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dissapointed - new LS50w's vs old PioneerFS52's/Luxman R113 - so far Kef's not so great?

windows pc system,
listened an hour thus far, the Kef's are sitting on top of the Pioneers, straddling a computer desk, at the moment Kef's are usb connected and the luxman feeds into the pc via 3.5mm so I can kind of a/b
I plan on getting iso acoustic pucks soon

gotta say quite underwhelmed thus far, maybe a touch more clarity and imaging from kefs, slightly crisper highs
bass is not really close much better on the pioneers

I've played around with the app just a bit, guessing the kefs need break in also?
getting swan m300's next but not before I'm sure I've given the kefs a thorough workout over a few hundred hours
thoughts/advice?


audiocanada
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,315 posts
 
Not surprised.  These small KEF speakers are hugely overrated.
gochurchgo
909 posts
 
People love KEF. I do not.
verdantaudio's avatar
verdantaudio
1,499 posts
 
The LS50s take forever to break in.  There is a dealer in Manhattan who refused to sell the floor model they have because they don't want to go through the pain of breaking them in again.  I have listened to a new pair next to one that is fully broken in...very different sound.  

That being said, bass response stinks.  Those speakers need a subwoofer to be at their very best.  
pokey77
1,265 posts
 
The problem with LS 50s is they need lots of good power. They don't work well with cheap $1,000 integrateds, at least not in my experience. You need good separates to motivate them to sing, and sing they will when you give them lots of good power. 
mickeyb
559 posts
 
The problem with kefs is that they’re kefs. Over rated and over hyped. I would go insane listening to them through the break in period. So much that I would have to sell them before they would get there. 
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