KEF LSX II LT Review: Superior Sound Redefined

KEF’s reputation in the realm of active stereo speakers is well-established. With the LSX II LT, the British manufacturer reaffirms its dominance by offering a pair of speakers that are equally impressive, and for the first time, priced under £1,000.

Key Points to Note

Following the success of the remarkable LS50 Wireless II and LSX II, KEF aims to attract a new, less affluent audience, eager to experience its products. The LSX II LT is designed to meet this goal. Nearly identical to the LSX II, they aim to provide a comparable listening experience, albeit with some ergonomic and aesthetic compromises to reduce the entry price. The LSX II LT were released in January 2024 at a price of €999 per pair.

Due to their many similarities with the LSX II, this review will primarily focus on the differences between them and the LSX II LT. For a complete understanding, we recommend reading our KEF LSX II Review.

The first difference from the LSX II is aesthetic. The fabric finish is replaced; the LSX II LT has a more austere and rougher appearance than the LSX II, with a smooth finish that looks less premium and is prone to showing fingerprints and marks more easily. Beyond this change, the LSX II LT retain the compact size of their counterparts (15.5 x 24 x 18 cm) and an exemplary build quality. The available colours are also different and less “funky” than those of the LSX II, being limited to green, grey, or white. Another significant change is that the LSX II LT require a wired connection between them using the provided 3m USB-C cable, whereas the LSX II could operate without a wired inter-speaker connection. Some may view this as a complication in setup, but the LSX II LT has the advantage of only needing one power socket, unlike the LSX II, as the primary speaker powers the secondary one.

Connectivity

In terms of connectivity, there are few changes: the LSX II LT lose the mini-jack analog input, Roon Ready certification, and Bluetooth aptX codec support. The rest (optical, USB-C, coaxial output for a subwoofer connection, HDMI ARC, and RJ45) remains available. The same applies to the various wireless communication protocols. The LSX II LT are as well-connected as the LSX II: AirPlay 2, Chromecast, UPnP, Bluetooth 5.0, Spotify Connect, and Tidal Connect, with no features missing.

The experience with the LSX II LT is identical to that provided by the LSX II. There’s a basic remote control that does the job, and the KEF Connect app continues to be rich with options and settings. A range of streaming platforms are natively supported, such as Amazon Music, Deezer, Qobuz, Tidal, Spotify, and Apple Music, as well as access to the user’s personal music library.

The LSX II LT are equipped with the same 11.5 cm Uni-Q driver, with a 19 mm tweeter inside, as the LSX II. Therefore, it’s not surprising that these new speakers exhibit the same acoustic performance as their counterparts. We are presented with a pair of speakers whose musical qualities are nearly flawless, with a level of detail, richness, and naturalness that continues to impress. The soundstage is impressively expansive in both width and depth, and the size/power ratio still amazes. However, the LSX II LT tend to overemphasize the very high frequencies, resulting in a slightly metallic aspect on some higher-pitched instruments.

Conclusion

Another resounding success for KEF with a pair of compact and connected speakers, as performant as their LSX II counterparts. If the few aesthetic and ergonomic concessions that differentiate them from the LSX II are not a concern, the LSX II LT will delight you with their abundant connectivity and undeniable musical talent, all at a more accessible price.