KEF LS50W who has them?

Update- I’ve called KEF about my LS50w and they are working with me!
I have to give them props for helping out on a trade in!!
Big kuddos to KEF once again, I don’t feel left out in the cold and they’ve converted me to lifetime KEF guy!
it might’ve been I just got a bad pair, that will be replaced by KEF for a new KEF pair

I’ve had multiple problems with playing music through my iPad. If I switch apps, or listen to one song a short time and switch to another, it stops playing until I restart. I had tried the B&w duos and I couldn’t get those to play more than a few seconds, of at all. It seems these companies just don’t have good programing for wireless streaming, which was my main reason for buying them. Until they makes these things as idiot proof as using an iPhone, they will not be able to expand their reach with the product. Only those with a lot of computer knowledge and time to tinker might be intrested. They’re sitting on a shelf in my bedroom closet. Later I may use one of the hardwire solutions to connect it to a CD player, but that defeats the reason for buying wireless. Should have bought the regular models and gone that route. I’ve found most streaming devices do not make it easy to use their products or apps, not sure what’s so difficult about it. I have a portable headphone amp, dac that uses the android and works just fine. 

Arafiq

I have an eero and works great, everything works on it except the KEF LS50W.
The wireless (WiFi) Function on the LS50w is awful.
Its no wonder KEF with will only cover active parts/function of the LS50W for a year, it’s because it’s crap...

@so-al ... I had the same issue and it turned out to be my old router. Got a Nest Wifi and the LS50Ws have been rock solid since then.

Awful wireless (WiFi)function.....It’s intermittent at best.
Getting my iPhone out and summing up my Tidal or Qbuzz through KEF stream app and playing via Wireless(WiFi) on LS50W is so exasperating..90% of the time doesn’t  work.
You can buy a streamer Or CD player and hook it up and Works just fine, sounds good as well.
A disappointing purchase, got it from my wife as Xmas present about 3 yrs ago.

I tested he analog RCA inputs vs the PC inputs again.

The analog RCA inputs fed by my Aries Femto streamer > Yulong D8 [highly modified] DAC sound way better than the Aries straight into the PC [USB] inputs or using the KEF app as a streamer.

It is not even close....there is so much more warmth, realism ...everything improves through the analog inputs even though I know the analog signal is resampled by the KEFs DAC .

Obviously this analog signal I am sending the KEFs is of a much higher quality then the one decoded by only the KEFs DAC.....

...another advantage of using the RCA inputs is that one can take full advantage of the DSD and upsampling features of an external DAC instead of being limited to 192 on the USB input...

Just sharing my experience....

Thanks for the comments, I have a pair sitting at the house with a Bluesound Node 2 but it will be next weekend before I can set things up due to work.
Now with both pieces having a DAC I'm wondering why some people talk about adding another DAC.
I'm really looking forward to getting home and firing things up.

You can connect a Aurender Streamer/player directly :-) Amazing all in one system! Plug in a source or blue tooth to them :-) Single driver point source technology....Give them great stands and a great source and you are there!

Matt M

Hi! I have LS50W for 2 months now - got them for the bedroom system. Mostly use them with Roon/Tidal.
My primary setup: Mcintosh pre C2500/MC452 power amp and MEN220 + JL Audio Fathom F112 sub. Turntable - VIP SSM with him drive, SDS speed controller and Manley Steelhead phono. DAC - Marantz NS11S1, Roon is running on Mac Mini + Synology NAS. Main speakers - Sonus Faber Guarneri Evolution.

Was pretty much surprised with LS50W sound right out of box. Was listening to them since the purchase and feel like can live with KEFs as the primary setup - don't feel need for sub in the small/medium room. Even connected phone output to LS50WS analog input - very nice! Sweet, wide soundstage, detailed but absolutely not fatiquing sound - love them!

I have also regular LS50 (50 Years Anniversary edition) but wireless are in the ligue of their own.

There are two limitations though:
1. They don't play DSD files  - but Roon takes care of downconverting to 24/194 with some loss of quality though.
2. Android app is buggy