In this review, we will be comparing LS50 and LS50 Wireless, two Bookshelf speakers by KEF The main difference between these two speakers is that the KEF LS50 Wireless is a Powered speaker which means that it has a built-in amplifier inside the speaker body so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp whereas the KEF LS50 is a Passive speaker so has to be matched with an amplifier to get any sound from it. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF LS50 and KEF LS50 Wireless first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
KEF LS50 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 11th Generation Uni-Q Driver
- 1" Vented dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Magnesium/aluminum alloy Woofer
- 79-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 85 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-100watts
- Weight:7.20kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 302.0" x 7.8" x 10.9"( 302.0 x 200.0 x 278.0mm )
KEF LS50 Wireless Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 230-watt RMS Integrated Amplifier
- 11th Generation Uni-Q Driver
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Magnesium/aluminum alloy Woofer
- 79-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 24-bit Max Depth / 192 kHz Max Sample Rate
- Built-in 4.0 Bluetooth
- App Control Feature
- Weight:10.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 301.6" x 7.875" x 13.25"( 301.6 x 200.0 x 336.5mm )
LS50 and LS50 Wireless are members of KEF's LS series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the KEF LS50 and KEF LS50 Wireless compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both LS50 and LS50 Wireless are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
KEF LS50 |
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
|
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 Wireless features a 1" Aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Magnesium/aluminum alloy Woofer .
Frequency Response
LS50 and LS50 Wireless has exactly the same frequency range of 79-28k Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both LS50 and LS50 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
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 Wireless'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 Wireless has external dimensions of 301.6 x 200.0 x 336.5mm ( 11.875 x 7.875 x 13.25inch) .
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 Wireless is approximately 673.0cm2 / 104.3inch2. The LS50 requires 17% less surface area than the LS50 Wireless which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
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 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 cords10-feet Cat-6 interconnect speaker cable6.5-feet USB-B to USB-A cable42
Base Surface Area 
Speaker Type 
Height 
Ethernet Connection 
RCA Connection