Kef Ls50 Meta Wireless – Active Point – KEF’s LS 50 was a big hit on the high fidelity charts. Now, Wireless II is the perfect way to experience legendary point source technology in the only active way. And don’t forget that there are some amazing inventions involved.
Yes, yes, I admit it: I’ve always been fascinated by KEF’s “Uni-Q” coaxial driver. This allows for greater precision in terms of plasticity and timing due to stability in both spatial and temporal aspects. In the Uni-Q, which has been refined over several generations of products and developers, the tweeter sits at the center of the midrange/bass driver. Unlike traditional multi-way loudspeakers, the entire sound is produced in one place, at one point. Detailed research is always put into each and every detail; Geometry, materials and motoring, to name a few. The uniformity in music reproduction thus obtained is great. It can certainly be called the central common ground of the entire portfolio offered by the traditional manufacturer in the British town of Maidstone.
Kef Ls50 Meta Wireless
There was a time when this stability was perhaps a little out of focus. Around the turn of the millennium, an additional super tweeter would provide even more talent—something no one really wanted. It is now many years ago and lost to the next generation. Pure and accurate point source concept is simple without such tools.
Review: Kef Ls50 Wireless Ii
Fortunately, a friend of mine has the first, already excellent version of “Wireless”, so comparing it with the successors – at least except for the limitations imposed by the pandemic – was no problem.
The Wireless II immediately brings to mind one of the top models in KEF’s range, namely the “Blade” series – or rather, its best. A certain part of that can be attributed to the extremely low-resonance housing that comes in a matte “stealth” finish, which is also available in several color variants. When turning the idle LS 50 into the LS 50 Meta (which we reviewed here ), the British developers installed the latest generation “Uni-Q” driver. The new one is a more optimized version with better decoupling and a new motor.
In recent years KEF engineers have shown particular enthusiasm for one task: using physical “tricks” to “cheat” the housing and thereby extract more low-end bass punch without changing the sound. Consider the ACE technology with activated carbon, whose porosity created a large material surface and allowed for a labyrinth geometry. Then a few hertz “more” is enabled in the lowest register, which can be actively used by the DSP. For now, however, Maidstone’s developers are devoting themselves to a new material: one that’s supposed to absorb or outright “atomize” 90 percent of the energy radiated from the back of the UniQ “meta” — which is otherwise useless and noisy. – Harmful.
Technically, it’s no longer a loudspeaker. Instead, the new KEF LS 50 Wireless II is a complete system, equipped with everything you need, including a transducer for sound. If Bluetooth (in high aptX quality of course) is enough for you, you only need two power cords. That’s all, at least in theory.
Kef Ls50 Wireless Review: The Future Of Hi Fi
Of course, you can get more out of it in real use, the system is very audiophile. This is not only due to the extremely stable chassis with a weight of only ten kilograms and its legendary driver and bass reflex support in front and back respectively. The inner workings with a digital signal processor (DSP) and a very powerful amplifier unit, which is again much stronger than its predecessor, should also be considered and heard. The mid-bass driver now has a class D power stage of 280 watts, the tweeter is powered by a classical, more sophisticated class AB amplifier with 100 watts of output power. This gives us a total of 300 watts of peak power for impulse storage!
In my opinion, no one can appreciate the “trivial” HDMI connection, which takes seriously the reality of the living room. Initial setup and operation is easily accomplished via a suitable speaker or remote. The “master”, the aforementioned right speaker that controls the system, so to speak, at first glance is not much different from the “slave” (left). Only the top control panel and some additional connections provide it.
A cable connection (Ethernet/LAN cable) is really only necessary if the signal quality is above 24 bit/192 kHz – DSD256 also works – and the sampling rate must be increased to 384 kHz. Rather rare cases, if you ask me. After all, wireless setups have their appeal, especially in sophisticated living environments.
Of course, Tidal or Apple Music are also supported, Wi-Fi, AirPlay and MQA are also on offer. It is very easy to set up the system for versatile operation on your home network; There is a nice difference between all the great features the process opens. The “Quickstart Guide” included with the speakers actually includes some images and a reference to the “KEF CONNECT” app, which can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Amazon Music Hd Streams Into Kef Ls50 Wireless Ii Speakers
Google Chromecast is installed and should provide options for the future, not to mention that Run is also available. All you need is a few clicks and streaming services you subscribe to – in our case, Amazon Music Unlimited HD (the stupid, anti-consumer “war” between the big providers Amazon and Google is apparently over), Kobuz and the Spotify family. – can start immediately; Accessing music treasures stored on our NAS servers is also as easy as possible.
The twelfth generation Uni-Q driver lives up to its reputation. It works better in the modified active environment found here. The new amplifier motorization has clearly given more capacity, which pays off immediately in the way of abundance and global pressure. And that too at the maximum level, which may now be a little higher than before.
Hearing a choir sing a recording of Joseph Haydn’s “Missa Sante Cacilia” in Aachen’s High Cathedral in 1977, goosebumps immediately covered my spine. I know this piece of music better than any other; I can sing it straight from verse, even from memory. Because, at the age of eleven, I was present at a live recording, performing as a second soprano. Depth and detail are exemplary, especially with this coaxial driver. The shape of the octagonal room is also very vividly captured, as are the precise registers of the children’s voices of the Aachen Cathedral Choir. I literally feel like I’ve gone back over four decades and can actually still read the score by heart, but certainly not as part of the second soprano anymore. The world’s oldest children’s choir will thank me.
However, I am totally impressed with the sound this smart speaker delivers. Of course, KEF does more than judge “normal” popular music like the current McCartney solo album “III” or disco queen Donna Summer’s “Once Upon a Time” which is climbing the charts again (posthumously). It’s just fun!
Kef Reintroduces Ls50 Collection With Ls50 Meta And Ls50 Wireless Ii Loudspeakers
The sound is rich, detailed and a joy to play. It also has a very smooth and dynamic flow, but is always balanced without adding artificial effects. This second generation active LS 50 literally takes the listener, and in doing so, your ears are literally addicted. Absolutely fantastic!
Yes, in direct comparison with other great and large active speakers, despite all the atmosphere and solidity, there may be a lack of intensity or low bass reproduction. It’s only because of the physics, but everything about it is so sublime, so effortless naturalness, authenticity and persuasiveness that you have to involuntarily take a good look at your bank account. Maybe we’ll get an active big sibling with a bigger coaxial driver?
In any case, for the quality of this sound and the built-in possibilities, the price of a pair of 2500 euros – it is said that, as mentioned above, it does not require any equipment such as preamplifiers, etc. To connect to every existing resource – not really much money. He reads this optical jewel and acoustic masterpiece. Nothing but absolute recommendation!
With “II”, KEF shows how to adapt an already very good product. The design, operation, features and sound are practically perfect and great considering the price. Heartily recommended!
Kef Ls50 Wireless Ii Review: An Impressive All In One System That Continues To Exceed Expectations
Amplitude frequency response (which can certainly be affected by room-matching DSP) is very balanced with little emphasis on bass. Very good timing (phase response) and low distortion.
Remote control, app, all streaming services from Apple to Tidal, Rune, Airplay,
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