Darko posted a quite comprehensive article on MQA support by KEF LS50 Wireless II: https://darko.audio/2020/10/mqa-on-the-kef-ls50-wireless-ii/
Just received my KEF LS50 II to replace v1 and find that now roon wonât accept ready only devices without certification since 21 September.
I upgraded because I wanted to use MQA natively without feeding from ROPIEE & DRAGONFLY via AUX.
Stuck with no MQA Until certification and now the Connect App wonât connect to TIDAL
So be careful what you wish for ???
Hi Anthony,
In regards to Tidal:
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Have you updated the firmware and the app to the latest versions?
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If yes, can you open the app, replicate the issue, and then go into the settings page?
There you will find the âSupportâ option. It will bring up your email program with the speaker logs preloaded. Try and be as descriptive as possible with what youâre experiencing - for example is Tidal logging you in but not loading anything else, is it loading up the options for Tidal Masters, Tidal Rising etc or is it loading all of that, but not playing back when a track is selected? Info about your network environment is also very useful for the CS and dev team.
Did it work before? Iâm using a production pair on the latest firmware here in HK with no issue, so it could be something geographic with servers for example. But those logs and a description of what youâre seeing might give the dev team a good chance of seeing what is happening in your situation.
Hello Ben,
Thanks for your reply - yes it worked initially - sent a support mail - basically stuck with this screen
Tried all the usual stuff - re install app - checked firmware etc - will keep trying. (I am an IT person so used to this stuff !!)
Btw the LS59W II sound fantastic !!
Thanks
Out of interest, do you get the same with Deezer, Amazon Music and Qobuz? Even if you donât have subscriptions with them, do they load the login page?
They all do the same - just single word at the page top - except Spotify which prompts to open the Spotify app
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I too am using the LS50WII and have not had the issues with the âconnectâ app that you are experiencing. I am also using the M-Connect app to connect to my NAS (since this feature is not yet implemented in the KEF app). M-Connect also connects with Tidal and Qobuz. I too am disappointed that Roon is not functional with this system. I knew it would probably not be fully certified at the time I made my purchase but I guess I didnât realize it would be totally disabled. The Darko review and all other early reviews of the LS50W2 as well as the KEF literature kinda glossed over that whole major point. The Roon staff have been very forthcoming about the issue; I just wish the same were true of KEF. When asked, KEF support staff have been very vague about the timeline for certification. But I am sure they are as much in the dark on this issue as the customers. I agree that Roon should stick to their guns and require companies who use âRoon Readinessâ to market their products to actualy comply with and meet certification guidelinesâŚpreferably BEFORE the product is released. While I am disappointed with the way this product was released, I am certainly not disappointed with the sound quality of the LS50WII. Also, the robustness of itâs wireless streaming is a significant step up from the original version. The LS50WII is a major upgrade and should be a hugely popular product of KEF and potentially expand the user base for RoonâŚso KEF and Roon, please fix this. It is much better to under promise and over deliver than over promise and under deliver.
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To be fair to KEF, on the âglossyâ pages of their web site, they consistently showed an asterisk next to the Roon Ready logo, and below the text, there was another asterisk that said âcoming soonâ. In the case of the Specifications, KEF said this:
"WIRELESS STREAMING FEATURES
AirPlay 2
Google Chromecast
ROON Ready (coming soon)
UPnP Compatible
Bluetooth 4.2"
I was never under any illusion that Roon was available day one, it was always in the future so far as I knew⌠Darko may have glossed over it, but KEF cannot control what others say.
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Update on my issue - TIDAL and other service availability returned in the KEF Connect app after a couple of hours - I guess it was a user/network issue ??
I am considering ordering a pair of these to create a listening room upstairs in a spare bedroom. I already have a cat 5 cable to that room. Will cat 5 be adaquate?
Unless your spare bedroom is more than 100 metres away from your Core, then yes, it will be adequate.
Thanks. Itâs a 50 feet cat 5 ethernet cable my wife and I ran years ago. Itâs probably another 50 feet of cat 6 from the switch to my Nucleus.
True, KEF never âglossed overâ the Roon issue. And I acknowledged that I knew this going in. I did not realize it would be completely disabled. Again that is on me. However UPnP capability is not on the KEF app. There was no asterisk. This would not be an issue for me if I could use Roon.
Just so Iâm clear, does this mean that Roon doesnât see these new KEF speakers at all? Or just that theyâre not fully functional end points with all the Roon whistles and bells?
Correct - Roon can only see them via Airplay 2 or Chromecast.
Prior to September 21 roon was accepting âroon readyâ & âroon testedâ KEF wireless both LS50âs & LSX.
Now they only accept âroon testedâ which the LS50WII are not yet certified.
Hope that makes sense.
Also see Uncertified Roon Ready devices announcement
UPDATE:-
Not sure I got the above quite correct: KEF Only offer âroon testedâ which uses âkef streamingâ not âraatâ. This does not require certification and not subject to the Sept 21 ruling. Currently the LS50WII is neither âroon testedâ nor âroon readyâ so is only available on airplay/chromecast.
It does indeed, Anthony - thanks!
Iâll be buying a set in Feb when I get my yearly bonus. I donât like any of the colors though.
Now thatâs a real problem! The red ones donât sound anything like as good as the white! Be careful 
Rubbish! Everybody knows that red speakers = faster bass! 
Really? The sound signature varies on the colour?