Tom, does it really have to be a stand mount? Would you consider going a slim, floor stander? If you did, that might open up some other contenders - like the Totems, or perhaps the GoldenEar Triton 7 - which is receiving outstanding reviews for such a relatively inexpensive speaker.
ML Motion 35XT vs KEF LS50
- Thread starter TomDac
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TomDac
former MLO owner/operator
Stand mount is a requirement.. I want something smaller and easy to move... KEF's have already been ordered. 
MiTT
Super User
Stand mount is a requirement.. I want something smaller and easy to move... KEF's have already been ordered.
I don't think you'll have any regrets with the KEF's Tom. I'm still seriously considering the Ref 1's.
TomDac
former MLO owner/operator
Yeah.. I'm sure they will be fine. I'm getting the R300's, R600c center and the R400b sub. Have you had a listen to the Ref 1's yet?
Tom, did you get the R300?
I just latched on to some Kef reviews - interesting reading. I bought a pair of Motion 15s for surround duties for my Montis speakers. After reading the reviews, I'm going Kef hunting myself. I'm thinking I could back trade the 15s for Kef LS50s which could do double duty as near field montors...
Whoops, I missed your latest post. The R300 it is! Cool.
I just latched on to some Kef reviews - interesting reading. I bought a pair of Motion 15s for surround duties for my Montis speakers. After reading the reviews, I'm going Kef hunting myself. I'm thinking I could back trade the 15s for Kef LS50s which could do double duty as near field montors...
Whoops, I missed your latest post. The R300 it is! Cool.
TomDac
former MLO owner/operator
Definitely the LS50's are something very special... I may eventually get a pair for surrounds.
MiTT
Super User
Tom, not yet. I was hoping to have heard them at RMAF in October, but they hadn't been released in the US yet. I did talk with the local dealer at that time and they were hoping to get the Ref series as well as the Blade II's just about now. As I'd mentioned I'm also thinking about the Joseph Audio Pulsars.
My real favorite small (ish) speaker is the new YG Acoustics Carmel II, but it may be too much of a pipe dream because of the price tag. I think I mentioned here that I had gone to visit the YG factory back in November. Having been bowled over by the first generation Carmel's at RMAF I received an invitation to visit the factory and readily accepted. After a fascinating factory tour I was able to spend about an hour and a half in their large listening room listening to the Carmel's in a much better space than could be afforded under show conditions. I believe it was one of the most engrossing audio presentations I've ever heard, but there was much more to come. I was sworn to secrecy until after CES, and I wasn't allowed to take any pictures, but after listening to the Carmel's they unhooked them and put in the yet to be launched Carmel II's. OMG. That's all I can say. They were so much better in every regard it was as if they were almost two completely different speakers, not just a revision of the same platform. I'll add details in a different thread, but as it stands right now, thinking of a smaller space, I would describe them as my likely "End Game" speakers. Not the absolute best speaker I've ever heard, but amazingly close, especially for a smaller scale system. The only hurdle is the $24K asking price!
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projectormovielover
Well-known member
Gordon Gray
Well-known member
Friend asked me for a system recommend, which consisted of the LS 50's, the OPPO 105D, and the NAD C356BEE integrated.
Heard it today in a much less than perfect set up.
Incredible speaker for the money. And in her room, no sub required.
GG
TomDac
former MLO owner/operator
R300's have made it from the UK to the KEF dealer and are being shipped to me today... Should have them by early next week.. YAY! Can't wait. Not sure what took them so long... I got them in the gloss white color, which might be the reason as I don't think the white ones are in high demand... Kerry and I both saw the white ones in the showroom and agreed that either white or rosewood would be fine and then settled on the white. Looking forward to getting them, getting them broken in and then doing some serious listening...
MiTT
Super User
Tom,
I got to spend almost 3 hours listening to the Ref 1's yesterday. WOW. It's funny how you get used to listening to something, in my case the LS50's, and you don't know what you're missing. Not that the LS50's are doing anything altogether wrong, in fact, as I've stated on my System thread, I find myself preferring the LS50's to my CLS IIz's. But after listening to the Ref1's yesterday I'm firmly convinced that they will be my next speaker.
The sins of the LS50 are sins of omission, a sort of homogenization if you will of the information being presented. It's all there, but very much lumped together like a rock wall. With the Ref 1's it was if a light were grazing the wall, and the texture and shape of each of the stones in the wall were revealed. The more complex the music, the more apparent this was, and the ability to sort out individual instruments in a group, or orchestra was fascinating. I was hearing, not just a differentiation between violins, viola's, cello's etc., but rather each of the individual instruments within each section. In talking to the dealer he explained that with the Reference series each of the individual drivers as well as each component within the crossover were all sorted and matched individually within a very specific set of selection criteria. We do a similar sort of "binning" with regard to the LED's we use in our lighting fixtures, because even the smallest differentiation in color temperature along the black body curve is easy to perceive - so I was able to relate.
If anyone reading this has the opportunity to listen to the Reference series speakers (only select dealers are allowed to carry them), I encourage you to do so. They are something special.
I got to spend almost 3 hours listening to the Ref 1's yesterday. WOW. It's funny how you get used to listening to something, in my case the LS50's, and you don't know what you're missing. Not that the LS50's are doing anything altogether wrong, in fact, as I've stated on my System thread, I find myself preferring the LS50's to my CLS IIz's. But after listening to the Ref1's yesterday I'm firmly convinced that they will be my next speaker.
The sins of the LS50 are sins of omission, a sort of homogenization if you will of the information being presented. It's all there, but very much lumped together like a rock wall. With the Ref 1's it was if a light were grazing the wall, and the texture and shape of each of the stones in the wall were revealed. The more complex the music, the more apparent this was, and the ability to sort out individual instruments in a group, or orchestra was fascinating. I was hearing, not just a differentiation between violins, viola's, cello's etc., but rather each of the individual instruments within each section. In talking to the dealer he explained that with the Reference series each of the individual drivers as well as each component within the crossover were all sorted and matched individually within a very specific set of selection criteria. We do a similar sort of "binning" with regard to the LED's we use in our lighting fixtures, because even the smallest differentiation in color temperature along the black body curve is easy to perceive - so I was able to relate.
If anyone reading this has the opportunity to listen to the Reference series speakers (only select dealers are allowed to carry them), I encourage you to do so. They are something special.
TomDac
former MLO owner/operator
Good to hear, Tim... I'm glad I didn't get a chance to hear them, or my wallet would be MUCH lighter.
