KEF LS50 or Wharfedale Reva 2 -- which would you buy?


Hi all,

I am considering upgrading my speakers and am between the KEF LS50 and Wharfedale Reva 2 speakers. I'm not able to hear either one where I am located so am looking for some input.

I am also able to get the Reva 2s for about half the price of the LS50, but if the KEFs are the right move I am ok spending more time saving for them.

Some notes to consider:

- Speakers will be used only for music, not TV/ movies
- Receiver is an older Denon DRA 825R (90 watts/ channel into 8 ohms). Minimum is 6ohms (please don't suggest I get the UB5s).
- Turntable is Pro-ject Carbon Debut
- Room is about 15x17 apartment living room
- I listen to everything from classic rock to jazz to classical. I don't listen to hip hop, house, or modern pop.

I am really just looking for beautiful sounding (and nice looking) speakers at $1k or less (I can get the LS50 for $1k or the Reva 2s for $450). I live in an apartment so the music is never loud, just looking for great sounding speakers.

The reviews on both seem very good. The LS50 is clearly a more popular speaker. I guess the question there is -- is it worth an extra $550 for me?

Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks!
coaster86
Wharfedale is just an appliance these days. Same with Klipsch. I’d get the LS50’s. I agree with the following comments from Paul McGowan:

Commodity brands

It is truly rare that a brand name can survive an ownership change: Marantz, JBL, Infinity, Harman Kardon, Wharfdale, Klipsch, Krell were all iconic brands when owned by their founders. Today they are but commodities.

The wholesale name transfer doesn’t automatically pound a nail in the brand’s coffin. Mark Levinson’s brand got (arguably) better after Mark sold to Sandy Berlin and Mike Kay, but it is rare.

We place a lot of value on these names and companies are willing to pay a lot of money to possess them though it’s always been a bit of a mystery to me what the new owner’s expectations are. Success without breaking a sweat, perhaps?

Some brands take a reverse course. Instead of representing a lifetime of work they represent an idea instead. The ice cream brand Häagen-Dazs is a good example. It is a made up name that over the years has become associated with rich tasting expensive ice cream and to that goal succeeds well.

In high-end audio, though, brand names are more often than not representations of personal work that have or have not withstood the test of time. The dustbin of come-and-gone names is full, yet those remaining have either morphed into something different than their founder’s intent—Klipsch and JBL are great examples—or fade into obscurity over time.

I cringe when someone writes to me excited about a purchasing decision based on the former reputation of a brand only to later question how it got there when they don’t get what they had hoped for.

It’s best to take a close look at what’s attached to any brand before jumping into the deep end.

After all, the old saying what’s in a name? might be more valid than you know.



AMEN !!!
Every word you wrote is gospel .
I don't even look at anything not made by original owner or company .
AMEN !!!
Every word you wrote is gospel .
I don't even look at anything not made by original owner or company .

I forgot to mention Harman Kardon.


Hey guys - thanks for all of the help. I went ahead and bought the R300s in gloss black this morning. They should be here next week, and I'll let you know how they work out.

I decided on these because I came to the conclusion that I needed something less power hungry and with more bass than the LS50. I came to those conclusions initially because of all your guys' comments, so thank you again. When I compared the LS50 vs the R300 in a local store the R300 was a much fuller sound, as expected. I never ended up hearing the Reva 2s but given their size and specs I figured they wouldn't feel as full as either of the KEFs and ruled them out completely. I should mention that I don't have a sub.

I also never ended up hearing the SF Venere 2.0s, so I can't speak to those but I was very interested in them. Thanks for that recommendation too.