Every year the bookshelf speaker market expands, and we users are left with even more choice than the year before. Whilst the variety isn’t a bad thing for our wallets, picking the right speaker can be an overwhelming task.
That’s why we’ve put together this review on the KEF LS50 Mini Monitor, which we think is one of the highlights of what’s currently available.
Today we’ll be doing a brief run through of its pros and cons, as well as looking at why it is one of the best speakers for 2021.
Why pick a bookshelf speaker
When people are looking for new speakers they often overlook bookshelf speakers as an option. People often think they’re not powerful enough to give them the performance they’re looking for.
This may have been true 5 years ago, but the current generation of bookshelf speakers have a lot to offer. Not only can they compete with some of the best full sized speakers but they can do it without needing extra woofers to supply base notes.
Who is KEF?
If you’re a fan of audio equipment, then you will recognize the name KEF and will be aware of its reputation. KEF are known for their long-lasting, high-quality bookshelf speakers, and are a leading company in that speaker category. Their LS50 Mini Monitor is no exception to this.
KEF is a British company that has been producing award-winning speakers since 1961. Since their founding, they have been pushing the boundaries of what has been possible with home speakers. Their slogan is simple, ‘Listen and Believe’
KEF LS50 Mini Monitor Review
A bookshelf speaker that has caught our eye recently is the KEF LS50 Mini Monitor. It’s a perfect choice for those of you who are looking for incredible sound quality but don’t have a lot of space. Don’t just take our word for it, check out this Kef LS50 review for a more in-depth look at the speaker’s features.
Let’s take a deeper look at what the KEF LS50 Mini Monitor has to offer…
Pros
- Three gorgeous finishes
- Vented, aluminum dome tweeter
- Aluminum alloy driver (5.25 inches)
- KEF patent pending technology used
- Proprietary Uni-Q advanced driver array
- Two-way reflex bass
Sadly, neither of us have the time to listen/list all the pros of the LS50 Mini Monitor. So we’ve selected some of the highlights for you below.
KEF Patent Pending Technology Used
The KEF LS50 Mini Monitor draws a lot of inspiration from the KEF LS3/5a, one of their most popular home speakers. However, the LS50 offers much more to you melomaniacs. The LS50 is actually designed for work at the level required of a recording studio, meaning if anything it will over perform in the home.
KEF has a reputation for innovating over the last 60 years, and the LS50 Mini Monitor is no different. This model debuts some patent pending exclusive technology, proving once again that KEF is in a league of its own.
Uni-Q driver
One of these patent pending exclusives is the Uni-Q driver, built by KEF exclusively for the LS50 Mini Monitor. The Uni-Q driver is one of the most advanced speaker drivers on the market.
The range of sound that the LS50 Mini Monitor has is hard to believe if you know anything about speakers. KEF has produced something really special with this machine.
Cons
- Expensive
- Vocals can sound weak or tinny
The Price
One of the main downsides of the KEF LS50 Mini Monitor, which is the same as most KEF products, is the price. Anyone who is interested in good quality speakers will understand that they don’t come cheaply, but KEF is more pricey than most.
KEF has a dedicated customer base that they have built up over the last 60 years. They have built their reputation on innovation and quality. For these reasons they are able to charge a lot for their products as they know they can meet their customers’ high expectations.
Vocals
We don’t know for sure, but we’d bet a pretty penny that the majority of KEF’s customers are classical music lovers and that this next issue won’t affect them a lot.
However, the second and final issue we have with the KEF LS50 Mini Monitor is that its vocal projection isn’t as strong as the rest of its range. This is not to say that it can’t handle the vocals, it does it very well. The vocal projection just falls short of everything else.