Gary D Olson
Skilled Tightwad
To an audiophile, our audio system just might be the most personal thing we'll ever own. We're fastidiously meticulous about choosing each link in the audio chain in an endless pursuit to elevate our collection of components & devices to the ultimate synergistic pile of electronics this side of the Live Stage. Is this about to change?
The performance of KEF's passive LS50 has made it quite possibly the most widely audiophile-accepted loudspeaker in history; an extraordinary accomplishment. But what if KEF combined that performance with affordability and an elegantly designed exterior with an off-the-charts WAF? Wait a minute, they did; which took the LS50 to a level not previously seen. KEF persisted.
They added an audiophile-grade preamplifier & DAC, a power amp with enough horses to power a set of speakers famous for requiring costly amplification, and wireless capabilities - all for an additional $700 - and they call it the "LS50 Wireless". $700! That's half of what most people spend on powering the standard LS50, and with no guarantee they'll sound good together! Still don't see this as a game changer? Read on.
Factoid #1: Many audiophiles believe they must spend an unholy amount of income on cabling. The LS50 Wireless is a complete audio system contained within two speaker cabinets, which renders cables largely if not completely irrelevant.
Factoid #2: Wife Approval Factor (WAF) is a serious challenge to most if not all audiophiles. The LS50 Wireless is not only small and elegant to behold; it also banishes unsightly component heaps, spaghetti wire-balls, and gigantic speaker cabinets from the home. Whether you know it or not, or even care; that stuff either diminish marriages or forces the spouse to suffer in silence. LS50 Wireless to the rescue!
Factoid #3: To assure their wares are elegant enough for the living room, manufacturers of preamplifiers & power amplifiers spend a fortune on artistic exterior design which often include expensive thick brushed aluminum face plates, fancy knobs, switches, meters, & lights, etc.. Oddly, the manufacturers refuse to absorb the expense and simply add it to the price tag.
KEF spent exactly zero on the appearance of the internal pre/power amplification, and the savings is clearly included in their price tag.
Final Factoid: One of the most difficult challenges for manufacturers of power amplifiers & preamplifiers is designing them to sound good with a vast number of other devices made by a thousand other manufacturers.
Here's the second and most important reason powered loudspeakers will eventually rule the loudspeaker market: manufacturers of powered speakers can custom design pre & poweramp electronics around a single pair of speakers! KEF took full advantage of this and tailor-made the pre & power amplification to elevate the LS50 speakers to their full potential. Powered speakers are the future IMHO.
Like many around these parts, I don't need an audio system. I'm old school and don't care much about wireless. Heck, I don't even see the component & spaghetti pile anymore. But what about younger folks - free of existing hardware & old school thinking? What will they do? I think KEF definitely has an opinion on that.
The performance of KEF's passive LS50 has made it quite possibly the most widely audiophile-accepted loudspeaker in history; an extraordinary accomplishment. But what if KEF combined that performance with affordability and an elegantly designed exterior with an off-the-charts WAF? Wait a minute, they did; which took the LS50 to a level not previously seen. KEF persisted.
They added an audiophile-grade preamplifier & DAC, a power amp with enough horses to power a set of speakers famous for requiring costly amplification, and wireless capabilities - all for an additional $700 - and they call it the "LS50 Wireless". $700! That's half of what most people spend on powering the standard LS50, and with no guarantee they'll sound good together! Still don't see this as a game changer? Read on.
Factoid #1: Many audiophiles believe they must spend an unholy amount of income on cabling. The LS50 Wireless is a complete audio system contained within two speaker cabinets, which renders cables largely if not completely irrelevant.
Factoid #2: Wife Approval Factor (WAF) is a serious challenge to most if not all audiophiles. The LS50 Wireless is not only small and elegant to behold; it also banishes unsightly component heaps, spaghetti wire-balls, and gigantic speaker cabinets from the home. Whether you know it or not, or even care; that stuff either diminish marriages or forces the spouse to suffer in silence. LS50 Wireless to the rescue!
Factoid #3: To assure their wares are elegant enough for the living room, manufacturers of preamplifiers & power amplifiers spend a fortune on artistic exterior design which often include expensive thick brushed aluminum face plates, fancy knobs, switches, meters, & lights, etc.. Oddly, the manufacturers refuse to absorb the expense and simply add it to the price tag.
KEF spent exactly zero on the appearance of the internal pre/power amplification, and the savings is clearly included in their price tag.
Final Factoid: One of the most difficult challenges for manufacturers of power amplifiers & preamplifiers is designing them to sound good with a vast number of other devices made by a thousand other manufacturers.
Here's the second and most important reason powered loudspeakers will eventually rule the loudspeaker market: manufacturers of powered speakers can custom design pre & poweramp electronics around a single pair of speakers! KEF took full advantage of this and tailor-made the pre & power amplification to elevate the LS50 speakers to their full potential. Powered speakers are the future IMHO.
Like many around these parts, I don't need an audio system. I'm old school and don't care much about wireless. Heck, I don't even see the component & spaghetti pile anymore. But what about younger folks - free of existing hardware & old school thinking? What will they do? I think KEF definitely has an opinion on that.
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