Only video that spoke about the sound with movies. Good job! Very clear way of exposing things too

had these for 6 months, incredible sound in such a compact well designed unit, connectivity also brilliant and so much better than the first version.

Excellent review, very informative and very good to follow. I just bought my pair of LSX II and after your review I can’t wait for them to arrive. Well done! Thank you.

I luv all your reviews, music recommendations and presentation style.

I have had mine for a couple of months and enjoy every minute I listen to them as my PC desk top speakers :) !!

I have the Kef LSX IIs connected with USB-C and sitting on Kef P1 desk stands. The Kefs sound astonishing for their size and look fabulous. While expensive, the Kefs are worth every penny -- highly recommended. John, thanks for another super video and for turning me on to these Future Fi speakers in the first place.

I love to watch your small room videos. I live in a remote, rural area in an almost 200 year old house. My listening area is an alcove at the top of the stairs. It's before your time I know, but I'm extremely happy with my Spica TC-50, driven by an A & R Cambridge A60 amp. Source is a RaspberryPI Squeezebox streamer with HiFiBerry DAC that I built after watching one of your videos a year ago. I also just bought a Wiim Mini rocking Tidal. Happy Happy!

Again, spot on. You covered the audiophile side and you mentioned TV/movie results as well. Thanks

Wow, was just thinking about them and this literally pops up within minutes, thank you :)

I always like your electronic music choices John. We need a John Darko Tidal playlist!

Great video as always

You sir - are a Hi-Fi legend - Fair Play to you 😎👍😎

the outakes really show how much work is involved in each of these videos. < bows >

Thanks John!

Thank you for the video.

Great review!

I went to find replacement for my Sonos ARC and Beam at a HIFI store today….i listened to B&W Panorama 3, Beosound Stage, Sennheiser Amber Plus. These sound way better than all of those as TV speakers….i don’t understand how such tiny speakers can fill a big living room…unbelievable. Thank you for great advise

love your review man nailed it compared everything.

freaking out, about to purchase them

My story with LSXs. I have the first KEF LSX green ones which look stunning btw. Bought em as a TV speakers for quite a small room, 4*3 sqm. I did felt that even for such a small room it was not enough to fill the room acoustically and I also felt sound was somewhere else but not around my listening position. It also did not give me the level of sound entertainment so much required while watching movies. I watched DARK series that time and KEFs just don't play sound effects well. I put them to my work desk then and WOW, how good they are from a short distance in my damped room. It is a pure pleasure and I do not even need a sub. Accompanied them with Kanto S2 desk stands and the overall look and sound is really great. For the TV I then bought just a Sonos Beam Gen 2 which serves perfectly and provides more than enough of sound entertainment so much required by TV shows. More bass, more stage, more surround sound. Overall, John, thank you for the review!

Listening to this with my original LSX's ; still plenty satisfying for my needs

I love your videos ! I was considering KEF LSX II but holding off as it is too expensive. After watching your video, I know , once I have the money, there is no second thought ! Thanks again !

Had the LSX2 plus the Kube 8b sub for about 2 months now being a fan of the “future fi” concept. Still can’t give up my vinyl though 😂 have my Rega turntable is plugged in 👍🏼 very pleased

I want it small and good looking including a great sound the room is 3 x 4 meter and the LSX 2 is perfect for this size 👍

The ls50 absolutely makes a great desktop speaker. I have them on my American sized 84” desk 😂

Yes, my desk is 80 inches. I did go with the LSX II with an under desk SVS sub (my space is too big for the micro subs). Love the detailed reviews.

Enjoyed this v. much John. My audio 'consumption' is mainly in my home office using a Mac as the source. I tried out the LSX2 for a few weeks but opted eventually for Kanto TUK and Kanto SUB8 (2022) subwoofer. No regrets. An excellent combo for me. I don't do 'desktop' because to my ears all speakers sound better on stands even in nearfield which in my office is about 1.5 metres.

Really impressed with my original LSX, purchased after the Darko review.

I really dig your point about desktop loudspeaker.

Stay healthy, John

I have these , had them for about a couple of months.They are really great as computer monitor speakers.Very good near field sound stage.Bass could be a bit punchier , but on the whole great speakers.They reside on my PC desk and are plugged into the USB of my computer.Spending part time as the computer speaker and part time on Radio streaming services, as well as bluetooth streaming of music from my phone....in other words , they get quite a hammering on any given day.

Thanks!

As an Aussie I did chuckle in the outtakes with "a piece of piss" comment. Thanks! BTW your content is awesome!

I love that TV

Awesome speakers .. paired with a simple subwoofer Audioengine S8 ... listen mainly to music. Fantastic.

I bought the LS Wireless II for desktop to use in my 2.5m x 3m study, unpacked them, and pretty much packed them back up straight away, way too big for a desk. I ended up with the LSX's (and their little desk stands, which I find really help) along with a KC62 connected to a Mac, and love it. The sound is great, the ease of use is great and they don't over power the desk at all. I won't be upgrading, to the LSX II as I am happy with what I have, but I really like the look of the improvements they have made.

I concur with the sentiment around the sound and it's recommended application from the video. I purchased a pair a few months ago and in small Berlin apartment, they work wonderful as a soundbar replacement and for casual listening during winter. My main system has the same dimensions as your + acoustic treatment (not too much because of my partner) and I would never put them there

It is entirely your doing, John, that I have a pair of LSX plus a simple sub. I absolutely love them and am constantly surprised by how clear speech and music sounds. I've had to resort to an optical cable though since the v1 doesn't have hdmi. Works for me. Many thanks!

Nice timing, my LSX2s arrived today 🙂 They look & feel so luxurious/high quality. I am no audiophile but I think they're wonderful--the sound is so voluminous! (sound stage?). Compact speakers were important for me because of a smallish room, and Chromecast support (which is hard to find).

I love the aluminium jokes! Keep it up. 😊👍🏻

I am really enjoying the music you always recommend. Will you do an episode only on music? Maybe even a seperate podcast?

That’s another great review of yours, John. Informative, concise, and fun. I don’t know why am saying this, but I also appreciate the ads in the middle: because, I know your review costs a lot of work to make, and I want to contribute with being a good listerner, if this can payback you somehow. I should consider also patreon, but it would be my prime attempt and I am not sure yet. Thank you for now.

Hi John, I applaud the fact that you do not shy away from reviewing Future-Fi speakers. Can I suggest that you continue to review active floorstanders? As a follow-up to your reviews of the KEF LS60 and the Dynaudio Focus 30 it would be wonderful if you could review the Audium Comp 7.2 Air from Berlin and the AS Legend 40.2 Silverback speakers from Danmark? I listened to the 60.2 Silverbacks at an audio fair in Holland yesterday and I was really impressed.

I picked up a set of these recently. They are a little large on a desktop compared to most computer speakers. They sound great and work well but did have a couple issues. They cut out sometimes when the cable is not connected between them, only 6 feet apart. Also I would get some cutout when connected to my pc usb port. They work well on the optical connection. And also work well on bluetooth and wifi with tidal.

I have the original LSX and the LSX Il's. I loved the originals but I was wanting better bass response. I have them paired with the REL T/5× subwoofer and it's a fuller richer sound, very fast response….. IMO is perfectly matched! The enhancements made to the DSP is noticeable and the volume is louder on the second gen. I only use them for music using my iPhone and it sounds awesome. As far as connection issues…there is still some hesitation for a second when starting a song, only occasionally which doesn't bother me. It's definitely a lot of money, so I decided to try them out to see if I could hear a difference. In my space I hear more of what I already loved about them…definitely improved! I’m impressed…no regrets!!!

I have my LSX II integrated into a bookshelf in a 18 - 20 square meter "reading room" ("library room"). I was surprised how clear and transparent the sound was, making even slight imperfections noticeable. I listen mostly to classical music. Strong obvious dominant bass is not important to me. There may be better solutions, even much better solutions. But for my limited experience the LSX II are fabulous.

I nearly bought a pair of these for my TV. Instead I ended up with the Dali Oberon 1C and Soundhub with HDMI module. No wires apart from the power cable to each speaker, with the soundhub tucked away and able to do wireless hi res files etc. They sound fantastic and the HDMI eArc works really well!

I have ls50s on my desk and they are awesome. YMMV

I loved the last part

Yes, in the US our desks are huge.😉 Mine is 5' (1.52 meters) wide. I have a computer monitor and Adam Audio A5X studio monitors. The sub is on the floor. The Schiit stack is inside the lower desk.

Just picked up the LSXII's with the Kube 10 MIE sub for my computer system, can't wait to try them out. I do my main listening on a pair of ATC SMC25'S and a JBL sub which sound FANTASTIC!.

I had a listening a few years ago of old version of the Kef LSX for using for my studio on Belgian Seaside and like you I had the impression that they could not cope with for example large orchestral classic music ore bombastic rock. And like you mentioned when the volume was above average level things got congested. You said in your video that the Kef LS50 can be driven by a Rotel, but when I went to my dealer for a demonstration he told me that the Kef’s need lots of power and that the amplifier must deliver, we toke a listening using different amps and I had to admit he was telling me the truth. I like Kef speakers and I had different pairs of them at home. When there was a show with my dealer hosted by Kef introducing their Blade speakers I had the chance to speak with the Salesman from Kef Europe and I asked if I was wrong about the LS50 needing powerampification and he agreed with me. We had a rather long conversation. Kind regards and thank you for your video’s. Ludo Belgium

Interesting, I just picked up a pair of the Q150’s for half price. They are truly a steal at that price. They are perfect for my purposes, non critical listening hidden in the corners of my living room, I am completely amazed at the depth they play.

Have the original LSX as my desktop speakers and absolutely love them. Not sure I need to upgrade yet though

Game changers!

I love the sound of my LSX and the simplicity (beside all the cables to one speaker). Good to know the LSX (II) sounds "better" if the room is not treated to much. Like mine. If I ever feel the need for a seperate tv or a beamer (over the 32'' homeoffice setup) I might think about a LSX II or even a LS50W (II) for the eARC. But for now I'm happy with my LSX (+ a sub) on diy stands (old wood stands 17x20cm on stone plates 33x33x3cm weighed 20kg each) seems still a good choice for my living room aka homeoffice and a hearing distance under 2 meters.

Looking forward to Slow Horses season 2!

I love you're comparisons. It's so important for people like me who are weighing up their options. I'll let you away with the fact that you were adding the cost of the LSX stands in to your equations but not adding in the cost of stands in to the SVS and LS50 Meta's :)

Thanks John - I really appreciate the deep dive into the KEF catalog. I’m nominally shopping for a new system for this kind of use (occasionally TV + more music) and am genuinely confused by the options, even within the KEF universe, which I like for aesthetic, functional, and sound quality reasons. And yes, we yanks have mega desks… mine is an 80” (inch) sit/stand model that currently has a Klipsch Promedia Heritage 2.1 sound system. Unfortunately, their software is abysmal, even thought the speakers are nice…. Hoping they work it out in a series of updates…. Again, thanks!

I have a pair of KEF LSX I, and I have never been as excited and disappointed at the same time. I absolutely LOVE the sound of the speakers. But I am super frustrated about the Apps and the extreme amount of connectivity issues. I would never advise anyone to buy a pair of first generation LSX's. I therefore really hope that LSX II are worth the investment.

Best sound for desktop

I have a pair of these and they're great for desktop use, but yeah I'd say they're not really "audiophile" sound. Still much nicer than other conventional desktop speakers, aesthetically pleasing too.

I literally searched your channel last week for a video on a desktop solution 😂

I got this exact setup with the kc62 sub

It's very difficult to dimension these types of compact sound solutions but Darko does a mighty fine job of doing just that- a lot to think about. I think it starts with making a prioritized list of what you will use the speakers for, what's important to you, and the spatial arrangement of your room with the understanding that everything can't be priority 1. I myself just want a great pair of desktop speakers hardwired to my Mac with the understanding that my computer is in a large open room facing a wall- LSX II's prob fit that bill. The other option is to turn the bass (maybe way) down in the app. If you are using it for more of a home theater solution, I would probably start with the bigger LS50's, but I would start with the LSX II's and then trade up to the 50's or get the sub if they don't do the trick.

My older gen SVS Prime Wireless + SB-1000 works great for electronic music in a 4x4meter room.

Hi John, thanks for your review, as always. I purchased these speakers a couple of weeks ago and they are excellent for a small room. However, there was one issue, which I found out by chance, that I was not aware of when I purchased them. My internet went down for a couple of hours and I wasn't able to use the speakers which were playing my local music. Apparently, this is quite common with these types of speakers. After some Googling, I found out that the original LSX does have the ability to work without a wifi connection, but not the LSXii. Sadly this was a deal breaker for me, but I was very impressed with the speakers and the app which worked flawlessly for the couple of weeks I used the speakers. I'm now testing the LS50 Meta's

I have the original LSX on athe small desktop stands paired with a Rel T/5 subwoofer in the home office. Pretty satisfied with this setup. I agree these small speakers are meant for a small room. Once EQ'd with the sub, you will not want for more.

As long as we're comparing Kef speakers: I would (and did) go for the Kef R3. They're about €1300,- these days and those are full range 3-way speakers so no need for a sub.

In no way linked to this review but a comment on your recent Radionhead ‘short’; OK Computer is my ‘tester’ album when buying new hi-fi. The production and mix really put any separates through their paces imo. The range of instruments, vocals and light/shade are a great test

I had these throughout August and September. It had to sent them for repair due to the constant hiss I could hear at least a meter away coming from the drivers (even with no source playing), KEF sent them back saying they matched factory specifications... oh dear. It was past the retailers return period so I swapped them for LS50 Meta, audiolab 6000 and a Cambridge audio cxnv2. A more expensive package but an all round better solution (TV is optical instead of HDMI)

Cable vomit, love it. The Kef lsx2 are spankingly expensive in NZ. I still want a pair, but will have a good look around until purchase. Thanks Darko.

I'm jealous of how these little things look, even if my setup sounds better. I think more hifi brands should try to make their products fit into modern interiors.

Another option to consider is the Dynaudio Xeo 2 or newer Xeo 10. They compete directly with the LSX/LSX II. Both are compact wireless speakers, but the Xeo's offer significantly better sound IMO.

Planning on purchasing these for my home office/desktop/ studio speakers... but as an avid TV/MOVIE buff, I would want EARC and access to Dolby Atmos and other technologies for my watching experience.. Therefore for my TV purposes I would likely get a high end multi channel sound bar and subwoofer. But LOVE the idea of this for my home office and desk space.

Thanks good video. Looking at these to replace my rubbish Sonos and terrible Sonos app.

I have 2 desktops and in both I use a similar solution. One of them has a Denon UPA-F07 amp, 2 Kef HTS 2011 (the Eggs) passive speakers + a bass passive unit Bose Acoustimass 5 Series III The other one consists in a SMSL SA300 amp, 2 Vieta Neo 10 satellite speakers and a Tannoy CPA5 SB bass passive module. Both sound incredibly good, and are cheap solutions. Sometimes I think that an active speakers could be a more simple solution… buy I should power the 2 speakers, connect to the computer and my mixer… no really sure about it. I am happy with I have ;)

I would love a desktop shootout of value vs lifestyle products. Lsx ii vs emotiva b1+ nad 3020 for example. I'd also love a million bucks in small denominations at my front door with no understanding of where it came from. Thanks John!

Hey John, been watching your videos just for about a week after landing on the review on the Dynaudio Focus 30 and I like your style. I wish I could afford them as I've been a big fan of DA since way back in my speaker building days and even recently checking out their car systems in cars that don't fit me,...but that's a different story. My all-analog home system is no slouch with highly touted components like Conrad Johnson & Audio Research preamplifiers... and custom front channel and dual 10s subwoofer cabinet speakers from a company called Innovative Audio. If anything, I'll simplify with probably a Sennheiser Soundbar that can utilize the subwoofer... or maybe go full boar with the B&O Theater :-) But this inquiry is for another area. I have about a 15'x8' L-shaped bedroom I'm looking to outfit with speakers. Currently I have a single Morel Hogtalare Bluetooth speaker which is definitely no slouch, but looking for a stereo pair. The Kef is on my radar, as are the Kanto Tuk, Klipsch Fives, Edifier S20000 and especially the aforementioned Dynaudio Xeo 20s-- which can now be had for half original price in the States since they've been discontinued My main listening in the room is through the awesome Cayin N8ii tube DAP as well as the companion RU6 dongle for my Android phone (so both those are likely to have better DAC than what would be built into the speakers) using Qobuz high-res streaming and nearly all DSD for local files. So yeah, I could hear any nuances between the speakers easily :) Each speaker set has advantages and disadvantages (like the Tuk AMT tweeter or several that have turntable connections I could dabble with and I'd love to hook in my subwoofer for ones that support that)... but since my main focus is MUSIC I keep getting drawn to the effortless presentation of the Dynaudios. Even though I haven't heard them specifically, I know their natural timbre sound. Especially with my admittedly quality source components which will show every nuance. Being a fan of the Danish mfg yourself, have you heard the Xeo 20 (compared to others I listed) & would you recommend them for my setup? Admittedly the electronics and connectivity has aged a bit, but I thinking the drivers themselves sound blows everything listed away...

I have found a series speakers brilliant for home dj use. I have had a few dating back to early 2000s

I liked mine quite a bit. Sometimes it was hard to connect to. The reason I replaced them with Klipsch is that the LSX doesn’t sound all that good at low volumes where I am quite a bit (spouse doesn’t share my love of music). Klipsch fit the bill better.

Do you have a guide around your 6x5m space? It looks great - I’m designing a garden room of similar size and would be interested in what you’ve got in here, and the design features

I bought the LS50 Meta's for 860 Euros with matching Kanto SP26PLW stands for 115 Euros. My TV setup is Metas + Yamaha Sub + Arcam Solo Uno + Apple TV + (sometimes) external dac for hi-res Apple Music. Incredibly, the Arcam is enough for the Metas. Admittedly not at max volume as it shuts down (high impedance, not enough juice), but honestly at the level it achieves my neighbours already start hammering the walls ;) I would not buy the LSXII over my setup. Also, don't put all your eggs in one basket - it's better to have a separate streamer than rely on KEFs software dev ability.

Good review, thanks. Got a pair of LS50 Wireless's in my living room and I've thought a lot of buying LSX for desktop use in my bedroom/study. However, I feel like the price for LSXII is a bit too much for my budget, and buying the originals (on sale for like 700 €?) would mean I am stuck with the horrible KEF Connect app for years.

I know soundbars aren't your thing but do you have any plans to review more soundbars in 2023? At least from the more high end/known audio brands like Harman Kardon, bang & Olufsen, bowers and Wilkins etc Love the channel John, keep it up

Gah. Currently have some LSXs (which sound good if not a bit crackly at times) on loan while the LSXii's come in stock. But. I do love the LS50wII and how they sound. I hoped this video would put my mind at rest that I've made the right call. It hasn't.

I have a pair of LSX and don't think there's any better speakers for the price. At any price there will be some better ones, but it will require a large amount of money to get a small improvement. LSX is simply a great product for me, I''m curious about the LSX II and whether I can hear any improvement.

The LSX are Desktop Speakers. That’s the way I use them all day. Furthermore they‘d be usable for monitoring.

John, big thanks for your dedication and clarity... Would you personally choose SVSPrime Wireles Pro or KEF ?

Thanks for the review, John. Have been eyeing these up for some time, but was waiting for the price to get discounted and hoping to hear your opinion first - knowing that you had the og LSX. I have even had in mind the Nils Frahm track that would be the first thing I want to listen to on these. So when you drop the review saying that they sound great with Nils Frahm and then the next morning I see you can get them for £200 off - who am I to argue with the universe?

Watching this on youtube on the PC with an LSX 1. Perfect size for a medium sized desk. I do get some interference with the bluetooth sometimes with sudden momentary dropouts... the USB connection is attractive, but insufficient to warrant a replacement.

Pretty happy with my LS50 wireless 2s.

Just got a pair of the LSX II’s, first time trying Kef, I got a Kube 8b as well, would’ve loved to be able to afford the KC62, but there was no way I could get both at once (just bought a Mojo 2 as well). So far I think they sound great, but haven’t really put them through their paces yet. I was looking at the Klipsch R-51PM’s and the 10” Reference Sub, at about a quarter the price of the Kef setup, I’m thinking about buying them to do a side-by-side comparison, if the sound is similar, the money saved would be GREAT and I have an entire Klipsch setup already and am very happy with it, RF 7II’s with the biggest Reference center channel and surrounds they had at the time I bought them. Part of the reason I got the Kef’s was because I wanted to try a different brand, listening side-by-side would settle it immediately, so I may get the Klipsch’s to try.

I have the q950 that could do with a sub since it takes bass to a new level but not necessary

I did feed them Manou Gallo’s and that worked pretty well

I have the Q100 on my desk until they got stolen and they were great. They were sitting on yoga blocks my desk is about 11 ft wide

Would love commentary about how all these speakers now have built-in DACs, often sold as a "black box" with next to no technical info about its built-in DAC, unlike all the info about external DACs. Using speakers with DACs built-in kind of ruins the point of having a high-quality external DAC. Is it just me, or is this trend making it now hard to find high-quality powered bookshelf speakers that *don't have a DAC built-in* and can just amplify a wired signal from an external DAC? I find it smarter to keep my DAC external to allow me to swap the DAC out. The value of "audiophile" systems is in their *modularity*, we're losing this with these mystery embedded hybrid systems. Thoughts?

I cannot say enough in praise of the KEF LSX speakers. There is nothing to which you can compare them with regard to sound stage. Mine are on a very sturdy, heavy, two foot by four foot metal table. When I sit four feet in front of the center line oft these two speakers, the sound stage is phenomenal, stretching to outside the side walls of the room, and reaching back beyond the wall behind the speakers, often four or more feet beyond the wall for upright bass, snare drum and toms, a little less for vocals. I ask my guests to stand (one at a time) two feet in front of the speakers, focusing on the rear wall. From this position, for ninety percent of material recorded after 1940 the speakers simply disappear; i.e. no sound appears to be emanating from the speakers. I've heard $250,000 systems that had remarkable soundstage in which the vocalist or instrumentalist never wavered in their position no matter how high or low they might go, but I've never felt this much air around an ensemble, or heard percussion that was spread many feet beyond the sound walls. When these speakers are calibrated from the app on your phone for their distance from walls, distance from each other and from you, the volume of the room, and the absorption coefficient of the room, magic occurs. There's no greater pleasure to be had than experiencing what sound stage really means. I've had mine for a little over three years now, and they're the most consequential purchase thar I've ever made. I stream Spotify, Sirius XM from my phone, and You Tube, etc. from my laptop,. plus vinyl through a preamp. It may be years before I add a subwoofer..

That was a clever Easter egg for The Thing I believe….

I have a 1.8m wide desk (in Europe) and I have been using the LS50 as desktop speakers for 2 years now. They are on 20cm stands to bring the tweeter to ear level, 20-25cm from the wall in 4x3m room in about the middle of one of the long sides. The internet told me this should be a disaster and it isn't, they obviously don't sound their best but the bass is a non issue. To be fair the room is pretty full so this might help and I'm using a nad c368 which has enough power but I've heard people describe it as not having enough bass(though it sounds pretty neutral to me and I think they just like a bass boost). I also use fairly neutral open back headphones from oppo, sennheiser and akg so it's unlikely that I would not be able to tell if the bass was an issue.