For music only

[Good4it]

Should I go with a center or surround speakers first? Budget (wife) says 1 at a time.

 

[Kvn_Walker]

Center first. Voice-matching your center with your front speakers is very important, so spend your most money there. Voice-matching surrounds is nowhere near as important.

 

[ryanosaur]

Should I go with a center or surround speakers first? Budget (wife) says 1 at a time.

Are you looking for doing 5.1 audio? Or just the occasional multi-channel stereo thing (since you said "for music only")?
What are your Mains, if I may ask?
I agree with Kvn, though... finish out your front three!

 

[Good4it]

Mains are LS50s in the bedroom. What center (other than ls50c) matches?

 

[Kvn_Walker]

That's a pretty unique speaker. Is there a reason you wouldn't just use a 3rd LS50 for center?

I can give you a good example of voice matching. My best friend just bought a pair of Revel speaker from me. He has an old AR center channel to complete the front stage. When I was playing test tones to balance output levels, the LCR sweep sounded something like this:

SWIIIISSSSSSSHHH
SWOOOOOOOOSHHHH
SWIIIISSSSSSSHHH

now he didn't mind (didn't even seem to notice) but some folks would be driven crazy by that. A good tonal balance (not just SPL) across the front should translate into a more coherent final product reaching your ears.

 

[BluesDaddy]

IF it were me for MUSIC only, I'd go with the surrounds first because you can always do a phantom center that should be acceptable, especially in a bedroom system.

 

[Good4it]

That's a pretty unique speaker. Is there a reason you wouldn't just use a 3rd LS50 for center?

Cost and size .

 

[davidscott]

Why not 2 channel stereo for music only? Better speakers and better sources better amplification for the $$.

 

[Kvn_Walker]

Cost and size .

Gotcha. Well we do have a few LS50 owners on this forum so I hope they can chime in for suggestions.

 

[everettT]

Another vote for phantom center. The KEFs have a nice soundstage that would sound better than a compromised center.

This just posted

https://forums.audioholics.com/forums/threads/kef-lsx-wireless-speaker-targets-ls50-performance.113791/

 

[3db]

Should I go with a center or surround speakers first? Budget (wife) says 1 at a time.

Its unclear as to the application. Are you building a multichannel system for music only or will it play double duty for HT as well?

 

[Good4it]

I repeat the post title FOR MUSIC ONLY.

 

[everettT]

I repeat the post title FOR MUSIC ONLY.

It's for surround sound since it's more than 2ch, whether is music or not. It gets ppl confused when you say music only as most all think 2 channel for music. For your edification.

 

[KenM10759]

Mains are LS50s in the bedroom. What center (other than ls50c) matches?

Why "other than" another LS50? The closest you can get would be an R200c, which can be had from Accessories2Less.com for $700, and that's about $40 more than a single LS50. (There is no such thing as an LS50c, BTW)

https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/kefr200cgba/kef-r200c-r-series-5.25-center-channel-speaker-gloss-black-new/1.html

 

[Good4it]

Why "other than" another LS50? The closest you can get would be an R200c, which can be had from Accessories2Less.com for $700, and that's about $40 more than a single LS50. (There is no such thing as an LS50c, BTW)

https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/kefr200cgba/kef-r200c-r-series-5.25-center-channel-speaker-gloss-black-new/1.html

What’s this then?
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_991LS50CGB/KEF-LS50C.html

 

[lovinthehd]

What’s this then?
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_991LS50CGB/KEF-LS50C.html

I expected to see it such that it would be laid on its side like many centers that are converted from L/R use (change of crossover or wave guide or something). What makes it a center particularly?

 

[Good4it]

I expected to see it such that it would be laid on its side like many centers that are converted from L/R use (change of crossover or wave guide or something). What makes it a center particularly?

Have to ask KEF. All I know is it’s marketed as one.

 

[ryanosaur]

I expected to see it such that it would be laid on its side like many centers that are converted from L/R use (change of crossover or wave guide or something). What makes it a center particularly?

https://www.kefdirect.com/speaker/flagship-hi-fi-speakers/ls50/ls50-single-center-speaker.html
Single speaker vs pair?
edit: yup... with a mark up.

 

[KenM10759]

What’s this then?
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_991LS50CGB/KEF-LS50C.html

That's simply what Crutchfield chose to name it, not KEF!

 

[lovinthehd]

https://www.kefdirect.com/speaker/flagship-hi-fi-speakers/ls50/ls50-single-center-speaker.html
Single speaker vs pair?
edit: yup... with a mark up.

LOL just a higher price for a single....gotta love audiophilia