KEF LS50 vs Mission SX 2 (FIGHT!)

[iamjimmi]

Hi,

I am looking to upgrade speakers to go with my Cyrus Streamline 2. It's a great amp but only 30W x2.

I like a wide rnage of music - accoustic guitar and folky stuff, right through to soul and dance. I lot of the top end speakers I have heard in the past are great for clairty and separation but don't have an impressive impact down below - so not so great with the thumping dance music!

The review of the Kef LS50 and Mission SX2 suggest that they might it all! But anyone have any advice regarding which might best suit my tastes and set-up?

I am going to to listen to some Kef's this weekend but the shop doesn't stock Mission, so I would need to trek somewhere else and not benefit from a side by side listen.

Any other widlcards that would suit the Cyrus Streamline (budget between £400 and £800)? Maybe I am better suited with a floor stander? If so it is for a bedroom so I don't want anything too big (Dali Zensor 5 maybe)...

Thanks in advance....

Jim

 

[CnoEvil]

You could also look at Q Acoustics Concept 20 and Kef R100s.

 

[the record spot]

Bedroom? Tannoy DC4 on the shortlist without a doubt. As good as the Concept 20 according to one review I read. Under £300 too if you shop around. Fantastic speaker for the money.

 

[wilro15]

You need more power for those Kefs, I know as I have them. Also, I think both Kef and Cyrus have a bright sound so it might end up being too much. Unless that's your thing.

 

[matthewpiano]

RS, do you think the DC4s will give the OP the bass impact he is seeking?

 

[manicm]

There's a user on the (unofficial) Cyrus forum who's very happy with the Streamline and KEF R100s.

 

[BigH]

Think your amp. is a bit underpowered to drive the LS50s, I would try Dali and Kef R100s.

 

[the record spot]

RS, do you think the DC4s will give the OP the bass impact he is seeking?

He'd need to decide Matthew, but all I can say is I've been more than impressed by the capability and the quality of the bass on offer. It's better than the reviews suggested and they've been an excellent purchase. For me of course. Someone else's idea may be different but in a small room they'll acquit themselves well.

 

[iamjimmi]

Thanks for the replies - def some more options for consideration.

From a technical view the LS50's might need more oomph than the streamline can produce. It will be interesting to heat the results.

Will try the other suggestions if they are stocked.

Here's a suprise... the KEF floor standers Q500 can be driven by 15 Watt amp upwards. I would have assumed the bigger cab, the more power recommended... but what do I know. I might try and hook a pair off these up too. The shop are going to love me

 

[mpapo]

I drive the Kef' LS50's with the NAD D3020 that also only has 30Watts of power to sufficient levels, although they would indeed benefit from more power.

However, if in the future I wish to upgrade my amp, the Kef's will react very positively to this update

 

[BigH]

Thanks for the replies - def some more options for consideration.

From a technical view the LS50's might need more oomph than the streamline can produce. It will be interesting to heat the results.

Will try the other suggestions if they are stocked.

Here's a suprise... the KEF floor standers Q500 can be driven by 15 Watt amp upwards. I would have assumed the bigger cab, the more power recommended... but what do I know. I might try and hook a pair off these up too. The shop are going to love me

No Floorstanders are often more sensitive than standmounts so need less power to produce the same volume.

 

[Frank Harvey]

I haven't read the thread, but as far as quality is concerned, the LS50 wins the day. Of course, personal preference comes into play, so it depends what you will like the sound of.

 

[matthewpiano]

RS, do you think the DC4s will give the OP the bass impact he is seeking?

He'd need to decide Matthew, but all I can say is I've been more than impressed by the capability and the quality of the bass on offer. It's better than the reviews suggested and they've been an excellent purchase. For me of course. Someone else's idea may be different but in a small room they'll acquit themselves well.

I'm not questioning their quality for one minute. I like Tannoy speakers very much. Merely asking if they are likely to produce the quantity of bass the OP may be looking for. Laws of physics and all that (just as with my Castles).

 

[the record spot]

I'd be inclined to put quality ahead of quantity Matthew. Sure you can have a pair of boxes that just thud away to their heart's content, but I use the stereo too much to put up with poor quality bass. Had them for over two years now, so I guess they must be doing something right..>!

 

[matthewpiano]

I'd be inclined to put quality ahead of quantity Matthew. Sure you can have a pair of boxes that just thud away to their heart's content, but I use the stereo too much to put up with poor quality bass. Had them for over two years now, so I guess they must be doing something right..>!

As you know, I feel exactly the same as you, hence my latest choice of speakers. Definitely quality over quantity here and I find too much bass extremely tiring.

However, the OP's post suggests that quantity is important to him.

 

[the record spot]

Yes Matthew and I'm saying in a small room, the Tannoys are capable of doing a good job. They've a bigger sound than people expect just going by the reviews. But of course, if quantity is the be all and end all, then some used Cerwin Vegas are the way to go really.

 

[iamjimmi]

Thanks all. I will start with the Kef's but will work my round some of the suggestions if they are stocked.

I am currently running a pair of old Mission 780SE's. But they are way too bright for my tastes with the Cyrus.

On the other hand I supsect the Cerwin's are too far the other way. Probably the best option is to add a quality sub but there just isn't room for one in the room.- so let's discount that option straight away!

But going back to the orignal question - any thoughts on the Mission SX2 with a cyrus?

 

[BigH]

I have the 780SEs and they certainly arnt bright with Arcam, so I suspect your amp maybe the problem, I don't think the Kefs will be much better than the 780s so you may want to consider a different amp.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Any other widlcards that would suit the Cyrus Streamline (budget between £400 and £800)?

Jim

Hi Jim

I feel that you should also consider the new Focal JM Lab 906 speakers.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[iamjimmi]

As an additional, thought I would share the tracks I intend to listen to... this might give folk a better idea of the range of music I listen to...

Soul II Soul: Back to Life [A cappella]

Ronny Jordan: So What

Patti Jo: Make me Believe in You

Lorde: Royals

Stone Roses: Fools Gold

Simon & Garfunkel: At the Zoo

Leonard Cohen: The Darkness

So quite varied! But as you can see, quite a taste for bass...

I know what you are thinking - what no Pink Floyd?! I actually like a bit of Floyd, but I find that their recordings tend to sound pretty hot on most systems!

 

[MickyBlue]

The kef ls50's get my vote, although you will need to improve your amplification to drive them correctly.

 

[wilro15]

The kef ls50's get my vote, although you will need to improve your amplification to drive them correctly.

You have almost exactly the same setup as me - how are you liking the Leema/Kef combo? Works great for me.

 

[g777o]

Haven't had a chance to hear the missions yet, as my local dealers do not stock them.

I have LS50's with a high current rotel power amp, and they respond very well to this at all volumes.

 

[The Mad One]

Hi

I used to own (still do for now) own the KEFs but i found that they didn't gel at all well with my Amp (they do with Arcam A19 & A38 Amps very well)

so i they had to go i was recommended the JBL STUDIO 530 odd looking but its when you hear them that you realise that they are very very special so much so that the kefs sound rather ordinary.

Richer sounds may still stock them at a very good price.

give em a go you'll be pleasantly surprised how fantastic they sound.

 

[iamjimmi]

Well, I am back from the audition and a purchase has been made....

I started with the Dali Zensor 1's... for a reference point. And then quickly moved on. Great value/budget speaker but I have the luxury of a bigger budget so hoping for more.

Next the Dail Zensor 5's. I was really impressed with these. A very compact floor stander (important for its bedroom placement). And great presence. Excellent value for money and more bass than I could wish for. Really toned down the brightness of the Cyrus - but maybe a little too much?

Moving on, the KEF LS50's. I so wanted to fall for these, but it just didn't happen. It might not be fair to compare the bass response of a floor stander with a book shelf/monitor but the most immediate difference was the toned down bass. Yes, very accurate...but for my ears and amp... too accurate. The separation is amazing but again for my tastes it was all rather dispersed. It sounded like 5 individual musicians playing rather than 5 musicians playing together as a band. I totally get why folk rave about these but it just goes to show - you have to listen and decided for yourself.

Next was the KEF Q500 floor standers. These scored better than the Dali's on detail but the bass felt a little disjointed. Given the extra cost of the KEF's I was happier to compromise a little detail for the more rounded and meatier sound of the Zensor 5's.

Next KEF R100. I wasn't expecting much from these. After all, they are £200 cheaper than the LS50's and the same size. But wow! Where was all that bass coming from? How can a box so small make a sound so big?! It handled vocals sweetly, the Stone Roses were together playing as a band and the LFO in Royals was more than respectable. I had to swap between the LS50 and the R100 a number of times (the shop loved me) just to be sure. For me and the sound I like, it was the R100 all the way. And the amazing thing, they gave the floor standers a decent run for their money on the bass.

Next... the B&W CM5. I thought this was a cracking little speaker - but just a bit too civilised for my tastes. It did as it was told and did everything right. But I want to listen to rock'n roll and it didn't have the kahooners that I was looking for!

Finally the shop tempted me with the Kef R300's ... At just under £1,000 I refused to listen to them! My budget topped out at £800 and I was sticking to it....

So... what did I go for..... It was of course the KEF R100's! That quite a number of you guys recommended!

I didn't get to try some of the other recommendations (the JBL STUDIO 530 looked interesting and very well priced by Richer's but not stocked near me) due to availability of stock. And I didn't get to try the Mission SX2 - the whole point of this thread! But I am delighted with the R100 - it matches very well with the Cyrus.

The only issue I now have is the 30W amp in the Streamline 2. Every speaker I auditioned was compromised to some extent by the low power - but the R100 did a pretty fine job to cope with the measly output.

Thanks for all your input. Hope this thread is of use to folk in the future....