Expand Hide

Experts prefer Kef LS50 over Kanto YU3 Power

On 7 Mar 2024 (21 days ago) we went through 80 Speakers expert endorsements .

Currently, Kef LS50 received 5 endorsements from ZD Net (13 Feb 2023), T3 (29 Feb 2024) Gear Patrol (5 Jan 2024) and 2 others. Meanwhile, Kanto YU3 Power did not receive any endorsements this month.

Rank Change Price Speakers
SoundGuys
ZD Net
Pitchfork
Wirecutter
T3
Gear Patrol
Rolling Stone
The Master Switch
What Hi-Fi
hifioasis.com
1
- $1600
Kef LS50
The Kef LS50 bookshelf speakers are highly recommended for their exceptional sound quality, versatile frequency response, unique design, and range of connectivity options, making them suitable for a range of music genres and listening environments.
-
4
-
-
7
2
-
3
1
-
N/A N/A Check price
Kanto YU3 Power
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

Curious to see this month's entire Bookshelf Speakers ranking? It's here

About our ranking methodology

Endorsement summary:

  • On 13 Feb 2023 ZD Net ranked Kef LS50 as #4
    Rank Speakers Comment
    ... ... ...
    #4 out of 5 Kef LS50
    Best bookshelf speaker splurge
    ... ... ...
  • On 29 Feb 2024 T3 ranked Kef LS50 as #7
    Rank Speakers Comment
    ... ... ...
    #7 out of 7 Kef LS50
    Awesome passive speakers for a high price
    Source: www.t3.com
  • On 5 Jan 2024 Gear Patrol ranked Kef LS50 as #2
    Rank Speakers Comment
    ... ... ...
    #2 out of 12 Kef LS50
    Best upgrade
    ... ... ...
  • On 4 Oct 2023 The Master Switch ranked Kef LS50 as #3
    Rank Speakers Comment
    ... ... ...
    #3 out of 17 Kef LS50
    Best High-End Bookshelf Speakers for Audiophiles
    ... ... ...
  • On 8 Feb 2024 What Hi-Fi ranked Kef LS50 as #1
    Rank Speakers Comment
    #1 out of 7 Kef LS50
    Entertaining and innovative, these are the best stereo speakers overall.
    ... ... ...
Critic Consensus Common points from expert reviews summarized.
As can be seen below, Kef LS50 is mentioned by key experts in Mar 2024, while Kanto YU3 Power is not.
Rank Change Price Speakers
SoundGuys
ZD Net
Pitchfork
Wirecutter
T3
Gear Patrol
Rolling Stone
The Master Switch
What Hi-Fi
hifioasis.com
1
- $1600
Kef LS50
The Kef LS50 bookshelf speakers are highly recommended for their exceptional sound quality, versatile frequency response, unique design, and range of connectivity options, making them suitable for a range of music genres and listening environments.
-
4
-
-
7
2
-
3
1
-
2
+1 $359
Q Acoustics 3020i
The Q Acoustics 3020i bookshelf speakers offer excellent sound quality, versatility, and a modern design, making them a great option for audiophiles who prioritize accuracy and transparency in their sound system.
-
-
7
2
-
9
-
4
-
5
3
New * $700
Elac Uni-Fi 2.0
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
-
1
4
+1 Check price
Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2
The Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary Edition bookshelf speaker delivers excellent sound performance across the frequency range, with punchy and dynamic bass, a wide frequency response, and a purposeful design, making it a great choice for music and home theater use.
-
5
-
-
5
7
-
9
-
-
Show all rows
Expert Reviews There are people on the Internet whose job is to review products. Below are their opinions.
No expert reviews linked yet for Kanto YU3 Power.

Expert reviews [19]

94
Total expert reviews: 19
  • with a score: 9
  • without a score: 10
Highest score by What Hi-Fi
100
Average score based on 19 reviews
94
Lowest score by World of Turntables
80

Score distribution:

80-100
60-80
40-60
20-40
0-20
From Seller:
  • 2x Optical (TOSLINK) Audio, Bluetooth 4.0 with Qualcomm aptX, 3.5mm mini-jack AUX, RCA L/R Inputs
  • 30 Watts Per Channel
  • Class D Amplifier, 4 inch Kevlar drivers, 1 inch Silk Dome tweeters
  • Subwoofer Output
  • Remote Control included, Each speaker measures 5.5" W x 7.5" D x 8.6" H (14 W x 19 D x 22 H cm)
  • Read more
From Seller:
  • Connect wirelessly via dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity or Bluetooth 4.0, as well as wired via an asynchronous USB Connection, digital (TOSLINK) input, or an RCA analog input.
  • The LS50W uses a 5.25" Uni-Q driver capable of reaching down to 40Hz, combined with a built-in 192Khz/24bit DAC and 230W amplifier.
  • Read more
Video Reviews Most popular unboxing/review videos.
No video reviews linked yet for Kanto YU3 Power.
The WAIT is OVER! KEF Speaker Review - KEF LS50 Speakers - Meta Review
Review by Andrew Robinson
Very popular! 154K views!
Play video review
Stereo - KEF LS50 stereo speaker review. Hype or really good?
Review by Thomas & Stereo
Very popular! 152K views!
Play video review
Z Review - KEF LS50 [Black Friday Sale Emergency Push because Capitalizm is All we know...]
Review by Z Reviews
Very popular! 195K views!
Play video review
From Manufacturer Manufacturer-provided product description, urls and documents.
EAN Numbers: 0800152713526, 0800152713533, 0800152713557
UPC Numbers: 800152713526, 800152713533, 800152713557
Model Numbers: YU3MG, YU3MN, YU3MW
EAN Numbers: 0637203213649, 0637203213748, 0637203215186, 0637203217906
UPC Numbers: 637203213649, 637203213748, 637203215186, 637203217906
Model Numbers: LS50ABL, LS50AGREY, LS50AWH, LS50METAW
General Info
Number of Speakers How many bookshelf speakers are included?
2
2
Speaker Design The primary components of a bookshelf speaker are “drivers,” which are the cones that actually create the sound. These cones come in three types: tweeters, midranges (sometimes called mids), and woofe ... Show more
Two-Way
Two-Way
Physical Features
Dimensions
Loading product dimensions...
Loading product dimensions...
Weight

16 lbs
 

16 lbs
 
Indoor or Outdoor Use Can the speaker be used outdoors?
Indoor
Indoor
Cabinet
Cabinet Material The cabinet refers to the portion that surrounds and holds all of the speaker elements together - the speaker box, if you will. The most common material is wood, but you’ll also find plastic, fiberboa ... Show more
no data Know this info? Contribute!
Other
Baffle shaping and port design
Enclosure Type The type of enclosure, or cabinet, plays a key role in determining the focus of your sound. Do you prefer accurate bass or loud bass? There are two main types: acoustic suspension and bass reflex. Aco ... Show more
Bass Reflex
Bass Reflex
Sound Quality and Power
Sensitivity Measured in decibels, or dB, sensitivity measures a speaker’s ability to convert power to volume. Lower sensitivity speakers require more power from the amplifier to achieve higher volumes. Higher sen ... Show more
85 dB
106 dB
Frequency Response Range Given as a range in Hertz (Hz), the frequency response is a measurement of the range of sound a speaker can produce. For reference, the human ear can hear a frequency range of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz (shor ... Show more
60 Hz – 20 kHz
79Hz - 28kHz
Magnetically Shielded When sound is played through a speaker, an electromagnet is activated using the power from the amplifier to bring the driver forward, and another magnet pulls the driver back. This causes the driver t ... Show more
No
No
Peak Power Power handling, or peak power, is the highest wattage a speaker can accept from an amplifier before it burns out or becomes damaged. This number is given in watts. It’s recorded by measuring how loud ... Show more
120 Watts
100 Watts
Powered Speaker What you may not know about bookshelf speakers is that they don’t always work straight out of the box. To power the speakers, you often need a receiver and an amplifier. Amplifiers power the signal th ... Show more
Yes
No
Impedance Impedance is a key electrical measurement, provided in ohms. This number describes the electrical resistance provided by the speaker to the power signal sent by your amplifier. A common analogy used f ... Show more
4 Ohms
8 Ohms
High Resolution Audio More and more, musicians and streaming services are offering high-resolution audio playback for music files. Like a TV, your speaker has to be high-res capable to play these high-res files. True audio ... Show more
Yes
Yes
Tweeters

Tweeters produce the highest frequencies in sound, typically anything above 2,000 Hz. Usually located at the top of the speaker, tweeters come in different shapes (detailed below) and sizes. Generally speaking, the size of the tweeter is not as important as the shape. But, for some guidance, consider that a larger tweeter (measured by diameter in inches or millimeters) will likely be louder and able to disperse sound over a larger area.

Number of Tweeters
1
1
Tweeter Type Tweeters produce the highest frequencies in sound, typically anything above 2,000 Hz. Usually located at the top of the speaker, tweeters come in different shapes (detailed below) and sizes. Generally ... Show more
Dome
Dome
Tweeter Size Diameter of the Tweeter
1 inches
1 inches
Tweeter Material In addition to the shape of the tweeter, the material has a big impact on the type of sound emitted. The two most popular materials are metals (aluminum, titanium, etc.) and soft textiles (silk, cloth ... Show more
Silk dome tweeters
Vented aluminum dome
Midranges

Speakers with midrange drivers (i.e., at least three-way speakers) have a distinct advantage over two-way speakers. Adding a midrange driver to the mix allows tweeters and woofers to focus on the sound waves they’re best equipped to produce—high tones and low tones respectively. More specific and focused drivers means more accurate, robust sound. Compared to the other drivers, midranges cover sounds, not surprisingly, in the middle of high/treble and low/bass tones. The human voice and most instruments fall into this range. For more sophisticated listeners, or for those who truly want the best sound reproduction, a midrange driver is crucial.

Number of Midranges
no data Know this info? Contribute!
0 mids
Woofers

The woofer is the driver that is responsible for low frequency sounds and bass - crucial for well-rounded, booming sound. It is the biggest driver in size, and is usually shaped like a cone. When reviewing different bookshelf speakers, you will often see a measurement in the product name, starting as low as 4” and ranging to 6 ½” or more. This measurement refers to the diameter of the woofer. A general rule of thumb is a bigger woofer means louder, more powerful bass. But, as with any speaker metric, this number alone doesn’t describe the loudness of the speaker and should be taken into consideration with other measurements such as sensitivity, which describes the loudness of a speaker per watt.

Number of Woofers
1
Woofer/Midrange
1
Woofer Size Diameter of the woofer
4 inches
5.1 inches
Woofer Material Woofers are built with a variety of materials, such as paper, plastic, polypropylene, Kevlar, or metal. Some are even made with more unique materials like wood. They key to quality in a woofer materia ... Show more
Kevlar Mid/Woofer Driver
Magnesium/aluminium alloy
Controls
Remote Control Does the box include a remote?
Yes
Yes
Button Controls Control the speaker with buttons on the device.
  • Volume control knob
  • Power button
Power button
App/Smartphone Control If the bookshelf speaker is Wi-Fi or Bluetooth-enabled (or both), you’ll likely be able to control the output through your smartphone or other device. Sometimes, this capability comes with the caveat ... Show more
No
No
Connections
Wi-Fi Enabled Speakers with Wi-Fi connectivity connect directly to your home Wi-Fi network to stream audio from your devices—smartphone, tablet, laptop, etc. This may require an app from the brand, such as Yamaha’s ... Show more
No
No
Bluetooth Enabled Speakers with built-in Bluetooth allow you to stream audio content directly from device (e.g., smartphone, tablet, laptop) on the speakers. This feature behaves just like any other Bluetooth-enabled d ... Show more
Yes
Yes
Wired Connections or Wireless Not to be confused with Wi-Fi-enabled speakers, wireless speaker set ups do not require a speaker wire or direct lines to other speakers and the AV receiver. Typically, these speakers require a wirele ... Show more
Yes
Yes
Speaker Wire Included Speaker wire is the connection used between speakers, amplifiers and receivers. This is a special type of wire that makes an electrical connection and transmits sound signals. You will only use this t ... Show more
Yes
Yes
Other Connections Bookshelf speakers commonly come with speaker wire inputs/outputs to connect your speaker to an AV receiver, which transmits the sound from your TV. In some cases, speakers may come with additional in ... Show more
  • Power cord
  • Speaker Wire
  • RCA – Mini Jack Adapter
  • 2 m Powe Cord
  • 3 m Cat-6 Inter-Speaker Cable
  • 2 m USB Cable
  • 1 m LAN Cable
Additional Info
ENERGY STAR Certified For the environmentally conscious, choosing an “ENERGY STAR Certified” speaker may be important to you. Technology devices with this label are required to meet certain industry standards as it relates ... Show more
No
No
Additional Features Any other features available.
  • Remote Control included
  • Knurled binding posts for Left to right speaker connection
  • Plug and Play
  • Remote Control included
Loading price comparison chart...

Kef LS50 are a popular and one of the most expensive options. They're in the top 3 bestselling speakers and have dozens of popular alternatives in the same price range, such as Wharfedale Linton or Q Acoustics Q Active 200 .

Kef LS50 were released in 2012. There are a lot of newer speakers on the market. Show newer Speakers

Kef LS50 are $1320 more expensive than average speakers ($279.99).

You might also like:

High-rated Speakers in a similar price range.

This website displays data from third party public sources. The data presented is for information purposes only. We can't guarantee correctness and completeness of all the data presented here, and therefore will not accept liability for any issues arising from usage of this data. All Trademarks and Copyrights belong to their respective owners. ReviewFinder is reader-supported - if you click on a link on ReviewFinder and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no extra cost to you.


Copyright © 2024