Customer Reviews

Incredible soundstage

I purchased the LS50 Metas to replace my existing Harbeth P3 ESRs - fine speakers, but getting up there in age. My setup consists of a Bluesound NODE feeding a Naim Nait 5si, and I'm using the system as audio for my TV as well. Mostly I listen to FLAC recordings ripped from my CD collection, which leans toward rock and electronic music. My first impression of the LS50 Metas is the soundstage, which is freakin' enormous. Jean Michel Jarre's "Oxygene" has a number of fast transients, which the Metas capture perfectly. One section includes a fast "whish" that travels across the soundstage. Through the Metas, it sound like an arrow being fired from the right speaker toward the left - and then a good six feet beyond. Amazing. The Metas do like a bit of power, however, and I'll probably need to upgrade the amp.

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Kef LS50s

My room is small 14x14 I have the kef ls150s paired with a hegal h120 streaming tidal and Spotify thru a wiim pro qobuzz and apple music via laptop and continue to spin CDs on my oppo universal player Lets start with OMG I have compared them to the kef R3s in my room Bowers and Wilkens 703s klipech 600mll these and the Bowers and Wilkens are keepers The LS 50s sound so good so clear and have bass enough for me and my room if it's in the song This is a great product and an even better product at $999 Last but not least is the awesome crutchfield service

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Best bookshelf

This is the best bookshelf speaker that I had owned. I paired it with a 100 w Vincent integrated amp and a Yamaha SACD player.

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KEF LS50 Meta

Beautiful clear sound. Amazing.

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KEF LS50 Meta

Superb

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Sweet and transparent

Delivery on time and very good. This is my first KEF speakers. I have listening for about 5 days continuously, I believed is passed the breaking times. Sound quality is sweet and transference. The high is sweet, mid is a bit coloration and the bass a bit too strong. Overall is very beautiful for the price, it's worth every penny.

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The Hype Is Real

These things are built like tanks and sound really excellent. Separation is on point. Low volume listening is perfecto. They look great. I'm very happy with these. Bought them for a small office setup with turntable, cassette deck, and streamer/dac. I did buy the optional stands which I do also recommend as they are made to fit these perfectly.

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Great clarity, mids and highs, and soundstage.

These are the first passive speakers I have ever purchased. I paired them with a Rotel A12 MK II integrated amplifier. I am very pleased with the sound on these speakers. My preference is to have clear and rich highs and mids and this definitely delivers. I'm re-listening to all of my favorite music and am really enjoying the detailed soundstage and clarity. I would say that the bass isn't anything massive, but when I place mine next to a wall, there's enough for me to be satisfied for now. If heavy bass is your preference, you'll probably want a sub.

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Amazing imaging

These speakers with their 12th generation uni-Q array sound amazing as my front height speakers. The sound permeates every corner of my listening room. Crutchfield's shipping is, bar-none, as good as any, and free to boot?!?!

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KEF LS50 Meta

Love these. They sound great. Just remember to have an amp that can handle them.

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Meta Remarkable Speaker!

I've had these for over 3 months now. Impressions so far-- Imaging and soundstage were the first things I noticed. The LS50s locked instruments into position better than any other speaker I have. They are in a small room (10'x11') thus space limitations on sound. That said, the LS50s have been able to impress even in the confined space. And not just side to side, these are the first speakers I've had that give a good front to rear positioning of instruments. Sound: Controlled, coherent, clear. Balanced, no particular range over emphasized. Revealing, analytical, detailed. These are not forgiving speakers. Bass is surprisingly full. It is controlled, articulate, accurate. Treble is smooth, no harshness. Mid range is natural with voices. The presence of the mids is susceptible to the quality of the recording and how it is mixed. The LS50s can do dynamics. What you don't get is huge presence. This is a small speaker in a small incredibly inert enclosure. And because of that there are no resonances to help provide that scale. Not an issue in a smaller room but it rules out the speaker's ability to shine in a large room. Amp pairing: I run these with a Vidar 2 which has a rich, warm tonality. The LS50s are a good counterpoint to that sound. They are also more revealing of an amp than my other speakers. Choose wisely in this regard. Overall these are absolutely remarkable speakers. They are wonderful to my ears and I am enjoying them no end!

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Clarity Baby!!

So where do I start?! I'm a newbie to audiophile world but a Crutchfield groupie just based on service and delivery. These speakers were the first part of my hi-fi setup I purchased. I paired it with the Rotel RB01582 MKII power amp and the Rotel 1572 preamp. Optimal clarity! Highs and mids were superb, lower end not so much. You will need a sub, preferrable KEF KC62 if you can afford it. I stream mostly 70/80's/90's R&B soul, and a lil yacht rock no vinyl. I also want to get back to CD's and will invest in a player soon. But back to these speakers, I need that lower end to bump, keep in mind these are BOOKSHELF SPEAKERS. I didn't really understand what that meant regarding sensitivity, these speakers are 85dB and require at least 120-150 watts to really get going. I ended up returning these speakers and the Rotel amps because - Ladies and gentlemen, I'm going big! Ordering the Klipsch Heresy! These speakers are 99dB and should be perfect for my ears. Would go Forte but my listening space is small. Based on the type of music listen to I realized I need LOUD SPEAKERS. Pairing with either the NAD C399 or the Cambridge Evo150. Wish me luck! #thisfun

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Style Meets Performance

I was really concerned about purchasing these without hearing them in person, and especially with the hot and cold reviews they seemed to get, but with the sale price I was willing to risk it. We have been rewarded immensely and find ourselves listening to music more than ever. Records have quickly become a new hobby. Paired with a Denon AVR-S970H and an old Polk PSW 404. The Denon's 90W/ch has been more than enough power to drive them. We have a phantom center setup for home theatre use and initially I had them setup too far apart, which was making them sound too directional and kind of thin, but eventually found their sweet spot in the room. They are neutral without being boring and provide amazing clarity in the mid to high range. They are a great size with stylish looks and one of the few speakers that my wife has actually been proud to have on display. Very pleased with the purchase.

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KEF LS50 Meta

Bought these to replace some DALI Zensor 1 bookshelves I've had for years. Have been looking at them for a while and couldn't pass them up when price dropped about $500. Driving them with a Rogue Sphinx v3. Sound is full with good detail but not fatiguing. They're decent on the low end but still benefit from a sub. Still breaking them in, but imagine they'll sound even better after some more listening.

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KEF LS50 Meta

I've heard and read so much about these speakers that when Crutchfield had them at an excellent open box price, I just couldn't pass them up. These replaced Focal Chora 806s, which I was very happy with. In fact, I told my wife not to worry as I would probably return the KEFs. They're not going back! The soundstage and the clarity these speakers bring is fantastic. In fact, the sound just fills my whole room and it often sounds as if the band is right with me. There is excellent separation of instruments and the singer is dead center. Earlier today, I was listening to Dylan's "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" and Drive By Truckers "Days of Graduation" and I caught myself looking up from my book because I thought Bob and Patterson were in the room with me. Some reviewers say you need to really turn these up. Yes, they sound great LOUD, but they sound equally fine at moderate levels. I do have these paired with an SVS SB-1000 Pro subwoofer and have consulted SVS for LNF and Slope settings. Now that the sub is dialed in the whole listening experience is even better. Bass integration is seamless. The KEF LS50 Metas are going to keep me very happy for quite awhile. Believe the hype, especially at Crutchfield's Open Box price!

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Amazing Metas!

These speakers are such a screaming deal for $1000. I'm running them with an Arcam SA20 integrated amp paired with an SVS SB2000 Pro sub (speakers running full range). Please make sure you set these up properly -- you'll be rewarded with imaging, detail, soundstage, and space between instruments and vocals. I bought these speakers to give coaxial/point-source speakers a try, and they are fantastic. Instead of upgrading to R3 Metas in the future I think I'll give these LS50 Metas more expensive electronics -- I'm sure they'll rise to the challenge. Huge props the LS50 Metas, they are awesome!

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I'm sold

I'm just going to get to the point, these speakers are wonderful. They have the imaging everyone is talking about but what they also have is a wonderful sound stage, beautiful clarity, detail without sounding shrill or annoying, Piano's and other acoustic I straight sound real with a sense of air similar to my old Magnepan's I used to have. Bass is sounds good, deep enough and tight. Yes the play acoustic music wonderful but they can rock, if the music is well recorded or remastered good, for example some Van Halen I downloaded lossless sounded good, Cream live at the Albert Hall 2005 also sounded good but bad recording or squeezed old CD's sound horrible, but most high end speaker do this. I love these speakers especially buying them on sale for 1000$.

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Great Sound!

Love, love, love these speakers! The sound is unbelievable. Best decision I have made to listen to my vinyl and cds.

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Happy!

This review is based on 6 hours play and the expectation that sound will improve after full set up on my part. My room is a 12x18 man cave in the making and the listening position is about 8' from the speakers. My current system is a Marantz receiver and Blu-ray player and a pair of klipsch R-12SW subs I bought on sale at Costco about three years ago (they have been in storage) . I did run the Audyssey room correction for my temporary set up and it will need to be run again. Room filling volume is no issue paired with the subs, actually more than enough. Listened to Eagles Hell freezes over and Billy Joel live at Shea Stadium. Once furniture and fixtures are installed in permanent location, I expect the sound to be even better. Happy!

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KEF LS50 Meta

Awesome looking!!! Marvelous sound. Great for quality jazz recordings and vocals. Need power to perform at their highest level. Dont go for less than 100W

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KEF LS50 Meta

Don't take my 4 star rating at face value - I'm extremely happy with these speakers. They're replacing a pair of Magnepan 3.7i's (I'm downsizing!) that I would similarly rate. They're working fine in the "listening area" of the main floor of a largely open, high-ceilinged town house, powered by the Benchmark LA4 and pair of AHB2's used with the Maggies. I've had them for 12 days. 80% of my listening is classical, and the rest folk and jazz. No home theater or video use. I intended to use them well out into my room and away from the front wall as near field speakers. That didn't work out - moving them as close as I could to the front wall (about 2') greatly improved the bass, with no other loss to sound quality. Facing them almost straight ahead noticeably reduced an occasional high end harshness. I also listen to a pair of Dan Clark "Expanse" headphones that use a meta material and easily get 5 stars from me. The LS50's have a similar clarity, but can, depending on the material, occasionally exhibit some high end harshness. Hence my rating, but they can be stunning with other material, with bass and overall balance that really surprised me given their size. A subwoofer (the KC62) was always going to be an option if the speakers alone satisfied me, which they did. Living within range of Crutchfield's free next-day delivery, their service was terrific, as usual.

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KEF LS50 Meta

Rich and full sound. Build quality is excellent. Must pair it with good quality amp.

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They pass every test.

As described, these speakers sound stupendous and are not overly dependent on placement. Much appreciated in a smallish space...

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Exceptional in every aspect

The KEF LS50 Meta's are exceptional in every aspect. The bass is tight and well-defined, offering impressive depth without overwhelming the midrange. The midrange itself is clear and detailed, making vocals and instruments sound lifelike and present. The treble is crisp and extended, adding sparkle without harshness. I use a Vincent integrated amp which brings a warmth to the sound. It is a wonderful pairing. One of the surprising features of the LS50 Meta's is its soundstage and imaging and ability to handle everything with aplomb, providing a dynamic and engaging experience. Considering the technology, exceptional build quality, and superior sound performance, these speakers offer excellent value for money.

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KEF LS50 Meta

Lively, punchy, crystalline, detailed and attractive. Surprising amount of low end. Insane build. Great open box deal.

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KEF LS50 Meta

Loving these so far!

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KEF LS50 Meta

Very impressive

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KEF LS50 Meta

Great sound for a very good price! Look's as good as it sounds

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LS50 Upgrade

Upgrede from LS50, to me, the sound is more forward with the Meta speakers. While the METAs are not yet broken in, Love em!

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KEF LS50 Meta

Can't beat these speakers for the price. I picked these up on sale and they easily beat anything close to their list price. They do take a bit of power to drive due to their "low" sensitivity. I have them paired with dual Schiit Vidar 2 amps in mono block mode and they sound amazing. Great small hi-fi speakers.

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Excellent bookshelf speaker

Overall, an excellent speaker. No serious bass, but that is to be expected from such a small form factor. Meshes very well with a subwoofer. Many very favorable reviews on the internet, both with objective testing and subjective listening.

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Small Monster

What other speaker gives you that much sound from highs to lows with a wide soundstage at this price and size ?

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KEF LS50 Meta

First off, I purchased these at 0900 on a Thursday, had them set up by noon on Friday! Can't beat that a couple of days before Christmas! The speakers themselves are incredible. Moving from a dedicated home theater set-up I was worried I would miss some of the dialog while watching TV, but the imaging these produce is stellar. Even without my Hsu sub, the bass was surprising, but it is a good pairing when I got the sub dialed in. For music I was worried the speakers would reveal the shortcomings of my mid-tier AV receiver as an amp, but I think I will be able to persevere until I have saved enough sheckels to upgrade amplification.

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What a difference a speaker can make!

I am so very happy with my new speakers! Since I listen to mostly opera and classical music, taught by my mother at an early age, I feel like I am at the Met when I hear those lovely singers and professional orchestras. These speakers opened a brand new world of perfect sound and no distortion. Thank you, Crutchfield pros!

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Best value at this price

Very balanced, open, sound. Good at low volume listening, too. Wide soundstage. Highly recommend, especially for the current price of $999.

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KEF LS50 Meta

At their price range they have excellent fit and finish and build quality. If paired with better source material and electronics they are extremely revealing and have a 3D soundstage with pin point imaging. Their very coherent from top to the bottom of the musical range that they cover. They won't play extremely loud, go extremely deep and they are considered a less efficient speaker design but most bookshelf speakers fall into those categories. No free lunch however, they let you hear any weakness in your play back system so some upgrading may be in order if you wish to get the most out of them.

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So so!

Very underwhelming for the price not what I expected, but going to give time to break in.

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LS50 Meta... Great small stand mount

Was looking for a pair of bookshelf/stand mount for a home office and these fit the bill nicely. Definitely a level or two above decent but less expensive speakers and a pretty good deal on sale. Excellent imaging and terrific sound. If you need booming bass, you'll want a subwoofer.

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KEF LS50 Meta

-this is so tough. been seeking a speaker that sounds great for my office. When it works well worth it. BUT I am glad I got from Crutchfield for support. Still Kef first I bought/ had 77 ohm d2 I have been talking at least 8 times to set up the Kef

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KEF LS 50 Meta

I'm still breaking them in but out of the box they sound really good. The build quality is excellent so I think I'm done buying speakers ??

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Worth the Meta Price?

Coming from the Kef Q150 this pair is a what I would say is a 45% improvement in sound quality and a 80% improvement in build quality. What stands out to me is the non resonant detail. About half of the music I listen to is metal and hardcore. I am pretty impressed how these can handle a lot of presence region frequences without smearing up too much. I do have them running with two subs though crossed at 70ish. Cohesiveness between the drivers is as spot on as one could hope. If your expecting to fill a room with these then don't. Mid to nearfield unless you just want to waste your time and 1700$. They are best used as monitors with character giving good imaging and soundstage. They are a little over hyped but when it comes to concentric design there isn't anything close at this price with this much style and actual sound quality. Oh and I hate doing reviews but these showed up in two days and looked like no one ever layed one finger on them. I really was impressed and thus the review was given.

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KEF LS50 Meta

Great sounding speakers. Paired with Cambridge Audios CXA81 receiver and Dac 200 for hi res streaming.

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Well worth the Price

Not being a professional audio file I don't think I could have picked a better speaker to start with. They have an exceptionally clear and deadened sound that makes individual instruments all take center stage in your listening. It's an amazing experience. I play old jazz records now that I'm hearing as if the horns or guitar are playing live in the room for me. For the price, well worth it! I paired mine with a KEF Kube 12b & Cambridge cxa81. Took a little tuning and set up but now both sound great paired together. Rock on ????

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Can't Be Happier

Love the sound from these speakers. From what I see sound should get better with more time. Well worth the extra $$. Have them connected to the NAD M10 V2 Streaming Integrated Amplifier. Can't be more happy with this set-up. Will save up for the LS KC62 Sub, but system is great right now. Bought several sets of other speakers, that I now have to sell. Should of bought these the first time.

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Paint chips off

Our blue paint is chipping.

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Crutchfield response on 2/21/2023

After receiving Leah's feedback, we looked up her order and found that her speakers are still under warranty. While her order is beyond Crutchfield's 60-day return policy, she can contact KEF at 732-683-2356 for further information about the 5-year warranty on these speakers.

Glen Ridge

Just received these speakers. Wow, believe the hype. They are that good. Incredible soundstage/imaging. Fantastic detail when listening at moderate volume. I am sure there are "better" bookshelf speakers out there but my sense is you need to spend 3-5x more to get a discernible difference in performance. I am no hard core audiophile but my past speakers included Thiel CS3.5s, Acoustic Energy AE1s and Dali Mentors and these speakers blow them away. Purchasing and shipping with Crutchfield was top notch and I am glad I bought from them versus a big box.

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Outstanding Speaker

There are a lot of good speakers out there so I investigated all of the ones that were well reviewed on Audio Science Review and elected to get these. They are really outstanding and sound significantly better than my speakers that cost 5k. The bass is remarkably good and is fine for classical music and jazz so I'm in no rush to buy a sub. I advise giving these serious consideration.

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KEF LS50 Meta

Like the reviewer from Boston, I have my Metas in a tight, less-than-ideal location, in my case on a shelf in the kitchen. And I also blocked the back bass ports with the foam blocks since they are inches from the wall. I'm driving them with a Yamaha WXA-50 wireless streaming amp, which also may be less than some would say is ideal, but chosen for its streaming capabilities and its small footprint (on that same kitchen shelf. But the sound - Glorious! Really enjoyed listening to the choruses from Handel's Messiah during the Christmas season.

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Clear, detailed.

Small 12x15 office/listening room. These speakers had to sit on shelf inches from the wall (blocked up their rear ports) and could only be placed about 4' or 5 ' apart. Setup absolutely not ideal. Use subwoofer to handle sound below 80Hz, and am required to keep volume way down. Still, Frank, Ella, Tiesto, Mahler to my old ears now sound just plain old fun to listen to. Tried Dynaudio, GoldenEar and others (the Dynaudios for instance sounded warmer yet also a bit more congested in the mids - every ear and room are different though). These LS50s are open, detailed, clear and were what I was looking for in my tight space. While working sometimes, these speakers let recordings quietly sneak up on you and you find yourself stopping what you are doing to turn around and just pay attention and enjoy all that really nice ear candy coming on. Music is so much fun to listen to when you like the setup you have, and I like!

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Very worth their on-sale price.

I'm driving these with a Rotel A11 Tribute. My room is very excitable with ported speakers, so audio goes through the Paradigm PWLink using their ARC (Anthem Room Correction software). ARC automatically adjusts the room gain from ported speakers presenting a more balanced sound. These speakers excel with vocals, as well as with any analog instrument. Playing George Winston's "December" lets you focus on the piano and you can almost see the notes being played. For TV and movies, I don't feel the need to constantly adjust the volume; actually, I find that I can listen at lower volumes than with the Elac UB52s. BTW how do these compare to the UB52s? The Elacs are amazing, especially considering they can be purchased for 1/4 the price of the KEFs when they're on sale. The Elacs, while quite good, are not as refined. On a scale of 1 to 10, with the KEFs being a 10, I'd give the Elacs an 8 overall, but better on punchier more rock-focused music than the KEFs. I find the KEFs completely non-fatiguing and a joy to have on all day. They also strike me as very efficient, although in a condo how loud can you really play music? I very much enjoy that at low volume nothing seems to be missing with voices being clear and detailed and instruments having nice weight. If you're on the fence and wondering if they're worth the price, I would say don't let Christmas go by without acquiring your own set.

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Brookline

Bought these when they went on sale, and haven't been disappointed. I've tested them against some B&W 706 S2s, which were an excellent speaker (and likely went a little lower in the bass), but at the on sale price of the LS 50 metas, they can't compete. I also wanted to try some KEF R3s since they were on sale, too, and I ordered them. But once they arrived, they were overwhelmingly large for where I'm putting them. The LS 50 Meta has the right tradeoff in size. I started out trying to power these with only my Marantz AVR, and they sounded lackluster down below and not a ton of detail. They sounded decent, thgouh. But once I upgraded the amp, first with a Marantz external 7025 power amp, and then finally with a NAD CS399, they really came to life. I don't even run a sub with them anymore in my smallish 10x12' room. The NAD C399 is probably a little overkill, but the C389 wasn't out yet. But I at least have some headroom with it when I move and get some floor standers eventually. Big props to Crutchfield customer support

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Nice speakers, not worth the hype

I've been running a pair of Klisch Heresy III for years, and was intrigued by all of the amazing reviews - clearly the LS50 Meta were THE speaker. So I bought a pair. Delivery was perfect, packing was brilliant, so it was very easy to package them for return. Which I did. First listen, I was dazzled by the LS, listening to Miles Davis, Steely Dan, well-recorded bebop jazz. Tight, precise - great! But when I tried old Brazilian Bossa Nova from the 60s that wasn't recorded so well - they seemed thin. They did not like imperfect recording. Then Springsteen - they didn't rock, seemed too tame next to the Heresys. They were pretty good speakers, for sure, and if you are on an all-jazz diet, maybe the One. They just made me appreciate my Heresy speakers more. Crutchfield was great about the return - no muss, no fuss.

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KEF LS50 Meta

Very very happy with the KEF LS50 Meta speakers. Many years of B&W speakers in my home. from 601 S3's, and up. Tried newest 6 series speakers and returned both pairs. Tweeter's , for my ears, were now overly bright. Midrange no longer magical as the early 601's are. (my son still has my hand me downs, and they still sound wonderful). The KEF's were great from the beginning. AND, I did decide that my Anthem MRX520, perhaps wasn't giving the KEF's enough 'umph'. So, added Emotiva BasX3 amp. And indeed the many reviews suggesting LS50's needed good power source, were correct. Now fully enjoying the detail, with musicality of KEF's. And now that KEF's prices are lower, if you've been hesitating, all I can say is, I am experiencing hours of musical delight. And I paid the original higher price. No regrets at all.

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Great speakers

Using them in my home office with an Outlaw Receiver 110 watts @ 8ohms. Sounding better as they get used. Listen to classical music. Full sound up down the frequency range. Great depth, clarity and detail. Treble is not tiring and the bass is not overly boomy. Great listening.

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Surprise, surprise!

On first play of these little guys I was shocked. Super clear and transparent. The soundstage is fantastic. Hi frequency distortion is virtually eliminated. I switched out my Wharfedale eve 4.4 floor standers with the Meta's and I prefer the Meta's by a wide margin. I'm driving them with a Rotel RA-1592MK2 integrated (200 wpc). One thing to note is these speakers definitely play better with some power. Most reviews recommend 100 or more wpc. I purchased the matching stands as well. With the speakers mounted it all looks great. As usual Crutchfield came through with great service and shipping.

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KEF LS50 Meta

One of the best reviewed bookshelf speakers. Lower limit is 80 hz; most people will want a sub.

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Great British speakers

These sound great and look great. The reviews don't lie. Paired with Cambridge cxa81 & cxn v2.

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Seeing into the Music

I love a 15x15 living room and these speakers fill it with music. I am replacing the Zu Audio Omen Mk II. The LS50 is so much more detailed, faster and image better. There seems to be more air (quieter) between the notes of various instruments and they project more into the room. There is just more information and detail in the music especially piano, horns, guitar and the nuances of vocals. They were a little bright overall at first but over several days that has improved and the tonal balance feels right now. I am a happy camper.

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KEF LS50 Meta

Grabbed a pair when these were on sale...having my eyes on these for awhile but haven't pulled the trigger until now. Phenomenal speakers, such a clarity and transparency. Really enjoy my music once again. Driven these currently with an consumer-grade integrated amp and feel that this doesn't do justice for them, will have to upgrade to a better amp. Bass punch is definitely lacking, have to augment with a powered-sub. Highly recommended for mids and highs!

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Great speakers!

These are great speakers able to show all the details in your music when paired to the right amplifier. In my experience, they live up to all the good reviews and internet hype. ...just don't expect a massive wall of sound - they are standmounts after all - but a great step on the audiophile path.

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Very nice indeed!

These were bought to compare/temporarily replace a venerable pair of Kef 104/2 speakers which are due a crossover rebuild (probably). The tweeters have already been replaced. I love the old Kefs and have owned them for 30 years (bought second hand in 1991) - but I am absolutely horrified - the LS50 meta seem to blow them out of the water. Much clearer, better imaging, particularly with classical music. So, for the moment, the old Kefs are relegated to speaker stands for the new Kefs. I have the parts for a crossover rebuild, but I feel it may be tough to beat the LS50 metas. I can't decide whether I am really pleased (about the new speakers) or really sad (about the old Kefs). Regardless, the LS50s are much easier to carry!

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KEF LS50 Meta

Easy to set up, sounded amazing right out of the box and have only gotten better as I played them in.

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Exceptional style and performance

An outstanding speaker in every way. The enclosure looks like it could be an egg for a Mini Cooper, and the build quality is superlative. The most important quality is what we buy speakers for: superb sound. Output is smooth and detailed from about 80 Hz up, and less power is needed to drive them than I expected. I use a pair mounted on a shelf below my TV set as center channel speakers, and nothing else that I have tried has had anything near the performance of these units. A shelf on stand is needed, since these are relatively heavy. Expensive, but recommended without reservation.

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Best I have ever owned

These are absolutely the most transparent speakers I have ever owned. Right out of the box their quality is evident not only in build but most importantly sound. I have had many systems over the years that stretch back to tube amps like H H Scott, Marantz and all the others of that era along with speaker systems like JBL, AR just to name a few. KEF has changed the "playing" ground with this technology. Just sorry I didn't find these before now

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KEF LS50 Meta

Great sound really enjoying these little wonders

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KEF LS50 Meta

Seem to work really great.

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KEF LS50 Meta

An absolute dream at this price. No other speaker comes close

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Good As The Hype

Enjoying the KEF LS50 Metas more than I had expected. I thought the hype was probably overblown. Happily performance is living up to the hype. The KEFs have a unique look that I like a lot. The enclosures are beautifully finished and very solid with no discernible resonance. Currently coupled to a Bluesound Powernode (2021 version) augmented by an old Polk MicroPRO 3000 crossed over at 60 Hz. Love the sound. Crisp and detailed but not harsh or bright. Imaging is just excellent. I have a couple of other systems for other purposes (e.g., AV, larger spaces, etc.), but for near field listening, the KEFs are my ¡favorite. I may replace the Polk sub (either KEF KC62 or SVS 3000 micro likely). May even change the streamer/amp at some point, but the LS50 Metas are here to stay.

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Excellent if you have the right expectations from a bookshelf speaker.

First, as someone had already mentioned, these speakers, like most speakers, need some break-in time and sound "boxed in" and don't come alive until about 300-500 hours of listening. Here is the breakdown of my audio system. 1)Digital Streamer: WiiM Streamer (connected to DAC using optical audio cable). 2)Computer: PC and Mac (connected to DAC using USB audio (midi) cable). 3)DAC: RME ADI2DACFS (Connected to amplifier using RCA cable) 4)Amplifier: Audiolab 6000a (connected to speakers using banana speaker cables). 5)Speakers: KEF LS50 meta Build quality and appearance: These speakers are built like a tank. You are not getting some flimsy speaker enclosed in a thin wooden box. I love the color of the royal blue with gold. These speakers are also heavier than anticipated. Sound: These are terrific bookshelf speakers with fundamental bookshelf limitations due to its size. If you want a speaker with large sound stage and bass, then you won't get it with KEF LS50 meta. There are many floorstanding speakers at a comparable price that can give you significantly larger scale sound with more realistic bass. The midrange is good but not as exceptional as the upper range. The upper range is truly exceptional and gives this speaker the reputation of "highly detailed" audiophile sound. I find listening to 24\44hz to be the best sound/distortion ratio in my system. This speaker definitely needs a subwoofer to improve its weakness in bass and s

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KEF LS50 Meta

Love the sound...happy!

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Worth the $

Not an audiophile but I enjoy music so wanted to upgrade from a samsung bluetooth power speaker and am glad I did. The improvement in sound and listening pleasure is well worth the money. Was even more impressed when I improved the source to lossless files. Paired it with a cambridge audio CXA81 and for my ears am very happy

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Flawless at polite levels

Worthy of all the praise they have received. These are flawless for jazz, acoustic music, vocals, etc. I found they were not what I wanted for more demanding content such as a full symphony or just plain rocking out. They were not able to deliver volume levels beyond upper 80dB driven with 60w NAD amplification. Perhaps they might perform better with better electronics. I returned them but with some regret.

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Speakers great! Shipping condition not so much ...

Speakers and stands were delivered on time with the stands in original packaging. Speaker pairs nicely with my CXA81 and CXN v2 setup! The stands are a bit time consuming to assemble but are secure and very well made. The speakers arrived with the end of the original box cut off and the serial number sticker cut out - placed somewhat awkwardly inside another box with no packing to deter movement. They did not appear to be damaged - but concerning considering the cost. I called support who extended an open box discount - still disappointed as other products from Cambridge arrived in secure packaging. Still would have preferred what I ordered vs the small discount for an open box set.

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Like listening to your music for the first time.

Perhaps the best money I have ever spent. I am not a full-fledged audiophile, but I wanted to build a system that would take my listening experience to the next level. I did a TON of research and decided to take the leap and buy the LS50 Metas and pair them with a Cambridge CXA81 amp. I had heard the word "soundstage" tossed around a lot but didn't really understand what it meant until I fired up my new system for the first time. The sound is magical....I'm hearing detail I didn't know existed in my music and the spatial nature of the sound is amazing. I see reviews that recommend pairing with a subwoofer....in my case I find that the Metas have plenty of low end for my home office space (~15X15 ft).

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KEF LS50 Meta

Paird with a Marantz SR 5015, the two work great together. This is my first pair of high quality speakers and I'm beyond happy. The full range of sound is produced distinctly (I particularly had fun playing LL Cool Js "I Need Love" with the pitchy highs and the boom at the bottom). Classical, rock, R&B and whatever else - it has all sounded great. I don't have a surround system so when I play the TV through these 2 it does seem like I could use at least a sound bar to enhance the high to mid range on video content.

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KEF LS50 Meta

Excellent imaging and balanced sound! Considering a second pair for our living room.

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KEF LS50 Meta

Paired with an SVS 3000 Micro subwoofer, in my relatively small but acoustically treated listening room (it has corner bass traps and first reflection wall traps) the LS50 Metas make a first rate impression. These small stand mounted speakers disappear sonically and are excellent at spatial imaging of the recorded sources. Definitely the best recreation of recorded piano sound (for me an acid test of speaker quality) I've heard.

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Great Sound From A Small Package

Great sound from a small package for small to medium sized rooms. I looked at bigger more expensive options but am happy I choose the Kef LS50 Meta. The BlueSound POWERNODE 2021 drives it well and you have the option to add a subwoofer if you want 20Hz to 20kHz.

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KEF LS50 Meta

Easy on the eyes and luxuriously engaging for the ears. Incredible sound and detail for such a small package.

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A large step up

My previous speakers were $2000, Monitor Audio Silver 8's. Great sounding, floor standing, 3 way speakers. Well, the KEF LS50 Meta are a substantial sonic improvement. They have revealed previously unheard instruments buried in the mix, vocals sound more realistic and the sound stage has enlarged. I am now like a kid in a candy store, listening to songs I have heard hundreds of times and having them sound new. Okay, maybe not new, but greatly improved. As has been stated in other reviews if you have a large room or like to play music VERY loud then you will need a sub woofer to help the bottom end. I purchased the KEF KC62 sub woofer and they blend together seamlessly. I don't know how much one has to spend to get better sound then this but it has to be a lot.

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KEF fan

Excellent soundstage, imaging, detail, and smooth cohesive mid to lower bass.

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KEF LS50 Meta

Outstanding speakers . I had the original LS50's and while great they were a bit bright sometimes . Sold those and got the new metas . I originally had the metas in a bigger than average room and while good I wasn't impressed . I moved them to a normal living room and wow . These are great sounding speakers. If your looking for party music with thunderous bass don't get these. If you plan to crank up pantera , get some klipsch . If you plan to listen at moderate volumes and have decent amplification definitely consider these. Minus one star because they don't have a grill .

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bravissimo, great value

Owned the prior version of passive LS50 speakers in black. I was interested in trying the meta and secondarily preferred the white for aesthetics. I was nervous selling the previous ones for fear any improvement in the new model would be minuscule, but the step up in quality of the meta is immediately apparent. Surprises: - lived up to the hype in clarity of the mid and high frequency range - bass somehow much more present than prior LS50, and not at all muddled. I do still have a sub (SVS SB-3000), but if you don't need ground rumbling sub-80 Hz you could easily skip it Other thoughts: The meta is technically more massive by about 2 lbs, but they do not feel heavy at all. The aesthetics and build quality is very good; I personally appreciate the matte finish Also, if you want to secure the speakers to a stand for additional stability, there are threaded holes to bolt them in place. Crutchfield's open box option was a great deal for good-as-new option for these speakers.

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Optimal sound, form and function.

I am into beautiful design as well as quality sound. These speakers provide both. I have ordered the KEF subwoofer to complete the package.

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KEF LS50 Meta

A fine speaker, but not equal in resolution and scale to a Martin Logan electrostat--not even close. Good, then, for a small room. The speaker begins to distort below 100Hz, especially when the volume is raised to fill a larger room (see the test results from SoundStage and Stereophile, and listen carefully for yourself). Best used with a high-pass filter to remove lower bass. But, unfortunately, most subs have only low-pass filters. So a Parasound P 6 preamp, for example, which has high-quality bass management for both mains and sub, works perfectly. At lower volumes (easy-listening levels), the LS50/Meta is a champ. But a more robust speaker would give you undistorted bass at higher volumes. Of course, it would also cost a whole lot more. (The best sound I ever got from the LS50 was with a PrimaLuna amp. But tubes present an unavoidable distortion level.) Buy from Crutchfield with confidence, though.

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Great "Bookshelf" Speaker

I live out in the stick and finding places to demo speakers isn't easy. Thanks to Crutchfield's return policy I was able to give these a trial in my own environment. I had them setup using a Denon receiver and an SVS sub with the crossover point set to 80hz. These speakers are amazing. The staging and separation are really good. If you close your eyes, you would not know that you are listening to such a small speaker. The only real criticism is that they are a bit bright (KEF is well known for this). I listened to them with a sub, so I can't really comment on their low-end, but with a sub the sound was really full and crisp across the dynamic range. I also had a pair of Q750's that I was comparing them against. In the end, I went with the Q750's because the Q750's were just a little bit warmer and had a slightly fuller sound. The Q750's are also bright, but the LS50 Metas are a bit in-your-face bright and the Q750's are a tad more subdued. It was still a very difficult decision because the LS50 Metas are very pleasing to look at. They are beautifully designed and would improve most people's décor. The looks alone made it a very difficult decision. I hate to call them bookshelf speakers because of how amazing they sound, and you would do them a disservice if you put them in a bookshelf. Put them on a stand and let them breathe. If you are looking for a smaller speaker, you definitely want to give these a listen to.

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Simply Fantastic

I'm using these KEF speakers as part of my computer workstation as desktop speakers. Running a USB Type B cable from my Mac into an NAD 3045 amplifier (60watts per channel output). Also using Apple Music's lossless (ALAC 24bit 192khz) output through SoundSource for Mac so that I can apply my preferred EQ settings. I wanted a wired connection to my Mac as I got super frustrated with streaming over Airplay2 to an Apple HomePod or other bluetooth solutions. There is too much delay or just dropped connections and having to reconnect etc. I also do some video editing and a wired connection or wired headphones is a must. I love that with the NAD amp sitting vertically I can just reach over and adjust the volume with the dial old school way. The only time I can listen to music is while working so this is the ultimate setup for me. I also ordered the KC62 subwoofer which is backordered. The speakers -- absolutely amazing! Best I've ever heard. These replaced Paradigm Millenia CT's which were awesome but these are even better. I can't see any human on earth being disappointed with the KEF's. So worth the price. They also look incredible with the black and copper color scheme. I absolutely could not be happier with this purchase. Buy them now!

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KEF LS50 Meta

Sounds great and looks even better. These speakers are exceptional at low level and near field listening. I really enjoy leaving my sub off and just listening to the Metas by themselves. For larger rooms sufficient power and a sub may be desirable given the size of the 5-inch main driver.

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KEF LS50 Meta

These speakers are great. Sound is very clear and real. Built is excellent. I am thinking of buying the KEF subwoofer but it is not urgent. These speakers have good bass. These will be my main speakers for years to come.

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KEF LS50 Meta

I had the original LS50 and loved it, so when the Meta came out I didn't immediately feel any need to change. But reviews suggested that the Meta improved slightly on the old model in terms of fine detail and transparency, which were the only areas where I felt the original was not state of the art for its size. I also thought that the minor cosmetic changes were quite welcome, making the Meta an outstanding piece of industrial design (even though from the front they are essentially identical to the original). My expectations were fully met when the Metas arrived-they seem to offer a bit more detail without losing anything of the original's balanced, focused sound. I use them as desktop speakers and the Uni-Q driver means that the sound is coherent at all distances. The imaging and soundstaging are exceptional. Finally, since I'm sitting so close to the speakers their appearance is especially important, and the blue cabinet and champagne-colored driver make a lovely combination. I've had many speakers in the house, ranging from Quad ESL-63s to Wilson Benesch Arcs to KEF Reference 203/2s. Among this group, the LS50s and LS50 Metas are among the least expensive, but I think the new Metas will be my long-term speaker.

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Transcending

These are the best speakers at this price point ever!

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Love these!

Got these to replace the KEF LS50 wireless because of continued problems with the electronics. The LS50W speakers have fabulous sound and I loved the idea of having powered speakers for my desk, both to save room from not have a separate integrated amp, and to have the amp tuned to the speakers. But one of the LS50W speakers would shut off after a few minutes, and so I decided to get these instead along with Cambridge CXA81 integrated amp. The Metas do very well with the Cambridge, and are MUCH more crisp than the wireless, but they do miss a bit on the bottom end. While the wireless ones had decent sound in the lower frequencies, the Metas are really lacking there. But I bought a Jamo S 808 Subwoofer (made by Klipsch) and the results have been amazing. This set up sounds better than my Anthem Amps with Polk columns in my living room.

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Big sound small footprint

Surprising sound for a small speaker.

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Perfect for Me

The hype is deserved for these speakers. Words like smooth, real, detailed, full, rich and powerful come to mind. The look may not be for everyone, but I sure think they look great in my room. I've been chasing great bookshelf speakers for a year or so and I feel like I can finally take a breath. Also, I got these for a discount through "Scratch and Dent." I was unsure at first, but Crutchfield does have the great return policy if you aren't satisfied. My concerns were unfounded as they showed up in great shape and I couldn't even tell where the S&D was. Great program!

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Needs a bit of time to open up

I purchased these based on all the stellar reviews of the original and the purported upgrade of the Meta technology. At first, i thought hmmm, they sound ok but not what i had expected from the hype. I am driving them with a NAD C368 in a 2.1 configuration. After about 100 hours, they have opened up to sound amazing. Great sound stage from the uniQ architecture coupled with a nice neutral sound across the frequency spectrum. I play a variety of genres and they all sound lively, quick and strong, even on the low end. I also do not sense the brightness that others have mentioned. I have these in an office environment and smile every time i play them, which also encourages me shorten my zoom calls!

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Impressive and super fun.

Shouldn't be a surprise from the many review sources, but these speakers are really amazing. Super dynamic and responsive. Really wide and deep soundstage, and more forgiving with distances from the wall than I expected. Also very easy to drive with my 60 wpc Cambridge Audio CXA61. Using them to replace my other formidable speakers Elac Adantes which are great but much more difficult to drive and sensitive to placement. And great service from Crutchfield as usual.

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Wow

Amazing sound and build quality

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My audio journey has begun.

I invested in these to go with my Rogue Audio Sphinx V3. This is my first attempt at a true setup in what I hope will be a lifelong hobby. With that said, Im no expert, but there is something magical happening in my room every time I give them a listen. They disappear completely with a crystal clear clarity, the bass is fuller than I expected, and the sound stage is smooth and beautiful. I can't stop exploring music. I love them and hope you will to.

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KEF LS50 Meta

Great speakers. Easy to set up and sound great!

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Lives up to hype

Amazing speakers. Own more expensive speakers but none sound, better especially if you add a sub....

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Excellent speaker

So far I'm impressed with these speakers. Along with the matching sub, they seem to be terrific. They are replacing a lovely set of Soliloquy 6.2 towers that I've used and loved for many years, but this KEF set-up is a clear, if small improvement. Highly recommended.

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Speaker of the year 2020 -2021

Holographic sound, best speaker I've heard @ this price point @ any price ... outstanding value for the money. Easily stands toe to toe with any bookshelf speaker costing 10 times or more, of what KEF charges for these speakers. Pair with McIntosh, Technics, Parasound or Hegel amplifier etc. Note: I do run a JL subwoofer to help the lower end.

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Amazing sound from such a small footprint.

I wouldn't consider myself an audiofile but I did start off my career as an assistant engineer in some great recording studios and have kept up dabbling in recording for fun so I think I have some experience with high end audio reproduction. For me I love a speaker that has great imaging and punchy dynamics and the Metas deliver on both counts. The sound is very dimensional and center panned sources seems to float in front of you while other content wraps around you. The definition is great on these little guys too. You will hear things you've never heard before that were hidden by lesser speakers. The Metas have impressive low end as well but they really shine with the addition of a sub.

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Love these speakers!!

Love these new speakers. Paired them with the Parasound HINT6 and the KEF KUBE10 and the sound is sublime. I highly recommend these bookshelves if you are looking for a solid pair of speakers.

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KEF LS50 Meta

Exceptional sound. Very directional so it has a sweet spot but could not be happier. It was an outlet model but I can't find any issues / blemishes.

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