PROS: Amazing sound, stereo imaging and technology.
CONS: Somewhat pricey.
PRICE: $1499/pair
Monitors are the one place a studio can’t skimp, and making the jump from home studio to professional grade just got better with a pair of KEF’s flagship LS50s.
They’re quite simple and elegant, no switches for any audio altering choices, just a set of posts for cable connections. They’re un-powered, meaning a separate power amp is needed.
Behind the copper colored speaker cone hides the driver and tweeter, stacked one on top of the other; it’s an interesting design concept. It also combines standard magnets in the driver, but a Neodymium one in the tweeter. Aluminum speaker cones rounds things out. On the back, there are two air ports. There are no mounts for speaker stands, but on a console or Pro Tools desktop, they work just fine.
The sound quality is excellent, and with a street price of $1499 a pair, it should be. This is audiophile money and audiophile sound. Plenty of great musical frequency responses abound, regardless of the type of music, however they seem to favor “natural” sounding mixes, ones without a lot of processing. There is plenty of low end as well, and overall it sounds less like a standard monitor and straddles the line between neutral studio mixing and pure hi-fi enjoyment. There is plenty of tonal depth and character to the individual instruments, regardless of playback volume. These would sound great in any studio, and would be just as at home as the heart of a great home stereo system.
FEATURES
- Design: Two-way bass reflex
- Frequency range: (-6dB) 47Hz – 45kHz
- Frequency response: (±3dB) 79Hz – 28kHz
- Crossover frequency: 2.2kHz
- Amplifier requirements: 25 – 100 W
- Sensitivity (2.83V/1m): 85dB
- Maximum output: 106dB
- Weight : 7.2kg
- Dimensions: 302 x 200 x 278 mm