KEF LS50 Wireless II Powered Bookshelf Speakers

Pros

• Design & aesthetics ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 7 reviews 5.0
  Owners continue to praise the LS50 Wireless II for their iconic compact, curved cabinets and copper Uni-Q driver, offered in several muted, chic finishes that look stylish and understated in most rooms. Reviewers also like that they can be used on shelves or paired with matching S2 stands for a more serious hi-fi presentation.
• Detail retrieval ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 5.0
  These speakers are noted for excellent detail retrieval, letting listeners pick out individual instruments and subtle nuances with ease at both low and high volumes. Recent reviews emphasize how they combine that resolving power with strong timing and dexterity, keeping complex mixes organized so riffs, rhythms and vocals all remain easy to follow.
• Cohesive presentation ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 5.0
• Distortion at high volume ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 5.0
• AirPlay compatibility ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 5.0
• Latency with TV (lip sync) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 5.0
• Soundstage height ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 5.0
• Build quality ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 reviews 4.9
• Stereo imaging accuracy ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 reviews 4.9
  Across impressions, the LS50 Wireless II earn strong praise for stereo imaging, with instruments and voices locked firmly in place and a stable centre image. Recent testing again finds the imaging precise and three-dimensional, crediting KEF's Music Integrity Engine for keeping placement sharp across a broad listening area.
• Treble clarity ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 4.8
  The treble is generally described as clear, open and highly detailed yet free from the shrillness some heard in earlier LS50 designs, with MAT and careful tuning credited for the clean top end. Recent reviews again highlight how guitars and cymbals sound crisp, smooth and airy rather than splashy or fatiguing, even when played loudly.
• Audio format support ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 3 reviews 4.8
  Audiophiles value the wide format support, with streaming up to 24-bit/384kHz plus MQA and DSD256 playback. Reviews say this allows the speakers to take full advantage of high-resolution files as well as everyday streaming services.
• Soundstage width ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 reviews 4.8
  Reviews describe a wide, room-filling soundstage that feels larger than the compact cabinets suggest. Instruments are spread convincingly across the stereo image, contributing to a spacious, immersive presentation.
• Voice clarity ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 4.8
  Voices are a standout strength, with multiple listeners describing vocals as lifelike, well-weighted and solidly placed between the speakers, with extra space and clarity making nuances easy to appreciate. Newer reviews add that even in reverb-heavy or busy mixes, lead vocals stay distinctive and intelligible rather than getting buried.
• Dynamic headroom ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.8
• Value for money ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 4.7
  Despite their premium pricing, many reviewers feel the LS50 Wireless II offer strong value by replacing separate amplifiers, streamers and speakers with a compact, high-performance all-in-one system. Recent impressions reiterate that while the speakers and matching stands make a noticeable dent in the wallet, the combination of sound quality, features and convenience is still seen as well worth the cost for serious listeners.
• Wired input availability ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 7 reviews 4.6
  Listeners appreciate the generous selection of physical inputs, including HDMI eARC, optical, coaxial, Ethernet, subwoofer out and analog AUX. This allows the speakers to integrate easily with TVs, turntables via a phono stage, CD players and other wired sources.
• Frequency response balance ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 reviews 4.5
  Reviews generally hear the LS50 Wireless II as broadly neutral with just a slight extra warmth or bass lift, keeping instruments and vocals tonally correct without obvious peaks or dips. More recent comparisons describe the balance as clear and clean but a touch fuller and rounder than some leaner competitors, with bass that is strong yet controlled enough not to swamp the midrange, even if dedicated bass-heads might crave more thump.
• Smart features ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 reviews 4.5
  The LS50 Wireless II are widely seen as a complete smart streaming solution, combining built-in support for platforms like AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Bluetooth and Roon with app control and rich input options so they function as a full hi-fi system in a compact form. Recent reviews highlight the improved KEF Connect app and direct access to services such as Spotify, Tidal and Qobuz, while also noting the absence of onboard voice assistants or smart-home control.
• Loudness / maximum volume ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 reviews 4.5
  Listeners report that the LS50 Wireless II can play surprisingly loud for compact stand-mount speakers, easily filling small to medium rooms and even larger spaces when not pushed to extremes. They tend to maintain composure and clarity close to their practical limits, delivering powerful, room-filling sound before much larger systems are needed for significantly more slam.
• Chromecast compatibility ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.5
  With Chromecast built in, the LS50 Wireless II can join multi-room setups and receive casts from many music apps. Reviewers find it convenient for spreading audio around the home alongside other Chromecast-compatible speakers.
• EQ customization ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.5
  The KEF app offers unusually deep yet simple EQ tools, with desk and wall placement modes plus controls for bass extension, treble trim and crossover points. Owners say this makes it easy to tailor the speakers to different rooms and furniture layouts.
• Wi-Fi streaming reliability ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.5
• Bluetooth codec support ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 4.5
• Inter-speaker connectivity ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 4.5
• Omnidirectional sound ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 review 4.5
• Bass performance ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 6 reviews 4.4
  Listeners report bass that is tight and well controlled, with enough punch to give rock and pop tracks drive without overwhelming the rest of the spectrum. Some note that while extension is impressive for the size, those seeking very heavy low-end may still prefer to add a subwoofer or choose a bassier speaker.
• Home theater integration ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.0
  While primarily stereo music speakers, the LS50 Wireless II are often used to upgrade thin-sounding TV audio via HDMI eARC and other inputs. Reviews say they deliver far more clarity and impact than most built-in TV speakers, though they do not attempt full surround-sound processing.
• On-device controls ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 4.0
• Setup simplicity ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 3 reviews 3.8
  Reviews describe setup as almost foolproof: you plug both speakers into power, join them to Wi-Fi and are ready to stream within minutes. The KEF Connect app is considered straightforward, helping even non-experts get music playing quickly.
• App reliability ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 reviews 3.8
  Recent reviews call the updated KEF Connect app a big improvement, noting that it feels stable, intuitive and quick to respond. It provides easy access to streaming services, inputs and EQ settings without frequent glitches or crashes.
• HDMI ARC) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 2 reviews 3.8
  Reviewers appreciate the inclusion of an HDMI eARC port, which makes it simple to route TV sound through the speakers and control volume via the TV remote. This helps them slot neatly into modern living-room setups without extra boxes.