Article by Venoth Nair
The KEF LS50 is a mid-range mini monitor built to embody KEFs illustrious history as a speaker manufacturer showcasing the absolute latest in loudspeaker technologies developed by the company over the past 50 years.
The LS50 was designed applying references harkening back to one the most popular bookshelf speakers of its time, the legendary Rogers LS3-5A. KEF was responsible for the drivers used by the LS3-5A, and in line with this fact, the LS50 was designed with the hope of developing a mini monitor that would rewrite the rules on how a speaker would perform, (and sound of course), and oh boy has KEF delivered.
Not only did the LS50 change the rules; it has totally obliterated them. This speaker has received so much praise that reading through all of it would already be reason enough to get up and grab yourself a pair. If the pictures of the LS50 haven’t already sparked your interest then maybe the following text might help.
With the exception of the front baffle which is in matte black, the main enclosure features a high gloss piano black finish. The front baffle unlike the rest of the speaker has a slightly rough surface and is curved.
The centre of the baffle houses a single rose gold Uni-Q driver. The driver set against the all black speaker cabinet creates a stark contrast, taking centre stage, as after all the true star of the show is the Uni-Q driver. At the rear we find a single pair of solid speaker terminals and a bass port.
These speakers are gorgeous, and it becomes apparent the more you look at it that no corners were cut when the speakers were made. Every single aspect of its design was given loving attention creating a speaker that would not feel out of place in any art gallery. The LS50 is one speaker you will definitely want to show off.
There are many breakthroughs in speaker design which have been employed by KEF in the making of the LS50. The most notable is the newly designed 130 mm Uni-Q driver which houses a 25mm tweeter smack centre of the bass driver. The Uni-Q driver has elements that are taken directly from KEF’s flagship Blade speakers.
The tweeter unit also has a tangerine wave guide which is a design feature that aides with the dispersion of higher frequencies giving the LS50 a much wider sweet spot as compared to other speakers. Even the cone surround for the driver has been updated with a technology known as ‘Z-flex’ cone surround which eliminates disturbances caused by the surround when it interacts with the cabinets baffle.
The LS50 cabinet is extensively braced, and a proprietary Constrained Layer Damping (CLD) technology further reduces vibrations.
Similarly, the bass ports feature a new technology, Flexible Port Design that is said to significantly reduce turbulence and port resonance. The result from all this technology is a deep, punchy bass that seem impossible given the LS50’s size.
The power requirement as quoted by KEF is modest 25 – 100 watts but don’t be fooled however as the LS50 is pretty demanding of the equipment that it is partnered with. Also bear in mind that in order to maximise on the strength of the LS50’s build, the right pair of speaker stands must be used. When paired with right equipment and stands, you will be able to fully enjoy the true capabilities of this genuinely amazing little mini monitor.
For more details contact:
Perfect Hi-Fi Sdn Bhd.
Tel: 03 21421693
Article by Venoth Nair
