[Zitoun]

Hello guys,

I went through this review for fun today - Audiophiliac Radically improved KEF LS50 Meta Speaker -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKTYvP7YQ0Q&ab_channel=SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac

Steve G claims that they have the same sound than OB Speakers, I know he sells a lot of kefs, but do you think that can compete with GR speakers like Otica MTM or studio Monitor ?

Thanks

[Danny Richie]

Hello guys,

I went through this review for fun today - Audiophiliac Radically improved KEF LS50 Meta Speaker -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKTYvP7YQ0Q&ab_channel=SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac

Steve G claims that they have the same sound than OB Speakers, I know he sells a lot of kefs, but do you think that can compete with GR speakers like Otica MTM or studio Monitor ?

Thanks

    Let's peak under the hood at the crossovers inside.

[Early B.]

    Let's peak under the hood at the crossovers inside.

C'mon, Danny, you're being too hard on those guys. This is top of the line...

[Zitoun]

Ouch, That ain't pretty

Danny

When do you create an Upgrade Kit for this one ?
GR LS 50 Meta Virtual OB Line, sounds like a large audience.

[Hobbsmeerkat]

Probably not until someone sends Danny the kit to evaluate and design a new crossover for.

[Danny Richie]

Probably not until someone sends Danny the kit to evaluate and design a new crossover for.

That is exactly correct.

[Simonatsea]

Interested to see the new Meta crossover... I have LS50 with upgraded LF crossover (pimp my LS50) and have recently updated the HF crossover with mills resistors and duelund bypass caps.
Wondering how to even open up the Meta and curious if the upgraded LF crossover would be a good fit for the new Meta.
The bypass caps seem to have dulled the HF sound and reduced overall HF output, hoping its just a cap burn in issue....




 

[Wigand]

Just wanted to share this because this thread popped back in to my mind yesterday.
I had the meta now for some days and really liked them compared to the old LS50 which were kind  harsh I felt in the upper ranges.
Regarding the crossover: these are definately different. Also spaced out on two plastic boards. this is the lower board.

[Wigand]

Also all the Values are on the components. So I think one could easily replace them.
But I wonder if its even worth upgrading due to how limited the space is...

[corndog71]

There is a LOT of room for improvement with that. 

[Wigand]

Because I also noticed that the binding post have CHUNKS of metal on them. Basically I really like the voicing of the speaker.
You think just changing the components to all air core, mills and quality caps makes a difference worth making that change?

[Wigand]

hm maybe I enjoy them and go for a XLS anyway when they are available again.
Build one a while ago that a buddy of mine has now at home haha

[Hobbsmeerkat]

Just wanted to share this because this thread popped back in to my mind yesterday.
I had the meta now for some days and really liked them compared to the old LS50 which were kind  harsh I felt in the upper ranges.
Regarding the crossover: these are definately different. Also spaced out on two plastic boards. this is the lower board.

If it's anything like the R11 we looked at recently, there's probably a lot of bracing in the cabinet that will make it tough to upgrade anything but the caps and resistors..
But tbh, even buget level Solen caps and Lynks resistors will definitely maintain the same voicing, but it will greatly improve overall clarity. Though the iron-core inductor will still hold things back a bit.

I would guess any fully upgraded crossover may need to be external.

[Wigand]

Hey Hobbs,

to be honest I bought the meta because the XLS was not available right now.

The cabinet is really strong. Its 3/4 and it has like a cross bracing in the middle (so 4 compartments). So its really tight in there.

I think I just enjoy them till mid of february or whenever when Danny gets the new tweeters for the XLS in haha.

[toocool4]

Wigand you say you’ve only had them a few days and you like the sounds they make, why upgrade what you like and have not even fully got used to them yet?

[Wigand]

totally right

[Hobbsmeerkat]

Wigand you say you’ve only had them a few days and you like the sounds they make, why upgrade what you like and have not even fully got used to them yet?

That was essentially my suggestion to the owners of the R11s, considering that we couldn't really upgrade them without further risk to the woofers, or getting really creative with crossover placement.

If you like them it's best to just enjoy them as they are.

[DannyBadorine]

There is a LOT of room for improvement with that.

Yep.  Those inductors are really close to each other and they look like 18 or 20 gauge.  The capacitors and resistors are cheap.  If you put in some nicer components and space them properly, you will hear a massive difference.

[maty]

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/kef-ls50-meta-review-speaker.25574/page-31#post-1037539

The topology of the crossover of the LS50 Meta is shown in figure 24. The smoother response of the new tweeter has resulted in fewer components in the HF filter and the remaining series capacitor (C1) is of higher quality.

The LF filter is similar to that in the original LS50, but includes an extra low-Q parallel resonance branch (C3-R3-L4) to compensate for the higher sensitivity in the
driver’s upper midrange due to its lower inductance.

The inductor L4 is the only one in the crossover to have a core. It is vital that only the resistor R3 controls the Q of the branch. To that end, the resistance of L4 (which is subject to change as it heats up when passing current) is kept as low as possible. As the core is a possible source of harmonic distortion if it nears saturation, measurements were taken to relate the current passing through L4 with that passing through L2. Figure 25 shows that it will be seen that the current passing through L4 is much lower and the chances of its core saturating are virtually nil, a fact borne out by the THD measurements of figure 23.

To minimise any coupling between inductors, the three in the LF filter are arranged orthogonally and the HF filter is on a separate board, placed well away from the LF filter.

[Wigand]

That’s really cool
Do you know if he has the values ?
Would be interested calculating the cost of a upgrade