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  1. Home
  2. KEF Speakers
  3. KEF LS50 Meta vs KEF LS60 Wireless

KEF LS50 Meta vs KEF LS60 Wireless Comparison

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KEF LS50 Meta

Passive Bookshelf | 79-28k Hz

KEF LS50 Meta
Check price atAmazon›
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KEF LS60 Wireless

Powered Floor-standing | 31-24k Hz

KEF LS60 Wireless
Check price atAmazon›
KEF LS50 Meta KEF LS50 Meta
Check price atAmazon›
KEF LS60 Wireless KEF LS60 Wireless
Check price atAmazon›
KEF LS50 Meta
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KEF LS60 Wireless
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KEF LS50 Meta vs KEF LS60 Wireless Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by KEF. KEF LS50 Meta is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the LS60 Wireless is a Floor-standing speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of KEF LS50 Meta and KEF LS60 Wireless first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key SpecsKEF LS50 MetaKEF LS60 Wireless
BrandKEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961
KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961
Design2-way3-way
Built-in amplifier—1400-watt RMS
Uni-Q driver12th Generation Uni-Q12th Generation Uni-Q
Tweeter1" Hard-Dome0.75" aluminum dome
Midrange—4"
Woofer5.25" Aluminum4 x 5.25" Uni-Core force-cancelling
Frequency response79-28k Hz31-24k Hz
Sensitivity85 dB—
Impedance8 ohms—
Power range40-100 watts—
Max depth / sample rate—24-bit / 384 kHz
Bluetooth—Built-in 4.2
App control—Yes
Weight7.82kg / 17.2lbs31.20kg / 68.6lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)11-15/16" x 7.875" x 11-1/16"
303.0 x 201.0 x 281.0mm
42.9" x 8.3" x 15.5"
1090.0 x 212.0 x 394.0mm

LS50 Meta and LS60 Wireless are members of KEF's LS series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

KEF LS Series History
Model Body Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
KEF LS50 Meta
Bookshelf 79-28k Hz 85 dB8Ω 1 x 5.25"
KEF LS50
  
Bookshelf 79-28k Hz 85 dB8Ω 1 x 5.25"
KEF LS50C Meta
  
Center Channel 79-28k Hz 85 dB8Ω 1 x 5.25"

The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.


Drivers

One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that LS50 Meta is a 2-way design whereas the LS60 Wireless is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.

Tweeter - 1 inchWoofer - 5.25 inch
KEF LS50 Meta
Tweeter - 0.75 inchMidrange - 4 inchWoofer - 5.25 inchWoofer - 5.25 inchWoofer - 5.25 inchWoofer - 5.25 inch
KEF LS60 Wireless

TweeterMidrangeWoofer

Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.

Driver KEF LS50 Meta KEF LS60 Wireless
Driver Setup 2-way 3-way
Tweeter 1-inch 0.75-inch
Midrange - 1 x 4-inch
Woofer 1 x 5.25-inch 4 x 5.25-inch

LS50 Meta features a 1" Aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2100Hz. On the other hand, the LS60 Wireless features a 0.75" Aluminum aluminum dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 4 x 5.25" Uni-Core force-cancelling Woofer.

Frequency Response

LS50 Meta has a frequency range of 79-28k Hz whereas LS60 Wireless has a frequency range of 31-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 31Hz, the LS60 Wireless can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the LS50 Meta'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

LS50 Meta
LS60 Wireless
Min
Average
Median

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 LS50 Meta and LS60 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 KEF LS50 Meta's and KEF LS60 Wireless's external dimensions. KEF LS50 Meta has external dimensions of 303.0 x 201.0 x 281.0mm (11-15/16 x 7.875 x 11-1/16inch) whereas KEF LS60 Wireless has external dimensions of 1090.0 x 212.0 x 394.0mm (42.9 x 8.3 x 15.5inch).

KEF LS60 Wireless is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 11mm wider, 787mm taller and 113mm deeper than KEF LS50 Meta.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF LS50 Meta and KEF LS60 Wireless in scale.

KEF LS50 Meta vs KEF LS60 Wireless Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of KEF LS50 Meta and KEF LS60 Wireless Size and External Dimensions

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 KEF LS50 Meta is approximately 564.8cm2 / 87.5inch2 and base area of the KEF LS60 Wireless is approximately 835.3cm2 / 129.5inch2. The LS50 Meta requires 32% less surface area than the LS60 Wireless which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.

What's in the Box of KEF LS50 Meta?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of LS50 Meta:
  • 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
  • 2 Foam port plugs
  • 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
  • Owners Manual
  • Warranty Registration Card

What's in the Box of KEF LS60 Wireless?

Here are the items that come with the LS60 Wireless:
  • 2 Wireless Speakers
  • Power Cords
  • Interspeaker Cable
  • Remote Control
  • Optional Floor Spikes
  • Quick Start Guide
  • Warranty and Safety Documents


Reasons to choose KEF LS50 Meta over KEF LS60 Wireless

High Frequency Response 28k Hz vs 24k Hz Generates higher frequency
Height 303mm vs 1090mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area 564cm2 vs 835cm2 Takes less floor space
Price per pair* 1600USD vs 4999USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

Reasons to choose KEF LS60 Wireless over KEF LS50 Meta

Speaker Type Powered vs Passive Built-in amplifier
Driver Setup 3-way vs 2-way Have a dedicated mid-range driver
Number of Woofers 4 vs 1 More woofers
Low Frequency Response 31 Hz vs 79 Hz Generates deeper bass
Ethernet Connection Yes vs No High quality streaming over Ethernet

KEF LS50 Meta vs KEF LS60 Wireless Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications
General KEF LS50 Meta KEF LS60 Wireless
Brand KEF KEF
Speaker Type Bookshelf speakers Powered Stereo Speakers
Sensitivity 85 dB n/a
Impedance 8 ohms n/a
Impedance 3.5 ohms n/a
Frequency Response 79-28k Hz 31-24k Hz
Amplifier
Watts RMS (Continuous) n/a 1400-watt RMS
Max Bit Depth n/a 24-bit
Max Sample Rate n/a 384 kHz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity 1 4
Woofer Size 5.25" 5.25"
Woofer Composition Aluminum Uni-Core force-cancelling
Woofer Surround Material Rubber Rubber
Tweeter Size 1" 0.75"
Tweeter Type Hard-Dome aluminum dome
Aimable Tweeter No No
Midrange Driver No 4"
Crossover Frequency 2100Hz n/a
Firing Direction rear rear
Physical Specs
Height 303.0mm (11.9") 1090.0mm (42.9")
Width 201.0mm (7.9") 212.0mm (8.3")
Depth 281.0mm (11.1") 394.0mm (15.5")
Weight 7.82kg (17.2lbs) 31.20kg (68.6lbs)
Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
Finish MDF/Polymer n/a
Available Colors Carbon Black,Titanium Grey,Royal Blue,Mineral White Mineral White, Titanium Grey, Royal Blue, British racing green, Carbon black
Mounting Bracket No No
Recommended Stand Height 25-30" n/a
Moisture Resistancy No No
Connections
Biamp Inputs No n/a
Aux Inputs n/a No
USB Port n/a Service only
Phone Input n/a No
Subwoofer Output n/a Wired
Digital Input n/a TOSLINK Optical, Coax
HDMI Input n/a eARC
Headphone Jack n/a No
Ethernet Port n/a Yes
Other
Parts Warranty 5 Years 2 years
Labor Warranty 5 Years 2 years

Verdict

Different kinds of product: one is active with its amplifier built in, the other passive and needs one. Judge them on how you want to own the system, not just the specs.

AreaBetterWhy
BassBKEF LS60 Wireless digs deeper - 31Hz against 79Hz.
What you buydependsKEF LS60 Wireless is a complete system - just add a source. KEF LS50 Meta also needs an amplifier: more money and another box, but you choose it.
ConnectionsdependsKEF LS60 Wireless has Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, streaming and HDMI built in. With KEF LS50 Meta that all comes from the amplifier you pair it with.
Upgrade pathdependsKEF LS50 Meta can be re-amped later and outlive several amplifiers; KEF LS60 Wireless ages as one unit.
SizedependsKEF LS50 Meta is easier to place; KEF LS60 Wireless is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
TypedependsA Passive Bookshelf against a Powered Floor-standing - a different job rather than a better one.
ExpandabilityBKEF LS60 Wireless: a sub output.
PriceAKEF LS50 Meta is cheaper - $1,600 against $4,999, about 68% less; arguably a different class. Speakers only - an amplifier narrows that gap.

A KEF LS50 Meta  B KEF LS60 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 LS60 Wireless suits you if you want one box, ready to play, with nothing else to buy. KEF LS50 Meta suits you if you already have an amplifier, want to choose the electronics, or expect to upgrade in stages. Neither is the better speaker in the abstract. 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 Meta much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, KEF LS60 Wireless has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, KEF LS50 Meta 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.


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