gregvet said:
How are you finding the 5 channels of LS50 for movies then David? Are you still waiting for the new Ken Kreisel speaker system to be released or are you happy as you are?
Having owned several speaker systems designed by Ken Kreisel, I knew at the time that there was nothing to touch them as far as movies are concerned. Since the demise of M&K, I've been looking for a hi-fi speaker that can do what the M&K's did. I like a tightly focused sound with plenty of detail, which is why I've always liked KEF (of all the hi-fi brands) for movies as an alternative. When I bought the R300's, I knew I'd be getting better music quality, and while they were an improvement in many areas, there was still something missing. I do miss the punch and attack that the M&K's had, and for me, the R300's (using outer bungs) were just a little bit laid back. That might've been accentuated by the 8200AP, and my issue with that was that it didn't have any type of tone control - when I had the Pioneer SCLX86 I could add a dB to the treble, which perked them up a little bit, which helped. When the LS50 came along, one look at its design brief told me that this was what I was waiting for. These were doing what the R300's weren't doing for me. I would still say that these are a little more laid back than M&K's, and they'd be the perfect alternative for those that can't accommodate an M&K/KK speaker system, for whatever reason. Personally, I think KEF should do a version tweaked for AV use - a proper satellite that's designed to be used from 80Hz upwards, bring the sound even more forward, give it even more 'edge'. Market it as a dedicated AV speaker.
But yes, I am extremely happy with the LS50's, especially paired with the DXD12012 - and I'd go on record as saying that this is the best AV speaker system I've heard since my M&K's. A little note for ric71 - moving the LS50's back upstairs to our other AV room has confirmed that the larger AV room was a little too big for them, as they sounded much better in the other demo room - much more composed and without that bit of harshness that was present, which I think maybe down to the reflective walls. That room is being done out soon in anticipation for Ken's specifically designed 11.1 system...
Anyway, I am still eagerly awaiting Ken's new speaker systems (which will be here next month), mainly to see how much improvement has been made to his older designs - if he can improve the speakers by the same percentage he has improved his old subs by, they're going to be pretty special. Then it'll come down to price. As the new subs are cheaper than their older counterparts, I have some hunches on price, and if I'm right, they're going to be absolute killers.
IF I preferred the new KK speakers, I'd still keep a pair of LS50's for music for now though as I enjoy them so much, and they're an anniversary product. I could quite happily live with the LS50's for films, and if I preferred them to the new KK speakers, I suppose the next step then would be waiting for the the Reference range to get a facelift and see how much they improve on the LS50's.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram