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KEF LS50 Amping.

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iRo:
Been thinking about upgrading from X300A to LS50 as my set of PC desktop nearfield speakers. I could get exact room size measurements today, but i think it's something like 13-14 m2. Fairly small as you can see.

According to Stereophile's measurements LS50 drops to 4Ω at lower frequencies and need some good 4Ω rated power/integrated amplifier. Any recommendations for it? Would prefer 2 categories - under $500 and under $1k. The only requirement is that should support 240V 60Hz or have EU equivalent that o that.

Most likely i'll be getting RME Babyface Pro audio interface for my mic setup and i'd like to use it as the DAC for speakers. So i'm guessing power/integrated amp would need to have XLR output to connect it to BP's line out. Please bear with me - since it's gonna be my first real passive speaker setup, i'm not entirely sure how some connection options work. So more questions:

- If there are no good power amps with balanced output under $1k, can i just use some RCA to XLR cables to connect amp to DAC? If i use it, as i understand it just gonna be unbalanced chain signal (speakers>amp>DAC)?
- Is there any reason to even use balanced gear if LS50s are unbalanced itself? As i understand, the speaker outs or whatever it called of LS50 are unbalanced by itself.

Uh, i'd really appreciate if someone could explain all this stuff to me like i'm 5... facepalm

anetode:
Any 100w/4ohm capable amp and you're good to go. Doesn't matter whether it's single-ended or balanced. Near-field the only thing I'd worry about is an amp with a high noise floor.

Hroðulf:
It does drop to 3.2Ohm at bass frequencies, so to drive 3Ohm real loads one would need a 2Ohm capable amp. For near-field it isn't that strict, because for most of the time you won't need too much power. I'd get a beefy late 80ies/early 90ies class AB amp. I run mine from a Sony TA-F30ES and it doesn't break a sweat.

The LS50 does, however, need, quality amplification if one expects to hear what these speakers have to offer.

P.S. I hope you have them on stands.

RexAeterna:
Speakers are naturally balanced. They each have return/ground/negative for each channel so, technically they're balanced.

Rca/phono jacks can be made balanced if wanted but, not really needed for general applications. But, yea..

3ohm load is not too bad. Most well design amps with healthy power supplies can handle that. If driving a nominal 2ohm load with a consistent dip lower then, that's a different story.

Most pro amps have balanced/unbalanced inputs. While some argue say pro amps don't sound as nice, that can be endlessly debatable among folks but, in my limited experience with few they can perform just as well at home in hi-fi setting as any other well respectable consumer hi-fi amp. Pro gear is same as consumer stuff where there is some good and some crap as with anything else with the world.

Only downside to most people with pro amps though are fans and looks. They're not design to Wow the typical monkey brain with pretty shiny knobs, glossy/glowing metal, cool pretty lights and fancy giant vu meters. They also use fans too instead of over use of unnecessary heavy large heatsinks to try to keep them passive(that's where most of the weight with home amps come from)and, of course to be pushed harder past their limits but, amps nowadays with fans not really an  issue cause they're most likely thermal controlled and when they kick on its no louder then typical computer/laptop fan.

It just depends though overall. I don't know much consumer amps with balanced connectors in your price range but, lot of pro amps have them since its a standard in pro world. I do love regular/consumer stuff and owned a lot(receivers,integrated, vintage,new,ht,ect).

Only suggestion though unless you like weird warm sound is stay away from McIntosh. They been used in pro/consumer combo like byston but, I don't like MC's. Lot people do which Is great but, I personally wouldn't use them for "reproduction" purposes.

Just look around and be patient. Test if can to see what you like but, overall enjoy. Also balanced amp not completely necessary but, just made suggestions above. Up to you to decide. I'm just serious bout staying away from macs in my opinion. Don't care how many tell you that the grateful dead used them  that they must be awesome lol.

electropop:
Macs have killed the joy of every system I've listened with them in the chain.

Buddy used to run a store supplying them, so tried them out quite a bit. Not one of their products appealed to me in any way. Of course I didn't tell that to him..

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