These sit in different size classes, so this is not a straight ranking comparison. The KEF LS50 Meta ranks #4 of 168 bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $1,599.99; the KEF LSX II ranks #8 of 47 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $1,499.99.
Why pick the KEF LS50 Meta: Uni-Q concentric driver mounts a 1” vented aluminum dome tweeter at the center of a 5.25” aluminum cone woofer, rated 79Hz-20kHz+. The tradeoff: 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 KEF LSX II does well: Full-featured active stereo bookshelf system featuring an 11th-generation 4.5-inch Uni-Q driver with 200W of system bi-amplification. The tradeoff: Compact 4.5-inch drivers run into bass compression and rising distortion beyond 88dB/1m, making the system ideal for desktop and small-room listening rather than large living areas without a companion subwoofer.
Buy the KEF LS50 Meta ($1,599.99) for a bookshelf speaker; the KEF LSX II ($1,499.99) suits a powered bookshelf speaker instead.
About the ratings: the KEF LSX II’s rating is estimated from measured siblings and predecessors rather than its own measurements, with a likely range of 3.9 to 4.3, so this verdict could change once it is measured.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings and Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| KEF LS50 Meta | KEF LSX II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,599.99 per pair | $1,499.99 per pair |
| Ranked | #4 of 168 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #8 of 47 in Small Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers Estimated |
| 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) | 9.4”H x 6.1”W x 7.1”D (240 x 155 x 180 mm) |
| 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) | - |
| Drivers | 130 mm (5.25 in.) aluminium cone woofer, 25 mm (1 in.) vented aluminium dome with Metamaterial Absorption tweeter | 0.75” aluminum dome tweeter, 4.5” magnesium/aluminum alloy cone woofer |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs (7.8 kg) each | 15.9 lbs (7.2 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.74 | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.88 | - |
| DIY Kit | No | - |
| Enclosure | - | ported, rear |
| Amplifier Power | - | 200W |
| Frequency Response | - | 54Hz - 28kHz (±3dB) (manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | - | 102 dB |
| Bluetooth | - | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.0 |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
| HDMI Input | - | Yes |
| Optical Input | - | Yes |
| Aux Input | - | Yes |
| USB Input | - | Yes |
| Ethernet | - | Yes |
| Subwoofer Output | - | Yes |
| Stereo | - | pair |
| Cabinet Color | - | Carbon Black, Mineral White, Cobalt Blue, Lava Red, Soundwave by Terence Conran |
| Country | - | United Kingdom |
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More worthwhile head-to-heads for KEF LS50 Meta:
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Audio First Fidelia
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Philharmonic Ceramic Mini
- Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1 v2 vs KEF LS50 Meta
- Ascend Acoustics Luna V2 Mini-Monitor Ribbon vs KEF LS50 Meta
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Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
KEF LS50 Meta: $1,599.99 per pair Amazon $1,599.99 Crutchfield $1599.99 eBay
Older model: the KEF LS50 (ranked lower, rated 3.9/5). See every KEF LS50 generation.
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 its frequent sale price, well below 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.”. Measured bass extension of 68Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 83dB.
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 →
| Released | Sep 2020 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| 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) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.74 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.88 |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs (7.8 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Unveiling the KEF LS50 Meta: The Truth Behind the Hype More from Erin’s Audio Corner →
- Erin’s Audio Corner Website KEF LS50 Meta
- Audio Science Review KEF LS50 Meta More from Audio Science Review →
- GR-Research: KEF LS50 Meta! Worthy of HYPE? More from GR-Research →
- Erin’s Audio Corner: My Top Picks of 2023: Must-Haves Under $3000
- Erin’s Audio Corner Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1 v2
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Ascend Acoustics Luna V2 Mini-Monitor Ribbon
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Philharmonic Ceramic Mini
- KEF LS50 Meta vs XMechanik Mechano23 DIY
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Audio First Fidelia
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Ascend Acoustics HTM-200SE2
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Arendal 1961 Monitor
- KEF LS50 Meta vs SunAudio Purified 4
- See all 87 comparisons
KEF LSX II: $1,499.99 per pair Estimated Amazon $1,499.99 KEF $1,499.99 eBay
Same family: the KEF LSX II LT (smaller bookshelf, rated 4/5), the KEF LS50 Wireless II (larger bookshelf, rated 4.3/5) and the KEF LS60 (floorstanding, rated 4.8/5).
Pros: Full-featured active stereo bookshelf system featuring an 11th-generation 4.5-inch Uni-Q driver with 200W of system bi-amplification. Unlike the LT variant, it includes 3.5mm analog auxiliary input, Roon Ready certification, wireless inter-speaker pairing without requiring a tether cable, and expanded streaming options over dual-band Wi-Fi (AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect) plus HDMI ARC and USB-C.
Cons: Compact 4.5-inch drivers run into bass compression and rising distortion beyond 88dB/1m, making the system ideal for desktop and small-room listening rather than large living areas without a companion subwoofer.
Full KEF LSX II review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 200W |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Cabinet Color | Carbon Black, Mineral White, Cobalt Blue, Lava Red, Soundwave by Terence Conran |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Dimensions | 9.4”H x 6.1”W x 7.1”D (240 x 155 x 180 mm) |
| Drivers | 0.75” aluminum dome tweeter, 4.5” magnesium/aluminum alloy cone woofer |
| Enclosure | ported, rear |
| Ethernet | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 54Hz - 28kHz (±3dB) (manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 102 dB |
| Optical Input | Yes |
| Stereo | pair |
| Subwoofer Output | Yes |
| USB Input | Yes |
| Weight | 15.9 lbs (7.2 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons