Short answer: the KEF LS50 Wireless II for better sound quality, the Edifier Airpulse A100 for the lower price. The KEF LS50 Wireless II ranks #16 of 48 powered bookshelf speakers at $2749.99. The Edifier Airpulse A100 ranks #17 at $999.99, $1750 cheaper.
On the KEF LS50 Wireless II side: Uni-Q coincident driver array (130mm aluminum woofer with a 25mm MAT dome tweeter mounted at its acoustic center) gives excellent, consistent off-axis dispersion, measuring the tightest directivity spread of this batch alongside a smooth listening-window response. The tradeoff: Primary/Secondary architecture means one speaker handles every input while the other depends on a wireless or wired Ethernet link back to it - placement is less flexible than a fully symmetric pair.
The case for the Edifier Airpulse A100: Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter (inherited from Airpulse’s flagship 7001 monitor, designed by Phil Jones) paired with a 5” hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer - a distinctive, low-mass driver combination rarely seen below $1,000. The catch: On-axis deviation trails the pricier options in this group, and there’s no app-based EQ or DSP - bass/treble trim is limited to physical rear-panel knobs not reachable from the remote.
Buy the KEF LS50 Wireless II if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Edifier Airpulse A100 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| KEF LS50 Wireless II | Edifier Airpulse A100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,749.99 | $999.99 |
| Ranked | #16 of 48 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #17 of 48 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41.5Hz (measured, spinorama.org) | 53.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51.3Hz (measured, spinorama.org) | 63.0Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Inputs | HDMI eARC, optical, digital coaxial, 3.5mm analog, USB-A (service), Ethernet, RCA subwoofer out | RCA (aux), USB, optical, coaxial, Bluetooth aptX |
| Drivers | Uni-Q coincident array: 130mm aluminum woofer + 25mm MAT aluminum dome tweeter | Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter, 5" hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer |
| App | KEF Connect (placement EQ presets, source selection, firmware updates) | None (physical bass/treble knobs, IR remote) |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 4.2 | Yes (SBC, aptX) |
| EQ | Yes, fixed placement presets (desk/bookshelf/wall-mount) - no automatic room correction | Yes, rear-panel bass/treble trim knobs |
| Weight | 44.3 lbs / 20.1 kg (44.3 lb) for the pair | 24.3 lbs / 11 kg (24.2 lb) each |
| Output Power | 280W (LF) + 100W (HF) per speaker, bi-amped | 100W total (40W+40W woofer, 10W+10W tweeter) |
| Dimensions | 12" x 7.9" x 12.2" (305 x 200 x 311 mm) (12.0 x 7.9 x 12.2 in) each | 6.3" x 11.1" x 10" (160 x 283 x 255 mm) (6.3 x 11.1 x 10.0 in) each |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 28kHz ±3dB | 52Hz - 40kHz |
| Max SPL | 108dB at 1m | - |
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- Genelec 8320A vs KEF LS50 Wireless II
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The Two Speakers In Full
KEF LS50 Wireless II: $2,749.99 Amazon KEF Crutchfield
Pros: Uni-Q coincident driver array (130mm aluminum woofer with a 25mm MAT dome tweeter mounted at its acoustic center) gives excellent, consistent off-axis dispersion, measuring the tightest directivity spread of this batch (directivity_spdi_stddev 3.96) alongside a smooth listening-window response (smoothness_listening_window 0.375, aad_on_axis 0.343). Bass extends to a genuinely deep 51.3Hz at -3dB / 41.5Hz at -10dB for a compact standmount, backed by a bi-amped 280W (LF) + 100W (HF) design. One of the most complete input sets in its class: HDMI eARC, optical, coaxial, RCA, Ethernet, AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Roon Ready, and Spotify/Tidal Connect, so it can replace a full receiver-based setup for TV, turntable, and streaming use.
Cons: Primary/Secondary architecture means one speaker handles every input while the other depends on a wireless or wired Ethernet link back to it - placement is less flexible than a fully symmetric pair. No mic-based automatic room correction, only fixed placement EQ presets in the KEF Connect app. Bass alignment Q (lfq 0.676) sits toward the higher end of typical ported values. At $2,999.99/pair it’s roughly double the price of KEF’s own smaller LSX II.
Full KEF LS50 Wireless II review and specifications →
| App | KEF Connect (placement EQ presets, source selection, firmware updates) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41.5Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51.3Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 12" x 7.9" x 12.2" (305 x 200 x 311 mm) (12.0 x 7.9 x 12.2 in) each |
| Drivers | Uni-Q coincident array: 130mm aluminum woofer + 25mm MAT aluminum dome tweeter |
| EQ | Yes, fixed placement presets (desk/bookshelf/wall-mount) - no automatic room correction |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 28kHz ±3dB |
| Inputs | HDMI eARC, optical, digital coaxial, 3.5mm analog, USB-A (service), Ethernet, RCA subwoofer out |
| Max SPL | 108dB at 1m |
| Output Power | 280W (LF) + 100W (HF) per speaker, bi-amped |
| Weight | 44.3 lbs / 20.1 kg (44.3 lb) for the pair |
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- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- KEF LS50 Wireless II vs Kali Audio IN-5
- KEF LS50 Wireless II vs KRK Rokit 5 G4
- KEF LS50 Wireless II vs Yamaha HS5
- KEF LS50 Wireless II vs Presonus Eris E5 XT
- KEF LS50 Wireless II vs Adam Audio T5V
- KEF LS50 Wireless II vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII
- KEF LS50 Wireless II vs JBL 305P MKII
- KEF LS50 Wireless II vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM
- See all 10 comparisons
Edifier Airpulse A100: $999.99 B&H Photo Airpulse
Pros: Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter (inherited from Airpulse’s flagship 7001 monitor, designed by Phil Jones) paired with a 5” hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer - a distinctive, low-mass driver combination rarely seen below $1,000. Directivity spread is the widest and most controlled of this batch (directivity_spdi_stddev 4.26). A full input set for a desktop system: RCA, USB, optical, coaxial, and Bluetooth, plus a dedicated subwoofer output and an included IR remote.
Cons: On-axis deviation (aad_on_axis 0.498) trails the pricier options in this group, and there’s no app-based EQ or DSP - bass/treble trim is limited to physical rear-panel knobs not reachable from the remote. The compact 5” woofer caps sub-bass extension at 63.0Hz (-3dB) / 53.2Hz (-10dB), the second-shallowest in this batch, effectively expecting an external subwoofer for full-range use. No Wi-Fi streaming (AirPlay/Chromecast) - Bluetooth only.
Full Edifier Airpulse A100 review and specifications →
| App | None (physical bass/treble knobs, IR remote) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 63.0Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bluetooth | Yes (SBC, aptX) |
| Dimensions | 6.3" x 11.1" x 10" (160 x 283 x 255 mm) (6.3 x 11.1 x 10.0 in) each |
| Drivers | Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter, 5" hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer |
| EQ | Yes, rear-panel bass/treble trim knobs |
| Frequency Response | 52Hz - 40kHz |
| Inputs | RCA (aux), USB, optical, coaxial, Bluetooth aptX |
| Output Power | 100W total (40W+40W woofer, 10W+10W tweeter) |
| Weight | 24.3 lbs / 11 kg (24.2 lb) each |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Edifier Airpulse A100 vs KRK Rokit 5 G4
- Edifier Airpulse A100 vs Kali Audio IN-5
- Edifier Airpulse A100 vs Presonus Eris E5 XT
- Edifier Airpulse A100 vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII
- Edifier Airpulse A100 vs Yamaha HS5
- Edifier Airpulse A100 vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM
- Edifier Airpulse A100 vs Adam Audio T5V
- Edifier Airpulse A100 vs JBL 705P
- See all 10 comparisons