Short answer: the Audiofirst Fidelia. It ranks #1 of 34 bookshelf speakers by sound quality; the KEF LS50 Meta ranks #4.
What the KEF LS50 Meta offers: Uni-Q concentric driver mounts a 1” vented aluminum dome tweeter at the center of a 5.25” aluminum cone woofer, rated 79Hz-20kHz+. Watch for: F3 of 67Hz and F10 of 42Hz mean it doesn’t get much below 50Hz in-room; a subwoofer is recommended for real bass.
What the Audiofirst Fidelia offers: Kit speaker offering exceptional value and tonal accuracy; chosen by reviewer as reference standard for future speaker tonality comparisons despite 1,250 USD price point. Watch for: Kit assembly required; lower sensitivity (~83-85 dB vs. typical 85 dB average) demands adequate amplifier power.
Buy the KEF LS50 Meta if the price matters more than sound quality. Buy the Audiofirst Fidelia if sound quality matters more than the price.
Specifications Side By Side
| KEF LS50 Meta | Audiofirst Fidelia | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,599.00 | £950 for the flatpack kit (assembly required) |
| Ranked | #4 of 34 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #1 of 34 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 38Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 53Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 11.9"H x 7.9"W x 11"D (302 x 200 x 280.5 mm) | 11.8"H x 7.1"W x 11.7"D (300 x 180 x 297.6 mm) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 83dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner; 85dB manufacturer specified) | 84dB |
| Drivers | 130 mm (5.25 in.) aluminium cone woofer, 25 mm (1 in.) vented aluminium dome with Metamaterial Absorption tweeter | 5" ceramic-aluminum cone woofer, 1" ceramic-aluminum tweeter |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs / 7.8 kg each | 15 lbs / 6.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, rear |
| Crossover Frequency | - | 1560Hz |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Arendal 1961 Monitor vs Wharfedale Super Denton
- Ascend Sierra 1 v2 vs Radiant Acoustics Clarity 4.2
- Ascend Sierra 1 v2 vs Wharfedale Super Denton
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Wharfedale Super Denton
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Q Acoustics 5020
The Two Speakers In Full
KEF LS50 Meta: $1,599.00 Amazon Crutchfield
Pros: Uni-Q concentric driver mounts a 1” vented aluminum dome tweeter at the center of a 5.25” aluminum cone woofer, rated 79Hz-20kHz+. Speaker-to-speaker matching measured tight at roughly 0.5dB deviation between the pair tested, versus 2-3dB seen on some other speakers - likely why imaging stayed so precise. Imaging stays tight and focused even toed out, unlike most coincident designs where toe-out typically diffuses the image, giving more of an oval-shaped soundstage than a hard rectangular boundary. Horizontal and vertical directivity both hold to about ±50° at the -6dB point, so tonality stays consistent across roughly a 100° listening cone. The extended bass shelf is deliberately tuned for near-wall/boundary placement rather than the usual “pull it 3 feet into the room” advice, playing lower without excess boominess when placed close to a wall. At $1,000 (a frequent sale price versus $1,600 list), called a no-brainer for a compact stand-mount speaker. Independent ASR Klippel measurements corroborate this: very good directivity with the on- and off-axis curves tracking closely, and a predicted in-room response the reviewer called “very close to ideal.”
Cons: F3 of 67Hz and F10 of 42Hz mean it doesn’t get much below 50Hz in-room; a subwoofer is recommended for real bass. A 2-3dB scoop around 2-4kHz shows up in both the listening window and sound power measurements, matching a subjectively noticed lack of attack and vocal clarity that the reviewer wanted to correct with about 2dB of EQ. An on-axis diffraction dip around 8kHz smooths out with about 15° of toe-out (typical for concentric designs, but still present at 0°). Distortion is elevated at low frequencies since the single 5.25” cone shares surface area with the tweeter housing, reducing effective radiating area; multitone distortion crosses the 3% threshold at 96dB/1m, making roughly 88dB or below the safer output ceiling. Moderate sensitivity (~83dB average) needed 2-3dB more amplifier gain than typical in testing. Adding a subwoofer at an 80Hz crossover only helps lower-midrange distortion, not the elevated distortion in the 1-2kHz and above-5kHz regions. ASR’s own Klippel testing found the same pattern in starker terms: THD is very good at 86dB SPL/1m but climbs past 100% in the bass at 96dB SPL/1m, confirming this is not a near-field speaker for high-output bass-heavy material. Cumulative spectral decay (waterfall) also shows a couple of resonances lingering in the 1-2kHz region.
Full KEF LS50 Meta review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 11.9"H x 7.9"W x 11"D (302 x 200 x 280.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 130 mm (5.25 in.) aluminium cone woofer, 25 mm (1 in.) vented aluminium dome with Metamaterial Absorption tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 83dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner; 85dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs / 7.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Unveiling the KEF LS50 Meta: The Truth Behind the Hype
- Erin’s Audio Corner Website KEF LS50 Meta
- Audio Science Review KEF LS50 Meta
- GR-Research: KEF LS50 Meta! Worthy of HYPE?
- Erin’s Audio Corner: My Top Picks of 2023: Must-Haves Under $3000
- Reddit Search for KEF LS50 Meta Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Ascend Sierra 1 v2
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Arendal 1961 Monitor
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Moondrop M4P MTM
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Philharmonic Ceramic Mini
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Klipsch RP-500M II
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Wharfedale Super Denton
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Radiant Acoustics Clarity 4.2
- See all 15 comparisons
Audiofirst Fidelia: £950 for the flatpack kit (assembly required)
Pros: Kit speaker offering exceptional value and tonal accuracy; chosen by reviewer as reference standard for future speaker tonality comparisons despite 1,250 USD price point. Achieves bass extension to 53 Hz (F3) and 38 Hz (F10) from compact cabinet. Direct-from-manufacturer availability eliminates retailer markup.
Cons: Kit assembly required; lower sensitivity (~83-85 dB vs. typical 85 dB average) demands adequate amplifier power. Only available direct from UK manufacturer with associated shipping costs and lead times. Trade-off between compact driver configuration and maximum dynamic output.
Full Audiofirst Fidelia review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 53Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 1560Hz |
| Dimensions | 11.8"H x 7.1"W x 11.7"D (300 x 180 x 297.6 mm) |
| Drivers | 5" ceramic-aluminum cone woofer, 1" ceramic-aluminum tweeter |
| Impedance | 4 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 84dB |
| Weight | 15 lbs / 6.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons