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Replacing KEF LS50s with Reference 1s

Has anyone done this and if so what is your conclusion?  The sources would be an Ayre C-5xeMP disc player and Sony HAP-Z1ES going through a K-5xeMP preamp to a VX-5 Twenty amp the drives the LS50s or Reference 1s.  A pair of Velodyne HGS-10s might be used with an SMS-1 bass manager to supplement LF.  I have five glossy black LS50s I'd be willing to sell to pretty much cover the cost of the pair of used Reference 1s -- I'd keep the racing red LS50s my wife so loves.

db 
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stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,384 posts
 
If I had 5 of the same speakers, I would sell  them as 2 pairs and 1 center channel and be willing to sell the pairs and single speaker separately.  The chances are much less if you try to sell or swap all 5 for the other speaker.  At any rate, I would post an ad here on Audiogon.
ohlala
1,235 posts
 
I have not owned either, but have heard them in an A/B. The two-way design eliminates the bass congestion of the LS50, so the gain is better bandwidth, more detail and more open sound. My opinion is the improvement is large. I do not think selling 2.5 pairs of LS50 is going to come very close in covering a pair of reference 1s, though.
mountainsong's avatar
mountainsong
422 posts
 
I had owned the Ref 1 and ref 3. The reference line it is a totally different league that doesn't even deserve to be compare with the LS50.
Regards 
mountainsong's avatar
mountainsong
422 posts
 
I sold the ref 1 to buy the ref 3. Exactly what I was expecting.
Best of luck 
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