TV. Handy.
There are also other options if you want to connect additional sources. With the optical and coax inputs, you can connect devices digitally, such as a CD player or a console. To connect our Pro-ject The Classic in the living room, a small phono preamplifier had to be added, so that we could hang the turntable on the aux input. Finally, you will also find a series of small buttons at the back. These serve, among other things, to place the speakers in pairing mode when you want to stream over Bluetooth.
A plus with the app: the speakers remain accessible from your phone in standby. You do not need the remote control to switch it on.
This one can all Speaking of streaming: this is a area where KEF has made great strides with the Wireless II. The brand has previously admitted that it sometimes struggled with software development in the past â ???? a typical problem in the hi-fi world â ???? Â but now wants to make up for that with a totally new platform and app. The result is that the LS 50 Wireless II now has almost every streaming technology available. Not that you will use all options immediately, but that has just reduced the danger of lock-in. If you switch from Android to an iPhone in about a year, you can easily switch from Chromecast to AirPlay 2.
Beyond those two streaming technologies comes the LS 50 Wireless II also with Bluetooth (aptX) and DLNA. Spotify Connect is also there, so you can just see the KEF speakers pop up in the Spotify app and tap. And Roon? In Roon, the speakers still appear as â ???? not certifiedâ ????, so that you cannot use them as a Roon endpoint due to the recent policy change by Roon. But the certification is on the way. In the past, KEF was always quick to get this sorted out, so we’re confident.
Thanks to AirPlay and Chromecast, you can use the LS 50 Also enable Wireless II in a multi-room environment. A pla Playing ylist of Apple Music simultaneously on a Harman Kardon Citation speaker in the kitchen and on the KEFs in the room is very easy. If the Roon approval has passed, then multiroom can also be done this way.
New app You use with the new LS 50 – is a new app called KEF Connect (iOS and Android). Where the previous KEF Control and KEF Stream apps looked rather sober, this has become a very rich app that also tries to stimulate you with podcasts and articles from KEF itself. A nice idea that turns a regular remote app into something more interesting. For example, we heard an interview with a metallurgical expert who spoke about the use of metal for music reproduction. Curious what content KEF will add.
Perhaps more importantly, you can play music directly in the app via Amazon Music, Deezer, Qobuz and Tidal. Since these also all support Chromecast and AirPlay, you can of course also continue to use the apps of the services themselves. You just get a choice. We found the presentation of Qobuz in the KEF Connect app quite nice in a sober way, in the Qobuz app itself you have a little more information and you get recommendations based on the album you selected.
The KEF Connect app also gives you direct access to internet radio stations and podcast. To help you, for example podcasts are organized thematically, but of course you can also search for a favorite station or podcast.
Something that we do not find in the app is the possibility to finish your own files. play. That is of course very easy with a DLNA player such as BubbleUPnP or mConnect, so it is not a big problem. In any case, we will check with KEF whether this feature will still appear in the Connect app.
Worth playing with At least as important is that the Connect app works as an advanced remote. In addition to selecting inputs, KEF Connect also offers a whole series of settings that are very useful for optimally adjusting the sound reproduction. It is certainly worth playing around with this. For example, there are EQ Settings that adjust the sound to the placement, including if you place the speakers close to a wall. The bass extension option is also very practical to compensate for a room that sounds a bit woolly. Here you will also find all controls to set an optional subwoofer. To be honest, we would only add an extra wired sub to the LS in very large rooms 50 Wireless II, because it already produces a very nice bass out of the box. Elsewhere in the app you will find another handy choice: is the primary speaker on the left or right?
Small remote control
We are now talking about the KEF app, but to adjust the volume and more you can also work with the supplied remote. There is really not much to say about it: it is a small and compact thing that fits well in your hand and seems sturdy enough to survive a hectic family life. It is handy that it also has media controls. Even when streaming, you can quickly reach for the box to pause music or quickly jump to the next track.
As before, there is above on the primary speaker another glass plate with touch controls. It looks very nice, but to be honest: you probably never use it. You cannot see from the seat.
Uni-Q with MAT We have now talked about features extensively, but that the essence of a speaker like this one? Yes and no. The LS 50 Wireless II is thick in terms of features okay, but that higher price compared to mainstream wireless speakers must be justified above all by superior sound quality. KEF really understood that, we think, through the LS 96 Wireless II same improvements as the passive Meta version. A lot has been changed technically.
The housing is made more solid, with a bass port that makes less noise. Also addressed is the Uni-Q driver which is really something from KEF. Looking at the LS 50 Wireless II , you may think it has only one speaker. That is not true. That striking Uni-Q driver is a coaxial speaker, a 2-in-1 driver in which a tweeter is suspended decoupled in the middle of a midrange / woofer. The big advantage is that the Uni-Q acts like a point source. Instruments and vocals sound very natural as they seem to come from one point perfectly timed. KEF also places a waveguide on the tweeter â ???? that thing that looks like quarters of an orange â ???? allowing higher frequencies to be emitted evenly and widely. This ends up with a speaker that makes instruments sound natural and puts them on a large soundstage.
In this version of the 24the Generation Uni-Q driver is using a metamaterial. This is a general term for a composite material that has properties that you normally do not associate with a solid shape. What KEF does in this speaker is to ensure better damping that is tuned super accurately â ???? thus precisely tackles the frequencies where there are acoustic problems. It does this by placing tubes of the metamaterial in a certain pattern (in pictures it looks like you are looking down on a maze) that is calculated to remove all possible unnecessary vibrations and sounds in a speaker. This absorber is located on the back of the Uni-Q driver, inside the cabinet. Very technical, but it is not surprising that it is KEF that comes up with such high-tech. The British from Maidstone have always been very focused on research and development, as we also discovered when we visited KEF. In this case, they also involved an expert in metamaterials, Professor Ping Sheng from the University of Hong Kong, and the Chinese company Acoustic Metamaterials Group.
Several other in-depth adjustments have been made, often in a very small scale. For example, KEF has addressed a problem caused by the small space that exists between the tweeter and the cone of the midrange / bass driver. Some other issues have been addressed.
Is this hi-fi? There are bound to be hi-fi enthusiasts around wondering: Can an active set like this one be “real”? be hi-fi? â ????. If you are inclined to ask that question, you may already be someone who is more inclined towards passive speakers and a separate music system, we quietly suspect. Of course there is nothing wrong with that. But is it correct to use speakers like the LS 50 See Wireless II as a compromise? If we put the thought aside for a moment that everything can always be improved and that you do indeed have more opportunities to tweak with a system with separate devices, then with these KEFs we go for a ‘yes’ ????. The clarity and speed that we hear in North African jazz on â ???? Transitâ ???? with Mohammed Abozekry’s dexterous string playing on the oud is just top-notch. The pleasure of this Ring Road album is when Abozekry goes wild on the age-old lute-like instrument, a sensation that the KEFs convey smoothly.
We have always found the Uni-Q driver to be strong when it comes to vocals, a plus that has certainly not been watered down in its twelfth generation. Together with the broad and even appearance of the treble, you get very beautiful pop songs served. The handsome â ???? Goose Snow Coneâ ???? from Aimee Mann, for example, with feather-light Christmas bells floating around the room while Mann’s warm, seductive voice is lifelike before us. It is still a bit early for a winter atmosphere, but for once it is allowed. That the LS 50 Wireless II also excels in the creation of an intense, spatial representation we also notice as Daniel Hope’s violin in his own interpretation of “Amazing Grace” ???? touches the highest notes. For small speakers it remains surprising how big they sound, even with more symphonic work.
An advantage of active speakers such as this one is that they use a DSP to optimally regardless of the volume. It is certainly a plus when watching TV and when listening to electronic music, because those dynamic peaks in the audio are always well processed by the KEFs. Balance and tightness are maintained. In the explosions and the crackling of arms as the soldiers in the helicopters meet King Kong in â ???? Kong Skull Islandâ ???? or at â ???? Top of the Worldâ ???? from Kimbra for example. You will be surprised when you hear what is possible in terms of layer (and you can add a wired sub if you wish). Of course, if you open everything up, you will encounter limitations â ???? no distortion, but a clear feeling that a limit has been reached. You are talking about a lot of decibels. For example, a KEF R7 kit with a Hegel H 390 will can always go further in terms of dynamics and volume level. But not everyone is looking for that. Â
Conclusion
KEF is only moving forward with the II version of the LS 50 Wireless. The wider support of streaming services and technologies, the better sound quality and the HDMI inputs are positive additions. It’s a lot more money compared to say a set of Sonos Five speakers, but a pair of LS 96 Wireless II speakers play on a different level too. Many rivals have now emerged, including those from other hi-fi brands, so that KEF cannot be the only one to claim to be able to offer ease of use and hi-fi sound. Still, KEF knows with the LS 50 Wireless II to rise above ground level again with a set of stereo speakers that sound great and have all the features you could wish for.
KEF LS 50 Wireless II
2. 499 euro | www.kef.com
Rating 4.5 out of 5
