In this review, we will be comparing The Nines and LS50 Wireless, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Klipsch and KEF. 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 Klipsch The Nines and KEF LS50 Wireless first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Klipsch The Nines 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.
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Drivers
Both The Nines and LS50 Wireless are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Klipsch The Nines |
KEF LS50 Wireless |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
The Nines features a 1" Titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 1 x 8" Fiber-composite Woofer . 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
The Nines has a frequency range of 34-25k Hz whereas LS50 Wireless has a frequency range of 79-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, the The Nines can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the LS50 Wireless's min frequency of 79Hz.
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 The Nines 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 Klipsch The Nines's and KEF LS50 Wireless's external dimensions. Klipsch The Nines has external dimensions of 493.0 x 243.0 x 399.0mm ( 19.375inch x 9.5625inch x 15.6875inch ) whereas KEF LS50 Wireless has external dimensions of 301.6 x 200.0 x 336.5mm ( 11.875 x 7.875 x 13.25inch) .
Klipsch The Nines is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 43mm wider, 191.4mm taller and 62.5mm deeper than KEF LS50 Wireless.
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 Klipsch The Nines is approximately 969.6cm2 / 150.3inch2 and base area of the KEF LS50 Wireless is approximately 673.0cm2 / 104.3inch2. The The Nines requires 44% more surface area than the LS50 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 Klipsch The Nines weighs 12.25kg / 27lbs and the KEF LS50 Wireless weighs 10.00kg / 22lbs. This makes the The Nines 23% heavier than the LS50 Wireless.
Here is a comparison of how The Nines and LS50 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 Klipsch The Nines?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of The Nines:
Powered speaker (Primary) Passive speaker (Secondary) 2 Grilles (pre-installed) 6.5-feet AC power cord 13-feet Proprietary speaker cable 6.5-feet Proprietary extension cable 58-inch HDMI cable 5-feet USB-B to USB-A cable Remote control 2 AAA batteries Instruction Booklet Need Help? 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
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
34 Hz
vs
79 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 3.5mm Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via 3.5mm AUX input |
 Phono Input |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connect your turntable directly |
 HDMI Input |
ARC
vs
No
|
Connect HDMI sources directly |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
301mm
vs
493mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
673cm2 (200x336mm)
vs
969cm2 (243x399mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Ethernet Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
High quality streaming over Ethernet |
 USB Port |
USB-B
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
 RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
| General |
Klipsch The Nines |
KEF LS50 Wireless |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
34-25k Hz |
79-28k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
240-watt RMS |
230-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
480-watt RMS |
n/a |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
192 kHz |
192 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Fiber-composite |
Magnesium/aluminum alloy |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Tractrix Horn |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
493.0mm (19.4") |
301.6mm (11.9") |
| Width |
243.0mm (9.6") |
200.0mm (7.9") |
| Depth |
399.0mm (15.7") |
336.5mm (13.2") |
| Weight |
12.25kg (27lbs) |
10.00kg (22lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF with genuine wood veneer |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black,Walnut |
n/a |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
3.5mm |
RCA |
| USB Port |
USB-B |
USB-B |
| Phone Input |
Yes |
No |
| Subwoofer Output |
mono-RCA |
Wired |
| Digital Input |
Optical, HDMI |
Optical |
| HDMI Input |
ARC |
No |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 Year |
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
1 Year |
1 Year |