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 Monitor Audio Apex A10 ranks #87, rated 3.3/5, and costs $1,698, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
The KEF LS50 Meta is the more accurate, deeper-bass option. 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 2.75 for the Monitor Audio Apex A10. Its bass reaches about 68Hz before falling 3dB, against 95.2Hz for the Monitor Audio Apex A10. The catch: 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 Monitor Audio Apex A10 does well: Compact aluminum cabinet speakers with a gold dome tweeter, a front port and an included wall bracket, made to pair with a subwoofer. The tradeoff: Measured bass extension is only 79Hz and the raw preference score drops to 2.75 without a subwoofer, making one effectively mandatory.
Buy the KEF LS50 Meta. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Monitor Audio Apex A10 and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
An iconic compact KEF speaker with highly accurate sound, pinpoint imaging and a coaxial driver that keeps tone even across the room.
Compact aluminum cabinet speakers with a gold dome tweeter, a front port and an included wall bracket, made to pair with a subwoofer.
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Specifications Side By Side
| KEF LS50 Meta | Monitor Audio Apex A10 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,599.99 per pair | $1,698 per pair |
| Ranked | #4 of 179 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #87 of 179 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | about 57.0Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 95.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Dimensions | 11.9”H x 7.9”W x 11”D (302 x 200 x 280.5 mm) | 11H x 5.9W x 7.1D in with stand |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms nominal |
| Sensitivity | 83dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner; 85dB manufacturer specified) | 87dB |
| Drivers | 130 mm (5.25 in.) aluminium cone woofer, 25 mm (1 in.) vented aluminium dome with Metamaterial Absorption tweeter | 1” C-CAM gold-dome tweeter, 5.5” RST woofer |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs (7.8 kg) each | 8.6 lbs (3.9 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.74 | 2.75 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.88 | 5.92 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Enclosure | - | 2-way passive aluminum cabinet, front-ported |
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