Did KEF Just Change The Game With LS50 Wireless?

The animation on the KEF website made me chuckle because it makes a big deal about wireless right when two wires are being strung out of the speakers. Although, the concept is very cool. I'd have to hear them.

and by the way... in the back are plenty of connectors to attach all sorts of different..... wait for it...... wires.
 
The older gentleman I just bought my Hales Concept Twos from parted with them and the rest of his equipment and bought self powered monitors. Pretty sure it was a WAF thing...
 
They are just another flavour of the month product. Nothing to see here if you ask me.

You can keep your stinkin', app-driven, class D, $3799AU wireless speakers- I got no need or use for them, not now or ever, especially 'wireless' speakers that need a power point and a bunch of cables plugged into them- what's the point?

Now if they were nuclear powered....
 
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They are just another flavour of the month product. Nothing to see here if you ask me.

You can keep your stinkin', app-driven, class D, $3799AU wireless speakers- I got no need or use for them, not now or ever, especially 'wireless' speakers that need a power point and a bunch of cables plugged into them- what's the point?

Now if they were nuclear powered....
That's certainly an understandable reaction from a hobbiest. These types of systems are basically HiFi without the hobby. There's no trolling through thrift stores for vintage gear. There's no endless hours in audio stores trying to discern the subtle differences between Brystons and McIntoshes. There's no upgrade treadmill or tweaks or stacks of weighty milled aluminum with blue lights. There isn't even music collecting since you can get what you want streaming! It's two pieces and two cables bought as a package and powered by an app. Easy, unobtrusive, high quality music. Sounds like a good deal for a lot of people to me.
 
They are just another flavour of the month product. Nothing to see here if you ask me.

You can keep your stinkin', app-driven, class D, $3799AU wireless speakers- I got no need or use for them, not now or ever, especially 'wireless' speakers that need a power point and a bunch of cables plugged into them- what's the point?

Now if they were nuclear powered....

Holy cow! Nuclear powered speakers? Who could find fault with those?
 
I hope they are servicable, the Devialet Phantoms are not, once out of warranty you have to throw them in the bin..
 
I guess it does. Ironically, I've never heard either the LS50 or LS50 Wireless. Just a million people out there have a whole lotta love for 'em. I don't know how far the all-in-one design will play out though I'm sure lots of music-loving non-audiophiles will prefer it.

What I'm most excited about is the concept of speakers powered by custom-designed electronics. According to owners of the new JBL LSR305 & LSR308, they punch far above their price point and are freakishly popular among audiophiles & home studios. To me, this is a very good sign. The 308's may be my next speaker choice. A pair can be purchased for under $500 and you get a bi-amplified professional-line speaker with balanced input and an 8" woofer to boot!

I own the JBL 305's,and I just plug my phono pre into them,and Ive got a much better soundstage and dynamics than I ever had with really good passive speakers and amp.I think Audioengine has been succsessful selling this type of system to people who want good sound and want to keep it simple.Just ignore all the negative Nellies around here.
 
I've always been a big fan of KEF and do believe the LS50 could make them market leaders again - price dependant of course. i would love to hear these as I hear that a lot of mixers & producers are adopting them as NF monitors. That could just be conjecture of course....
 
I own the JBL 305's,and I just plug my phono pre into them,and Ive got a much better soundstage and dynamics than I ever had with really good passive speakers and amp.I think Audioengine has been succsessful selling this type of system to people who want good sound and want to keep it simple.Just ignore all the negative Nellies around here.

Your experience seems to be quite common with this model. I'm seriously considering calling it a day with: source(?)> Emotiva Stealth DC-1 Preamp&DAC > Balanced Cable > JBL LSR308.

My first experience with powered monitors was in the 1980s when I played drums for a living. As a heavy-hitter, I was used to feeling the sound of my drums through my arms & legs. Then along came Meyer Sound. Their massive SPL combined with amazing sound quality was nothing short of phenomenal. Nothing ever beat a pair of Meyer Sound on-stage powered monitors - one on each side of me. Now I'm feeling the sound of my drums in my chest & everywhere else which is having a very positive affect on my playing. Damn, that was a lot of fun! Ten years later, I heard a pair of powered Mackie's in a recording studio. They sounded so sweet I wanted to immediately leave the studio with them.

Powered speakers have been around a long time and have remained within a relatively small market share. I believe they're about to have a delicious market share sandwich, perhaps courtesy of JBL & KEF. If I'm right, speaker manufacturers who don't realize their cheese is about to be moved are going to find themselves chunks in the stool of JBL, KEF, Audioengine, Fostex, Genelec, Focal, Pioneer, Yamaha, Mackie, PreSonus, Dynaudio, ATC, Elac, Emotiva, & PSB (though they might stay in business longer by heavily advertising to us old farts here).
 
I own the JBL 305's,and I just plug my phono pre into them,and Ive got a much better soundstage and dynamics than I ever had with really good passive speakers and amp.I think Audioengine has been succsessful selling this type of system to people who want good sound and want to keep it simple.Just ignore all the negative Nellies around here.
Good advice!

I think the OP was comprehensive and thought-provoking. Debbie Downers be damned.

On topic, powered speakers are nothing new, but including a preamp, DAC and wireless is. While I have engineering objections to replacing a wire with two radios and two computers, it seems to be the way the world is headed. What is significant is that Kef has staked a significant portion of their reputation on their implied assertion that this new way is audiophile-worthy.

There is no way I'm getting rid of all my stuff for a pair, but if I were just starting out, I think I could get past the low HAF (hypocrite acceptance factor).
 
I hope they are servicable, the Devialet Phantoms are not, once out of warranty you have to throw them in the bin..

This is a consideration. The Powered Advent by all accounts sounded very very good but the internal amps blew on a lot (most?) of them and parts were no longer available.

Still, the new generation of class D amps (assuming here that's what KEF uses because why wouldn't they) seem pretty reliable.
 
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^^^^^^^^
bullshit


Good advice!

I think the OP was comprehensive and thought-provoking. Debbie Downers be damned.

On topic, powered speakers are nothing new, but including a preamp, DAC and wireless is. While I have engineering objections to replacing a wire with two radios and two computers, it seems to be the way the world is headed. What is significant is that Kef has staked a significant portion of their reputation on their implied assertion that this new way is audiophile-worthy.

There is no way I'm getting rid of all my stuff for a pair, but if I were just starting out, I think I could get past the low HAF (hypocrite acceptance factor).


Somebody talking about a new item or tech is a lot different from the BS ad copy of the OP. If you cant or wont see the difference then I dont know what to tell you.
 
One thing I forgot to mention is that Kef has had a wireless active speaker based upon the Q series for many years now. So, though the active LS50 is new the concept from Kef is not. IIRC they are called the x300w or some such thing, cost around seven bills, and were well regarded when they came out. Not sure why these didn't get a splash.
 
I think the OP was comprehensive and thought-provoking. Debbie Downers be damned.

On topic, powered speakers are nothing new, but including a preamp, DAC and wireless is. While I have engineering objections to replacing a wire with two radios and two computers, it seems to be the way the world is headed. What is significant is that Kef has staked a significant portion of their reputation on their implied assertion that this new way is audiophile-worthy.

There is no way I'm getting rid of all my stuff for a pair, but if I were just starting out, I think I could get past the low HAF (hypocrite acceptance factor).[/QUOTE]

I appreciate your thoughts. The LS50 Wireless wasn't the first of its kind. I barely raised an eyebrow when Paradigm came out with the Shift A2. What caught my attention and what I believe is extraordinary in this case is that it's based on an already popular speaker which has long been raved about by audiophiles and audio magazine reviewers, and the things disappear in an elegantly appointed home. And that's just the beginning. I considered the passive LS50's before purchasing my B&W 685 S2's but didn't find them particularly affordable at the time. However, The wireless version is an entirely different case. The electronics you get for $700 makes the wireless version such a bargain that talking about it sounds like carnival barking!
 
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You know what I want to see? Measurements by SoundStage and/or Stereophile of the actives since both mags did the passives some years back. It would be really cool to see how much the dsp cleaned up the already great passive response. I am still floored they bass response of the actives in speced so much lower. I wonder if the actives would also get a class A rating and maybe displace the passives. I wonder why there hasn't be more reviews of the actives?
 
You know what I want to see? Measurements by SoundStage and/or Stereophile of the actives since both mags did the passives some years back. It would be really cool to see how much the dsp cleaned up the already great passive response. I am still floored they bass response of the actives in speced so much lower. I wonder if the actives would also get a class A rating and maybe displace the passives. I wonder why there hasn't be more reviews of the actives?
They hardly gone give them stellar rating, such speakers are dangerous for the HiFi industry..:music:
 
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