Got the Kef LS50s 2 hours ago for home demo. Initial thoughts; some questions?

[admin_exported]

I have been listening for a couple of hours now. Hardly and bass and pretty muffled. The stereo image is small

Is this the usual when these are new? They have been played for 10 hours thus far. I am listening on pure direct on my Marantz with pure copper speaker cable. They are on mopads on shelves.

 

[BigColz]

My speakers took forever to break in.. If they are brand new the drivers are very tight and take time to loosen up which in turn means the drivers move more thus produce more bass and bigger soundstage..

 

[mikegtar]

Check to see if there are any bungs in the ports at the back of the speakers and remove them if there are.

Good speaker stands will tighten up the bass as well as improving the soundstage. Partington Dreadnoughts or Dreadnought Broadsides would be great.

Maybe the speakers are too close to the wall (back and/or sides)

 

[CnoEvil]

Things that can (imo) cause this:

- Need for running in
- Positioning
- Size and decor of room
- Suspended floor
- What they are placed on
- Quality of source
- Mastering of the recording
- Amps ability to drive the speakers properly
- Wired out of phase
- Cables

The fact they are new (as has been said), is probably the biggest factor. If you have the R300s out for demo as well.....swop them over and see what happens.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

I have been listening for a couple of hours now. Hardly and bass and pretty muffled. The stereo image is small

Is this the usual when these are new? They have been played for 10 hours thus far. I am listening on pure direct on my Marantz with pure copper speaker cable. They are on mopads on shelves.

Hi keenly

Just give it some more time to see if the performance changes.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[lindsayt]

If they're set up properly it is possible that they're simply not as good as your old speakers.

 

[Frank Harvey]

They definitely don't lack bass, so something is wrong somewhere....

 

[lindsayt]

The KEF LS50's with manufacturers quoted figures of -3dbs at 79hz and -6 dbs at 47 hz do lack bass.

What else would one expect from tiny 2 ways with 5 1/4" mid-bass cones?

 

[the record spot]

Rather like my Tannoys, they deliver a level of bass that would surprise folk like Lindsayt. Small drivers work perfectly well and are more than capable performers, bass presence included.

Run them in, they probably sound a little lumpy out the box, but give them a few days. Leave a CD running in the background on repeat. Low volume is fine, and let the drivers loosen up a little.

 

[Rethep]

It could be that expectations are too high. Of course it won't rattle the windows. But i know it has amazing bass! It needs an amp with strong bassdrive though.

 

[BenLaw]

According to HiFi News' measurements (see page 3) these go pretty low, but may have compromised transient response in order to achieve this:

http://www.kef.com/uploads/files/en/review/LS50_HFN_0712.pdf

Their impedance dips pretty low so will require some driving (more than ATC by the look of it) and the FR has dips at 1khz and 8khz.

 

[Frank Harvey]

The KEF LS50's with manufacturers quoted figures of -3dbs at 79hz and -6 dbs at 47 hz do lack bass.

What else would one expect from tiny 2 ways with 5 1/4" mid-bass cones?

Have you heard them? They certainly don't lack bass at all. They'll lack depth, but then given the driver size and cabinet volume, that is to be expected. But it is a bass that isn't 'added to' by the cabinet.

 

[chebby]

Rather like my Tannoys, they deliver a level of bass that would surprise folk like Lindsayt.

I doubt that. Linsayt uses the sort of vintage gear from a time when 12" bass drivers used to be fitted in 'bookshelf' speakers.

 

[ErwinC]

I have been listening for a couple of hours now. Hardly and bass and pretty muffled. The stereo image is small

I have the LS50 for about 3 weeks now and they certainly don't lack bass. These are imo by far the best monitors i owned in the past and produce the best, tight, deep bass (for a compact speaker). Speakers i owned in the past are Dali Mentor Menuet, Dynaudio Focus 110, B&W Nautilus 805 (the first model), ATC SCM12, .... .

But the LS50 needs many,many hours before it shows it's qualities. So i think you should best wait a few more days/weeks.

The LS50 is also very transparant, more so than the R100 and R300, to the components that are being used with it. So a good source and amplification is necessary to bring out the best possible sound.

 

[Frank Harvey]

The LS50 is also very transparant, more so than the R100 and R300, to the components that are being used with it.

Hence why my five R300's are moving over for LS50's to replace them on Tuesday in my AV system....the R300's have much better bass depth, but the LS50's are more revealing and detailed - and accurate, of course. From what I've heard so far, I'm going to start referring to them as 'mini Reference'.

 

[chebby]

But the LS50 needs many,many hours before it shows it's qualities. So i think you should best wait a few more days/weeks.

Don't wait longer than the dealer's return period or you'll have to keep them.

(And be wary of any dealer who suggests you run them in for a time that exceeds his return period.)

 

[chebby]

Bear in mind it's you that has to live with them, so if the bass is not how YOU like it then take them back. It's not the other LS50 users (or dealers) here on the forum who are paying for them.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Run in time isn't something that can be tailored to suit returns policies. If a speaker takes 100 hours to run in, it takes 100 hours to run in (just an example) - that's only four straight days. Whether the buyer ensures they receive the adequate run in time within a two or four week period (whatever the returns policy is) is a different matter. I prefer to be truthful

 

[MUSICRAFT]

'mini Reference'.

'my mini reference'

 

[CnoEvil]

Run in time isn't something that can be tailored to suit returns policies. If a speaker takes 100 hours to run in, it takes 100 hours to run in (just an example) - that's only four straight days. Whether the buyer ensures they receive the adequate run in time within a two or four week period (whatever the returns policy is) is a different matter. I prefer to be truthful

This is exactly why dealers need to have their "demo versions" properly run in, and allow them (where appropriate) to be taken home if necessary.

 

[BenLaw]

'mini Reference'.

'my mini reference'

That would be more 'accurate, of course'

 

[BenLaw]

Run in time isn't something that can be tailored to suit returns policies. If a speaker takes 100 hours to run in, it takes 100 hours to run in (just an example) - that's only four straight days. Whether the buyer ensures they receive the adequate run in time within a two or four week period (whatever the returns policy is) is a different matter. I prefer to be truthful

This is exactly why dealers need to have their "demo versions" properly run in, and allow them (where appropriate) to be taken home if necessary.

+1 Whether or not an individual believes / experiences 'running in', there can be no arguments this way.

 

[Frank Harvey]

A dealer's demo set will be. I took from this conversation that we were talking about someone purchasing a new pair and taking them home, seeing as we were talking about returns policies. If the dealer's demo set has been tried at home and a new set purchased, the run in period is null and void with regards to worrying about taking them back.

 

[Frank Harvey]

'mini Reference'.

'my mini reference'

Again, not much sense being made - care to elaborate?

 

[chebby]

Run in time isn't something that can be tailored to suit returns policies. If a speaker takes 100 hours to run in, it takes 100 hours to run in (just an example) - that's only four straight days. Whether the buyer ensures they receive the adequate run in time within a two or four week period (whatever the returns policy is) is a different matter. I prefer to be truthful

Convenient.

I think I'd ask that the dealer run them in for me if they are so confident the speakers need it to sound any good.