KEF LS50 - for David@FrankHarvey

[alchemist 1]

I haven't heard the NAD C390DD, but I do like the LS50's with Class D/digital amplification, so it should work well. I'm sure the C375 will drive them fine too. As you're after clarity, Class D should give you that in spades.

You could also look at the Primare I22, Onkyo A9070 or A9000, Musical Fidelity M3i, Leema Acoustics Elements, Cyrus 8A, and the Naim Nait XS.

My Yamaha as2000 drives them extremely well.

9'o,clock to ten o'clock on the dial really makes them sing sweetly..........

Just getting better by the day.

Only had them a few weeks, But i'll state now they are the best speakers i've owned..............8)

 

[ErwinC]

Only had them a few weeks, But i'll state now they are the best speakers i've owned..............8)

The same here. These are by far the best compact speakers i've owned.

 

[alchemist 1]

85dB and minimum impedance of 3.2 Ohms has rather put me off LS50s

I agree that this should be quite a cause for concern to anybody who's considering buying these speakers. Going by those figures it's likely that most amplifiers would struggle to drive these speakers effectively enough do them justice.

(And their looks of course*).

IMO they look really cool in a futuristic kind of way. 8)

I've found the LS50's easier to drive than my previous ATC 11's.

Also more accomodating at low level volume listening.

The bass does'nt disappear.

Their sound is very stable all the way through.

 

[turbanator]

RE: KEF LS50 - for David@FrankHarvey
I haven't heard the NAD C390DD, but I do like the LS50's with Class D/digital amplification, so it should work well. I'm sure the C375 will drive them fine too. As you're after clarity, Class D should give you that in spades.

You could also look at the Primare I22, Onkyo A9070 or A9000, Musical Fidelity M3i, Leema Acoustics Elements, Cyrus 8A, and the Naim Nait XS

------------------------------

Hi David

I am getting apparently good deal on Onkyo -A9070 - just around 1000 CAD , will it be a good option for LS50 at these prices or can you recomend something else at around same budget .

 

[Frank Harvey]

Hi David

I am getting apparently good deal on Onkyo -A9070 - just around 1000 CAD , will it be a good option for LS50 at these prices or can you recomend something else at around same budget .

The LS50's should work extremely well with the 9070. I've played with its bigger brother, the 9000, and had it running quite nicely with seem Reference models. Plenty of power and grip, and very dynamic too.

 

[BMFDrums]

Guys

I would say this, given that I own a pair (and no, they're not for sale!), but if you're after some top quality small speakers that deliver space, precision and amazing bass depth (for their size!), you could do a lot worse than consider a pair of the (now discontinued) PMC DB1i. There are a few pairs available on eBay (some Buy It Now) for less than the RRP of the LS50s, and they'll have been run in, which by my reckoning took well over 100 hours at reasonable ( and sometimes not so reasonable!) volume levels. If you get a bargain on t'Bay, you could spend the difference on some shiny new interconnects.

Stands back and waits for torrent of abuse re 'pointless' cable upgrades... !

 

[BigH]

Guys

I would say this, given that I own a pair (and no, they're not for sale!), but if you're after some top quality small speakers that deliver space, precision and amazing bass depth (for their size!), you could do a lot worse than consider a pair of the (now discontinued) PMC DB1i. There are a few pairs available on eBay (some Buy It Now) for less than the RRP of the LS50s, and they'll have been run in, which by my reckoning took well over 100 hours at reasonable ( and sometimes not so reasonable!) volume levels. If you get a bargain on t'Bay, you could spend the difference on some shiny new interconnects.

Stands back and waits for torrent of abuse re 'pointless' cable upgrades... !

I would hear them first, as Ive said before I did not like them. Also you can get the new LS50s with a discount.

 

[Rich111]

Bought the LS50 to replace the Focal706v I had for 2 years and big mistake. I did not audition th LS 50 before bying it and I am very disappointed.

The bass starts showing its limits too early with 'bop' like sounds and the music was not even loud. My old Focals are much better speakers in terms of details and bass quality. Now I am trying to sell the Kefs at 1/2 its price to get rid of it. Always try speakers before buying them. I listen to smooth jazz mainly

 

[Frank Harvey]

Bought the LS50 to replace the Focal706v I had for 2 years and big mistake. I did not audition th LS 50 before bying it and I am very disappointed.

The bass starts showing its limits too early with 'bop' like sounds and the music was not even loud. My old Focals are much better speakers in terms of details and bass quality. Now I am trying to sell the Kefs at 1/2 its price to get rid of it. Always try speakers before buying them. I listen to smooth jazz mainly

How long have you had them? What amplifier are you using? It seems a little odd that you're experiencing 'limitations'.

I hosted a demo yesterday where the customer was trying various speakers out up to £2,000 - he liked the LS50s the most. Some will like a speaker, others won't, with much of it being down to personal preference rather than any technical superiority.

 

[CnoEvil]

Bought the LS50 to replace the Focal706v I had for 2 years and big mistake. I did not audition th LS 50 before bying it and I am very disappointed.

The bass starts showing its limits too early with 'bop' like sounds and the music was not even loud. My old Focals are much better speakers in terms of details and bass quality. Now I am trying to sell the Kefs at 1/2 its price to get rid of it. Always try speakers before buying them. I listen to smooth jazz mainly

I'm sorry you found this.

A couple of thoughts:

- People who love Focal, often find it hard to move away from them.

- It is quite possible that you just don't like them, but I don't recognize your description. Before you shift them on, it's worth teasing out if there is another problem, outside of, that you simply don't like them....much like what David (above) is getting at. eg:

1. The amp is critical, as the LS50s (85 dB) are much less sensitive than the Focals (90 dB), so need a gutsy amp to make them come alive.

2. They need a heavy speaker stand, preferably filled with a damping material.

3. If they are on a suspended wooden floor, they need isolated from it.

4. IMO. They need good (not necessarily expensive) copper S/Cs, like Linn K20 or Van Damme.

5. Allow a decent break-in period (possibly 60-100 hours).....play stuff with a wide frequency range and a varying dynamic range....and turn it up.

If you can give a few details about the rest of your system ie. how it's set up, what size of room it's in and how it's furnished....it is just possible that an answer could be forthcoming, that doesn't involve selling them.

 

[nopiano]

Bought the LS50 to replace the Focal706v I had for 2 years and big mistake. I did not audition th LS 50 before bying it and I am very disappointed.

I'd like to be sympathetic, but what a stupid thing to do. Whatever were you thinking of? And why would you be changing the previous speakers after just 2 years - did you not listen to them either!

:shame:

PS. I bet you don't choose paint over the phone!

 

[plastic penguin]

Bought the LS50 to replace the Focal706v I had for 2 years and big mistake. I did not audition th LS 50 before bying it and I am very disappointed.

I'd like to be sympathetic, but what a stupid thing to do. Whatever were you thinking of? And why would you be changing the previous speakers after just 2 years - did you not listen to them either!

:shame:

PS. I bet you don't choose paint over the phone!

What have I being saying for years on here? No sympathy.

 

[wilro15]

It is a bit silly to splash out £800 on something you haven't seen or heard.

Having said that, I do find auditions misleading. If you listen to new speakers, the shop wiil more than likely be using different amplifiers, CD players, cables and not to mention the effect of the room itself. Auditions at home are ideal - but not always possible.

 

[ID.]

Bought the LS50 to replace the Focal706v I had for 2 years and big mistake. I did not audition th LS 50 before bying it and I am very disappointed.

The bass starts showing its limits too early with 'bop' like sounds and the music was not even loud. My old Focals are much better speakers in terms of details and bass quality. Now I am trying to sell the Kefs at 1/2 its price to get rid of it. Always try speakers before buying them. I listen to smooth jazz mainly

How long have you had them? What amplifier are you using? It seems a little odd that you're experiencing 'limitations'.

I hosted a demo yesterday where the customer was trying various speakers out up to £2,000 - he liked the LS50s the most. Some will like a speaker, others won't, with much of it being down to personal preference rather than any technical superiority.

They are small speakers, and despite the impressive quality and quantity of the bass for their size, the bass undeniably has limitations, but that isn't what you buy these speakers for. The bass limitations are enough to stop me from being interested in purchasing them.

 

[d_a_n1979]

I'm AMAZED that a) you bought speakers without any demo whatsoever and b) you feel theyre bass light!

I owned and loved the KEF LS50's and only sold them as we'd bought our first house so the pennies were better off for that and secondly it's a semi that we've bought so didnt want a system in the living room out of sheer politeness to the neighbours (all changed though now haha)

The KEF's for me took about 3-4 weeks of solid listening and were left on when we were out of the house... They were partnered with a Cyrus 8DAC amp and music was anything from Mantovani to Jethro Tull to Metallica to Mount Kimbie and so on...

For speakers of their size the KEF's to me gave out tremendous amounts of bass that was deep, taut and very punchy indeed. They brought so much of my music to life I couldnt have been happier and these were bought after I'd sold my Neat Motive 2's which are amazing speakers for their size and phenominal deep bass!

All I can say is that you either need to re-jig your lay out of the speakers/system or even contemplate different amplification and secondly give the speakers a lot more time to bed in and get to their best...

 

[mafrost]

David / FrankHarvey

I know I'll get bemoaned for even thinking of comparing the LS50 with the new ATC SCM11, however I'm just curious at this point and will of course do my own auditioning before parting with hard earned cash!

My question is, what is the bass performance of the new SCM11 like compared to the LS50. I've read already that the SCM11 makes up for bass quantity with bass quality, which is all very nice, BUT does the SCM11 sound like it is short changing you on the bass or conversly is the LS50 over-egging the bass. I'm not a bass fiend in an way, but want a speaker that is going to give the most honest reproduction of the original article. I'm sure the rest of the frequency range on both the LS50 and SCM11 is excellent anyway.

Please let me know your thoughts/opinions?

Many thanks.

 

[alchemist 1]

David / FrankHarvey

I know I'll get bemoaned for even thinking of comparing the LS50 with the new ATC SCM11, however I'm just curious at this point and will of course do my own auditioning before parting with hard earned cash!

My question is, what is the bass performance of the new SCM11 like compared to the LS50. I've read already that the SCM11 makes up for bass quantity with bass quality, which is all very nice, BUT does the SCM11 sound like it is short changing you on the bass or conversly is the LS50 over-egging the bass. I'm not a bass fiend in an way, but want a speaker that is going to give the most honest reproduction of the original article. I'm sure the rest of the frequency range on both the LS50 and SCM11 is excellent anyway.

Please let me know your thoughts/opinions?

Many thanks.

Oh ! Dear......

 

[mafrost]

I know!

But I just want to know whether it's even worth me auditioning the SCM11 or just buying the LS50, which I have auditioned already and do really like. However if the SCM11 is a much better speaker all round, then I'd just plan to save a bit more before buying new speakers. I'm just concerned the sealed nature of the SCM11's robs them of bass response that makes them sound a little lean compared to the LS50.

Shame the recent What Hi Fi supertest didn't throw the SCM11 in also as a curveball, or "look at what you could have got if you'd spent a little more" comparison!

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Oh ! Dear......

Hi alchemist 1

Funny you should say that. This is exactly what i think when its said that ATC's curved SCM11 monitors need breaking/running in

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[mafrost]

So Musicraft, are you saying ask this question again at some time in the future after someone has had chance to listen to a properly broken in pair of SCM11's or just simply don't ask the question as it's a pointless question to start with?

 

[Frank Harvey]

So Musicraft, are you saying ask this question again at some time in the future after someone has had chance to listen to a properly broken in pair of SCM11's or just simply don't ask the question as it's a pointless question to start with?

No, he's poking fun at me for saying some time ago that we were running a pair of the new SCM11s in (something we do with all new speakers that we get in). He claims that the new SCM11s need no running in, despite the fact that the bass driver is more or less the same (just in a new gasket) - he claimed the old SCM11s needed about 200 hours running in, so where the major difference is, I'm not sure.

 

[Frank Harvey]

David / FrankHarvey

I know I'll get bemoaned for even thinking of comparing the LS50 with the new ATC SCM11, however I'm just curious at this point and will of course do my own auditioning before parting with hard earned cash!

My question is, what is the bass performance of the new SCM11 like compared to the LS50. I've read already that the SCM11 makes up for bass quantity with bass quality, which is all very nice, BUT does the SCM11 sound like it is short changing you on the bass or conversly is the LS50 over-egging the bass. I'm not a bass fiend in an way, but want a speaker that is going to give the most honest reproduction of the original article. I'm sure the rest of the frequency range on both the LS50 and SCM11 is excellent anyway.

Please let me know your thoughts/opinions?

Many thanks.

That is something only the individual can answer. There are so many similarities between the SCM11 and the LS50, but they're also so different. Neither are particularly easy to drive, and thrive on a gutsy, potent amplifier to be able to perform at their best. I've been berated in the last for voicing my opinions, so I'm afraid that is all you're going to get! Pop along to a dealer who has both, take your favourite CDs, and go for the one that suits your preference/music genres.

 

[mafrost]

Thanks David. I'll be driving whichever of the LS50 or SCM11 with a Musical Fidelity A3cr pre/power combo, so I'm hoping this is gutsy enough to drive both of these speakers properly and to their best. Do you think this would be a good match for either/both speakers?

Okay, I'll leave it until I get time to go to a dealer where I can audition both and make up my own mind.

Cheers.

 

[Frank Harvey]

The MF pre/power will be fine for either speaker

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hi mafrost

Good amplification you've got there As to the curved SCM11 monitors if Naim's excellent Uniti MK1 is also good enough for ATC's SCM40 monitors then your amplification will be fine with curved SCM11 monitors.

Btw, as good your amplifiers are I would say that there other amplifiers that'll do an even better job at driving the speakers you're looking at and getting closer to the ideal of 'properly' otherwise and looking in house there would be no need for amplifiers like the AMS100.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft