Official Kef LS50 owners thread

I haven't taken the the time to comb through 1700+ posts to see if my concerns have been addressed in this thread, so forgive me if it has.

I've always heard that a speaker's tweeters should be at the listener's ear level for the best sound. That advice seems to conflict with KEF's recommended stand height of 18-24 inches for the LS50's. In my case, the stands would have to be much taller than that to bring the tweeters (both drivers) up to ear level for me. Am I missing something here?
 
You aren't missing a thing. Some describe stands being up to 30" high. It all depends on the height at which your ears are situated in your listening position.
 
If everyone's ears were at the same height and everyone's listening rooms were identical and everyone sat in the exact same chair, then a manufacturers recommended stand height would really mean something.

Otherwise, it's just a VERY general recommendation possible fueled from testing and mike placement data in a anechoic chamber which may have little to no correlation to what will work best for you.
 
I setup the ls50's on top of my JBL's.... Slightly above ear level (I'm sitting down, outside in the lanai) they sound great, I notice they are really 'fast' to changes in the various music I play. That said, I went back to my L 300 's as I think the overall sound is better, for me any way. Thinking of new ways to use the 50's in another system.
 
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KEF recommends (or used to recommend) 24" stands. But I remember reading somewhere on the net that someone had come out with specialty stands for these speakers, and they were higher.

It is going to depend on your chair, amp, room, etc., etc. I started out with 24" stands, then later added Isoacoustic platforms on top of that, raising and tilting the speaker to aim at my ear level. I sit in an office chair on a raised 1" chair platform, so my ear height is a touch higher then usual.
 
Thanks for the replies guys.

I'm just surprised that KEF would recommend stands that start out at 18" and only go up to 24". Most of the chairs we sit in will put our ears at about 36" or even higher. I'm wondering if KEF believes that the LS50's sound their best when they're at a lower than ear level height.
 
Route 66 said:
Thanks for the replies guys.

I'm just surprised that KEF would recommend stands that start out at 18" and only go up to 24". Most of the chairs we sit in will put our ears at about 36" or even higher. I'm wondering if KEF believes that the LS50's sound their best when they're at a lower than ear level height.
Click to expand...

Try different stand heights to see what sounds best in your room. I use 24" stands and preferred them to 30" stands. I also preferred the LS50 pointing straight ahead or very little toe in and others seem to prefer toe in so the speakers are beaming at their head. See what you like. According to the white paper for the LS50, they work well slightly off axis which may be the reason they suggest a shorter stand.

http://www.kefamerica.com/july12/LS50 White Paper.pdf


LS50 Performance Summary
The frequency response of the LS50 compared to the LS3/5A is shown in
Figure 22. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the LS50 is somewhat more regular and slightly more efficient. Indeed, the LS50 response is slightly smoother 10 degrees off axis and in many cases this is a preferable listening position.
 
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johsti said:
Try different stand heights to see what sounds best in your room. I use 24" stands and preferred them to 28" stands. I also preferred the LS50 pointing straight ahead or very little toe in and others seem to prefer toe in so the speakers are beaming at their head. See what you like. According to the white paper for the LS50, they work well slightly off axis which may be the reason they suggest a shorter stand.

http://www.kefamerica.com/july12/LS50 White Paper.pdf


LS50 Performance Summary
The frequency response of the LS50 compared to the LS3/5A is shown in
Figure 22. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the LS50 is somewhat more regular and slightly more efficient. Indeed, the LS50 response is slightly smoother 10 degrees off axis and in many cases this is a preferable listening position.
Click to expand...

That actually makes a lot of sense to me. I think you've answered my question.

Thanks for including the link to the white paper. I don't know how much of it I'll understand, but it should make for (mostly) fun reading.
 
Maybe Brits are shorter and require smaller chairs...just kidding.

I'm in the camp that prefers the way they sound pretty much on axis (tweeters at ear level, toed-in so that they fire just over my shoulders).

Bill
 
I like mine set a little off axis, thus a little below ear level and slightly toed in.

I've tried many variances, and this is what works for me in my room. Although I'm not using subwoofers.
 
seikosha said:
If everyone's ears were at the same height and everyone's listening rooms were identical and everyone sat in the exact same chair, then a manufacturers recommended stand height would really mean something.



Otherwise, it's just a VERY general recommendation possible fueled from testing and mike placement data in a anechoic chamber which may have little to no correlation to what will work best for you.
Click to expand...


I bought a 26 inch stand and that makes the tweeter exactly my ear height while sitting in my most comfortable chair. But guess what. I prefer the sound while standing up. So may be 18 inch stand would not have been bad.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
johsti said:
Try different stand heights to see what sounds best in your room. I use 24" stands and preferred them to 30" stands. I also preferred the LS50 pointing straight ahead or very little toe in and others seem to prefer toe in so the speakers are beaming at their head. See what you like. According to the white paper for the LS50, they work well slightly off axis which may be the reason they suggest a shorter stand.

http://www.kefamerica.com/july12/LS50 White Paper.pdf
Click to expand...

It's interesting that the prototypes were designed to be bi-wired, but they decided not to go with separate binding posts in the end. For sound quality reason, and I'm going to assume also cost, confusion, etc.

My first pair of "real" audiophile speakers were Thiel 3.0s (still have them, in storage). They were also bi-wire/bi-amp-able, even came with instructions on how to add a strapping power resistor across the tweeter posts, to attenuate the highs. For later models, Thiel stopped adding this feature to his speakers.

The way the KEF white paper describes the crossovers, one could go into the cabinet and separate the highs from the lows, if they wanted to experiment with bi-amp-ping.
 
Are there any studies that show benefits of bi-amping in something like ls50 at low to med volumes? I mean any study published in AES or other journals.
 
johnvb said:
It's interesting that the prototypes were designed to be bi-wired, but they decided not to go with separate binding posts in the end. For sound quality reason, and I'm going to assume also cost, confusion, etc.

My first pair of "real" audiophile speakers were Thiel 3.0s (still have them, in storage). They were also bi-wire/bi-amp-able, even came with instructions on how to add a strapping power resistor across the tweeter posts, to attenuate the highs. For later models, Thiel stopped adding this feature to his speakers.

The way the KEF white paper describes the crossovers, one could go into the cabinet and separate the highs from the lows, if they wanted to experiment with bi-amp-ping.
Click to expand...


I'm guessing they felt that the LS50 didn't benefit from a sound standpoint as even their Q100 model has bi-wire/amp capability and KEF's implementation is rather novel as opposed to the standard jumpers.

Bill


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Time to charge my iPad again! I read through this thread from beginning to end and really enjoyed it. I watched things get a bit crazy in the middle when folks began talking like they weren't in Audiokarma, but rather in the high clouds of a Buddhist temple of audio. Art K, I'm glad you stayed with your LS 50's. I am trying to figure out a plan to get them past the customs official here, also known as my wife! I think I would enjoy them very much as long as I didn't get sucked into the search for infinity! Thanks for the great thread folks, you all made this a real fun experience!
 
The fact this thread is still going strong over a year later says a lot.

The LS50 is indeed a truly remarkable speaker. A classic, for sure.

I hope to run across a pair again some day, they are definitely something else.
 
The only way I will get rid of mine is if I have a windfall, then it's Blade II's for me. I heard these not long ago, and my God!
 
Hello all,

New owner of LS50 here. I am thrilled beyond belief. Wanted to get some input from members on amplifier. I am currently running an Anthem AVM 20 with B&K Ref 4420, which is a solid state amp that output 225 w @ 8 ohms. As good as it sounds to my ears, I am getting maybe just a slight itch on upgrading the amp. I am kind of half heartedly looking at either a PrimaLuna Prologue Premium, or a Job 225. I wanted to see if anyone has had pairing of the LS50 with any of these 3 amps, and if they have any impression of it.

I am also curious to know if I would get any kind of improvement by going with either the PrimaLuna or the Job. I am trying to read through the entire thread, but I am only at about page 55, and I have utilized the search function, but the results have been scarce. So just wanted to see if anyone have any direct experience with the pairing.

And yes, I have read about the part where one poster from another forum that they would be happy with LS50 and Job 225 ;)

Thanks in advance. I will continue where I left off in the thread and check back here on updated posts too.

PS. wow, did not know this was post 1 for me at AK!
 
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