Cabasse Antigua MT32 vs KEF LS50: which should you buy?

After time with both, the KEF LS50 is the one I would buy. It leads on sound quality, midrange, treble, design and value by clear margins, with only bass response level between the two.

The Cabasse Antigua MT32 makes sense if your amplifier is modest or your room is on the larger side. At 88 dB sensitivity it is the easier load of the pair, its 6.69 inch mid-woofer moves more air, and its published response reaches down to 57 Hz rather than 79 Hz. It suits a listener who wants a balanced, unfussy presentation for acoustic material and voices, and who likes the idea of French build quality behind it. Budget for speaker cable, since none is supplied, and watch your levels because the highs can turn slightly sharp when pushed hard. The 409 mm cabinet also wants proper stands and real breathing room.

For most people I would take the KEF LS50 instead. It is the more revealing speaker: the midrange has a lifelike intimacy to it, the treble pulls out upper-frequency detail the Cabasse leaves buried, the build looks and feels tighter, and the performance on offer reads as a bargain rather than a stretch. The trade is that it asks more of the system around it. Sensitivity is 85 dB, the recommended amp range is 25 to 100 W, and it exposes a weak source or a mediocre amp rather than smoothing either over. Bass is the one aspect where neither pulls ahead, so add a subwoofer if you want weight for films. A five year warranty against two settles any remaining doubt.