Short answer: the KEF LS50 Meta for better sound quality, the Q Acoustics 5020 for the lower price. The KEF LS50 Meta ranks #4 of 34 bookshelf speakers at $1599. The Q Acoustics 5020 ranks #30 at $1199, $400 cheaper.
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 Q Acoustics 5020 offers: Attractively finished compact standmount with a 5-inch Continuous Curved Cone woofer and carefully engineered cabinet details. Watch for: Erin found the tonal balance distinctly too crisp, forward and treble-heavy: the top end is roughly 3-5dB elevated while the 1-3kHz region is recessed, so vocals change level unnaturally as they move through their range.
Buy the KEF LS50 Meta if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Q Acoustics 5020 if the price matters more than sound quality.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Q Acoustics 5020. It ranks near the bottom of the 34 bookshelf speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| KEF LS50 Meta | Q Acoustics 5020 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,599.00 | $1,199.00 |
| Ranked | #4 of 34 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #30 of 34 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 48Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 103Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 11.9"H x 7.9"W x 11"D (302 x 200 x 280.5 mm) | 11.2"H x 7.1"W x 11.5"D |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 6 ohms nominal, 3.3 ohms minimum (manufacturer specified) |
| Sensitivity | 83dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner; 85dB manufacturer specified) | 87.1dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 87.9dB manufacturer specified) |
| Drivers | 130 mm (5.25 in.) aluminium cone woofer, 25 mm (1 in.) vented aluminium dome with Metamaterial Absorption tweeter | 5" (125mm) C3 mid/bass driver, 1" (25mm) tweeter |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs / 7.8 kg each | 15.4 lbs (15.4 lbs / 7.0kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | rear-ported |
| Crossover Frequency | - | 2.5kHz (manufacturer specified) |
| Frequency Response | - | 53Hz - 30kHz (-6dB, manufacturer specified) |
| Recommended Power | - | 25W - 100W (manufacturer specified) |
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 Wharfedale Super Denton
- Audiofirst Fidelia vs Arendal 1961 Monitor
- Arendal 1961 Monitor vs KEF LS50 Meta
- KEF LS50 Meta vs JBL L52 Classic
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 |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- 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 Audiofirst Fidelia
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Klipsch RP-500M II
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Wharfedale Super Denton
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
- See all 15 comparisons
Q Acoustics 5020: $1,199.00 Amazon
Pros: Attractively finished compact standmount with a 5-inch Continuous Curved Cone woofer and carefully engineered cabinet details. Erin found distortion well controlled at normal levels: below 1% down to about 50Hz at 86dB/1m. Its 87dB measured sensitivity is unremarkable rather than hard to drive, and it maintains acceptable output for typical 80-85dB listening. The rear port can be plugged for placement flexibility.
Cons: Erin found the tonal balance distinctly too crisp, forward and treble-heavy: the top end is roughly 3-5dB elevated while the 1-3kHz region is recessed, so vocals change level unnaturally as they move through their range. The shallow woofer crossover and steeper tweeter slope contribute to the off-axis discontinuity, while the port has a strong 1kHz resonance. Bass is limited: Erin measured F3 103Hz and F10 48Hz; at 96dB distortion reaches about 3% by 100Hz, and he bottomed the woofer when pushed hard. He preferred the less-expensive 3020i’s linearity and did not recommend the 5020 for neutral listening without EQ.
Full Q Acoustics 5020 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 48Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 103Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 2.5kHz (manufacturer specified) |
| Dimensions | 11.2"H x 7.1"W x 11.5"D |
| Drivers | 5" (125mm) C3 mid/bass driver, 1" (25mm) tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 53Hz - 30kHz (-6dB, manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 3.3 ohms minimum (manufacturer specified) |
| Recommended Power | 25W - 100W (manufacturer specified) |
| Sensitivity | 87.1dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Erin's Audio Corner; 87.9dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 15.4 lbs (15.4 lbs / 7.0kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | rear-ported |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons