KEF LS50 vs KEF LS50 Wireless II Comparison

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KEF LS50

Passive Bookshelf | 79-28k Hz

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KEF LS50 Wireless II

Powered Bookshelf | 45-28k Hz

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KEF LS50

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KEF LS50 Wireless II

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KEF LS50

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KEF LS50 Wireless II

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KEF LS50 vs KEF LS50 Wireless II Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing LS50 and LS50 Wireless II, two Bookshelf speakers by KEF. The main difference between these two speakers is that the KEF LS50 Wireless II 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 II first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	KEF LS50	KEF LS50 Wireless II
Brand	KEF United Kingdom · founded 1961	KEF United Kingdom · founded 1961
Design	2-way	2-way
Built-in amplifier	—	380-watt RMS (760-watt peak)
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"
Frequency response	79-28k Hz	45-28k Hz
Sensitivity	85 dB	—
Impedance	8 ohms	—
Power range	25-100 watts	—
Max depth / sample rate	—	Yes / 384 kHz
Bluetooth	—	Built-in
App control	—	Yes
Weight	7.20kg / 15.8lbs	20.10kg / 44.2lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)	11.8" x 7.8" x 10.9" 302.0 x 200.0 x 278.0mm	10.9375" x 7.875" x 12.6875" 277.8 x 200.0 x 322.3mm

LS50 and LS50 Wireless II 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	Sensitivity	Impedance	Woofer
KEF LS50 Meta	Bookshelf	79-28k Hz	85 dB	8Ω	1 x 5.25"
KEF LS50	Bookshelf	79-28k Hz	85 dB	8Ω	1 x 5.25"
KEF LS50C Meta	Center Channel	79-28k Hz	85 dB	8Ω	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

Both LS50 and LS50 Wireless II are 2-way speakers.

KEF LS50

KEF LS50 Wireless II

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 Wireless II
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 II features a 1" Aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Woofer.

Frequency Response

LS50 has a frequency range of 79-28k Hz whereas LS50 Wireless II has a frequency range of 45-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the LS50 Wireless II can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the LS50'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

LS50 Wireless II

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 and LS50 Wireless II 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 Wireless II'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 II has external dimensions of 277.8 x 200.0 x 322.3mm (10.9375 x 7.875 x 12.6875inch).

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

Comparison image of KEF LS50 and KEF LS50 Wireless II 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 Wireless II is approximately 644.6cm² / 99.9inch². The LS50 requires 14% less surface area than the LS50 Wireless II 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 Wireless II on a Media Console

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 II?

Here are the items that come with the LS50 Wireless II:

2 Wireless powered speakers
Two 6.5' AC power cords
10' Cat-6 interconnect speaker cable
Remote control
2 \"AAA\" batteries
Quick Start Guide
Important Safety Information
Warranty Information

Reasons to choose KEF LS50 over KEF LS50 Wireless II

Base Surface Area	556cm² vs 644cm²	Takes less floor space
Price per pair*	1300USD vs 2999USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

Reasons to choose KEF LS50 Wireless II over KEF LS50

Speaker Type	Powered vs Passive	Built-in amplifier
Uni-Q Driver	12th Generation vs 11th Generation	Newer generation Driver
Low Frequency Response	45 Hz vs 79 Hz	Generates deeper bass
Height	277mm vs 302mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Ethernet Connection	Yes vs No	High quality streaming over Ethernet
3.5mm Connection	Yes vs No	Connection via 3.5mm AUX input

KEF LS50 vs KEF LS50 Wireless II Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	KEF LS50	KEF LS50 Wireless II
Brand	KEF	KEF
Speaker Type	Bookshelf speakers	Powered Stereo Speakers
Sensitivity	85 dB	n/a
Impedance	8 ohms	n/a
Impedance	3.2 ohms	n/a
Frequency Response	79-28k Hz	45-28k Hz
Amplifier
Watts RMS (Continuous)	n/a	380-watt RMS
Watts Peak (Max)	n/a	760-watt RMS
Max Bit Depth	n/a	Yes
Max Sample Rate	n/a	384 kHz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	1	1
Woofer Size	5.25"	5.25"
Woofer Composition	Magnesium/aluminum alloy
Woofer Surround Material	Rubber	n/a
Tweeter Size	1"	1"
Tweeter Type	Vented dome	Hard-Dome
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	No	No
Crossover Frequency	2200Hz	n/a
Firing Direction	rear	rear
Physical Specs
Height	302.0mm (11.9")	277.8mm (10.9")
Width	200.0mm (7.9")	200.0mm (7.9")
Depth	278.0mm (10.9")	322.3mm (12.7")
Weight	7.20kg (15.8lbs)	20.10kg (44.2lbs)
Enclosure	Bass Reflex	Bass Reflex
Finish	Polymer/Lacquer	n/a
Available Colors	Black, High Gloss Piano Black, High Gloss Piano White	n/a
Mounting Bracket	No
Recommended Stand Height	18-28"	n/a
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	No	n/a
Aux Inputs	n/a	3.5mm
USB Port	n/a	Service only
Phone Input	n/a	No
Subwoofer Output	n/a	mono-RCA
Digital Input	n/a	1
HDMI Input	n/a	eARC
Headphone Jack	n/a	No
Ethernet Port	n/a	Yes
Other
Parts Warranty	5 Years	3 Year w/ registration
Labor Warranty	5 Years	3 Year w/ registration

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.

Area	Better	Why
Bass	B	KEF LS50 Wireless II digs deeper - 45Hz against 79Hz.
What you buy	depends	KEF LS50 Wireless II is a complete system - just add a source. KEF LS50 also needs an amplifier: more money and another box, but you choose it.
Connections	depends	KEF LS50 Wireless II has Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, streaming and HDMI built in. With KEF LS50 that all comes from the amplifier you pair it with.
Upgrade path	depends	KEF LS50 can be re-amped later and outlive several amplifiers; KEF LS50 Wireless II ages as one unit.
Size	depends	Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit.
Expandability	B	KEF LS50 Wireless II: a sub output.
Price	A	KEF LS50 is cheaper - $1,300 against $2,999, about 57% less; arguably a different class. Speakers only - an amplifier narrows that gap.

A KEF LS50 B KEF LS50 Wireless II
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 II suits you if you want one box, ready to play, with nothing else to buy. KEF LS50 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 much easier to justify. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $1,699 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.

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.