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LS50 Passive Buyers Remorse


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Guest jakeyb77
15 minutes ago, flanders said:

I’m surprised that 11 pages in, no one has offered to bring their LS50W actives around to your place to compare.

Maybe no one is feeling active? ?

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Guest jakeyb77
4 minutes ago, two fold said:

Not really, no one mentioned how the LS50 can self destruct

I was gonna leave that out. I have a friend that deals in KEF and I always wanted a pair of LS50 and he advised me there is a lot of returns of damaged units as people often run them too hard. 

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Hi Saladman,

 

I have had KEF LS50s (cost $2,300 new) driven by a NAD D3020 (cost $700 new) since 2016 in my study system and they have been, and remain, absolutely awesome.

 

Soundstage brilliant, detail fantastic, bass great, looks sensational, build quality and weight to be admired. The Australian made Ion Forge stands bringing the drivers to ear height definitely improved the listening experience.  It’s near field listening in my study and not my main system but I get great enjoyment from them (including tonight while working before chilling out reading this forum). 

 

I live in a Darwin and, though I have a great Hi-Fi dealer I have been using and relying on for years, I purchased the KEF LS50s unheard and based on lots of research. I was particularly influenced by a fantastic review in Stereophile (by Steven Meijas?) which partnered the LS50s with the NAD D3020 and also a review in Australian Hi-Fi Magazine. 

 

I have been keeping an eye out for a second hand pair for my son in Adelaide too replace his B&W 686 Series 2.  

 

I would be be giving your LS50s every chance as I think you have got yourself a really great speaker for the price.  Can’t comment on your amp as I have no experience with it, but all the best. Cheers

1491AA62-F150-4C58-BD28-D70D7D247C20.jpeg

BE8DB1B6-F3DB-4A88-8F16-51C7B3EB9EFA.jpeg

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looks like a good balanced combo... I dont think the ls50 are particularly demanding in amp needs... just something in quality.... its not like the "active" versions really have some behemoth arc welder amps or amps costing tens thousands within anyways...

 

take your pick take the amp inside the speakers or use amp of choice with the passives.... its good have the choice :)

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What’s your point @flanders sure he kinda contradicts himself but he’s point was was to listen for yourself, and his “pos” opinion shouldn’t cloud his decision making.  

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Awesome setup mate. I'll be using them nearfield like that aswell.

Hi Saladman,
 
I have had KEF LS50s (cost $2,300 new) driven by a NAD D3020 (cost $700 new) since 2016 in my study system and they have been, and remain, absolutely awesome.
 
Soundstage brilliant, detail fantastic, bass great, looks sensational, build quality and weight to be admired. The Australian made Ion Forge stands bringing the drivers to ear height definitely improved the listening experience.  It’s near field listening in my study and not my main system but I get great enjoyment from them (including tonight while working before chilling out reading this forum). 
 
I live in a Darwin and, though I have a great Hi-Fi dealer I have been using and relying on for years, I purchased the KEF LS50s unheard and based on lots of research. I was particularly influenced by a fantastic review in Stereophile (by Steven Meijas?) which partnered the LS50s with the NAD D3020 and also a review in Australian Hi-Fi Magazine. 
 
I have been keeping an eye out for a second hand pair for my son in Adelaide too replace his B&W 686 Series 2.  
 
I would be be giving your LS50s every chance as I think you have got yourself a really great speaker for the price.  Can’t comment on your amp as I have no experience with it, but all the best. Cheers
1491AA62-F150-4C58-BD28-D70D7D247C20.thumb.jpeg.6cd7d23a5df72bfdcace543f92563d03.jpeg
BE8DB1B6-F3DB-4A88-8F16-51C7B3EB9EFA.thumb.jpeg.52eed1c97d72e066ee7ff8d9aaa679f5.jpeg
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10 hours ago, KRSDarwin said:

Hi Saladman,

 

I have had KEF LS50s (cost $2,300 new) driven by a NAD D3020 (cost $700 new) since 2016 in my study system and they have been, and remain, absolutely awesome.

 

Soundstage brilliant, detail fantastic, bass great, looks sensational, build quality and weight to be admired. The Australian made Ion Forge stands bringing the drivers to ear height definitely improved the listening experience.  It’s near field listening in my study and not my main system but I get great enjoyment from them (including tonight while working before chilling out reading this forum). 

 

I live in a Darwin and, though I have a great Hi-Fi dealer I have been using and relying on for years, I purchased the KEF LS50s unheard and based on lots of research. I was particularly influenced by a fantastic review in Stereophile (by Steven Meijas?) which partnered the LS50s with the NAD D3020 and also a review in Australian Hi-Fi Magazine. 

 

I have been keeping an eye out for a second hand pair for my son in Adelaide too replace his B&W 686 Series 2.  

 

I would be be giving your LS50s every chance as I think you have got yourself a really great speaker for the price.  Can’t comment on your amp as I have no experience with it, but all the best. Cheers

1491AA62-F150-4C58-BD28-D70D7D247C20.jpeg

BE8DB1B6-F3DB-4A88-8F16-51C7B3EB9EFA.jpeg

 

Seeing such a clean nearfield setup like this makes me question spending so much time trying to cram full-size stands, a pair of bookshelves, TT and separates into a similarly sized office system.

 

If it weren't your only system (for me, it's the one and only - so where's the fun in only having two pieces of equipment?!?), I'd say the LS50 and integrated - or even better just LS50W - is the way to go

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I've had both. Had some seriously good kit running the LS50's, and now have the LS50W's. For the money of the W's they are a no brainer, not even worth trying to better it with separates. Sure you could may get better sound out of the passives but it would take big dollars and why bother?

 

For a relatively cheap speaker i also love the lack of extra boxes and simpicity of the active version. Its an all round great package.

 

All IMO of course.

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I can't compare active vs passive. I'm just a wireless ls50 owner and love them. 

 

For me it's the lack of clutter that appeals to me. 

 

My suggestion, go with your gut feeling. And do it once, do it right (that's not saying to go wireless, just saying that do what you need to do to get to your desired outcome) 

 

See below, sitting on iso acoustic speaker stands 

 

 

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I found my LS50's performed much better on heavy stands and they sounded a bit ordinary on shelves.

 

I have recently bought a set of LSX powered KEFs which are designed for bookshelves, but they do lose a lot of KEF magic because they have so much bottom end, especially for such small units, and can sound a bit muddy at highish levels. They did sound quite excellent in a quiet carpeted room on the heavy stands.

 

Did you find that the IsoAcoustic stands improved the sound? And in what way.

 

Cheers,

Rob

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1 hour ago, robmid said:

I found my LS50's performed much better on heavy stands and they sounded a bit ordinary on shelves.

 

I have recently bought a set of LSX powered KEFs which are designed for bookshelves, but they do lose a lot of KEF magic because they have so much bottom end, especially for such small units, and can sound a bit muddy at highish levels. They did sound quite excellent in a quiet carpeted room on the heavy stands.

 

Did you find that the IsoAcoustic stands improved the sound? And in what way.

 

Cheers,

Rob

The difference between stands vs no stands is extremely noticeable.

 

The initial reflection you manage to diminish/remove is worth every penny on the purchase. The stands allow the sound to breath (thats the best way I can describe it).

 

Here is a good video that can give you an quick nice A/B audible reference on how setup is so important.

 

To the OP, whatever you end up doing, make sure setup is nicely done to get the best out of your gear.

 

 

 

 

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4 minutes ago, minireza said:

The difference between stands vs no stands is extremely noticeable.

Unless it is an absolute necessity, or strictly for a nearfield/ desk top set up, decent quality "bookshelf " speakers never sound their best on a shelf and if possible,they should be mounted on rigid stands of appropriate height.

I think the term bookshelf  should never be used and stand mount should be the default description.

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On 29/04/2019 at 7:41 PM, Saladman said:

Yamaha s701

I havnt heard the Yamaha s701 but doubt very much that it would give the passive version what it needs. I also havnt heard the Ls50w but have the passives and think they are great.

 

I have doubts about the Ls50w story spreading like wild wildfire on the internet being equal to $20k passive system. I think at some price point after having tried all the available amps on the planet from $1k to $18k that it might be something like a $2-5k rrp amp that might equal the Ls50w. The $20k equivalent system mentioned may simply have just been an average or not well matched system.

 

Here is a previous discussion on the Ls50 wireless vs passive 

 

See my comments and others on the link above. The advantages of the wireless version I believe are that it is tweaked through equalisation of the frequencies bumping up the bass extension and other areas. Naturally I agree with others in this thread who like the passive Ls50.

 

A passive version with the right high powered and matching amp setup is extremely good but in your case better to get the wireless version for similar combined amp cost. 

 

If you stick with the passive you should be be able to find a suitable used amp for around $1-3k. It might be a bit too vintage and difficult to imagine but an old gutsy 200W Yamaha P2200 or P2201 or similar amp at $300-500 will give you a taste for what can be achieved and then work on a replacement with better looks and less age if that plays on the mind too much. A good preamp would help and costing more again.

 

 

1A4DEA0E-12F9-4510-BA77-656AA82E3B8F.jpeg

Edited by Al.M
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Has anyone paired the ls50w with a turntable??

My understanding is that any signal going through the internal electronics of the ls50w gets converted to a digital signal.

Just want to know if it still retains its vinyl analogue sounding charm since I'll be using these primarily with a turntable.

Thanks,

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Good to see you managed to sell your very new speakers! I’m guessing you’re going for the Wireless? Out of interest, have you ruled out the Elac variety? There’s the new Elac Navis which is powered and wireless.

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Well I'm just gonna wait a little bit. Audition them first and make sure I know what I want this time...

 

When I think I'm sure I know what I want, wait even a little longer after that. Then buy something...

 

Gotta control my impulsivity. [emoji14]

 

I haven't ruled out the Navi, lll have a look.

 

 

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