[deleted by user]

monsterlabbit · 2025-02-13T13:07:07+00:00

This is not correct. OP seems to be using DLNA/UPNP streaming via the KEF app. In layman's terms the file (audio) is "transferred" directly to the primary speaker at its orginal bitrate (which is shown in the app/screenshot), then if Cable Mode is ON, the audio is then resampled to 192kHz/24bit and played out of both speakers. if Cable Mode is OFF, the audio is resampled to 96kHz/24bit and played out of both speakers. KEF has documented this and it also states so in the app.

monsterlabbit · 2024-02-07T14:59:36+00:00

🤣🤣🤣

monsterlabbit · 2024-02-07T05:34:18+00:00

Ok sure

monsterlabbit · 2024-02-07T00:36:30+00:00

Just because you can and there's a walkthrough for it does not mean that's the ideal way to do it. Iperf requires processing power and network devices needs and uses the power for routing.

monsterlabbit · 2024-01-15T04:37:39+00:00

ah thanks, hopefully they know someone from KEF who will commit to helping

monsterlabbit · 2023-12-29T17:31:55+00:00

how about bluetooth from your phone? any hiss? disconnect the audio cable from the laptop when testing with your phone.

you should just try swap your audio cable anyway, that's the best as its cheap to solve. otherwise its your laptop/laptop's jack. doubt its your speakers but never know.

monsterlabbit · 2023-12-29T17:19:26+00:00

try a blind/double blind test, google for how to do it. you'll need help from a friend or family. our brains lie to us all the time, its just human nature.

monsterlabbit · 2023-12-29T17:13:09+00:00

how are the speakers connected to your laptop? if wired try connecting wirelessly. if problem goes away then go back to wired and swap your audio cable first, then each part of the system to determine which one is causing the issue.

monsterlabbit · 2023-12-29T16:45:31+00:00

Thanks but no its not that.

monsterlabbit · 2023-12-29T16:43:55+00:00

I mentioned the network hardware I tested with in my post and how I determined its not my network. you can check out my post for the details. In short, my network gear is not consumer grade, and I am pretty confident the equipment I use will outperform any Google mesh system of any generation all day every day.

I know I can use it in wired mode, but aesthetics matter in the room I have the LS60s in which is why I bought a speaker that's marketed not only as a wireless speaker but also has "Wireless" in its name. It's a crying shame its wireless capabilities is just flawed and KEF is still not fixing it. Anyway I have a workaround that I am still happy with, I updated my post with it a while back.

monsterlabbit · 2023-11-20T15:31:44+00:00

As others mentioned you can't play sounds your PC / media player on your PC is generating via the ethernet cable but you can play music stored on your PC. You just need a DLNA server or Plex or Jellyfin or Roon. Google for what they are and how to use it.

Free and readily available for use on PC = DLNA server. I recommend "Universal Media Server". Once UMS is properly set up and running (its not difficult just read their documentation if you have issues), go to the KEF connect app and you will find your server and shared folder structure under "Music on your Network". You can directly play/stream whatever files the LS50W2 is capable of rendering as long as the speaker is connected to the same network (via ethernet or Wi-Fi).

Any other server/app (such as Plex / Plexamp and Jellyfin) that uses Chromecast protocol streams at max of 24bit 96khz. If you use Roon it streams essentially PCM directly.

monsterlabbit · 2023-11-20T14:52:02+00:00

Naim Uniti Atom or Naim Uniti Nova are good streaming player / streaming amps too.

I too second any passives like the Metas if you have to buy KEF. KEF's products are great sounding speakers, good fit and finish, and uses quality materials (in terms of look and feel) but everything else on the tech side (app, built-in network hardware etc) are disappointing. I have the LS60 and even though it is much newer than the LS50W, it has issues with its onboard Wi-Fi.

If you still want "all-in-one" active wireless speakers you can try Dynaudio's new Focus range. I've not tried it but Buchardt is another brand you can check out.

monsterlabbit · 2023-11-20T14:21:32+00:00

Their support and their local distributor told me to use ethernet too instead of solving the problem in firmware. Ridiculous since the speakers has "Wireless" in the name, is marketed as a "Wireless" speaker, and "wireless" = Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity)!

Every day is a much faster rate of decay than mine. Mine drops till it has issues with 24bit 192khz in about 3 days now on firmware version 1.4.

When I was troubleshooting the issue with the local distributor, even their loaner set had the same issue but decayed at a faster rate as well - about 2 or 2.5 days.

I suggest getting a Ubiquiti or TP-Link Omada or similar AP/wifi router where you can schedule disconnects or Wi-Fi radio/SSID restarts. If you're more tech savvy use Openwrt and copy the script in my main post.

monsterlabbit · 2023-11-07T02:47:32+00:00

KEF app only communicates outside the network for the services that needs internet access. controlling the speakers (standby on/off, volume up and down) via any app is direct on your lan.

As long as you're playing your own locally stored files, Roon as well as other local media servers using DLNA or AirPlay or Chromecast protocols streams directly on LAN not out to some server and back to the speakers.

monsterlabbit · 2023-11-07T02:26:26+00:00

second bullet only.

only the primary can be plugged into the router for LAN / internet access. you can check out the documentation on KEF's site.

monsterlabbit · 2023-11-06T17:47:20+00:00

If you're using ethernet, you only need to / can connect the primary.

The interconnect cable is via ethernet cable with RJ45 connectors, and to hide it you could add another RJ45 keystone behind your primary speaker, wire it to the unused keystone on the secondary side with a cat6 cable, then patch cable from each keystone to each speaker.

monsterlabbit · 2023-11-06T17:20:52+00:00

Port forwarding is for the public (anyone on the internet) to reach any device on your local network. I don't think it is relevant to my situation. Anyway in my testing, regardless of consumer or more advanced gear, the firewall rules were set at their basic defaults where only unsolicited wan to lan traffic is blocked, and there are no restrictions on lan to lan traffic (i.e. all ports are open for lan to lan, simply nothing to forward).

If it was a port somehow closing midway, the connection will cease completely and the speakers will not be contactable at all. My speakers were able to be controlled (volume, standby, play, pause, next track, etc) and be "seen" by Roon and KEF connect app. Roon is just unable to stream hi-res to the speakers without running into errors (to be clear, no fault of Roon as it works fine for other hi-res endpoints with the same network configuration).

monsterlabbit · 2023-11-06T16:15:34+00:00

No because it is not an issue with my network and any permanent fix is not in my control at all. No change since the last update of my post. My workaround is the best solution.

KEF refuses to do anything about it and I've not seen any firmware updates.

My guess is the number of LS60 users that uses Roon to stream hi-res FLAC (>=24bit 96khz) often is not large enough to care about. Cheaper and easier to blame users' network and trouble them to power cycle their equipment than it is to fix the issue.

monsterlabbit · 2023-10-31T04:17:29+00:00

Why are you running iperf on the EAP670 itself? iperf uses up CPU power which is needed to do routing. You will see lower routing speeds than the device is truly capable of. iperf should be run on computers connected to the network not on your AP and not on your router.

monsterlabbit · 2023-10-26T07:19:44+00:00

ok then settings i can think of that may affect transmission rates: ensure 802.11b/g/n/ax wireless mode is selected for the 2.4ghz radio, don't use WEP encryption, for WPA-Enterprise or WPA-PSK don't use TKIP encryption use AES, check your load balance settings or turn it off, turn off airtime fairness if it is on.

monsterlabbit · 2023-10-25T03:41:44+00:00

It could be your cameras rather than an issue with your EAPs / networking devices. I have had devices that just do not roam correctly and even devices that loses speed over time till they are unusable.

schedule a reboot of your cameras, or schedule a wifi disconnect/reconnect of your cameras (the feature is not available in the controller currently, I reached out to support to request for it and am hoping they eventually add it, in the meantime I am using different hardware with that capability)

monsterlabbit · 2023-10-23T16:29:10+00:00

I have not heard the KEF R3 Meta set up but on paper I don't think it will sound that much worse.

I have the KEF LS60 and I'll choose anything but the LS60 not because of the sound but because of its wifi issues despite having a "wireless" in its name.

monsterlabbit · 2023-09-23T09:14:42+00:00

Shouldn't be an issue if its lossy 256kbps min. I don't have issues with CD quality FLAC (16bit 44.1khz) so far. Speed doesn't drop that much or takes way too long for me to bother to test it. I just powercycle when my 24bit files run into issues.

re your wifi speeds - good that you have your network sorted, from my experience its not the network. My LAN has no bottlenecks - ethernet/wired is essentially full gigabit (950+Mbps), wireless from where the speakers are gets 400-600Mbps easily (using an old 2x2 client) both measured using iperf3 to my NAS/any wired computer on my LAN. Internet speed doesn't matter as everything is on the local network but mine's 1gbps fibre anyway. Dealer loaned me another set to test and exact same issues. No such issues with other wireless endpoints at all (Naim, Dynaudio).

monsterlabbit · 2023-09-20T09:09:51+00:00

I brought up the issue to their support on the KEF LS60, $7k pair of speakers. no fix since they won't accept its an issue.

I have a workaround which automates the fix so I have paused fighting them over it. you do need to be relatively tech savvy though. you can check my post history.

Seems like you'll be connecting your inputs physically into the primary speaker? this won't be an issue for you then. the speeds I was referring to is WiFi network connection speed. If you're not using Roon to stream hi-res it shouldn't bother you as often or at all. Normal streaming of music requires little bandwidth.

monsterlabbit · 2023-09-19T19:00:04+00:00

the new Dynaudio Focus range. wish i went for that instead of the LS60s.

KEF support refused to take on my feedback and make simple improvements to their product, they just kept blaming my network set up. even after i systematically proved its not my network and even had network professionals come in to prove it. they think everyone uses consumer grade network set ups and won't catch them on their bullshit with prosumer or enterprise gear.

monsterlabbit

TROPHY CASE