KEF LS50 Wireless High-performance powered speakers with Wi-Fi&reg; and Bluetooth&reg; (Nocturne Edition)

The part I have trouble picturing is the speaker interconnect ethernet cable. Mine will be on 24" stands. Will I be looking at a cable dangling between the two speakers?

Short answer is yes, but it depends on what you're looking for. On their own you'll get much better clarity, balance, and probably general sound quality in a small to medium sized room, but they may struggle a bit more if you're trying to fill a larger room. That said, I use them with an SB-4000 subwoofer in a pretty large loft room and find that combination to be much superior to any tower-based speaker system I could put together for a similar price.

braeden Apr 17, 2019

I use the KEF LS50W in a nearfield (desktop) environment - hooked up to a computer via a usb cable. They have an excellent sound stage, adequate bass. I can't compare to other systems. I will say that these speakers grabbed me with their musicality. I can listen for long periods of time without listening fatigue.

raymond l Mar 30, 2019

These are truly impressive, fantastic sounding speakers. ...but I ended up returning mine for a good old amp and wired speakers. I found the wired ethernet cable that connects these together troublesome and unsightly for my particular setup. I would have dealt with that nit picky wire issue had I not also experienced some spotty wireless connectivity issues. For what it's worth none of my other wireless devices in the same location had problems. Personally, at this price I was not willing to accept any interruptions in my listening time! Now very happy with my NAD/Monitor Audio 2Ch setup. Fantastic service through this whole experience, by the way, from Crutchfield. Happy listening.

jesse Mar 29, 2019

Very nice speakers but they work best in a small to medium room and in my opinion really need to be paired with a musical 8" o 10" subwoofer to make them shine. I tried several subs and landed on the REL T7i being the best match for me.

michael Mar 29, 2019

rich Oct 04, 2018

10 answers

Yes, you'll have at least two cables connected to each speaker, an Ethernet cable and a power cable, and the Ethernet cable needs to connect the two speakers. The supplied Ethernet cable is 3m long but you could always get a longer one, and the power cords are standard 15A IEC cables; depending on your stands and how far apart you're putting the speakers, you might be able to run the cables down along (or even inside) the stands to make the whole thing look neater....

jon Oct 05, 2018

You could always get a longer cable and run it down one stand, across the floor, and back up the other stand. But yes, the two speakers have to be connected via an ethernet cable.

stevan Oct 05, 2018

The cable is about 8 feet, but it has standard RJ45 connectors, so you can always get a longer one if necessary. I hide mine by taping it to the back of my stands.

stephen Oct 05, 2018

I can't recall if the Ethernet cable is a special cable or just regular eithernet cable. But if it's regular, I would just use a longer length and hide it on the back of the stands and run it across the floor where it wouldn't be so noticeable. Nonetheless you still have to use it some how.

robert Oct 05, 2018

Hello Rich, the interconnect cable does connect the two speakers. For me, I have no problem hiding the cable, as I have a piano between my speakers, which are mounted on stands. That said, I strongly advise not letting this be a show stopper, you find a better sounding set of speakers at this price point. I've read some reviews that have said they have tested $10,000 - $50,000 systems that don't sound this good.. https://photos.app.goo.gl/Pkx7kEURjbQMu63FA Hopefully, that helps.

robert Oct 04, 2018

First let me say theses speakers are truly amazing. As far as the cables go - yes there are cables running between the 2 speakers. You should be able to disguise someway. I have to be honest - I'm an audiophile - love Blues and Jazz. Speakers are worth every effort to make them work for you. Try to figure out how to hide the cable. Mine are in bookshelf so not an issue.

andrew Oct 04, 2018

Well, there is a cable, but it is no different than a speaker wire that would be coming from an amplifier. The interconnect cable is fairly long and you may be able to get it out of sight by running it up along the legs of your speaker stands.

thomas w. Oct 04, 2018

Since the internet connect cable is Ethernet like you said I just went and bought 5 ft cable from Amazon. My speakers do stand on KEF stand but because the cable is long enough it does drop down to the floor so you don't see the cables haning in mid air.

du Oct 04, 2018

Yes, you can use a longer cable and have it routed through your stands and the floor. Mine are on a desk so the cable can be hidden. Thank you

vincenzo Oct 04, 2018

They come with an ethernet cable that connects the two speakers. I think it's 15ft long. So it depends on your placement. I bought a longer ethernet cable; and placed it thru the hollow poles in the stands down to the floor then tucked it discretely between the base-boards and the carpet along the wall/floor, then back up the other hollow speaker stand to the other speaker. If done properly your cables can be well out of sight. Or at least as minimal as a traditional amp/speaker configuration.

james Oct 04, 2018

i have a polk soundbar and generally not happy with the zippy tone (too much high-frequency sizzle) - would this be a good replacement as a TV "soundbar"? also, can you integrate a subwoofer easily? i.e., active low-pass x-over? how would you integrate the sub when there is only cable box, tv and firestick as sources?

patrick Aug 19, 2018

Plug the cable box and Fire stick into the TV and run an TOSLINK cable from the TV to the speakers. The LS50W has a sub out with an active crossover that can be tweaked in the app.

stephen Oct 05, 2018

The subwoofer connects directly to the speakers themselves and you can configure the crossover from the app. Whether it's a good replacement for a soundbar is purely subjective. Sound quality wise yes it's better but it will not provide that same surround DSP effect.

ronnie Aug 19, 2018

I use it for my computer set up. for that it is great. It would probably be good for a TV set up too. You would connect it via optical out. I am not sure if you can easily use a sub with it however.

aaron Aug 19, 2018

These speakers will give you a much better sounding system than a soundbar. You can simply connect a subwoofer to the the back of the right speaker (there is a connection for that) and the iPhone or Android app can set up the rest like frequency cut over etc. Only draw back for this system is that you can not power the on the speakers with a remote. You will need to physically touch the power button every time.

vincenzo Aug 19, 2018

Does have phono preamp?

jade Nov 23, 2017

I fear that these speakers may be over rated since reviewers push them so much (like the TH900 phones I bought without auditioning - very disappointed). There are people that do get really disappointed...but I really need new speakers. What do you guys think?

No, but you should be able to connect an external phono stage to the unit's RCA AUX inputs.

jon Nov 25, 2017

Has analog input to add phono to ls50w.

jamie Nov 23, 2017

Sorry. I? don't know

david Nov 23, 2017

No it does not have one built in, you would need to add a separate phono preamp

michael Nov 23, 2017

ertan Apr 06, 2017

Can these speakers connect to my sonos amp?

These are not over rated. They deliver. I bought a set for myself and one for my daughter.

robert Mar 25, 2019

The reviews are not overrated. The LS50 Wireless speakers are worth the price and more. They are often compared to systems costing $10K - $50K, and the reviews are correct. The speakers are NOT overrated.

robert Dec 27, 2017

One way for me to describe how these KEFs sounds, is think of a pair of well amped Senn HD 800s (Original) without having to wear them. Bass is more pronounced. So definitely not thin sounding.

david Apr 07, 2017

paul Sep 18, 2019

Where is ls50 witness made?

Hi Paul, thank you for your question. Since the KEF LS50 speakers are powered, and have their own built in amp, they will not be compatible with a connection to an amplifier. Feel free to chat with an Advisor online or by phone at 1-800-324-9695. They will be happy to answer additional questions on these KEF speakers, or check out some speaker options that would be suitable to be used on your Sonos Amp.

jessica Oct 10, 2019 (Staff)

j Mar 20, 2019

Where are LS50 wireless built?

It is made in England.

birinder raj Mar 26, 2019

United Kingdom

robert Mar 25, 2019

They are made in China (unfortunately)

raphael Mar 25, 2019

j Mar 19, 2019

2 answers

China, if I'm not mistaken. -tv

thomas Mar 31, 2019

In England

birinder raj Mar 26, 2019

How well would these take the place of a sound bar system?

i Dec 27, 2017

Can I bypass the built in DAC of the LS50 Wireless with my own DAC?

As speakers they are wonderful: full bodied sound. First rate. They are wonderful with music wired or wireless from any source. I use them with TV and they're great. They sound like speakers that would sell for many multiples of their price. That said, they are NOT surround sound -- just good ole stereo. But they image so well, I love them. Good bass. If you want thunderous bass, you can always add a subwoofer to them.

craig Dec 27, 2017

These are way better. I have them and can attest to their magnificent performance. You can also check some of the high end reviews (Stereophile, Audiophile, etc. and they compare these to some of the best $10K - $50K systems that they have heard. Buy them, you won't regret it.

robert Dec 27, 2017

A Ferrari replaces a Prius. Thats about all I need to say.

bruce Dec 27, 2017

russ Oct 20, 2017

7 answers

Sell your DAC, get these speakers.

robert Dec 27, 2017

No: it does have a pair of RCA jacks for analog input, but that input is converted to digital so it can do some DSP and ship the signal to the left speaker via an Ethernet cable.

jon Oct 22, 2017

Unfortunately you can't. It's really for those ho want the all in one solution. If you have a better standalone DAC, you're better off with the passive version.

ronnie Oct 21, 2017

Yes....you need a DAC with RCA out and then input that signal to KEF's RCA input. This will bypass the KEF DAC.

karen Oct 21, 2017

Yes you can, they have analog rca inputs, but know that they will be digitized again within the speaker. I have read online that some people did like/prefer the sound vs. the speaker as a stand-alone. But I will tell you the converters and electronics are so good in them, you probably won't want too. Highly recommend.

kevin Oct 21, 2017

No, however you would not want to. I had the Auralic Vega DAC ($3,500) and sold it together with Focal Speakers. Even if your DAC is better the sound coming out of the speakers likely would not be. There are other factors. For one the Built in DAC has a built in DSP to correct for phase shifts. An external dac does not. Secondly, the short digital wiring from the internal DAC to the speaker Amp has much less Jitter than the output wire of an additional external wiring would add. If you really want to get the best sound possible out of these things there are some critical things you could do that would improve the sound tremendously. Get the ISO accoustic 150 (newer delux version) stands. Secondly get IFI micro iUSB3.0 (and for further 10% improvemnt the Igalvanic too). Use shortest possible usb 3.0 cables. No more than 3.0 feet. Amazon Basic is really good. A great 2 head USB2.0 cable is the Pangea premium in comes in .5 meters 199. If it is a computer based system get the Dirac Live software to calibrate the system. MiniDSP sells a calibration mic for under $100 that is really good for the price. Get a good stand with decent weight. If you do get the calibration system you can change the ethernet cable the speaker is using to Audioquest Cinnamon (this will not be advisable unless you are calibrating the system since the cable with the speaker goes with the current settings characteristic of the speakers). If you sold your DAC and did all that your system would be better by another dimension.

aaron Oct 21, 2017

No you can't. I would consider buying the plain ls50s if you already have your own DAC.

vikram Oct 21, 2017

where is the damage to this speaker? front face? sound quality to be affected?

ryan Oct 10, 2017

Can I use them to replace both my Bose 321 and my companion 3 Bose as well?

We don't have a way to track the blemishes and link them with each product (sometimes we have more than one in scratch & dent stock). If its important for the item to not have a blemish that can be seen, I recommend looking for open box items as those still have a price break over the brand new price but don't have any cosmetic blemishes My Bio: http://www.crutchfield.com/Support/Bio.aspx?bio=101

jason Oct 16, 2017 (Staff)

juan carlos Aug 27, 2021

Can I use these speakers with my computer without using the sound card?

I use my KEF speakers for my home office. Each speaker is placed to the left and ride side of my 32" monitor. The bass response and sound clarity are fantastic. While this system doesn't have a dedicated subwoofer, I still enjoy the full, rich sound from these speakers. The speakers are definitely a huge upgrade over anything I have used before. With a USB cable, I can connect directly to my iPad or PC and use a lossless streaming service to enjoy HD quality music. The DAC built into the KEF powered speakers is very good, as is the amplifier. So, I don't know your exact scenario, but I am very happy with the speakers. I purposefully picked this version over the newer ones because of the USB input.

sterling Aug 27, 2021

carl Aug 28, 2020

How do you get the Nocturne LS50W to do the glow in the dark thing?

Sure use blue tooth.

michael Aug 28, 2020

The KEF LS50 speakers have Bluetooth connectivity. If your computer has Bluetooth, you can pair the KEF speakers to your computer and play music to the speakers without connecting a cable from the audio card.

curtis Aug 28, 2020

Carl - Although on both my Windows and Apple computers, I connect these via the USB port, I have to believe that the sound card is involved in some way because volume and playback controls are available on the computer. Having said that, the windows machine I use is pretty awful but I was able to configure it to stream music at 192/48 so I'm obviously not being limited by the cheap sound card in my machine. Hope this helps.

chip Aug 28, 2020

They have a built-in DAC and connect using USB or bluetooth. No sound card needed.

jesse Aug 28, 2020

alan Jan 31, 2019

can these speakers go outdoor under a roof? they won't be exposed to rain, but just the normal morning dew / day humidity. thanks!

I'm about to call. Mine are not glowing as advertised

marc Jan 31, 2019

You must need a black light-it didn't work for me either.

tony Jan 31, 2019

I had the same concern. If you turn all the lights off in the room and allow your eyes to accommodate to the dark, you'll see a faint glow. It's nowhere near as bright as the promo photos show.

alex Jan 31, 2019

Hit it directly with an LED light for a few moments (15-30 seconds), don't expect a blinding glow though. The film used on the skin for the GiD can only do so much at that thickness. Super Cool look though.

joseph Jan 31, 2019

john Jul 23, 2021

5 answers

I do not recommend that you try that with such a nice piece of equipment like this. I would be afraid that the thick humidity would end up interfering with the Kef's circuitry. Why not try a set of speakers less expensive to see if they can handle the elements. Good luck with your decision.

beth Jul 24, 2021

I can't honestly answer this as I've never had them outdoors. They are awesome speakers. I myself would be concerned about morning dew.

stephen Jul 23, 2021

For outdoor application, I would go with B&W AM1 paired with Bluesound Powernode, or 2 Sonos Move.

sidney Jul 23, 2021

These are not outdoor speakers. Dampness and high humidity will ultimately damage the electronic components. Seek speakers made specifically for the outdoors.

randolph Jul 23, 2021

I had mine out on a screen porch but after a short time (a week) moved them back inside im less than a mile from the ocean 100 yards from a bay, started thinking since these aren't made for outside use specifically , the salt air can't be doing them any good so back inside thay went, probaly best to get some speakers made for outside use

eric edward Jul 23, 2021

"This track is unsupported and therefore could not be played" always happen When playing any tidal tracks through Android KEF APP (normal, or hifi). But tidal through Bubblepnp on ls50w is fine. Does anyone have similar issue? Any solution? Thank you.

waychai Jul 31, 2018

Any problem the new firmware MCU 3.0.0 and wifi 2.0.0 (July 2018)? KEF has seperated the original APP into two apps "KEF Control" and "KEF Stream" which require the new firmware. I want to update but worry about the stability of the new firmware.

I have the same issue, though it would sometimes work for a while and then the error. My fix was to switch to Spotify, which always works.

robert Aug 01, 2018

waychai Jul 19, 2018

Hi, I just bought the LS50W. In the app, what do stand/desk, distance from wall/table actually change in audio terms (treble, mids etc)? I understand "lively room" means cutting down treble, and a large room size setting extends more bass . Also, if I want more mids, how do i adjust in app? Also, my ls50w sits on an iso acoustics aperta stands which sits on a desk. Should I set it to "stand or desk" in this case? Thanks a lot.

I just ran update and the following screen showed up: MCU New version: 3.0 Current Version: 2.5 DSP Already up to date Current Version: 0.5.4 WIFI New Version: 2.0 Current Version: 1.2 The update went fine. It took like 10 minutes. I don't see any problem after update. I actually like it. I can control these speakers from my iPhone through remote app.

du Jul 19, 2018

None so far, played with different configurations and used for 20/30 hours. Everything seems to be working fine and the app seems very functional.

vincenzo Jul 19, 2018

I did it, everything seemed to go well. Nothing really to complain about. I just wished everything was in one app, instead of two now.

daniel Jul 19, 2018

waychai Jul 12, 2018

5 answers

Hi Waychai. Congrats on your new speakers and the iso acoustics stands are fantastic and a "must have" accessory. I would just go to the experience/advanced tab and turn on the stand AND desk tabs and experiment with them. On a desk, you might want them both on and start attenuating around 3db each as a start. Bass can get really boomy and tubby on a desk, especially when placed close to a rear wall. Trust your ears. ?? Try doing that AND adding a bass boost if you wish. That should help to keep your midrange clean.

kevin Jul 16, 2018

You'll want to take a look at the excellent videos on the KEF USA site to find the answeres to your set up and adjustment questions. Take a look at the LS50 videos of the KEF USA site I don't have an answerer to your question about the use of the Apreta stands, suggest you let your ears decide which sounds best to you.

paul Jul 16, 2018

Low frequency response is altered by the desk/stand and distance from a rear wall. The LS50 Wireless compensates for the effect close boundries. Mid frequencies are not altered, but the midrange might seem more correct with proper low frequency attenuation. The high frequency compensation corrects for shortwave length effects of room acoustic no matter where the speaker is placed. Proper high frequency compensation can also improve the midrange impression.

edward Jul 16, 2018

Personally I use it for my computer system. I leave everything at default and adjust through DIRAC LIVE calibration program that I have in my Computer. External calibration will provide best results. If you do not have an external calibration you can adjust it in the software app. Use the EXPERT mode. I would start by leaving desk and Wall mode off. There you can adjust treble and Bass separately. If you feel you need more adjustment try putting desk mode on and readjusting treble and bass. Again this can help get you a better results but it will absolutely not come close to a real external calibration product.

aaron Jul 16, 2018

I'm not entirely sure if the settings or advanced settings have a provision to set the midrange. But I find the best way to manipulate the settings is to just experiment with all of them and see what you like. You can definately hear a difference. I interprate the speaker stands setting as deliberate and standing in free space. As long as your higher off the desk and somewhat away from the rear wall, you are in free space and I interpret that as the stands setting. But again just listen for yourself. At the end of the day in home audio, if you like the sound then just enjoy it.

rob Jul 16, 2018

In someones review they mentioned loss of audio quality (sound stage...) when switching the left and right speakers via firmware switch. Has anyone else noticed this? I switched mine some time ago and feel like the sound has been a little irregular since.

douglas Jun 06, 2018

Is the new revision with serial number greater than ls50w06256 out yet? According to kef site faq#12, LS50W with serial number greater than ls50w06256 together with Apr 16, 2018 firmware will have extended support for Infrared remote commands. (Old 8 IR commands, New, 19 IR commands). Specifically, it will support direct input select (i.e. IR command for Aux, Opt etc, no need to keep pressing "next input")

I can't answer your question because I am using the default setting and too lazy to try just to answer your question. However it's very hard to believe switching L/R speakers actually affect sound quality.

du Jul 19, 2018

Sorry to hear about that! If you purchased your KEF LS50 speakers from Crutchfield, feel free to contact our Tech Support team. They can walk you through the settings and see if there may be a fix. Our toll-free Tech Support number is printed on your invoice, and is also available under the "My Orders" tab in the "My Account" section of our website. If not, you may want to check out KEF's support site for more details: http://us.kef.com/support

david Jun 23, 2018 (Staff)

If you purchased the product from Crutchfield, feel free to contact our Tech Support team. They can walk you through the settings on the product and see if there may be a fix. Our toll-free Tech Support number is printed on your invoice, and is also available under the "My Orders" tab in the "My Account" section of our website. If you did not purchase the unit from Crutchfield, then you may want to contact the manufacturer.

kristina Jun 23, 2018 (Staff)

wannabuy_ls50w May 16, 2018

Auto on and off? Do they turn on with an input source and off when shut down? if i use my iPhone will they wake up and shut off or do i physically have to turn on and off? thanks!!

You've already answered your own question, YES.

simianne c Jun 07, 2018

Sorry, I'm unable to answer your question. Suggest you contact KEF directly to determine what is currently shipping.

paul Jun 06, 2018

The short and sweet is to call KEF Customer support with your serial number in hand and talk to them.

robert Jun 06, 2018

brian Oct 27, 2017

Does is remember the previous input selection upon system power on? Or does it always select the first input each time you power on? Thanks.

I have to manually turn on and off. If there is a way to do sense power transition automatically I haven't found it.

du Jul 19, 2018

I only know the answer for using wifi as the input source. Yes, you will have to turn on the LS50W manually for that input source. The LS50W doesn't have the feature to wake up by wifi connection request. As for shut down, it will shut down after not using for a while. I don't know how long.

lennart Oct 28, 2017

No. It doesn't have auto on. But there is a time out . The longest time out is 60 minutes of no input then it will automatically turn off. Neither the IOS app nor the Android app for LS50W can wake up the speakers. Obviously, you can use the remote to turn it on. As a workaround I used a Logitech Smart Hub (with built-in IR blaster). Then I use the Logitech harmony app from my phone to turn on the LS50W. With the Smart Hub, you can also link it to Alexa/Echo then you can use voice input to turn on LS50W.

carey Oct 27, 2017

carey Apr 08, 2017