KEF LS50 Meta Review: Still Worth the Hype in 2025?
Compact, clean, and legendary. The KEF LS50 Meta gets a lot of hype. But is it still the audiophile sweet spot in 2025? Let's find out.
Welcome to The Apartment Audiophile, where we chase hi-fi dreams from the comfort of an overpriced-rent apartment in the city. Great sound shouldn't break the bank—or your lease. I test hi-fi gear that fits a budget and a small room, and today we're diving into a speaker that's been hyped up more than a matcha oat milk latte in Brooklyn: the KEF LS50 Meta.
Design & Build: Alien Tech That Actually Works
First off, these things look like alien tech—and I mean that in the best way possible. They're modern, sculpted, and minimal, like if Apple made speakers but didn't screw up the headphone jack.
Front and center is the iconic Uni-Q driver, now featuring some space-age material. The tweeter is a 1-inch aluminum dome equipped with KEF's proprietary Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT), which is essentially noise-canceling for sound reflections inside the speaker. The tweeter sits inside the woofer for better imaging—a clever design choice that's now in its 12th generation. Who else can flex that kind of longevity in the industry?
The mid-bass driver measures 5.25 inches and is made from a magnesium-aluminum alloy. It's rigid, light, and sounds way bigger than it looks.
Technical Specs at a Glance
Frequency Response: 47 Hz to 45 kHz (±3 dB) — pretty impressive for a compact speaker.
Impedance: 8 ohms nominal, with a minimum of 3.5 ohms. Make sure your amp can handle that dip.
Sensitivity: 85 dB at 1 watt, 1 meter. Yeah, they're a little hungry. Give them a good amp, and they'll sing. KEF recommends amplification between 40 and 100 watts.
Weight: Each speaker clocks in at just under 8 kilograms (about 17 pounds). Small but mighty.
They're compact enough to actually fit in your living room without looking like you're about to open a nightclub. That's a huge win for us small-space folks.
Sound Quality: Stupidly Clear
Alright, let's get into the thick of it. How do they sound?
These things are stupidly clear. Very transparent. Like, "I can hear the singer's lip balm" levels of detail. The midrange is beautiful and natural. Highs are detailed without slicing your ears open. And the imaging? Chef's kiss. You could close your eyes and still point to where each instrument is placed.
But... bass. Let's just say it's present, but it won't rattle your IKEA bookshelf. Considering they are bookshelf speakers, they're not bad—far from it. But if you like hip-hop, R&B, or electronic music, get a sub. You like to Netflix and chill? Get a sub. Trust me. Don't blame your playlist, don't blame Spotify or YouTube—the KEFs just need some help downstairs. Give them a friend.
Who They're For
These speakers are for you if:
You care more about clarity than earthquake-level bass
You actually sit down and listen to music (otherwise, just buy a Bluetooth speaker)
You live in a normal-sized room, not a cathedral
They're NOT for:
Bass-heads who want chest-thumping EDM
People expecting miracles from a $200 amp
Folks who think speakers should cost less than their AirPods
Amplification: Don't Skimp on Power
Let's talk amplification. You can't just plug these into a toaster and expect them to sing. They crave power—clean, quality watts.
Give them a solid integrated amp like the Arcam A15, Cambridge Audio CXA81, Audiolab 7000A, or if you want to flex a little, the Hegel H95. I'm running them with the Arcam A15, and it's a great match—smooth, tight, no harshness. I'm super happy with this combo.
In my opinion, if you want to run them properly, I wouldn't go under a 65-watt amp. If you're trying to run these with a 20-watt vintage receiver you got at a garage sale for $15 and a handshake, best of luck.
Placement & Setup: A Little Fussy, But Worth It
Like a cat, these speakers are a little fussy. They want space—so pull them away from the wall and give them room to breathe. If you're unable to do that, KEF provides foam inserts that you can place inside the rear port. You can use the whole piece or just a part of it. Test it and see what works best for your space.
Toe them in just a little, and they'll reward you with a soundstage so wide you'll forget you live in a shoebox.
You absolutely need good speaker stands. If you can fill them with sand, even better. It will help tremendously with the bass. Trust me, it made a world of difference the moment I filled mine up.
The Verdict: Still Worth It?
So, are they still worth it in 2025?
At around $1,800 CAD, they're not what I'd call "budget." If you're on a tight budget, I would strongly suggest looking into the Elac Debut 3.0 or the new Pro-Ject Speaker Box 5 S2, which are $500 less than the LS50.
But for the clarity, the imaging, and the design? They absolutely punch above their weight. Think of them like a high-end espresso machine: precise, refined, maybe a bit overkill for beginners—but once you've had that first taste, there's no going back.
Paired with the right amp, they're kind of magical.
