The manner that this is integrated into the top of the cabinet is beautifully realised and it’s details like this that help the KEF to be genuinely user friendly. The fit and finish is every bit as good as the passive version too. Do be aware that there some unavoidable quirks of placement that the KEF can’t easily nullify though. Any HDMI or optical connection from a TV is going to have to come out to the master speaker and both of those speakers need mains power. If you can dress it correctly, a setup based around the Wireless II will look outstanding… but you’ll need to put the effort in. I am an old audiophile, brought up on components so heavy, you could only ever live in ground floor accommodation. We’re happy to report that the LS50 Wireless II stereo speakers continue to provide the phenomenal audio quality offered by their predecessors – and then some.

Famed for their striking design, balanced sound and complete connectivity, the original KEF LS50 Wireless speakers swept the board. Now featuring new MAT technology for superior sound, a brand-new wireless platform and new KEF Connect app, the LS50 Wireless II is more impressive than ever. I bought the LS50 Wireless II speakers, mainly to listen to The Archers and route large conference calls through. I never imagined or had any intentions of using them to listen to music through. We listen to Adrienne Lenker's Symbol and it is a more captivating affair through the Wireless IIs. The extra space between her vocal and the strings is in relative contrast to the originals, where it sounds as though they're fighting against one another for attention. That extra spaciousness isn’t at the expense of cohesiveness either – a hallmark quality of the Uni-Q driver’s tweeter-inside-the-mid/bass-cone design. There are many wireless stereo speakers on the market, but ‘wireless’ doesn’t always mean what you might think. Just like its competitors, the LS50 Wireless II streams music wirelessly. It also goes one stage further, though, in featuring a wireless connection between the speakers themselves – no umbilical cord required. If you want to improve file resolution from 96 kHz/24 bit to 192 kHz/24 bit, then simply use the supplied interspeaker connection cable.Every aspect of LS50 Wireless II has been considered for acoustic benefits and from a design perspective. The low-diffraction, curved baffle is precision modelled around the Uni-Q driver, while eye-catching heat sinks and colour-matched ports are located on the well-equipped rear. The top-mounted control panel is designed to be stylish and functional. Even beyond the flawless musical performance, LS50 Wireless II is a breeze to set up thanks to the KEF Connect app. It is intuitive to use with any source in your home, and it allows simple over-the-air firmware updates that bring you new and improved features with the minimum of fuss. As a product following in the footsteps of such a huge success, the KEF LS50 Wireless II arrive with a world of expectation on their shoulders – but they well and truly meet those expectations. Make no mistake, this is a sequel of rare quality.

At the moment the app has BBC radio stations available. These are occasionally interrupted by messages from the BBC that they will soon not be available. It would be helpful to have heard from KEF whether they will add BBC Sounds to their app or not.As well as offering the dynamic range to make the most of Hi-Res music, the LS50 Wireless II also supports many associated formats. MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) – as used by TIDAL Masters – is compatible. ROON Endpoint status means it’s compatible with the award-winning music player – including Hi-Res files.