Question KEF LS50 Meta or Klipsch The Sevens?

[OliverBen5672]

Hi,

My dad is looking at investing in his first HiFi setup. He is after a pair of bookshelf speakers for a 4 x 10 m room. It is also might be worth noting three of the walls will be glass.

He likes the look of the Klipsch Series Seven, I also recommended the KEF LS50 Meta from when I was looking at speakers a few years ago. I said I would ask the internets opinion so I was wondering if anyone had any experience with these speakers, comparisons, reviews or alternatives in a similar price range (~£1000) that you recommend?

The speakers will be primarily used for listening to vinyl (also interested in turntable/amp recommendations that pair with these speakers/price range), I imagine mostly stuff like Pink Floyd and The Rolling Stones.

Any help and suggestions are appreciated, if there is any other info that could help please ask.

Thank you in advance!

 

[Al ears]

The Sevens are powered speakers are they not?
He wouldn't need an amp.
anyhow, in a room that size, i would be looking at floorstanders

 

[Gray]

....three of the walls will be glass.

😱
Just one wall short of being a greenhouse then 🤔
All he needs is one of those horrible all wooden floors and he'll be on for maximum sound compromise 👍

But seriously Oliver, the fact that you pointed it out shows that you know how important the room acoustics are.
It's impossible to overstate the importance.

I can only give the normal advice that everyone gives on here - that you need to hear speakers with the intended amp, in the intended room - before deciding.

 

[Al ears]

😱
Just one wall short of being a greenhouse then 🤔
All he needs is one of those horrible all wooden floors and he'll be on for maximum sound compromise 👍

But seriously Oliver, the fact that you pointed it out shows that you know how important the room acoustics are.
It's impossible to overstate the importance.

I can only give the normal advice that everyone gives on here - that you need to hear speakers with the intended amp, in the intended room - before deciding.

.....or rather his Dad does.

 

[OliverBen5672]

The Sevens are powered speakers are they not?
He wouldn't need an amp.
anyhow, in a room that size, i would be looking at floorstanders

The sevens are powered but I believe the LS50 does need an amp. I did recommend floostanders as I am a big fan of mine but I believe he is only interested in bookshelf speakers, though I will double check with him.

😱
Just one wall short of being a greenhouse then 🤔
All he needs is one of those horrible all wooden floors and he'll be on for maximum sound compromise 👍

But seriously Oliver, the fact that you pointed it out shows that you know how important the room acoustics are.
It's impossible to overstate the importance.

I can only give the normal advice that everyone gives on here - that you need to hear speakers with the intended amp, in the intended room - before deciding.

Aha yeah, the floor is actually a stone tile which might not help the situation. I do not know that much about room acoustics, is there anything he can do to mitigate the glass/stone effects? I will also ask if he would consider another room.

I'm pretty sure he'll be able to have a demo at his place, but am trying to help him pick one or two really good speakers he can demo rather than just picking at random. He really likes the look of the sevens, and I've heard good things about the LS50s but am open to all ideas. Would also love to hear from someone whose had experience with either of those.

 

[Gray]

I will also ask if he would consider another room.

That may be be the best idea.
Together with some well positioned stands he would be giving any speakers more of a chance to show what they're capable of.

(Some people cover class with heavy curtains, but that (understandably) may not be desirable - due to defeating the object of windows for their views / light).

 

[daytona600]

.Klipsch have a built in phono stage , just add a turntable from Project , Rega , Technics
HDMI Arc for your TV to act as a soundbar , wireless/bluetooth for streaming

 

[DiggyGun]

Concentrate on the source first, then amp and finally loudspeakers.

As we have no idea of budget, it’s difficult to offer up suggestions.

My recommendation would be to start with a dealer and demo some systems.

DG…

 

[Al ears]

Concentrate on the source first, then amp and finally loudspeakers.

As we have no idea of budget, it’s difficult to offer up suggestions.

My recommendation would be to start with a dealer and demo some systems.

DG…

I would agree although he has stated the source will be vinyl.
If going for the Sevens as speakers he will not need an amp allowing more to be spent on decent stands and turntable

 

[OliverBen5672]

Concentrate on the source first, then amp and finally loudspeakers.

As we have no idea of budget, it’s difficult to offer up suggestions.

My recommendation would be to start with a dealer and demo some systems.

DG…

The source will be vinyl, although he hasn't spent much time looking at a turntable yet.

I would agree although he has stated the source will be vinyl.
If going for the Sevens as speakers he will not need an amp allowing more to be spent on decent stands and turntable

Do you think good stands would help with the room acoustics given the glass and floor?

It's hard to say his budget as I'm speaking for him here. The speakers seem to be £1,000-1,500. I would suggest that the turntable would likely be £500-1000. The amp/stands probably somewhere similar if needed.

 

[Al ears]

The source will be vinyl, although he hasn't spent much time looking at a turntable yet.

Do you think good stands would help with the room acoustics given the glass and floor?

It's hard to say his budget as I'm speaking for him here. The speakers seem to be £1,000-1,500. I would suggest that the turntable would likely be £500-1000. The amp/stands probably somewhere similar if needed.

Yes to decent stands.
The room is bad enough acoustically without attempting to use standmount speakers without stands....
Also buying speakers based purely on their looks is no way to go. Get to a dealership and audition some stuff.

 

[manicm]

Hi,

My dad is looking at investing in his first HiFi setup. He is after a pair of bookshelf speakers for a 4 x 10 m room. It is also might be worth noting three of the walls will be glass.

He likes the look of the Klipsch Series Seven, I also recommended the KEF LS50 Meta from when I was looking at speakers a few years ago. I said I would ask the internets opinion so I was wondering if anyone had any experience with these speakers, comparisons, reviews or alternatives in a similar price range (~£1000) that you recommend?

The speakers will be primarily used for listening to vinyl (also interested in turntable/amp recommendations that pair with these speakers/price range), I imagine mostly stuff like Pink Floyd and The Rolling Stones.

Any help and suggestions are appreciated, if there is any other info that could help please ask.

Thank you in advance!

I've heard the Sevens, they're fantastic. Just add a streamer, maybe a WiiM Pro, and you're set. Check for deals though.

 

[Al ears]

I've heard the Sevens, they're fantastic. Just add a streamer, maybe a WiiM Pro, and you're set. Check for deals though.

Why a streamer when his main source is vinyl....

 

[Gray]

Why a streamer when his main source is vinyl....

Everybody must have a streamer - you need to understand it's the future 🤨😆

 

[Al ears]

Everybody must have a streamer - you need to understand it's the future 🤨😆

You can't play LP's on a streamer, at least not last time I looked....

 

[manicm]

Why a streamer when his main source is vinyl....

In which case I'd still point him to an external phono preamp then.

 

[Al ears]

In which case I'd still point him to an external phono preamp then.

What's wrong with the inbuilt one? Not much cop?

 

[Gray]

You can't play LP's on a streamer, at least not last time I looked....

That's why I've converted some vinyl to FLAC, so that I can 😉
It will be a while before I ditch all sources in favour of streamer only (if ever).

 

[Al ears]

That's why I've converted some vinyl to FLAC, so that I can 😉
It will be a while before I ditch all sources in favour of streamer only (if ever).

Interesting, the time, effort and expense of buying additional kit to digitize seems odd to me, think I would just buy a digital download of the album, but I feel we are moving way away from the OPs question

 

[manicm]

What's wrong with the inbuilt one? Not much cop?

Built-in phono amps at this price are not great?

 

[Gray]

think I would just buy a digital download of the album,

I might've done but much of the vinyl I FLACced wasn't available to download.

Back to the subject.
The OP and his dad would obviously need to try the Klipsch phono stage before spending on an external.
Although the £500-£1000 turntable budget previously mentioned would almost get a nice Technics with its (supposedly good) built-in phono stage.

 

[Al ears]

I might've done but much of the vinyl I FLACced wasn't available to download.

Back to the subject.
The OP and his dad would obviously need to try the Klipsch phono stage before spending on an external.
Although the £500-£1000 turntable budget previously mentioned would almost get a nice Technics with its (supposedly good) built-in phono stage.

Agreed, but if the one in the Sevens is half decent no point in buying a turntable with an inbuilt one as well.

 

[OliverBen5672]

Thanks everyone for your help

I think the plan for now will be to see if he can arrange a demo of the sevens or maybe the LS50s in the room. I have also strongly recommended a good stand to try and help with the acoustics.

I am sure he'll add a streamer at some point, and maybe look at a pre-amp in the future but for now I think he's just after getting some speakers set up for vinyl.

 

[Gray]

I am sure he'll add a streamer at some point, and maybe look at a pre-amp in the future

Remember that the streamer itself might be able to do the job of a preamp too.

That Wiim Ultra, for example, even has its own phono stage - and a line input to take a better external one if necessary.
It could also send his vinyl multiroom or to Bluetooth wireless headphones - if your Dad was ever that way inclined.

 

[twinkletoes]

Thanks everyone for your help

I think the plan for now will be to see if he can arrange a demo of the sevens or maybe the LS50s in the room. I have also strongly recommended a good stand to try and help with the acoustics.

I am sure he'll add a streamer at some point, and maybe look at a pre-amp in the future but for now I think he's just after getting some speakers set up for vinyl.

If you can save just a tiny bit more, JBL have some really good active options with a streamer built in and will except legacy connections from turn tables and or CD players, you will need an out board phone stage or turntable with one built in though.

Just bought myself a pair very nice sounding tried with my turntable setup and its very nice sounding.

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