KEF LS50 Owners

Right on. Do you have any pics of them?

ooh nice, I'm highly intrigued by these speakers

I got mine on 3 days ago. Incredible! Gorgeous, Rock solid, as enert a box as I've ever rapped. And the sound is just amazing. The sound stage and detail are reveletory. Waith thill they break in! Everything the reviews are saying is true. I normally listen to classical music, but I put on my Shelly Mann and His Friends CD, mono 1956, and the triio was right there in my den! Don't hesitate if you're thinking about these for an appropriate room.

Got mine yesterday.
Amazing sound in a small package.

Anything they don't sound good at? Can these handle rock music as well?

Sure.
AC/DC Black in Black plays as good as Patricia Barber Mythologies.
Fantastic speakers.

Does and type of music sound more forward then other types?

I listen to vocals, classic rock, jazz, blues, instrumental and classical music. No complains at all.
In a small to medium room, they are a WINNER.

Has any of you owners used the LS50s for 5.1 movies? I’m curious to hear some impressions as I’m trying to talk myself into owning a pair first, then add later a third one for cc.

I know DavidF from UK AVForum switched from five R300s to five LS50s and is super pleased. FrankHarvey has five set up in a demo room as a 5.2. From what I have heard they work amazing. Note that David works for Frank Harvey.

The low frequency provided by these speakers surprised me.

Smaller than XQ20, but sounds bigger. Amazing.

They are amazing speakers for sure. Best mini-monitors I have ever heard and probably the best speaker overall.

Hey guys, I made an unboxing video of these:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wXhPOZJ9_o&feature=share&list=UU7cghwWqjNRsqjqECeyFXXQ

Here's a post from Dav1dF in AVForum:

"They're just another step forward from the R300's in my mind. Their ability to disappear is stunning, and even the right rear which is 0.9m away from me to my right hand side doesn't draw attention to itself and is able to project (obviously with the help of the other speakers) sounds and effects around me and in specific places. They're not bright, and there's no tizziness to the treble at all (reminds me of how solid and clean the treble is on the Reference models), which adds to their realism. Music in movies sounds amazing - try Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - the violins soar forwards away from the front speakers, and each piano note has weight with excellent decay. Most people would be extremely happy if their hi-fi sounded this good! Dynamics are better too - I was watching something the other night (a film I know well) and I think I was having a quick check on a forum via my iPad, so I was looking down, and something happened on screen which really made me jump - I knew it was coming!"

I''m into musical scores and seems like the speaker's tonal characteristic sounds right up my alley. He goes on mentioning how he gets the same kind of detail in his in ear headphone with this speaker. Have you guys heard about this new DTS Headphone: X (11.1 channels)? Although there's not much info out there yet about this new technology, I wonder if a pair of bookshelf speakers can work as a headphone replacement to match its acoustic reproduction and sonic detail quality, when situated in near-field. If that tends to work well, then it could be a game-changer for those watching movies with a 2.1 system in a small room...especially a speaker of this caliber. We'll just have to wait and see.

I ordered mine and should be getting a pair this Monday. It's a huge upgrade, having used my NHT Superzeros for almost two decades.

I just purchased a pair from KEFdirect and they should be arriving soon. I'm replacing my HT speakers and may also consider a 5.2 setup with 5 LS50s.

My question is how do you guys get that single speaker by itself when it's sold in pairs? Should I have went somewhere else to buy these instead of online?

And as long as I'm posting, anybody have any other recommendations for a center and surround that would match well with the LS 50's as the front mains?

Go with a local dealer - you can purchase them, individually. I recommend going that route, instead of online, as you might be able to cut a better deal off the final cost as well.

What kind of sub were you thinking of matching with your speakers? Eventually, I'll be needing one once I add a center. For surrounds - I was thinking if a Paradigm MilleniaOne pair can seamlessly provide a similar amount of detail to match with the fronts.

That I am not sure about subs either. Space is tight. I have a 14x14x9 room...almost half of which is already taken up by my sofa and av gear. =P

However I am aiming for dual subs. I was originally looking at dual Hsu VTF-3 MK4's, but I honestly have not heard them myself. They are local (to you, too, I think) and the cost is reduced if you pick them up yourself.

I also sent you a PM. Please respond when you have a chance! Thanks.

I'm currently running an SVS SB12-NSD with a Q100's setup - the sub is very accurate and detailed (no more blurry thumps!). This sub has a very small form factor for a 12" sub - it's basically a 14" cube. I wanted a small form factor so that I could upgrade to dual subs down the road.

I'm also strongly considering getting three LS-50's LCR for my HT. (It's a medium sized room and most of my listening is at medium to lower volume, seem like a good fit for the LS-50.)

Some questions ...

Any more feedback from owners about how they sound for HT?

They're rear ported - after using/placing them how much space do owners recommend between the speaker and the wall?

I'm assuming there's not a problem with laying one on it's side as a center speaker ... (worked fine with a Q100)

Any concerns about the speaker not having a grill? (dust settling, etc.) Or does anyone know of a grill that can be used?

Budget wise I'd like to try something else as my surrounds (at least for a while). While not optimal, would KEF HTS 3001 eggs be acceptable as surrounds (trying to stay with UniQ drivers)? Or could I use a couple of my Q100's?

Thanks!

Hey there,

I have these as my L/R speakers in a 5.1 with yamaha C/SL/SR and a JAMO sub. In this setup they are wonderful. I find them sounding best at least 50cm from the wall. Also, they pretty much have to be at the ear height. Not sure what your setup looks like, but my center speaker is below the TV, way lower than my ear height and thus it doesn't sound quite as clear when I tried placing the LS50 there.
This placement concern is also the reason why I am still hesitant to go all the way with a 7.1 LS50s. I would need a considerable amount of room to have all speakers 0,5m from the walls.
I did play with the included foams but to no avail. The foams muddy the sound to my ears.

For some reason, this may be due to my AV receiver (Denon AVR-2113), they sound best when the volume it fairy high, at around 60-70 on the volume dial. Then they start to really shine!

Putting them sideways should be alright.

So far the only concern is aesthetics. Color wise, I might have preferred silver to copper. I've had them for a month now and dust poses no problem, only to the black glossy finish.

Q100s as surrounds would be amazing!

Cheers

Hello, if i did'nt want to use another LS50 as a center,which would be the best matched alternative ? Thanks