In this review, we will be comparing LS50 and LS50 Meta, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF LS50 and KEF LS50 Meta first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF LS50 | KEF LS50 Meta |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 11th Generation Uni-Q | 12th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Vented dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Magnesium/aluminum alloy | 5.25" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 79-28k Hz | 79-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85 dB | 85 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-100 watts | 40-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.20kg / 15.8lbs | 7.82kg / 17.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.8" x 7.8" x 10.9"
302.0 x 200.0 x 278.0mm | 11-15/16" x 7.875" x 11-1/16"
303.0 x 201.0 x 281.0mm |
|---|
LS50 and LS50 Meta are members of KEF's LS series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the KEF LS50 and KEF LS50 Meta speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
KEF LS50 |
KEF LS50 Meta |
| Near-field |
Average |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
Bad |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both LS50 and LS50 Meta are 2-way speakers.
KEF LS50KEF LS50 Meta
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 |
KEF LS50 Meta |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
LS50 features a 1" Aluminum Vented dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Magnesium/aluminum alloy Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz. On the other hand, the LS50 Meta features a 1" Aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2100Hz.
Frequency Response
LS50 and LS50 Meta has exactly the same frequency range of 79-28k Hz.
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.
Impedance and Sensitivity
LS50 and LS50 Meta have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 85 dB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Both handle the same maximum of 100 watts RMS, though LS50 is rated 25-100 watts and LS50 Meta 40-100 watts.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
LS50 features Post type posts and LS50 Meta has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF LS50's Post terminals
KEF LS50 Meta's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both LS50 and LS50 Meta 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's and KEF LS50 Meta's external dimensions. KEF LS50 has external dimensions of 302.0 x 200.0 x 278.0mm (11.8 x 7.8 x 10.9inch) whereas 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).
KEF LS50 Meta is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 1mm wider, 1mm taller and 3mm deeper than KEF LS50.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF LS50 and KEF LS50 Meta in scale.
Comparison image of KEF LS50 and KEF LS50 Meta 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 is approximately 556.0cm2 / 86.2inch2 and base area of the KEF LS50 Meta is approximately 564.8cm2 / 87.5inch2. The LS50 requires 2% less surface area than the LS50 Meta which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of KEF LS50 and KEF LS50 Meta on a Media Console
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 weighs 7.20kg / 15.8lbs and the KEF LS50 Meta weighs 7.82kg / 17.2lbs. This makes the LS50 Meta 9% heavier than the LS50.
Here is a comparison of how LS50 and LS50 Meta's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of KEF LS50?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of LS50:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Foam port plugs
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owner's Manual
- Warranty Registration Card
What's in the Box of KEF LS50 Meta?
Here are the items that come with the LS50 Meta:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Foam port plugs
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Registration Card
 Height |
302mm
vs
303mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
556cm2
vs
564cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1300USD
vs
1600USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Uni-Q Driver |
12th Generation
vs
11th Generation
|
Newer generation Driver |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.5 ohms
vs
3.2 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
| General |
KEF LS50 |
KEF LS50 Meta |
| Brand |
KEF |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-100 watts |
40-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
85 dB |
85 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
3.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
79-28k Hz |
79-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Magnesium/aluminum alloy |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Vented dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2200Hz |
2100Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
302.0mm (11.9") |
303.0mm (11.9") |
| Width |
200.0mm (7.9") |
201.0mm (7.9") |
| Depth |
278.0mm (10.9") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Weight |
7.20kg (15.8lbs) |
7.82kg (17.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Polymer/Lacquer |
MDF/Polymer |
| Available Colors |
Black, High Gloss Piano Black, High Gloss Piano White |
Carbon Black,Titanium Grey,Royal Blue,Mineral White |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
18-28" |
25-30" |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in KEF's LS series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (79Hz vs 79Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (85dB vs 85dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (100W vs 100W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | A | KEF LS50 is cheaper - $1,300 against $1,600, about 19% less. |
A KEF LS50 B KEF LS50 Meta
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it.
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.