Absolute references in “connected high fidelity”, Kef’s LS50 Wireless were brought up to date in fall 2020 with a version II with subtle, but convincing, ergonomic and technological developments.
“The same thing, just a little better.” In the majority of cases, such an assessment would be somewhat dull. When we talk about the LS50 Wireless II – which manage to offer even slightly better performance than the already brilliant performance of their predecessors – the formula hides a real feat. A true phenomenon of precision and musicality, Kef’s new speakers also benefit from a beneficial functional refresh, and establish themselves without any difficulty among the connected references of high-end audio. They represent an obvious choice for those who would be left unmoved by the rowdy character of the Devialet Phantoms – even if the latter retain bass of unequaled depth.
Strong points
- Soft and warm sound, while remaining absolutely transparent.
- Staggering wealth of details, maddening dynamics.
- Extraordinarily full and natural stereophony.
- Very relevant acoustic calibration options.
- High quality manufacturing.
- AirPlay 2 and Chromecast compatibility, native support for major streaming services.
- Generous connectivity (including an HDMI ARC socket).
Weak points
- Moderately extended bass, and less defined than the rest of the spectrum.
NB: The reported price drop is calculated by comparing the lowest price of the day with the average of the lowest prices charged by all merchants for the product last month, with security rules to exclude the prices of stores whose the VAT policy is not clear (so-called “gray” stores, typically in the case of imports from China).
Alternatively
It’s difficult to find a size/performance/versatility ratio as solid as these LSX IIs, which push the user experience to a level even closer to impeccable. This extremely successful compact version of the prodigious LS50 Wireless II frankly does not have many things to envy of them and is perfectly capable of offering excellent listening pleasure. This is the ideal solution for those who want (and can) afford the best pair of compact active stereo speakers possible.