Audioengine HD6 vs KEF LS50: which should you buy?

The KEF LS50 is my pick, and not by a slim margin: it leads on sound quality, midrange clarity, treble detail, design and value for money. The Audioengine HD6 is the one to choose only if you want the amplifier, DAC and Bluetooth built into the speakers themselves.

Buy the Audioengine HD6 if you want one purchase to be the whole system. An amplifier, a DAC and Bluetooth sit inside the cabinet, so a phone, a tablet or a CD player is all you need to add, and the aptX connection held up streaming FLAC without any audible penalty. The tone is natural and non fatiguing, voices and acoustic guitar come through clearly, and the silk dome tweeter stays polite rather than sharp. Accept the limits: no EQ, some distortion at very high volume, a cabinet that runs large for a typical desktop, and a 2 yr warranty.

Everyone else should take the KEF LS50 and budget for an amplifier. It is the more revealing speaker on every count I care about, with a midrange that puts singers and wind instruments in the room and a treble that finds detail the HD6 only suggests. Build and looks feel a step up as well, and the smaller cabinet suits a compact room. Neither pair is for bassheads, though the low end here edges ahead by a hair, and a sub covers film nights. It is rated at 85 dB and 8 ohms, asks for 25 to 100 W of amplification, and rewards care over placement and partnering kit. The 5 yr warranty is a fair signal of the confidence behind it.