Experts recommend Kef LS50 more than SVS Ultra Bookshelf
As of 3 Jan 2025, experts prefer Kef LS50 over SVS Ultra Bookshelf, but both Speakers have solid expert endorsements.
As per this month's meta ranking, Kef LS50 received 5 recommendations: from ZD Net (13 Feb 2023), T3 (12 Nov 2024) Gear Patrol (16 Jul 2024) and 2 others. By contrast, SVS Ultra Bookshelf received only 2 recommendations from The Master Switch (4 Oct 2023) and hifioasis.com (23 Jan 2024).
| Rank | Change | Price | Speakers | SoundGuys  | ZD Net  | Pitchfork  | Wirecutter  | T3  | Gear Patrol  | Rolling Stone  | The Master Switch  | What Hi-Fi  | hifioasis.com  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | - | $930 |  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 | 3 | - | 3 | 1 | - |
| 17 | - | Check price |  SVS Ultra Bookshelf | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | - | 6 |
Curious to see this month's entire Bookshelf Speakers ranking? It's here
Endorsement summary:
- On 4 Oct 2023 The Master Switch ranked Kef LS50 as #3 and SVS Ultra Bookshelf as #5
Rank Speakers Comment ... ... ... #3 out of 17 Kef LS50 Best High-End Bookshelf Speakers for Audiophiles... ... ... #5 out of 17 SVS Ultra Bookshelf Best of the Rest... ... ... Source: www.themasterswitch.com - On 13 Feb 2023 ZD Net ranked Kef LS50 as #4
Rank Speakers Comment ... ... ... #4 out of 5 Kef LS50 Best bookshelf speaker splurge... ... ... Source: www.zdnet.com - On 12 Nov 2024 T3 ranked Kef LS50 as #7
Rank Speakers Comment ... ... ... #7 out of 7 Kef LS50 Awesome passive speakers for a high priceSource: www.t3.com - On 16 Jul 2024 Gear Patrol ranked Kef LS50 as #3
Rank Speakers Comment ... ... ... #3 out of 9 Kef LS50 Best Bookshelf Speakers for Big, Big Sound... ... ... Source: www.gearpatrol.com - On 2 Jan 2025 What Hi-Fi ranked Kef LS50 as #1
Rank Speakers Comment #1 out of 7 Kef LS50 Best bookshelf speakers overall... ... ... Source: www.whathifi.com - On 23 Jan 2024 hifioasis.com ranked SVS Ultra Bookshelf as #6
Rank Speakers Comment ... ... ... #6 out of 6 SVS Ultra Bookshelf Best of the RestSource: www.hifioasis.com
After counting and adding up the 77 expert endorsements of the January rankings, Kef LS50 outranks SVS Ultra Bookshelf. This is not to say that SVS Ultra Bookshelf is a bad option. Like Kef LS50, it is recommended by experts, but less.
As can be seen below, Kef LS50 outranks SVS Ultra Bookshelf by 16 positions. This indicates that, as of 3 Jan 2025, Kef LS50 is more critically acclaimed than SVS Ultra Bookshelf.
| Rank | Change | Price | Speakers | SoundGuys | ZD Net | Pitchfork | Wirecutter | T3 | Gear Patrol | Rolling Stone | The Master Switch | What Hi-Fi | hifioasis.com |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | - | $930 | 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 | 3 | - | 3 | 1 | - |
| 2 | - | $449 |  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 | - | 8 | - | 4 | - | 5 |
| 3 | - | $546 |  Elac Uni-Fi 2.0 The Elac Uni-Fi 2.0 bookshelf speakers offer clear and balanced sound quality, versatile connectivity options, and a sleek design, making them a great choice for general listening purposes in medium-sized rooms and larger spaces. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 |
| 4 | - | $280 |  Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 The Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 bookshelf speaker offers clear and balanced sound quality with a sleek design and good connectivity options, making it a great choice for home theater and music playback on a modest budget. | 2 | - | 9 | - | - | - | - | 7 | - | - |
| Show all rows | |||||||||||||
Expert reviews [19]
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 |
Expert reviews [10]
Total expert reviews: 10
- with a score: 4
- without a score: 6
| Highest score by HomeTheater Review | 100 |
| Average score based on 10 reviews | 94 |
| Lowest score by Audioholics | 90 |
Score distribution:
| 80-100 | |
| 60-80 | |
| 40-60 | |
| 20-40 | |
| 0-20 |
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
From Seller:
- Reference bookshelf speakers with flawless tonal balance, stunning dynamics, unveiled highs and amazing low frequency extension. The Ultra Bookshelf speakers perform in the echelon of the world’s finest audiophile and home theater loudspeakers, yet cost a fraction of the price.
- Read more
The WAIT is OVER! KEF Speaker Review! KEF LS50 Speakers Meta Review
Review by Andrew Robinson
Very popular! 331K views!
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Stereo - KEF LS50 stereo speaker review. Hype or really good?
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Z Review - KEF LS50 [Black Friday Sale Emergency Push because Capitalizm is All we know...]
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SVS Ultra | Audiophile Loudspeaker Review!
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SVS Ultra Bookshelf Speakers Review
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General Info
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
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Weight
16 lbs
19 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
Other
Baffle shaping and port design
Other
FEA optimized grilles
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
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
79Hz - 28kHz
45 Hz-32 kHz
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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 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
Vented aluminum dome
Aluminum Dome Tweeter
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.
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.
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
Magnesium/aluminium alloy
Composite glass-fiber cone
Controls
Remote Control
Does the box include a remote?
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
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
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
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
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
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
- 2 m Powe Cord
- 3 m Cat-6 Inter-Speaker Cable
- 2 m USB Cable
- 1 m LAN Cable
Jumpers attached for bi-wiring or bi-amping
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
Additional Features
Any other features available.
- Plug and Play
- Remote Control included
- Real black oak veneer, and gloss white piano, and gloss black finish options
- Elastomer stick-on bumper feet
- Cloth grille has pin or cup retention system