In this review, we will be comparing 4305P and LS50 Wireless, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from JBL 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 JBL 4305P and KEF LS50 Wireless first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL 4305P | KEF LS50 Wireless |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 300-watt RMS | 230-watt RMS |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | — | 11th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Horn-Loaded | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Pulp | 5.25" Magnesium/aluminum alloy |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-25k Hz | 79-28k Hz |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 24-bit / 192kHz | 24-bit / 192 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 5.1 | Built-in 4.0 |
|---|
| App control | Yes | Yes |
|---|
| Weight | 6.60kg / 14.5lbs | 10.00kg / 22lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13.3125" x 8.3125" x 8-3/4"
336 x 210 x 223 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 4305P and LS50 Wireless are 2-way speakers.
JBL 4305PKEF 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 |
JBL 4305P |
KEF LS50 Wireless |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
4305P features a 1" Teonex Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1750 Hz. 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
4305P has a frequency range of 45-25k Hz whereas LS50 Wireless has a frequency range of 79-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the 4305P 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
4305P has a front firing port whereas LS50 Wireless has a rear firing ports. JBL 4305P's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to KEF LS50 Wireless with its rear-firing port.
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 JBL 4305P's and KEF LS50 Wireless's external dimensions. JBL 4305P has external dimensions of 336 x 210 x 223 mm (13.3125 x 8.3125 x 8-3/4 inch) 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 10mm narrower and 34.4mm shorter than JBL 4305P but it is also 113.5mm 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.
KEF LS50 Wireless needs about 44% more floor or shelf area. KEF LS50 Wireless is 114mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. JBL 4305P is 34mm 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 JBL 4305P is approximately 468.3cm2 / 72.6inch2 and base area of the KEF LS50 Wireless is approximately 673.0cm2 / 104.3inch2. The 4305P requires 30% less surface area than the LS50 Wireless which gives it a small advantage 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 JBL 4305P weighs 6.60kg / 14.5lbs and the KEF LS50 Wireless weighs 10.00kg / 22lbs. This makes the LS50 Wireless 52% heavier than the 4305P.
Here is a comparison of how 4305P 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 JBL 4305P?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 4305P:
- 2 Powered speakers
- 2 Grilles
- Two 69-inch AC power cords
- 10-feet CAT5e cable
- Remote control
- 2 AAA batteries
- 8 Self-adhesive feet
- Owner-feets Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
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
 Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
79 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Base Surface Area |
468cm2
vs
673cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 3.5mm Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via 3.5mm AUX input |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
301mm
vs
336mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
| General |
JBL 4305P |
KEF LS50 Wireless |
| Brand |
JBL |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
45-25k Hz |
79-28k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
300-watt RMS |
230-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
192kHz |
192 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Pulp |
Magnesium/aluminum alloy |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Horn-Loaded |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
1750 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
336.0mm (13.2") |
301.6mm (11.9") |
| Width |
210.0mm (8.3") |
200.0mm (7.9") |
| Depth |
223.0mm (8.8") |
336.5mm (13.2") |
| Weight |
6.60kg (14.5lbs) |
10.00kg (22lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
3/4-inch MDF with real wood veneer |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Satin Walnut, Black Walnut |
n/a |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
3.5mm |
RCA |
| USB Port |
USB-B |
USB-B |
| Phone Input |
No |
No |
| Subwoofer Output |
mono-RCA |
Wired |
| Digital Input |
Optical |
Optical |
| HDMI Input |
No |
No |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5yr drivers/2 yr amp |
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
5yr drivers/2 yr amp |
1 Year |
A generation apart: JBL 4305P is the newer design, against a 2016 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | JBL 4305P digs deeper - 45Hz against 79Hz. |
| Built-in power | A | JBL 4305P has the bigger amplifier (300W vs 230W RMS). |
| Connections | evenly matched | The same set of inputs and streaming options. |
| Size | depends | JBL 4305P is easier to place; KEF LS50 Wireless is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | JBL 4305P: a sub output; KEF LS50 Wireless: a sub output. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($2,200 vs $2,200 a pair). |
A JBL 4305P 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?
JBL 4305P 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, so judge these on the other rows instead.
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.