I am using the stock cable. If it happens again to me I will try a different ethernet cable and see what happens.
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I had my LS50w for five months or so.
They worked fine until the latest firmware update.
The update itself was done without problems, however Bluetooth was gone since then. None of my devices could connect (even see) the LS50w.
I had a conversation with KEF, but they couldn’t help me.
This morning, however, i had the idea to unplug and replug the power cables and what a joy, the have Bluetooth again. Problem solved!
Connecting the two speakers with a longer ethernet cable (5m) doesn’t work.
I will try a different cable.
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Well great.
My replacement set, which I have had about a month, just died.
The left speaker stopped playing and started making a clicking noise.
The three middle lights are blinking.
Turing them off and on multiple times didn’t work.
A hard reset from the back doesn’t work. The green light is supposed to blink and then go solid. In my case it blinks but then just turns off.
I already spent over $100 in shipping and lost three weeks of usage sending the first ones back. They lasted 8 months before they they developed the heavy static in the speaker issue and in that case the middle three lights were also blinking.
The sad thing is I’m not surprised.
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I’m using the stock cable.
Darwin, sorry to hear this. It’s a bummer to have happened again. What will you do now?
Thanks John.
Update, after several hours of restarts and attempt to reset they started working again but I feel like I’m living on borrowed time. I feel like I can’t really sell them without disclosure and I don’t know if the remaining 3 month warranty transfers to a new owner.
I’m mulling over my options…I do like the active speaker concept alot. Dynaudio is probably the closest competitor or the Yamaha NX500 which is $799 so probably doesn’t sounds as good but has all the inputs I want including airplay.
Here’s a quick summary of the poll results so far:
No. of people who own the LS50 Wireless : 20
No. of people who have experienced some kind of fault: 10
So, 50% of KEF LS50W owners have experienced a problem/fault of increasing severity:
i. Flashing lights indicating a ‘system failure’ and the loss of sound from one or both speakers. Normally fixed by power cycling the master speaker.
ii. Bricking the speaker due to a flaky firmware upgrade process/software. Some have recovered after a hard reset; others have been less fortunate.
iii. Hardware issue with ‘clicking’ or distortion in one speaker requiring the speakers to be replaced.
And, what is more concerning, is that at least 3 owners have had mutliple hardware failures even with replacement speakers.
Now clearly this poll is not statistically significant but, still, this is not a positive outcome for KEF.
Wow!! 50% is significant in any poll no matter how informal. I live about 15 minutes from KEF in NJ. When I was there to pick up my sub a few weeks ago I brought up the subject of issues with the speakers. They told me it was a small isolated group. This says otherwise to me. It’s now at the point where I hold my breath every time I turn my speakers on. Besides one issue of blinking lights my speakers ahem been trouble free. That may be the kiss of death to say it out loud.
It might also be interesting to add when our speakers were made, Mine were 12-2016 according to the sticker on the box.
Mine have also always been connected to a UPS with line conditioning.
I forgot to mention the issue with the iR remote from my cable box affecting the volume and power on/off or the KEF.
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Hi all I have my Kef LS50W for 2 weeks now. I really like the sound of them especially in combination wtih Roon. Unfortunately I have had the blinking lights issue for 10 times now. It also made a strange sound when i restarted the speakers. So is it already clear what is causing this issue?
Hi Paul,
Sadly there doesn’t appear to be any information coming from KEF on this.
I have been in contact with Jack Sharkey, KEF USA who - I hope - is discussing the issues that I have had with the LS50W’s with his KEF UK counterparts.
For now it seems to be something that occurs when the speakers are brought out of standby i.e. like a ‘wake from hibernate’… I’ve come to see the flashing lights as a Windows BSOD.
What sub are you using with the KEF LS50W? I find it doesn’t get low enough.
I’m using a Rel T7i and it is -6dB at 30hz. Test tones at 30hz+ were audible so getting signal down to that level.
Interesting to read this.
My left speaker makes a clicking noise every time I turn the system on or off. Has anyone else heard this? It seems to come from inside the speaker, not from the woofer/tweeter. Is this normal?
I has occasional sparkling from right speaker, but IT dissapeared when I switched from an AirPort Express to Chromecast Audio. However, I feel the sound quality is not stable. I sense a slight distortion sonetimes. It often starts at out good, but seem to worsen after planting a while. Unplugging the speakers for a while often seem to help. It is very strange. I am not an Audiophile, but believe I have good ears.
(Please excuse my spelling errors)
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The clicking sound you hear from the left speaker is the speaker turning itself on after you turn the system on. That sound is normal.
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Thank you! That is a relief. Do you hear it when you turn the speakers off as well? It reminds me of the noise panel ovens make due to heat change in the material, only plasticky. I was thinking the percieved change in sound could have something to do with a component overheating. Does anyone know if that sort of thing could be caused by the router, the Internet connection? Also, I use 5 meter cable between the speakers. I really want it not to be a problem with the speakers themselves 
Yes the LS50w’s also make that sound on shutdown.
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Yes, it’s completely normal. I assumed it was a power relay switching on/off in the left speaker.
Thanks! I did not recognize it before after the crackling appeared, so I guess I just assumed it was part if the problem. Now I am changing cables and router. I hope this will fix the mentioned instability in performance.