KEF Stream

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App works well enough. For some reason, even though this app is just controlling the speakers, not streaming anything, the battery drain is massive. The phone stays warm to the touch even when locked and unused for a while. Nearly 60% of my battery was pulled down by this app today.

First the dumb: you must find and turn off speakers from Control app. Then go back to Steaming app, which will find your iTunes library, and then you can stream over WiFi (once your speakers are setup on your network, which isn’t difficult.) Now the okay: Latest app ver. will let you adjust volume in app using side buttons on iPhone (so you don’t have to switch back to control app), however when you are not in app, volume up/down don’t work. You can create playlist in the app, and it will also populate playlists from your iTunes library. You don’t have to use tidal to steam if your iTunes library is good enough. Finally the good: speakers are outstanding, with good looks, soundstage, base response, and crisp detail at high volume, even over WiFi. KEF apps are taking hard knocks (maybe deservedly do). I am posting a review for iPhone/iTunes users to allow that app experience with KEF is okay. Speakers are worth the minor annoyances of WiFi streaming. You can always connect your laptop or iPad to USB port. The included KEF remote will allow play, advance, back, and volume control.

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With your streaming app that is. The LS50 speakers are great, yet are handicapped by an app that is as unusable as it is unstable. Think multiple restarts of the app and speakers due to connectivity drops despite that my Google Wifi point is less than a foot away from the master speaker. The app has not been updated in almost a year, despite the 1.8 star rating here, proof that KEF either doesn’t care or has given up. I don’t which is worse, honestly. On top of all this, the Tidal integration is a minimalist horrid interpretation of the original version. Likely selling these speakers and moving to a Sonos.

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KEF makes amazing speakers but they have not worked out the kinks. I have used KEF speakers for many years and unless you are hard wired via ethernet this app does not work. Even after ethernet connectivity, this app loses the connection and you cannot go back to the playlist or song you are currently streaming. Very dissapointed.

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There is no other streaming from iPhone option that takes advantage of both Tidal’s superior quality and KEF’s superior fidelity. Unfortunately, unless you enjoy constantly having to reopen and restart playlists and albums after every track, you are in for a jarring experience.