In this review, we will be comparing The Nines and LS50 Wireless II, 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 II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Klipsch The Nines Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 240-watt RMS( 480-watt Peak) Integrated Amplifier
- 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter
- 8" Fiber-composite Woofer
- 34-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 24-bit Max Depth / 192 kHz Max Sample Rate
- Built-in 5.0 Bluetooth
- App Control Feature
- Weight:12.25kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 19.375" x 9.5625" x 15.6875" ( 493.0 x 243.0 x 399.0mm )
KEF LS50 Wireless II Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 380-watt RMS( 760-watt Peak) Integrated Amplifier
- 12th Generation Uni-Q Driver
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Woofer
- 45-28k Frequency Response
- Yes Max Depth / 384 kHz Max Sample Rate
- Built-in Bluetooth
- App Control Feature
- Weight:10.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 10.9375" x 7.875" x 12.6875" ( 277.8 x 200.0 x 322.3mm )
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Klipsch The Nines and KEF LS50 Wireless II 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 II are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Klipsch The Nines |
KEF LS50 Wireless II |
|
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 II features a 1" Aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Woofer .
Frequency Response
The Nines has a frequency range of 34-25k Hz whereas LS50 Wireless II has a frequency range of 45-28k. 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 II's min frequency of 45Hz.
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 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
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 II'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 II has external dimensions of 277.8 x 200.0 x 322.3mm ( 10.9375 x 7.875 x 12.6875inch) .
Klipsch The Nines is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 43mm wider, 215.2mm taller and 76.7mm deeper than KEF LS50 Wireless II.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch The Nines and KEF LS50 Wireless II in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch The Nines 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 Klipsch The Nines is approximately 969.6cm2 / 150.3inch2 and base area of the KEF LS50 Wireless II is approximately 644.6cm2 / 99.9inch2. The The Nines requires 50% more surface area than the LS50 Wireless II which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.