KEF LS50 Wireless Internal vs External DAC ??

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.

I know this is a super late response in reference to when this was posted, but as the LS50W has internal DSP, all analog inputs get converted to digital, it is impossible to get a more accurate/cleaner signal other than using the internal DAC, maybe some external tube DAC can color the sound, but the internal DAC is used 100% of the time.

I am with the majority here in hearing very clear and huge benefits to an outboard DAC going into the LS50W (same holds true to a lesser extent for the new LSX, of which I have two pairs).  Those coming at this and posting without having owned and tested the equipment are misguided.  You just don't know until you try it yourself.  And those of us who have the equipment seem to agree (maybe unanimously on this thread) that an outboard DAC works wonders for the LS50Ws.  It's truly night and day.  Noticeable by people who have heard my speakers, without prodding, and these are folks who normally wouldn't care or have any interest in trying to decipher all of our audiophile tweaks.  When they hear these speakers with a quality outboard DAC their ears perk up and notice how great it sounds.  

For reference, my preferred streamer and DAC with both the LS50Ws and the LSXs has been the Chord mojo/poly combo.  I have gone back and forth dozens of times and every time I switch back to streaming directly to the LS50Ws or LSXs I can hear the lack of organic realism and ease with which the sound is reproduced with the Chord setup in the chain. 

I think KEF has mastered everything here except the streamer (and maybe the internal DAC could be better too).  Simply put, the KEFs sound better when being fed a high quality analog signal.  This is likely because they wanted people to be happy with hooking up their turntables.  From their they have somehow set up the system to handle the analog ADC then DAC chain better than they handle the internal streamer to DAC chain.  But the internal DAC must be pretty good in that it sounds great in the ADC to DAC mode.  So likely the weak link for KEF is the streamer.  So use an outboard streamer and DAC...problem solved.  Once you hear it you cannot unhear it!

before you commit to the external DAC have you tried Roon with the Kefs?

I recently bought LS50W and am also using a Chord poly/mojo into the RCA inputs with excellent results.

Query- To anyone using a MOJO, are you running the Mojo at the fixed output level (3 volts)?

I'd like to set my Mojo to the fixed output level but am concerned the high output level might overload the KEF RCA inputs.

I asked KEF USA for specs and they gave me a wishy washy answer.

More generally, for anyone using any line level device with a high output are you getting any distortion or experiencing any anomalies?