Pairing with LS50 for whole home audio

@glfnboomer If you can swing a bit of extra cash then go for a used KEF LS50 Meta. In my setup the differences between the old LS50 and Meta were rather big. You need power for the LS50. I used the great KEF KC62 sub with the LS50 Meta and they are made for each other. Your room is perfect for both.

You do need a lot of power for the LS50 to make them sound their best. People will say that the LS50 can work with low power, that is true, but they will not sound their best. I recommend a min of 100 watts.

If you are willing to stretch your budget, then this used integrated amp is really hard to beat. It is a warm and smooth sound, but with some details. I used it with the LS50 and KC62 sub.

Krell K-300i Integrated Stereo Amplifier with OPTIONAL DAC Board. MINT Condition. 2022 Model For Sale - US Audio Mart

If you want to save more and use a slightly lesser sounding setup, but only for streaming.

GaN 1 | Peachtree Audio

You can get it with the Bluesnode they sell in a package deal. This is to stream and integrate a sub.

Now I said this was not as good as the KRELL. I have the Peachtree GAN1, and I made it even better than the KRELL. I did this by having Ric Shultz mod the GAN1 for $500. However, that would void the warranty.

EVS Homepage (tweakaudio.com)

I replaced the LS50 Meta a few months ago with the lower cost Magnepan LRS+ speaker. In almost every way the LRS+ is better than the LS50 Meta. I thought the LS50 Meta was still a bit better in terms of sharpness of the sound, but that was not a deep dive test.

Your room is fine for the LRS+ as long as you can move the panel about 3-feet from the front wall. This speaker needs way more power than the LS50 Meta so I got a used Sanders Sound Systems Magtech amp ($3k-4k). These amps were made for Maggies, Mag - tech

The Peachtree GAN1 is not powerful enough for the LRS+. It works but not as good as it could be.

For you wife's audio request have you considered any of the KEF's powered speakers with built-in streaming and DSP? The LSX II would fit nicely in a Kitchen countertop.

I would expand your search beyond the Rotel for amplification. NAD gear tends to have a bit more “torque” for the KEF’s, and might be a good fit in your price range. The Rotel will sound okay with the LS50’s, but they will not shine. Given your budget, Bluesound is a good place to start, just know that you can do much better down the road. I agree with @yyzsantabarbara, solve the kitchen problem with a separate wireless solution. 
 

I have the KEF LS50 metas and they seem to love Class D amplification if that helps at all.