Sub for KEF LS 50

[prateekatasniya]

There are plenty of 2000/- speakers that will go down to as low as 30hz vs the say 50 that the LS50 will do.. Doesn't make the former better.
There is a lot of misconception about stereo setups and subs and bookshelves.

Lets say you have 3 systems
A- Floorstanders capable of going down to as low as 30hz coupled straight with a stereo amp
B- Similar make Bookshelves that go to say 50 hz coupled with a stereo amp along with a decent sub that goes down to say 22
C- Same bookshelves as B but no sub

In a perfect world, B>A>C
The problem is that it is extremely (and I really mean it) difficult to get the crossovers, placements and levels to a point where B actually gets better than A
More often than not, (in the real world), A >C>B
And that is because there will be frequency overlaps , standing wave interferences and level mismatch between the sub and the low range driver on the bookshelf

Is it possible to get the balance right - yes, but you need to do a lot of work to get it right
Most people try to do it the old fashioned way i.e. play a few tracks and experiment with the settings - almost a certain recipe for failure other than for very few and hence the prevalent belief that subs make stereo setups worse

I have genelec 8040b speakers and 7060b subwoofer.
The Subwoofer has built in bass management.
The integration is seamless.
Audio input goes to the sub first and from the sub to the speakers.

But yeah.. two subwoofers would give much better results.

 

[ONEMANARMY]

Interesting..Whats Subs do you use ?

2xGallo TR1D
Speakers are Gallo Strada 1

 

[ONEMANARMY]

You don't know what you're missing until you've got it

troo-dat

 

[arj]

2xGallo TR1D
Speakers are Gallo Strada 1

Nice Setup ..Anthony Gallo Speakers + Sub are very well integerated

 

[Naturelover]

Will be worth checking out if this is still available.

For Sale - my Subwoofer - sealed / 10 inch driver / 400W Class D Hypex amp

Hello there, I want to put up my sealed subwoofer for sale I have documented the make on the HFV thread – The Bargain Hunters Subwoofer. I was not too happy with either the price or the quality or both ( of the branded subwoofers ) – when I was in the market to buy a subwoofer for stereo...

www.hifivision.com

The Bargain Hunter's subwoofer ...

:;) The title says it all doesnt it.. dont worry.... its not only the title that calls me a bargain hunter but someone implied it and i thought this is a good title to begin with.. We are all bargain hunters in our own right arent we ?? Its been a while since i started a thread on...

www.hifivision.com

 

[RAJUSH26]

Friends ,what is a stereo amp and how is it different from a AVR . also what is a power Amp , and do I require a DAC, since I intend to stream songs thru my DIY Gaming PC .
Will also hear songs from my HDD's connected to the gaming PC.
And how are all these components connected .

 

[RAJUSH26]

Other than arcam which are the good stereo amps for the KEF's.
Also then what about my existing Yam AVR.
What will be it's role in this kinda arrangement.

One more imp thing.
I want to carry my KEF's in my suitcase without the original box , in order to avoid undue attention at the airport . What are your suggestions.

 

[RAJUSH26]

Stwr

Stereo amplifier has 2 channels only. Whereas AVR has 6 channels minimum, latest ones go up to 9+ channels. It is like comparing a dedicated cd player with a dvd player which reads cd, mp3, vcd etc. A dedicated cd player reads only audio cds, but sounds far superior than the all rounder. A two channel stereo amp provides better imaging, sound stage etc to make music listening more pleasurable compared to the multi channel AVR.
An amplifier is divided into two parts, a pre amplifier and a power amplifier. Integrated stereo amps are the ones which mounts both the pre and the power sections into one box. There are pre power separates too, ie pre and power comes in separate units. That separate unit housing the power section is called the power amp. You don't need a DAC if you use a dedicated cd player or dvd player. Both have inbuilt DACs. I don't listen to music from the internet. So somebody who does will help you on streaming.

Stereo amp does not have HDMI inputs??

 

[raghupb]

Other than arcam which are the good stereo amps for the KEF's.
Also then what about my existing Yam AVR.
What will be it's role in this kinda arrangement.

One more imp thing.
I want to carry my KEF's in my suitcase without the original box , in order to avoid undue attention at the airport . What are your suggestions.

LS 50 does not have a grill
Please retain at least the styrofoam.
And pad it well.
If possible, retain the outer carton
Cheers,
Raghu

 

[RAJUSH26]

LS 50 does not have a grill
Please retain at least the styrofoam.
And pad it well.
If possible, retain the outer carton
Cheers,
Raghu

The KEF's are damn heavy. Gross 18.6 kgs.
Styrofoam is the thermocol ,in which the speakers are housed, right !?

 

[Ashenden]

The KEF's are damn heavy. Gross 18.6 kgs.
Styrofoam is the thermocol ,in which the speakers are housed, right !?

Are you travelling alone? Wouldn't 18kg exceed carry on limit for one person?

 

[audiopro]

Hello friends ,Got KEF LS 50 for GRT deal at Taiwan.
Pls suggest sub for these speakers.
I have a yam rx-v 479 Amp.
Also how to get the best out of these speakers .
Brgds sushil

The amp is the weak link here. Get an integrated amp depending on your budget, to get the best out of these speakers. The yamaha receiver will make it sound thin and lifeless.

 

[RAJUSH26]

Are you travelling alone? Wouldn't 18kg exceed carry on limit for one person?

I have 40 kgs check in luggage allowance.

 

[Naturelover]

Kef LS50 have always been said to need good amplification. You should first check that out.
FM dheerajin of Pune owns a Crown XLS 1502 power amp and he loves it too . Do reach out to him.

 

[RAJUSH26]

The amp is the weak link here. Get an integrated amp depending on your budget, to get the best out of these speakers. The yamaha receiver will make it sound thin and lifeless.

So what I understand is that I have to remove the yam AVR out and get a suitable stereo amp.
But then what about the media PC, Tata sky, DVD player, and PS4 that are connected to my yam AVR which then is connected to my TV.

 

[liverpool_for_life]

But then what about the media PC, Tata sky, DVD player, and PS4 that are connected to my yam AVR which then is connected to my TV.

Are you tied to buying from abroad?

 

[Naturelover]

I have 40 kgs check in luggage allowance.

Shippie?

 

[raghupb]

The KEF's are damn heavy. Gross 18.6 kgs.
Styrofoam is the thermocol ,in which the speakers are housed, right !?

Yes it's the thermocol protection.
Remember suitcases are meant to carry distributed weight.
So place the speakers in the middle and pad them well with clothes.
Top/bottom and all sides with the thermocol intact.
Hope they survive the journey intact.
Cheers,
Raghu

 

[raghupb]

So what I understand is that I have to remove the yam AVR out and get a suitable stereo amp.
But then what about the media PC, Tata sky, DVD player, and PS4 that are connected to my yam AVR which then is connected to my TV.

Well ...
You are intending to use LS50 for both music listening and as fronts in HT mode.
As you may have gathered from the thread, the AVR "may" turn out to be the weak link power wise.
AVRs specialize in decoding variety of audio and video content, distributing power, room equalization, etc.
They can host a whole bunch of audio and video sources, like the ones you have.

These particular speakers are mostly procured by enthusiasts for their performance in a dedicated 2-Channel setup.
If you decide to setup a 2-channel rig, you may still be able to retain the AVR for HT/Gaming and TV with what ever you have.
You will need an integrated (stereo) amp or pre/power combination to drive the LS50.
The content on your PC can be played into the Integrated Amp (via an outboard DAC if necessary).

I think, for now, the setup will be:
PC --> AVR --> LS50
DVD --> AVR --> LS50
Both these will use HDMI to transfer signal to AVR

In case of a separate setup for music:
PC --> (DAC) --> Integrated Amp --> LS50 (simplest way)
PC --> (DAC) --> preamp --> power amp --> LS50 (a bit more complicated)
DACs have a USB input to connect with PC

If the speakers are shared between the setups, it becomes more challenging.
You will need some kind of switch to select which amp drives the speakers.

As you are probably aware, any foray into separate 2-ch setup will involve substantial budgetary/space planning.
So my advice, again will be, take it one step at a time.
Hook up with local FMs, play out stuff, seek advice and proceed diligently.

Cheers,
Raghu

 

[audiopro]

So what I understand is that I have to remove the yam AVR out and get a suitable stereo amp.
But then what about the media PC, Tata sky, DVD player, and PS4 that are connected to my yam AVR which then is connected to my TV.

Raghu above has given good advice. You can connect all the above components except for the ps4 to the two channel amplifier as well using their analog outs.

I would suggest that you first decide what percentage of weight you want towards home theater and 2 channel audio. Then proceed. The reason for this is if you want real good 2 channel music with only occasional home theater you will not get it with a receiver easily. In the same money an integrated amp from a decent brand would outperform the receiver. Today integrated amps like say a Marantz 6006/80005 series come with built in DACs as well.

I hate having multiple boxes in my living room, so I used to have a 2 channel setup with a sub only for watching movies. The system usesd a simple 2 way floorstander with a very good integrated Amp and an rel sub but the impact, size and scale was way better than any sub Sat or bookshelf sub system I ever used. I could feel the star wars spaceships grunt and lasers zip and shake me right in the gut, which was a function of the REL sub delivering bass below 40Hz easily. The floorstanders were run full range and the REL was connected via a high level out from the amp.

Lastly decide how loud you are going to play the kef when your watching home theater. If you are going to blast it, then it maybe better to use a good AV receiver and set the crossover to 60 hz to prevent damage to the coaxial driver. Remember I was as using floorstanders so I didn't have this limitation and could play it full range yet loud.