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KEF LS50... The ultimate anal-ytical speaker for living rooms?

I am looking for a VERY revealing with razor-sharp imaging type of bookshelf,  but not the cost of TOTAL loss of musicality.... In other words, not necessarily full range, but at least balanced - not something that starts to roll-off at 200hz... They would be listened to mid-field, 6-7ft away in a somewhat open space.  Could it be the ls50, or is there anything else around their price-point? Thx for suggestions...
chrisr
yyzsantabarbara
5,021 posts
 
You did not mention price or room size, only sound quality, so I am recommending the KEF Reference 1 bookshelf. There is one available today on A’Gon for about $6K used. It is a great stand mount speaker. Read the soundstage.com review it reads like what you are searching for.

I have decided to get this speaker for my office once I move. It will replace the passive KEF LS50 which will move to the bedroom. I think the LS50 is ideal on a desktop (on small Isoaccoustic stands) or in a bedroom. So in a small room for near-field listening.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
10,085 posts
 
Eminent Technology LFT-16a. Undeservedly overlooked at 1250/pr.
chrisr's avatar
chrisr OP
543 posts
 
Thanks for all these recommendations!  If I had the $$$, the ATC, Dynaudio, KEF reference 1 would definitely be in my living room.  But with a son in college, l have to not look in that direction.   I am currently looking at LS50s because I have been trying some kef q100s  this week.  The one remarkable quality in these is their capacity to image and their transparency... they reveal a lot more what's in recordings, which is double edge as they are merciless with so so masterings or sources.  But they stop there.  They roll-off below 200hz, with some peaks here and there, are "hot' with undesirable colorations, and they sound really thin, almost smaller than their size would indicate.  THey were probably meant just for surrounds in affordable HT setups.
But if the Q100s are what the MMGs are to Magnepan's bigger panels, then I am thinking that the LS50s edition must have what's missing with the Q100...
Only one way to find out, right?  I'll try to get a pair for home audition.
thx again for your comments.
glennewdick's avatar
glennewdick
1,735 posts
 

I really want to say try a used set of ProAc’s like the Tablet or any in that model rang over the years. possibly the Response 1sc, 1.5 if you can take a small floor model. Great imaging speaker huge width and depth and detailed but not in your face detailed more refined then most smaller speakers for the size and money. ProAc speakers are known for their musicality and imaging, they play nice with tubes only thing they may not do enough of is the hard edges you like but the newer you get the more refined they get.


you could also almost buy a new set for the same price as the LS50

of the current tablet 10. in either ported or none ported versions.

I started my Audiophile journey in the proac Line, still miss them to this day.  

dbphd
1,632 posts
 
I'm using a pair of LS50s driven by Ayre KX-5 Twenty preamp and VX-5 amp.  They are supplemented below 100 Hz by a pair of Velodyne HGS-10s and SMS-1 bass manager with acoustic room correction.  Sources are Ayre C-5xeMP, Oppo 205, and files managed by Roon through an Ayre QX-5 Digital Hub.  The sound is excellent, even for large orchestrations, and a delight for jazz and baroque.

db
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