SpeakerDecision
  • SPEAKERS
    • By Type
      Passive Bookshelf Speakers Passive Floor-standing Speakers Passive Center Channel Speakers Passive In-wall Speakers All Passive Speakers Powered Subwoofers Powered Stereo Speakers
      By Feature
      HDMI Input Room Correction Subwoofer Output Front Firing Port Handheld Remote Roon Ready
      By Brand
      Acoustic Energy Aperion ATC Audio-Technica Audioengine Bluesound Bowers Wilkins Buchardt Cambridge Audio Canton DALI Definitive Technology Dynaudio ELAC Emotiva Fluance Focal Fyne Audio Genelec GoldenEar Harbeth Jamo JBL Kanto KEF KLH Klipsch Leak Mackie Magnepan MartinLogan McIntosh Mission MoFi Monitor Audio Nuvo Onkyo OSD Paradigm Perlisten Polk Audio PS Audio PSB Q Acoustics REL Revel Russound Sennheiser Sonos Sonus faber Sony Spendor SVS Tannoy Technics Triangle Velodyne Victrola Wharfedale Wilson Audio Yamaha
  • AMPLIFIERS
    • By Type
      All Amplifiers Integrated Amplifiers Stereo Receivers Streaming Amplifiers Power Amplifiers Compact Amplifiers
      By Power
      Up to 60 watts 61 to 90 watts 91 to 120 watts 121 to 180 watts Over 180 watts
      By Feature
      HDMI Input Room Correction Subwoofer Output Handheld Remote Roon Ready
      Home Theater
      All Home Theater Receivers Anthem ARCAM Denon Integra JBL Marantz McIntosh NAD Onkyo Sony Yamaha
      Headphone Amps
      All Headphone Amplifiers Cambridge Audio iFi Audio McIntosh Naim Pro-Ject Rotel Schiit Audio Sennheiser Yamaha
      Multi-Zone
      All Multi-Zone Amplifiers JBL McIntosh OSD Rotel Russound Sonos
      By Brand
      Accuphase Advance Paris Anthem Arcam Audio Research AudioControl Audioengine Audiolab Bluesound Bose Buchardt Cambridge Audio Denon Devialet ELAC Emotiva Eversolo FiiO Fosi Audio Hegel HiFi Rose Integra JBL LEAK Luxman Marantz Mark Levinson McIntosh Michi MISSION MOON Musical Fidelity NAD Naim Onkyo OSD Parasound Pass Labs Peachtree PrimaLuna Primare PS Audio Rega Rogue Audio Roksan Rotel Schiit Audio Sonos Sony SVS T+A TEAC Technics Vincent WiiM Yamaha
  • SMART FIND
  • TOOLS
  • BLOG
  1. Home
  2. Powered Stereo Speakers
  3. Sonos Five vs KEF LS50 Wireless II

Sonos Five vs KEF LS50 Wireless II Comparison

x
Speaker to replace
Change

Sonos Five

Powered Bookshelf |

Sonos Five
Check price atAmazon›
Change
    
KEF LS50 Wireless II

Powered Bookshelf | 45-28k Hz

KEF LS50 Wireless II
Check price atAmazon›
Sonos Five Sonos Five
Check price atAmazon›
KEF LS50 Wireless II KEF LS50 Wireless II
Check price atAmazon›
Sonos Five
See at AMAZON
KEF LS50 Wireless II
See at AMAZON

Sonos Five vs KEF LS50 Wireless II Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Five and LS50 Wireless II, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Sonos 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 Sonos Five and KEF LS50 Wireless II first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key SpecsSonos FiveKEF LS50 Wireless II
BrandSonos
United States · founded 2002
KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961
Design2-way2-way
Built-in amplifierYes380-watt RMS (760-watt peak)
Uni-Q driver—12th Generation Uni-Q
Tweeter3 x 0.8" Dome1" Hard-Dome
Woofer3 x 2.75" Cone5.25"
Frequency response—45-28k Hz
Max depth / sample rate16-bit / 44.1kHzYes / 384 kHz
BluetoothNoBuilt-in
App controlYesYes
Weight6.40kg / 14.1lbs20.10kg / 44.2lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)7.9375" x 14.3125" x 6.875"
201.6 x 363.5 x 174.6mm
10.9375" x 7.875" x 12.6875"
277.8 x 200.0 x 322.3mm

The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.


Drivers

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

Woofer - 2.75 inchWoofer - 2.75 inchWoofer - 2.75 inch
Sonos Five
Tweeter - 1 inchWoofer - 5.25 inch
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 Sonos Five KEF LS50 Wireless II
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter 3 x 0.8-inch 1-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 3 x 2.75-inch 1 x 5.25-inch

Five features a 3 x 0.8" Dome Tweeter and 3 x 2.75" Cone Woofer. On the other hand, the LS50 Wireless II features a 1" Aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Woofer.

Frequency Response

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

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

Five
LS50 Wireless II
Min
Average
Median

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Five has a front firing port whereas LS50 Wireless II has a rear firing ports. Sonos Five's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to KEF LS50 Wireless II with its rear-firing port.

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 Sonos Five's and KEF LS50 Wireless II's external dimensions. Sonos Five has external dimensions of 201.6 x 363.5 x 174.6mm (7.9375 x 14.3125 x 6.875inch) 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).

Sonos Five is 76.2mm shorter and 147.7mm less deeper than KEF LS50 Wireless II but it is also 163.5mm wider.

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 Sonos Five is approximately 634.7cm2 / 98.4inch2 and base area of the KEF LS50 Wireless II is approximately 644.6cm2 / 99.9inch2. The Five requires 2% less surface area than the LS50 Wireless II which gives it a small advantage 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 Sonos Five weighs 6.40kg / 14.1lbs and the KEF LS50 Wireless II weighs 20.10kg / 44.2lbs. This makes the LS50 Wireless II 214% heavier than the Five.

Here is a comparison of how Five and LS50 Wireless II's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Bookshelf class.

Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Sonos Five
KEF LS50 Wireless II
Min
Average
Max

What's in the Box of Sonos Five?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of Five:
  • Wireless audio speaker
  • 6.5-feet AC power cord
  • Quickstart Guide
  • Important Safety Information

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 Sonos Five over KEF LS50 Wireless II

Number of Woofers 3 vs 1 More woofers
Low Frequency Response Hz vs 45 Hz Generates deeper bass
Port Position Front vs Rear Gives more flexibility placing close to walls
Height 201mm vs 277mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area 634cm2 vs 644cm2 Takes less floor space
Price per pair* 1098USD vs 2999USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

Reasons to choose KEF LS50 Wireless II over Sonos Five

Woofer Size 5.25 inches vs 2.75 inches Larger woofer
High Frequency Response 28k Hz vs k Hz Generates higher frequency
Handheld Remote Yes vs No Control the speaker by the included RC
Digital Input 1 vs No Connect digital inputs directly
HDMI Input eARC vs No Connect HDMI sources directly

Sonos Five vs KEF LS50 Wireless II Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sonos Five KEF LS50 Wireless II
Brand Sonos KEF
Speaker Type Powered Stereo Speakers Powered Stereo Speakers
Frequency Response 45-28k Hz
Amplifier
Watts RMS (Continuous) n/a 380-watt RMS
Watts Peak (Max) n/a 760-watt RMS
Max Bit Depth 16-bit Yes
Max Sample Rate 44.1kHz 384 kHz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity 3 1
Woofer Size 2.75" 5.25"
Woofer Composition Cone
Tweeter Size 3 x 0.8" 1"
Tweeter Type Dome Hard-Dome
Aimable Tweeter No No
Midrange Driver No No
Firing Direction front rear
Physical Specs
Height 201.6mm (7.9") 277.8mm (10.9")
Width 363.5mm (14.3") 200.0mm (7.9")
Depth 174.6mm (6.9") 322.3mm (12.7")
Weight 6.40kg (14.1lbs) 20.10kg (44.2lbs)
Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
Mounting Bracket No
Moisture Resistancy No No
Connections
Aux Inputs 3.5mm 3.5mm
USB Port No Service only
Phone Input No No
Subwoofer Output Optional Wireless mono-RCA
Digital Input No 1
HDMI Input No eARC
Headphone Jack No No
Ethernet Port Yes Yes
Other
Parts Warranty 1 Year 3 Year w/ registration
Labor Warranty 1 Year 3 Year w/ registration

Verdict

These sit in different price classes - KEF LS50 Wireless II costs roughly 2.7x what Sonos Five does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.

AreaBetterWhy
ConnectionsBKEF LS50 Wireless II adds Bluetooth, HDMI and digital inputs.
SizedependsSonos Five is easier to place; KEF LS50 Wireless II is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
ExpandabilitydependsSonos Five: a sub output; KEF LS50 Wireless II: a sub output.
PriceASonos Five is cheaper - $1,098 against $2,999, about 63% less; arguably a different class.

A Sonos Five  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 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 2.7x the price. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Sonos Five looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the KEF LS50 Wireless II appeals to you. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $1,901 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.


Most Popular Speakers
Klipsch Reference R-51M
Klipsch R-51M
2-way | 93 dB | 8 ohms
ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
2-way | 87 dB | 6 ohms
Wharfedale Elysian 2
Wharfedale Elysian 2
3-way | 89 dB | 4 ohms
KEF Q150
KEF Q150
2-way | 86 dB | 8 ohms
Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary Edition
B&W 606 S2
2-way | 88 dB | 8 ohms
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-500M
Klipsch RP-500M
2-way | 93 dB | 8 ohms
Wharfedale EVO5.1
Wharfedale EVO5.1
2-way | 87 dB | 4 ohms
Wharfedale EVO4.1
Wharfedale EVO4.1
2-way | 87 dB | 8 ohms
This site contains affiliate links. We may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through one of them. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Copyright © 2026 by SpeakerDecision
About Privacy Contact US Camera Decision

Report a Correction