Posted on Fri, 21 Oct, 2016
Posted by Raven

In the world of hi-fi, there is always an abundance of choice. Many brands, many ranges, many editions and many finishes, all clamouring for your attention. But every year a few iconic pieces will bubble up to the surface. And some will linger there, remaining iconic for years to come. The KEF LS50 are atypical of that phenomenon.

Ever since their release way back in 2014 (where they scooped up numerous awards straight from the get-go), they have remained current, fresh and popular with very small but substantial tweaks. Not to mention, gorgeous new finishes.

kef_ls50_wireless

True to the theme, KEF have released a new line of stunning LS50s, in three different (yet true to brand) finishes. The KEF LS50 wireless speakers are everything the original LS50s were, but with a few key enhancements.

Much like the originals, these speakers benefit from technology and some design quirks shared with the most Reference range of KEF speakers. This includes the FEA-designed cabinet, Uni-Q driver, constrained layer damping bracing, precision-engineered curved baffle and elliptical flexible sound port which we have written about in previous KEF LS50 blogs, but that doesn’t mean these are basically the same speakers with a wireless function. KEF have taken the opportunity to make a few more tweaks, whilst sticking firmly to the LS50 Pedigree.

kef ls50

In a nutshell, the KEF LS50 wireless speakers bring audiophile-grade amplification, sound processing and extensive connectivity to the LS50’s award-winning table. Audiophile grade in this context includes an end-to-end 192kHz/24-bit high-resolution digital signal path, dedicated DAC, streaming pre-amplifier, and a 230-watt x2 amplification in a bi-amp dual mono configuration. Yep, the new wireless speakers are truly wireless, in the sense they are not just Bluetooth, but are also active. A very high-level of active. In KEF’s own words:

They take LS50 passive speakers to the next level, turning them into a complete, fully active digital studio monitor system for the home.” ~ KEF

With speakers such as these, it’s impossible to not mention the way they look. The neat and sleek cabinets are perfectly complimented by the three new finishes: white and copper, titanium and grey and black and blue (which is also available in passive form). Aside from black and blue, these are all different from anything else KEF have released, but are still sticking with their “foundry finish” theme which is slowly becoming as iconic as the brand itself.

kef_ls50

A word on the high level of connectivity: the device range is huge. You can hook up (via a very simple plug and play method) up to 12 devices (eight of which can be Bluetooth) at any one time, including:

– 2.4GHz/5GHz Dual-band Wi-Fi
– Bluetooth 4.0 with the aptX codec
– Asynchronous USB Type B
– TOSLINK Optical
– RCA Analog

It’s easy to switch between, and even easier to set up.

The sound is even better than the originals. The use of the KEF LS50 Wireless’ advanced time correcting DSP crossover and the unique sound dispersion abilities of the Uni-Q, the sound isn’t limited to a single “sweet spot” within the room. With this technology, the whole room is the “sweet spot”. Perfect for the detailed, accurate sound stage these speakers will provide, no matter where you chose to sit or stand.

Like what you see? We will have these in all three finishes in stock from November, but you can pre-order them here (and take a closer look at the tech specs).

 

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