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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
sharbatgula
19 posts
 
P.S. An advice:
Let them break-in and don't do the A/B comparison all the time. Play various genres of music for about a week, then you will be able to build your opinion and possibly appreciation of the speakers.

Then play your old setup for a day or two and you will notice either why they are better overall or notice their drawbacks against a more neutral and honest speaker. A flat response speaker will always lose in A/B comparison to a one that is colored to excite on first hear, just like those TV sets in a store with maxed contrast and backlight. Bring it home with those settings and you will get blind.
turnbowm
353 posts
 
I've owned KEF LS50s for several years and found that they are quite sensitive to the equipment they're partnered with. Impedance drops below 4 ohms at low frequencies and you need an amp with good current capability to hear them at their best. If you have room problems (wall reflections, etc.), you will definitely hear them with the LS50s, but that's true of most highly-resolving speakers. As with most small standmount speakers, a good subwoofer is required for bass response below 50Hz.

For me, they offer a musical experience that is unmatched at their price point. 
steve59's avatar
steve59
1,729 posts
 
I think people read the class a rating of the speakers and expect more than a single 51/2" woofer in a small box is going to be able to deliver. Toe in with uniq drivers is also critical with regard to distance from side walls and room treatments.  
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,315 posts
 
LS50's are the poster child for why one should never believe "professional" reviews.
itzhak1969
515 posts
 
I heard the Kef Blade 2 the flagship speakers and I can't say I was impressed , they have a unique sound signature which overshadow the recording and their bass was completely unstable sometimes to week sometimes too overhang .
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