KEF has improved upon last year’s Award-winning all-in-one system with an innovative and entertaining sequel.
KEF LS50 Wireless II : Read more
KEF LS50 Wireless II : Read more
KEF LS50 Wireless II
- Thread starter What Hi-Fi?
- Start date
kbfdh
Member
Very troubling that KEF is reusing the same awful Bluetooth 4.2 chips from 2016. Shouldn't every self respecting hi-fi system at the very least support aptX HD? Where else did they cut corners?
nopiano
Well-known member
Does anyone spending two grand on excellent Hi-Fi speakers really use Bluetooth much? It is a last resort in my book.
kbfdh
Member
With the new codecs available it didn't have to be that way though. Good Bluetooth support would also have been useful for desktop speaker use now that USB input is gone.
WisEd
Active member
Agree completely. All bluetooth versions are simply bad, they go from horrible to dismal. I would guess, that bluetooth is included simply as a courtesy. The so called aptx HD. Has zero HD about it.
kbfdh
Member
That's just plain wrong. If KEF cared to make the absolute best speakers they could then they would simply support LDAC, which goes up to 24-bit 96kHz. That's the same quality you get with optical input, and the maximum the KEF LS50W II can handle without an ethernet cable.
P.S.: aptX Adaptive goes up to 24-bit 48kHz, which is also nothing to scoff at.
WisEd
Active member
My 851n has aptx HD as well as my phone. Anything I have streamed through bluetooth has been horrible. I was so disappointed with it my BT dongle just gathers dust in a drawer. Though it can supposedly support high bit rates it always sounded horribly compressed and dead.
Wish you guys would get off the hi-res bandwagon, CD quality is all you need for perfect reproduction. The quality of the recording is everything, hi-res doesn't cure a bad recording. And yes I do have some hi-res files... waste of money.
WisEd
Active member
Im sorry to disagree, though more is not always necessarily better, full theoretical reproduction of the sound spectrum is 24/96. CD is 16/48. Yes, CD is more than enough for the majority of music, certainly not all. Furtheremore, many CD's are atrociously badly compressed and multiple generations away from the master recording. Unfortunately the format of a recording is no guarantee of fidelity.
No need to apologise, we're just having a chat. Do you believe that a hi-res file of the same recording will somehow cure this? I don't because you don't know which master has been used for the recording, as you say it could be generations away from the original... the original may not even exist now. Very difficult to know what you are actually purchasing these days.
Personally, it's my opinion that hi-res is just another way of parting us with our hard-earned cash.
Last edited by a moderator:
WisEd
Active member
You are absolutely correct! Resampling is another myth , no amount of resampling will add anything that wasn't there to begin with!
WisEd
Active member
However it is nice than it will not chop higher resolution material if there were something there
again in my experience anything over 24/96 is just bragging numbers, the issue is if the release is at those higher frequencies you need a decoder that can handle them or they are unplayable.
olivenoire
Member
Hi people.
I want to use it as my desktop / monitoring speakers, without amplifier.
Would like to know how to simply connect to my Mac book pro using usb-c? No airplay but old cable.
is an adaptator enough?
Regards
I want to use it as my desktop / monitoring speakers, without amplifier.
Would like to know how to simply connect to my Mac book pro using usb-c? No airplay but old cable.
is an adaptator enough?
Regards
WisEd
Active member
Yes it has a usb port all you need is the correct cable/adapter. USBC is compatible with all previous standards.
olivenoire
Member
Hi,
move try to connect my MuSo2 with HDMI adapter and no sound at all.
I’m not sure it is so simple to send sound through hdmi.
A real test and feedback would be appreciated
WisEd
Active member
HDMI is for TV connections not as a PC interphase. Supposedly it also works with chromecast. On my C53 preamp the HDMI port is strictly a TV affair.
olivenoire
Member
Kieran101
Member
Actually yes, I have a pair of new LS 50s Wireless, 3months old, bought them, got sold the idea of not getting wired with Cambridge amp etc and go for wireless versión, normally it takes 20 mins to connect to them, I've reset them, got latest version of app etc etc, the only way I can walk in room and listen to music without wanting to throw them out the window in blue tooth..... Can't belive the v2 has a new app and v 1 doesn't, speakers sound amazing, app is terrible. Would be very curious to see feedback on new app. For me, I would stay well away from wireless versión and recommend an very good amp and go wired... My opinion... From previous experience... Wish I waited for v2. Had no idea they were coming.
WisEd
Active member
Sorry to hear about the problems with the V1 version. I have read in various publications about issues with the app. I'm crossing my fingers that the kinks have been worked out. Did you try to wire them to your network?
Kieran101
Member
Unfortunately no, I'm sure that would work, however I would have to smash about 10-15m of wall over windows etc to get a cable there. Would have made them better I'm sure, problem is it simply does not connect. Maybe I'll buy a cable to try that but I'm not going to achieve anything as I'm not having a cable run through my living like that. Thanks for your response. K
nopiano
Well-known member
I can imagine the frustration, and in a way you’re agreeing as you only used a Bluetooth in desperation. My point is it wouldn’t be first choice!
Moree Spingato
Well-known member
LS 50 wireless II - seriously, several competitors.
- Dynaudio Focal XD
- Buchardt A500
- Even Edifier S3000 (fraction of the price)
- Dynaudio Focal XD
- Buchardt A500
- Even Edifier S3000 (fraction of the price)
TheJoker
Well-known member
WisEd
Active member
randhat
Active member
I ordered mine directly from KEF. Was told initially that they would start shipping at the end of October. Surprisingly I got a shipping confirmation from them a few days ago and I received them yesterday. I listened to them most of the evening. Observations: I could immediately hear an improvement in clarity over the older version. Smooth yet detailed. I will continue listening throughout the day. Some apparent tradeoffs in getting my system so early is that I seem to have a pre-production version of the "Connect" app that was mentioned in the review as I am unable to connect to my local network to access files from my NAS. It did connect easily to my network, I just don't have the option to access files from the network. I have been streaming from Qobuz and Tidal with absolutely no issues. As a Roon user I have to wait for certification (again another tradeoff for being an early adopter) so I am missing the convenience of the Roon app. But am enjoying what I am hearing from Qobuz and Tidal. I will post additional impressions and or issues as they may occur.
Similar threads
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram