In this review, we will be comparing G Five and LS50 Wireless, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Genelec and KEF. Being Powered speakers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Genelec G Five and KEF LS50 Wireless first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Genelec G Five | KEF LS50 Wireless |
|---|
| Brand | Genelec
Finland · founded 1978 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 270-watt RMS | 230-watt RMS |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | — | 11th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" Cone | 5.25" Magnesium/aluminum alloy |
|---|
| Frequency response | 34-20k Hz | 79-28k Hz |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | — | 24-bit / 192 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | No | Built-in 4.0 |
|---|
| App control | — | Yes |
|---|
| Weight | 12.70kg / 27.9lbs | 10.00kg / 22lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 17 13/16 " x 11 1/4" x 10 15/16"
452 x 286 x 278 mm | 11.875" x 7.875" x 13.25"
301.6 x 200.0 x 336.5mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both G Five and LS50 Wireless are 2-way speakers.
Genelec G FiveKEF LS50 Wireless
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Genelec G Five |
KEF LS50 Wireless |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
G Five features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 8" Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3000Hz. On the other hand, the LS50 Wireless features a 1" Aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Magnesium/aluminum alloy Woofer.
Frequency Response
G Five has a frequency range of 34-20k Hz whereas LS50 Wireless has a frequency range of 79-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, the G Five can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the LS50 Wireless's min frequency of 79Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both G Five and LS50 Wireless have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Genelec G Five's and KEF LS50 Wireless's external dimensions. Genelec G Five has external dimensions of 452 x 286 x 278 mm (17 13/16 x 11 1/4 x 10 15/16) whereas KEF LS50 Wireless has external dimensions of 301.6 x 200.0 x 336.5mm (11.875 x 7.875 x 13.25inch).
KEF LS50 Wireless is 86mm narrower and 150.4mm shorter than Genelec G Five but it is also 58.5mm deeper.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Genelec G Five needs about 18% more floor or shelf area. KEF LS50 Wireless is 59mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Genelec G Five is 150mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Genelec G Five is approximately 795.1cm2 / 123.2inch2 and base area of the KEF LS50 Wireless is approximately 673.0cm2 / 104.3inch2. The G Five requires 18% more surface area than the LS50 Wireless which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Genelec G Five weighs 12.70kg / 27.9lbs and the KEF LS50 Wireless weighs 10.00kg / 22lbs. This makes the G Five 27% heavier than the LS50 Wireless.
Here is a comparison of how G Five and LS50 Wireless's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Genelec G Five?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of G Five:
- Genelec G Five 2-Way Powered Bookshelf Speaker (Polar White, Single)
- Iso-Pod Stand
- 5.9-feet Power Cable
What's in the Box of KEF LS50 Wireless?
Here are the items that come with the LS50 Wireless:
- Wireless powered speaker (Right)
- Wireless powered speaker (Left)
- Two 6.5-feet AC power cords
- 10-feet Cat-6 interconnect speaker cable
- 6.5-feet USB-B to USB-A cable
- 42
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
34 Hz
vs
79 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
 XLR Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via XLR input |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Handheld Remote |
Yes
vs
No
|
Control the speaker by the included RC |
 App-Based Control |
Apple iOS, Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
301mm
vs
452mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
673cm2
vs
795cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2200USD
vs
3590USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Ethernet Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
High quality streaming over Ethernet |
 USB Port |
USB-B
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
|
RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
 Digital Input |
Optical
vs
No
|
Connect digital inputs directly |
| General |
Genelec G Five |
KEF LS50 Wireless |
| Brand |
Genelec |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
34-20k Hz |
79-28k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
270-watt RMS |
230-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
n/a |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
n/a |
192 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cone |
Magnesium/aluminum alloy |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
3000Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
452.0mm (17.8") |
301.6mm (11.9") |
| Width |
286.0mm (11.3") |
200.0mm (7.9") |
| Depth |
278.0mm (10.9") |
336.5mm (13.2") |
| Weight |
12.70kg (27.9lbs) |
10.00kg (22lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Aluminum |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
White,Black |
n/a |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
RCA,XLR |
RCA |
| USB Port |
No |
USB-B |
| Phone Input |
No |
No |
| Subwoofer Output |
n/a |
Wired |
| Digital Input |
No |
Optical |
| HDMI Input |
No |
No |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
1 Year |
These sit in different price classes - Genelec G Five costs roughly 1.6x what KEF LS50 Wireless does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Genelec G Five digs deeper - 34Hz against 79Hz. |
| Built-in power | evenly matched | Similar onboard amplification (270W vs 230W RMS). |
| Connections | B | KEF LS50 Wireless adds Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, streaming and digital inputs. |
| Size | depends | KEF LS50 Wireless is easier to place; Genelec G Five is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | KEF LS50 Wireless: a sub output. KEF LS50 Wireless sits in a wider range (10 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | KEF LS50 Wireless is cheaper - $2,200 against $3,590, about 39% less; arguably a different class. |
A Genelec G Five B KEF LS50 Wireless
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
KEF LS50 Wireless has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 79Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper KEF LS50 Wireless much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Genelec G Five has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, KEF LS50 Wireless is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.