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In many ways, what was more surprising was how KEF had made the LS50 active. Rather than go the traditional way of applying amps to speakers; attach/integrate the amp and power supply and leave control to somebody else, via either RCA or XLR, KEF turned the LS50 into a system. It became a device that needed only an internet signal to be a fully functional device in its own right. As decisions go, it was a good one because KEF has sold a great many of them.
There are many wireless stereo speakers on the market, but ‘wireless’ doesn’t always mean what you might think. Just like its competitors, the LS50 Wireless II streams music wirelessly. It also goes one stage further, though, in featuring a wireless connection between the speakers themselves – no umbilical cord required. If you want to improve file resolution from 96 kHz/24 bit to 192 kHz/24 bit, then simply use the supplied interspeaker connection cable. The effect of MAT is clearly heard in the cleanliness of the treble, although the difference in purity can be heard across the frequency range. Mids are cleaner-cut and bass more defined, their extra refinement making the originals sound a touch crude. The whole presentation has been opened out, that extra room not only filled with subtler, more precise detail, but also allowing for greater instrument separation that makes its delivery sound much less congested in comparison. Our review sample only has access to an early version of the app, so some functionality – including music server discovery – isn’t available. However, first impressions suggest it’s a positive replacement for the often-glitchy Stream app on the LS50 Wireless. Loading dense service libraries, navigating its clean and logical interface and switching inputs proves a pleasant and reliable experience. A truly revolutionary tool in the KEF acoustic armoury, Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT™) is a highly complex maze-like structure that absorbs 99% of the unwanted sound from the rear of the driver, eliminating the resulting distortion and providing purer, more natural sound.Audiophiles will be pleased with support for streaming files up to 24-bit/384kHz, as well as MQA and DSD256; but even if you eschew the wonders of Hi-Res Audio in favor of some simple Spotify streaming, you won’t be disappointed by the sound.
Famed for their striking design, balanced sound and complete connectivity, the original KEF LS50 Wireless speakers swept the board. Now featuring new MAT technology for superior sound, a brand-new wireless platform and new KEF Connect app, the LS50 Wireless II is more impressive than ever.Based on the revolutionary LS50 Meta, these KEF wireless speakers use MAT (Metamaterial Absorption Technology) for lower distortion and a much purer, more natural sound. KEF’s famous Uni-Q drivers produce room-filling sound, free from the usual ‘sweet spot’. Powering all this is a mighty amplifier system that uses a combination of digital and analogue amplification to produce a total output of 380 watts per speaker.
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