The KEF CI50R ranks #25 out of 28 total In-Wall & In-Ceiling Speakers for sound quality. See all Passive Home rankings for every top pick.
Brand: KEF
Prices on this page were last checked October 21, 2026 at 9:52 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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#25 KEF CI50R: $99.99 per pair Discontinued eBay
Pros: A tiny in-ceiling speaker small enough for closets, cabinetry and shallow cavities, now discontinued. A tiny 2-inch in-ceiling speaker just 80 x 80mm and 55mm deep, small enough to fit spaces no other in-wall or in-ceiling model here reaches. That includes tight closets, cabinetry and shallow ceiling cavities. Measured bass extension of 170Hz (-3dB).
Cons: No longer sold as a current KEF product; dealer listings mark it a legacy item replaced in KEF’s lineup, so buying one now means used or leftover new-old stock rather than a current retail purchase. It measures the shallowest bass extension of any speaker in this category by a wide margin, reaching only about 170Hz at -3dB and roughly 113Hz at -10dB, consistent with a small background or ambient-audio speaker rather than one built for full-range listening.
Is the KEF CI50R right for you?
Skip it if
- you have a low-power amplifier: 82 dB sensitivity needs more power to play loud.
- you will not add a subwoofer: bass rolls off below about 170 Hz.
- you want to buy it new: it is discontinued.
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 113Hz (measured, spinorama.org vendor data) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 170Hz (measured, spinorama.org vendor data) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 3.1” x 3.1” x 2.2” (80 x 80 x 55 mm) |
| Drivers | 2” full-range driver |
| Enclosure | Open-backed (optional rear enclosure), in-ceiling |
| Frequency Response | 125Hz-20kHz +/-6dB (manufacturer, open-backed) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms |
| Mounting Cutout | 70mm (2.76 in) with rear enclosure |
| Power Handling | 10-30W recommended amplifier power |
| Sensitivity | 82dB |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs (1.0kg) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
Frequency Response
How the KEF CI50R measures across the audible range. A flatter listening window (the sound arriving straight at you) is more neutral: peaks sound forward or harsh, dips sound recessed. The estimated in-room response adds what a typical room does, and there a gentle, even tilt down toward the treble is ideal. Both curves are shifted so their 300 Hz to 3 kHz average sits at 0 dB.
Measurement data: spinorama.org, measured by the manufacturer.
EQ for a Neutral Response
Flattens the measured listening window from the KEF CI50R's own bass extension up to 16 kHz. Set a preamp of -3.4 dB, then add these filters to any parametric equalizer in the signal path: the speaker's app or DSP if it has parametric EQ, a miniDSP, Equalizer APO or Wavelet. Boosts are kept to 3 dB, and EQ cannot fix how evenly the speaker spreads sound off-axis, which is why some speakers gain more than others. Calculated by Speaker Ranking from the spinorama measurements above.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| High shelf | 8,000 Hz | +0.6 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,242 Hz | +2.0 dB | 4.00 |
| Peak | 3,520 Hz | -2.2 dB | 2.12 |
| Peak | 4,989 Hz | -3.2 dB | 2.69 |
| Peak | 6,007 Hz | -1.2 dB | 4.00 |
| Peak | 8,418 Hz | +3.0 dB | 1.59 |
| Peak | 13,547 Hz | +2.4 dB | 2.09 |
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