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KEF LS50

Don't post often here but thought I would let you all know I stumbled on a pretty amazing performer in this little monitor.

I would say the midrange is on par with my Harbeth 40.1, treble has a tad more leading edge bite than the best soft dome but its a really good top end that never gets nasty. Dynamically they are performing way better than they should. I'm betting they would compete with the new 30.1 sonically, just a guess.

Have them running with 20X price electronics in a small office and they are not outclassed in any way. Made me want to keep throwing my best gear with them they sounded so good.

If you are in the market grab a pair, you will not regret. Saw two pair this morning for sale for around 1K, I can't think of anything in 20 years offering this much performance for 1K. You could build a world class non-full range sound around these.
petland
petland OP
71 posts
 
Bob,
Same for me. This is where Harbeth is great.Body, weight and resolution together. My experience is that the driver size and material makes a big difference here. This is where I was most skeptical of the KEF before the purchase.

the LS50 is really pretty good here, wind and string and male voice have the proper weight and body with great clarity. Overall a tad drier than Harbeth but very satisfying still.

What is different than the Harbeth is the tweeter and where it is located. It is an equally refined top end but has a little more bite on leading edges without drawing attention. Really nice with well miked Sax for example to have both the bite and the body, all originating from essentially a point source which adds its own distinctive realism if that makes sense.
mapman's avatar
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mapman
15,679 posts
 
"Really nice with well miked Sax for example to have both the bite and the body, all originating from essentially a point source which adds its own distinctive realism if that makes sense."

Makes perfect sense!
hesson11
233 posts
 
Thanks for elaborating, Petland. I've got a great KEF dealer near me. Perhaps it's time for a visit!

-Bob
no_regrets
245 posts
 
I'm curious as to how the Harbeth P3ESR would compare to the Kef LS50's? Has anyone been able to compare both?

I too love to listen to violin/cello, piano sonatas, voices, and acoustic instruments.

I'm trying to find a speaker with realistic tone, to be played in a small den, placed very close to the wall that is behind the speakers. Would the P3ESR be better because of the its sealed box and no ports?

I love how mini monitors are able to "disappear", but often they portray the instruments as also being miniature. Like "toy pianos, or toy violins/cellos" etc. How does the P3ESR and LS50's do in this regard?

Sorry for all the questions, but my closest Harbeth dealer is a 12 hour car ride round trip.

Thanks for sharing any thoughts you may have.
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mapman
15,679 posts
 
No-regrets,

Have not heard teh KEFs but check the internet. I have read some things that indicate the KEFs are quite competitive in the areas you are interested in, ie favorable comparison to Harbeth and delivering some meat on the bones beyond what the size would indicate. That plus the modern point source design technology and all that can offer makes these very interesting indeed!
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