KEF LS50 Wireless Internal vs External DAC ??

itzhak1969356 posts08-13-2018 2:35am "I am not a big fan of all-in-one solutions for example this speakers it’s usually a compromise and I will never consider such speakers solution ,the best way is regular speakers and seperate dac and streamer unless you are in a limited budget and you are willing to compromise the sound quality."

Well, the LS50W sounds a little better to me than the passive LS50 with a $1500 amp. I think it’s the DSP that the wireless version is using that makes the difference.

robr45314 posts By running analog into the ls50s, all you are doing is adding a conversion from analog to digital to the signal chain (assuming this source has a digital out). That digital signal is then sent to the same dac that the digital inputs on the Kef route to. All the kefs dac limitations are still in play. There is no native dsd benefit to be gained, no way to bypass the 192khz ceiling.

The best explanation for these various reports are pyschoacoustics, and that you are hearing what you want to hear. This can be an extremely powerful phenomena.

For those of you unwilling to accept that, then all that is left is that whatever sonic signature the analog source has, is being captured by the analog input, converted to digital, and then preserved all the way through the signal chain to the drivers. There is nothing “gained” here, nothing added other than the sources “color”.

I own the LS50 and am currently demoing the LS50w. My experience is the same as some other posters in this thread, that using an external Schiit Modi Multibit through a Schiit Saga preamp into the LS50W RCA is a step up in pleasing sound versus connecting my PC directly to the LS50W using the internal dac. It sounds more lively. I was thinking of selling the Schiit gear but now I can’t because I would be compromising what sounds best to my ears.

transience OP17 posts11-10-2018 5:12pmp.s. I run a very carefully considered system of separates now, but the LS50W remain in my eyes a screaming bargain :)

I’m using LS50 because it’s all I need for my 10 x 12 room. How much do you think I would need to spend to beat the LS50W for a small room? :)

bug84342 posts10-09-2017 12:26am
With Hugo as an external DAC and run RCA into KEF LS50 wireless, it sounds more spacious and detailed.
However, there is a big problem which made me come back to use USB rather than RCA port.
When I use Hugo, the vocal is apparently not as clear as internal DAC, this is a huge difference, you need not AB test to tell the difference.
I think buy some USB isolation gear EX:Schiit wyrd and Singxer UIP-1 is the best way to make LS 50 wireless Hifiest

I think Schiit Eitr may solve that problem as well. It’s what I’m using and I haven’t experienced the issue you describe in my LS50W vs LS50 listening tests so far.

transience OP18 posts11-10-2018 7:25pmMy system is in a small room, but it’s overkill: Ryan S610, Ayre Ex-8 fully loaded (with streaming amd a ton of digital inputs), Music Fidelity Nu-Vista Vinyl, Amg Giro/9W2, Hana SL.

If I wanted a great system that dominated the LS50W in a small room and wanted to retain Roon and streaming, I’d go:

Silverline Minuet Grand
Pro-Ject StreamBox S2 Ultra
Pro-Ject PreBox S2 Digital
Exposure 2010S2 Power Amp

To keep it simpler you could replace ALL the electronics with the NAD C368. You could also do a PrimaLuna Prologue power amp if you want to include tubes in the system (you’d want something a touch warm to offset the prebox digital’s extreme resolution). Either way, the Silverlines are sensitive enough to make that a very tempting proposition.

I really appreciate you taking the time to provide your opinion. I’d be inclined to look into the Silverline Minuet Grand if I could exceed LS50W performance on a budget with a $900 NAD C368. I assume you have heard these speakers? Do you think the difference uptick would be subtle or fairly dramatic? How so? I listen to many different genres of music. Will the Silverline knock it out of the park with everything I want to listen to? I do love the sound I’m hearing from LS50W but I’m also concerned about reliability and that if one thing goes inside of it my whole system is unusable. Well that and the miserly 1 year warranty. If the active parts had a 5 year warranty I’d probably stick with LS50W and call it a day. Thanks for any additional guidance you can provide.

Sorry for veering off topic. I also 100% agree with the assessment that the RCAs on the LS50W sound notably better than the USB port. I’m streaming from a computer and also use a turntable, both going through the LS50W RCAs at the moment. I haven’t been using Roon but was thinking of trying it.

lgoler Why not try the new ELAC Navis and ditch the KEF LS50W altogether, since its active, can be wireless, but doesn’t force one to use an onboard DAC, allowing for much more flexibility in the signal chain?

transience OP The Navis is a great option when it comes out.

Thanks for mentioning the Navis. Before my LS50W return period was over the Navis ARB51 was released and I directly compared them to LS50W at home and preferred the Navis. I found they had a bigger and fuller sound. In theory, I also like that it keeps my turntable signal analog and I’m not feeding my external DAC and turntable into KEFs internal DAC which can’t be bypassed. I still have another 30 days or so to decide if I will keep the Navis but I’m thinking I will. They sound fantastic.