In this review, we will be comparing LS50 Wireless and A5+ Wireless, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from KEF and Audioengine. 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 KEF LS50 Wireless and Audioengine A5+ Wireless first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF LS50 Wireless | Audioengine A5+ Wireless |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | Audioengine
United States · founded 2005 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 230-watt RMS | 100-watt RMS |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 11th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 0.75" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Magnesium/aluminum alloy | 5" Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 79-28k Hz | 50-22k Hz |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 24-bit / 192 kHz | 24-bit / 44.1 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 4.0 | Built-in 4.0 |
|---|
| App control | Yes | — |
|---|
| Weight | 10.00kg / 22lbs | 4.40kg / 9.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.875" x 7.875" x 13.25"
301.6 x 200.0 x 336.5mm | 10.875" x 7.1875" x 9.75"
276.2 x 182.6 x 247.6mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both LS50 Wireless and A5+ Wireless are 2-way speakers.
KEF LS50 WirelessAudioengine A5+ 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 |
KEF LS50 Wireless |
Audioengine A5+ Wireless |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
0.75-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
LS50 Wireless features a 1" Aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Magnesium/aluminum alloy Woofer. On the other hand, the A5+ Wireless features a 0.75" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
LS50 Wireless has a frequency range of 79-28k Hz whereas A5+ Wireless has a frequency range of 50-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the A5+ Wireless 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 LS50 Wireless and A5+ 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 Wireless's and Audioengine A5+ Wireless's external dimensions. KEF LS50 Wireless has external dimensions of 301.6 x 200.0 x 336.5mm (11.875 x 7.875 x 13.25inch) whereas Audioengine A5+ Wireless has external dimensions of 276.2 x 182.6 x 247.6mm (10.875 x 7.1875 x 9.75inch).
KEF LS50 Wireless is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 17.4mm wider, 25.4mm taller and 88.9mm deeper than Audioengine A5+ Wireless.
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 49% more floor or shelf area. KEF LS50 Wireless is 89mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. KEF LS50 Wireless is 25mm 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 KEF LS50 Wireless is approximately 673.0cm2 / 104.3inch2 and base area of the Audioengine A5+ Wireless is approximately 452.1cm2 / 70.1inch2. The LS50 Wireless requires 49% more surface area than the A5+ 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 KEF LS50 Wireless weighs 10.00kg / 22lbs and the Audioengine A5+ Wireless weighs 4.40kg / 9.7lbs. This makes the LS50 Wireless 127% heavier than the A5+ Wireless.
Here is a comparison of how LS50 Wireless and A5+ 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 KEF LS50 Wireless?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 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
What's in the Box of Audioengine A5+ Wireless?
Here are the items that come with the A5+ Wireless:
- Powered left speaker
- Passive right speaker
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Remote control (with installed CR2025 battery)
- Antenna
- 12.5-feet Length of 16 gauge speaker wire
- 6.5-feet Stereo minijack cable
- 6-feet Stereo RCA cable
- Cloth drawstring cable bag
- 2 Cloth drawstring speaker bags
- Setup guide
- Audioengine product brochure
 Woofer Size |
5.25 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
Apple iOS, Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Ethernet Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
High quality streaming over Ethernet |
 USB Port |
USB-B
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
 Digital Input |
Optical
vs
No
|
Connect digital inputs directly |
|
Low Frequency Response |
50 Hz
vs
79 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
276mm
vs
301mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
452cm2
vs
673cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
2200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 3.5mm Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via 3.5mm AUX input |
 RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
| General |
KEF LS50 Wireless |
Audioengine A5+ Wireless |
| Brand |
KEF |
Audioengine |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
79-28k Hz |
50-22k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
230-watt RMS |
100-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
192 kHz |
44.1 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Magnesium/aluminum alloy |
Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
0.75" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
301.6mm (11.9") |
276.2mm (10.9") |
| Width |
200.0mm (7.9") |
182.6mm (7.2") |
| Depth |
336.5mm (13.2") |
247.6mm (9.7") |
| Weight |
10.00kg (22lbs) |
4.40kg (9.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black, Bamboo, White |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
RCA |
3.5mm, RCA |
| USB Port |
USB-B |
No |
| Phone Input |
No |
No |
| Subwoofer Output |
Wired |
Wired |
| Digital Input |
Optical |
No |
| HDMI Input |
No |
No |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 Year |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
1 Year |
3 Years |
These sit in different price classes - KEF LS50 Wireless costs roughly 4.4x what Audioengine A5+ 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 | B | Audioengine A5+ Wireless digs deeper - 50Hz against 79Hz. |
| Built-in power | A | KEF LS50 Wireless has the bigger amplifier (230W vs 100W RMS). |
| Connections | A | KEF LS50 Wireless adds Wi-Fi, streaming and digital inputs. |
| Size | depends | Audioengine A5+ Wireless is easier to place; KEF LS50 Wireless is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | KEF LS50 Wireless: a sub output; Audioengine A5+ Wireless: a sub output. KEF LS50 Wireless sits in a wider range (10 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Audioengine A5+ Wireless is cheaper - $499 against $2,200, about 77% less; arguably a different class. |
A KEF LS50 Wireless B Audioengine A5+ 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 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 4.4x the price. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Audioengine A5+ Wireless looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the KEF LS50 Wireless appeals to you. 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. In a large or open-plan room, KEF LS50 Wireless has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Audioengine A5+ 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.