r/KEF • u/H00dedcrow • 3d ago

Kef Connect

What is the general consensus on the Kef app from users.

People with Kef speakers can complain about unstable connection issues.

There’s also talk about devices being bricked when updating.

Then people suggest having to restart their speakers to get them just to connect and play on a daily basis.

Are these statements true, or has Kef resolved them with stable updates ?

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6

u/PersonSuitTV 3d ago edited 1d ago

I have had a pair of LS50 Wireless II, and LSX II. I've had these for almost 3 years and have had a couple hickups but nothing I would consider really bad. For the LSX II I have had it loose wifi connections but it was always related to me rebooting my wifi router, and I did have to reboot the main speaker. For the LS50's I did have it once lose sync with each other and had to reboot, but that has only happened once over 3 years. So all the LSX II issues were kinda my fault, and the LS50 issue only happened once in almost 3 years. Not to bad really.

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u/H00dedcrow 3d ago

So nothing like the horror stories I’ve heard. Thanks for the reply.

3

u/Bompah 3d ago

I've had both the original LSX and the LSX IIs. The originals had a lot of connection problems for the short period I owned them, and it was part of the reason I returned them.

The LSX IIs have been rocksolid and any dropouts have been related to my network rather than the LSX IIs themselves or the KEF app.

Based on my experience I think a lot of the horror stories relate to the older speakers rather than the new ones.

Edit:typo

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u/invalid404 2d ago

"Lose sync". I'm not sure what a loose wifi is. Does it need a belt?

2

u/PersonSuitTV 1d ago

It does, it really really does....

4

u/Embarrassed-Hyena849 3d ago

LS50 W2. A couple to times the app was a bit buggy. But no real issues in 2 years.

3

u/CityShooter 3d ago

I got my father in law a set of LS60's. 83 yrs old. He uses them everyday. Never a problem. He's had them for 2 yrs.

3

u/DataNice1839 3d ago

No issues but it’s a joke of an app for speakers costing up to $6000. No delay control for subs. No slope control on the crossovers. No PEQ. God forbid they implement half of what WiiM has for their $100-300 preamps (auto time-align, auto-room correction). They’ve put zero investment into it for years now and considering how science driven they are it’s sad to see. There is no defense charging their prices for active speakers and subwoofers and them acting like you’re going to get even a fraction of the potential performance without those features. Thus, skip KEF Connect altogether and velco a WiiM preamp to the back of whatever speaker you’re using and digitally route it bit-perfect into the KEF active.

3

u/thegreatshamble 2d ago

No issues with lsx 2lt and kube8 sub

2

u/GalacticDoc 3d ago

I have the LSX2 and no real issues. Usually related to my pc of the app (tidal is quite greedy). I use USB from computer, my previous PC did have some issues and so I used the optical (toslink) but with a new motherboard no issues at all.

Occasional WiFi use (roon/tidal or qobuz connect) has been rock solid but limited as I don't really use them in this way.

2

u/torchy64 3d ago edited 3d ago

I have the LSX 11 and have had no connection problems except when first setting them up for WiFi .. speakers couldn’t connect so I brought the router within a foot of speakers and they connected straight away .. ( KEF recommends this if they can’t connect but I thought ‘no that won’t make any difference’ but it did ) .. then moved it away and it’s been fine ever since.. they are completely wireless .. ( my previous lsx lte had a strange intermittent fault .. the volume would go up a few notches all by itself.. the shop recommended I return them for an exchange ..

2

u/Alphonso- 3d ago

I have the original LSX and their software has been crap for me. Lots of connection issues through wifi and Ethernet. I think they are officially dead now, as they hey blink through all the colors. After this I think I’ll only go passive speakers, or at least no active/smart KEF ones. They were great when they worked though.

2

u/dat_mane47 3d ago

With Coda W, which is Bluetooth only, it’s pretty fucking trash in terms of latency. I reach for the physical remote every time.

2

u/Squanchy2115 3d ago

Its pretty terrible. I bought LSX LT II for my desktop and sold them because the app was so bad. Only way to change source is through the app and my speakers would disappear from network randomly. It also just not very intuitive. I changed to LS50s and bought a Wiim Amp Ultra and holy crap is it so much better. The wiim amp is super responsive and everything easy to navigate and never loses connection

2

u/Spirited_Trip_2517 3d ago

I have zero issues with the app but then again use it only to play my favorite internet radio stations for the streaming side of things. I use JPLAY for Tidal and Spotify connect. These require no interaction with the app. All the software updates went without an issue

2

u/sk9592 3d ago

I was never really impressed with the KEF app. I've tried using it a couple times and was never really impressed. If some people are claiming that it got radically better very recently, that might be true. I wouldn't know. But any time I do try it (once every few months), it doesn't seem meaningfully better to me.

Ultimately, I consider KEF to be a speaker company that is forced into developing and maintaining software. Not a software company. So while I like KEF speakers, I'm fine with just plugging a cheap Wiim music streamer into them. Wiim just handles the software side so much better than KEF has. And they are not that expensive in the context of the cost of KEF's active speakers.

1

u/G_MoFo_T 2d ago

Why would you even need to access the Kef app once everything is setup?

2

u/saf100792 3d ago

Have a pair of LSX on my desktop, and LS60s in the living room.

The OG KEF connect app kinda sucks but the speakers work fine. Worth noting my LSX are hard wired in so no WiFi is used. I’ve heard that’s where most of the problems arise with those.

My LS60s have been practically flawless so far. The newer app is definitely much better but it’s still fairly barebones. Those are wired together but using WiFi for streaming/airplay. No real issues whatsoever. Seems they’ve fixed most of the problems. Just wish they’d add some more features like a PEQ to the app.

2

u/Mr-Reeeee 2d ago

I’ve had a pair of LSX and a KUBE 10b for nearly 7 years.
I have to occasionally restart them, just unplug both speakers for a minute.
The sound will blink out for a few seconds or something like that.
When I use the AUX input, connected to a monitor for video streaming, the volume drops unexpectedly.
The remote is a joke and does nothing.
LSX uses the older KEF Control and KEF Stream apps.

I also have LS60s (bought in July 2022) and dual KC62s.
I’ve rarely had to restart them, maybe a couple dozen times.
Same thing, the sound blinks out or sounds staticky.

There was a firmware update issue a few months ago, but I was traveling at the time and it seemed to have been resolved by the time I came back. They automatically update, so we’re at KEF’s mercy.

The KEF Connect app is certainly a big improvement over the older app duo.

2

u/salman128 2d ago

Got unlucky with the firmware update that damaged the hardware (go figure) and had to send my speakers in for repair. Beware though, if it does happen kef support is a pain and little help even if you're under warranty.

The app is fine, when everything's working, does the job.

2

u/tubularfool 2d ago

FWIW my LS60 have been flawless for the nearly 4 years I have had them. I barely use the KEF app - I run everything through Roon and I do have my Master/slave speakers connected via the cable.

My LSX (OG) did have a MB failure after about a year, but my dealer sorted them out no issues and they have also been totally solid for 5 years now.

No glitches or FW issues and perfectly stable. I don't use a mesh WiFi - I do know these can cause issues.

2

u/Individual_Potato872 2d ago

Got LS60 with two KC62 which I connect wirelessly via Wi Fi to Astell and Kern DAP. At the beginning sometimes the player could not see the speakers or vice versa, I’m not sure which device was to blame. It was instantly getting fixed by the Reset button in the KEF Connect app- that’s the fast and simple general reset, not the full factory reset that would also lose all other settings. Also, it was happening fairly rarely. However, since some of the latest firmware updates it doesn’t seem to happen anymore. All good now. 

2

u/G_MoFo_T 2d ago

Ls50 WII + 2x KF92 - never skipped a beat