LS50 Wireless connection preference?

Congratulations. Node2's DAC is quite good. The BlueOS app is also very user friendly. Let us know how you like it. 
Enjoy.

Thanks for the replies everyone,

Since I posted this thread, I picked up a Node 2 and am going to go analog w/Kimber Silver Streak (had leftover from earlier) so I can still have MQA capability. I guess the Node’s DACs should work out well. Now I need to figure out how to add a turntable if I want later. I'll have an optical and USB input left on the KEFs to use.

The other economical option is using a Chromecast Audio and use its optical output. It sounds real good if fed into a good (external) DAC and allows for streaming content from various cloud services like Tidal, Spotify, etc. It sounds almost as good as my Bluesound Node2 when fed through the same DAC.

What media software and streaming service do you use?

The Node/Aries/Toslink combo sounds like it could be your best option.  This way you can stay away from excessive “DA/AD/DA” conversion.  Sometimes we can take one step forward and two steps back if we don’t pay attention to connections/processing.

Older MacBook Pros have a mini-Toslink output, but that doesn’t help with your MacBook Air.  You could get an AirPort Express, which is currently being discontinued, but it only supports 16/44 (not sure this is a limit for you) and only works with AirPlay.  I’m eager to try an AirPort Express with an Empirical Syncro-Mesh.

Allan
www.In-Tone.com

Thanks for the reply,

Yes, it's looking like Toslink is the way to go. I'll use USB from my MacBook until I pick up another source. I'm trying to avoid a pair of long analog cables.

the KEF LS 50 WIRELESS does not accept coax, only toslink for digital. analog RCA is all converted to digital by the speakers internal Dac. i would presume the quality of the analog signal provided by your source would have a bearing on the digital conversion by the KEF's.  garbage in garbage out. the best connection in my opinion would be the Toslink from a transport or other digital source.  

Anyone else? Right now I'm thinking a decent USB cable and AQ Jitterbug out of my MacBook Air. If I go with an Aries Mini/Node 2, then optical.

" I use BT but out of convenience.
Excellent  sound. "

How does it sound compared to cables?

I use BT but out of convenience. 
Excellent  sound. 

this might help:
https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/29465-active-kef-ls50/#comment-586892

I would go USP into a reclocker like the Empirical Synchro-Mesh, then coax digital from the Synchro to the dac in your speakers. Everything stays digital and the reclocker makes a nice upgrade in SQ to just relying on your computer alone as a transport. Its a much better way to go than spending big money on just cables.