KEF LS50W Not playing 192kHz over wifi

Support
1

New KEF LS50W not playing 192kHz over wifi, I have KEF LSX and have no problem with them playing 192kHz, any ideas?

Thanks

3

Hi @Richard_Heyfron,

Can you please confirm if the behavior is the same when the LS50W’s are connected via Ethernet? How is your Core connected, is it over WiFi or Ethernet? Is there any change if you connect the Core via Ethernet as well?

4

Thanks Norris, going to try that let you know.

5

Looks like I got it wrong, 96 kHz is the optimum playback over wifi.

6

Got it wrong again?? 96 kHz is the highest the lsx with go but the ls50w are 192 kHz, I will keep trying…

7

Had a similar issue.

Look in the set up app for the KEF. There is a toggle you can turn on if you have conflics with streaming. The name and discription is a bit of a mystery to me. It appears once you select it the choice drops off the app.

8

Thanks Jeff, tried it but no joy.

9

Same problem, I use an cable now with the ls50. Even with the cable it sometimes plays 2 seconds, the pause to buffer for some seconds. Any idea on that?

10

Dang it.

The roon tested stuff only kinda works. For me future choices will be only roon ready products or products that have a roon ready work around.

We like our KEFs but we will not get another. No way to work around the onboard DACs, the product is locked in for life. Too many stray disappointments using with roon.

11

Hi,

@Richard_Heyfron / @AlexderK - Is there any change in behavior if you factory reset you KEF speakers? Instructions located in Section A5 of the KEF FAQ.

@jeff_odum - Are you KEFs connected via Ethernet?

@ All - What firmware versions are you using? Have you updated to the newest one via the KEF Control app?

12

Have factory reset a couple of times.
The KEFs are wireless not connected to Ethernet.
Firmware up to date.

13

Also tried with core connected with Ethernet.

14

I’m wifi.

Perhaps check for update prior to reset?

Do keep me posted. The KEFs are finicky and if you find improvement in behavior do share.

15

Up to date and Ethernet cause of 192khz upsampling. Works wonderfully with the cable,except the buffering indies sometimes after the first 2 or 3 seconds. Then plays without any problems.

16

Hi @Richard_Heyfron,

Can you please check what the behavior is like with both Core and LS50Ws connected via Ethernet? Do you still experience the same behavior then?

@Richard_Heyfron/@jeff_odum/@AlexderK - Can you please confirm the exact firmware version of the speakers you’re using in the KEF Control app?

17

Hi Norris, I now have it playing 192kHz but I have to have it connected via usb from my MBP and the core connected via ethernet. Not sure what to do because my modem/router is in the basement and the KEF LS50w are on the main floor??? and the core is quite away from both…?

18

Hi Richard, I think I spoke to you on the Kef Facebook page. Hello! :slightly_smiling_face:

As I said there… your core must be hard-wired to your router, you will not get stable playback at 192/24 if it is not.

You say your core is quite a way from both your router and your kef’s?

Can you still hard-wire it to your router? Or does that mean slinging a cable down the stairs? :open_mouth:

Can you not move the core into the basement?

I presume you can’t move the router because the internet connection comes straight into your basement?

If you can give me an idea of your layout and locations I might be able to come up with suggestions…

Cheers,

Dan

1 Like
19

Hi Dan, quick question again, so you can stream 192/24 from your core (which is connected to your router) with success ? What is your core?

Thanks Dan

Richard

20

Yep. My core is a Mac Mini, connected via Ethernet. My speakers are on Wi-Fi.

But they are very close to my router… just 1 metre away.

My first ever core was on a MacBook Pro, which worked wirelessly, but only at 16/44.1. I had to hard wire it to play hi-res, so that’s how I came to the conclusion your core has to be hard-wired.

Stands to reason really… because if your core is not hard wired and you are taking your high res files, as I was, from elsewhere on the network (a NAS in my case), the traffic on the Wi-Fi is three times higher than if you hard wire your core, as the music has to get from your network storage to your core, back to the router, then back out to the Kefs… all wirelessly! The same is true when streaming from the internet via Tidal for example

If you hard wire your core, the only wireless music traffic is from your router to the Kefs. WiFi can usually cope with this data rate. (9.2 MBit/sec for 192/24).

Walls and interference from neighbours cut down the data rate you can successfully receive though, which is why I suggested you try checking you’re on an unused channel on your router if you can (by sniffing what the neighbours are on with iStumbler, or Network Stumbler).

.

21

OK, to test that I’m going to try to take my speakers down stairs to the basement near my router, hardwire core to router, and try that.

Thanks again Dan for your help.

1 Like