Short answer: the KEF LS50 Meta. It ranks #4 of 179 bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.5/5, at $1,599.99. The MartinLogan Motion B10 ranks #61, rated 3.6/5, at $1,039.98, $560.01 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
The KEF LS50 Meta is the more accurate choice. An iconic compact KEF speaker with highly accurate sound, pinpoint imaging and a coaxial driver that keeps tone even across the room. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 5.74 against 4.01 for the MartinLogan Motion B10. 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.
Why pick the MartinLogan Motion B10: Easy to drive bookshelf speakers with a large folded motion tweeter whose off axis output closely tracks the direct sound. The tradeoff: On-axis deviation of 0.669dB is rough for the price, with a pronounced +0.32dB per octave upward tilt giving it a notably bright balance, and predicted in-room smoothness of just 0.16, the roughest of any speaker measured here.
Buy the KEF LS50 Meta. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $560.01 with the MartinLogan Motion B10 does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
An iconic compact KEF speaker with highly accurate sound, pinpoint imaging and a coaxial driver that keeps tone even across the room.
Easy to drive bookshelf speakers with a large folded motion tweeter whose off axis output closely tracks the direct sound.
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Specifications Side By Side
| KEF LS50 Meta | MartinLogan Motion B10 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,599.99 per pair | $1,039.98 per pair |
| Ranked | #4 of 179 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #61 of 179 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 56.1Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 74.7Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner via spinorama.org) |
| Dimensions | 11.9”H x 7.9”W x 11”D (302 x 200 x 280.5 mm) | 12.5H x 7W x 9.75D in |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 5 ohms nominal |
| Sensitivity | 83dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner; 85dB manufacturer specified) | 92dB |
| Drivers | 130 mm (5.25 in.) aluminium cone woofer, 25 mm (1 in.) vented aluminium dome with Metamaterial Absorption tweeter | 1” x 1.4” Gen2 Obsidian Folded Motion tweeter, 5.5” woven fiberglass midrange |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs (7.8 kg) each | 14.6 lbs (6.6 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.74 | 4.01 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.88 | 6.76 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Enclosure | - | Rear-ported, 2-way |
| Country | - | United States (design) |
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