In this review, we will be comparing LS50 Wireless and Xeo 20, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from KEF and Dynaudio. 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 Dynaudio Xeo 20 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF LS50 Wireless | Dynaudio Xeo 20 |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 230-watt RMS | 260-watt RMS |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 11th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1.1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Magnesium/aluminum alloy | 5.5" Magnesium Silicate Polymer |
|---|
| Frequency response | 79-28k Hz | 40-21k Hz |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 24-bit / 192 kHz | 24-bit / 96 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 4.0 | Built-in 4.1 |
|---|
| App control | Yes | — |
|---|
| Weight | 10.00kg / 22lbs | 6.21kg / 13.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.875" x 7.875" x 13.25"
301.6 x 200.0 x 336.5mm | 12.625" x 7.125" x 10.125"
320.7 x 181.0 x 257.2mm |
|---|
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 Xeo 20 are 2-way speakers.
KEF LS50 WirelessDynaudio Xeo 20
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 |
Dynaudio Xeo 20 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5.5-inch
|
LS50 Wireless features a 1" Aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Magnesium/aluminum alloy Woofer. On the other hand, the Xeo 20 features a 1.1" Coated Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.5" Magnesium Silicate Polymer Woofer.
Frequency Response
LS50 Wireless has a frequency range of 79-28k Hz whereas Xeo 20 has a frequency range of 40-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the Xeo 20 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 Xeo 20 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 Dynaudio Xeo 20'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 Dynaudio Xeo 20 has external dimensions of 320.7 x 181.0 x 257.2mm (12.625 x 7.125 x 10.125inch).
Dynaudio Xeo 20 is 19mm narrower and 79.3mm less deeper than KEF LS50 Wireless but it is also 19.1mm taller.
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 45% more floor or shelf area. KEF LS50 Wireless is 79mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Dynaudio Xeo 20 is 19mm 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 Dynaudio Xeo 20 is approximately 465.5cm2 / 72.2inch2. The LS50 Wireless requires 45% more surface area than the Xeo 20 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 Dynaudio Xeo 20 weighs 6.21kg / 13.7lbs. This makes the LS50 Wireless 61% heavier than the Xeo 20.
Here is a comparison of how LS50 Wireless and Xeo 20'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 Dynaudio Xeo 20?
Here are the items that come with the Xeo 20:
- 2 Powered bookshelf speakers
- 2 Grilles
- Two 8-feet AC power cords
- Remote control
- 2 AAA batteries
- Setup Manual
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
21k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
Apple iOS, Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
301mm
vs
320mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
2200USD
vs
2500USD
|
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 |
 Subwoofer Output |
Wired
vs
No
|
Pair your speakers with external subwoofer |
 Woofer Size |
5.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
79 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
465cm2
vs
673cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 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 |
Dynaudio Xeo 20 |
| Brand |
KEF |
Dynaudio |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
79-28k Hz |
40-21k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
230-watt RMS |
260-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
192 kHz |
96 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Magnesium/aluminum alloy |
Magnesium Silicate Polymer |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.1" |
| 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") |
320.7mm (12.6") |
| Width |
200.0mm (7.9") |
181.0mm (7.1") |
| Depth |
336.5mm (13.2") |
257.2mm (10.1") |
| Weight |
10.00kg (22lbs) |
6.21kg (13.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
RCA |
3.5mm, RCA |
| USB Port |
USB-B |
Service |
| Phone Input |
No |
No |
| Subwoofer Output |
Wired |
No |
| Digital Input |
Optical |
Optical |
| HDMI Input |
No |
No |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 Year |
5 Yrs/8 Yrs registered |
| Labor Warranty |
1 Year |
5 Yrs/8 Yrs registered |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your sources and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Dynaudio Xeo 20 digs deeper - 40Hz against 79Hz. |
| Built-in power | evenly matched | Similar onboard amplification (230W vs 260W RMS). |
| Connections | A | KEF LS50 Wireless adds Wi-Fi and streaming. |
| Size | depends | Dynaudio Xeo 20 is easier to place; KEF LS50 Wireless is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | 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 | A | KEF LS50 Wireless is cheaper - $2,200 against $2,500, about 12% less. |
A KEF LS50 Wireless B Dynaudio Xeo 20
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.
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.