This Technics hi-fi system has a Black Friday discount, but I’ve found a cheaper, better alternative

KEF LS50 Wireless II streaming speaker system on a desk next to the the Technics SC-CX700

(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

While it would be great to be able to build a brand new hi-fi system of separates out of Black Friday deals, if space is at a premium in your home, you might be favouring an all-in-one set-up that ticks all the boxes you need but doesn’t sacrifice performance for convenience.

If you’re in the market for such a system and want to save big while you’re at it, then I think I’ve found a deal for you. Actually, I’ve found two deals, but one is a saving that I’d suggest you swerve.

Currently, the KEF LS50 wireless can be yours for £1499 at Peter Tyson and Smart Home Sounds, which is £700 off their usual £2199 asking price.

The Technics are available for £1499 at Peter Tyson and Sevenoaks S&V, which is a big £900 saving on their £2399 launch price.

Both systems have a streaming engine at their heart. If you’re looking to buy a system like these, you’re likely to be using Tidal, Spotify, Qobuz or Amazon Music as your main source of tunes, and both pairs of speakers accommodate all manner of streaming options.

However, having tested both side-by-side, I can’t really look past the KEF pair.

The Technics look good from a distance, especially with their fancy microfibre-clad side panels, but get closer and the plastics used look and feel cheaper. The back panels are a little untidy, and the touch controls are a little unclear.

Contrast this with the KEFs, which look and feel more premium, with neatly highlighted touch controls on their top panel and smooth, curved heat-sinks. To my eyes at least, the KEF Uni-Q driver looks more striking than the Technics’ similar coaxial arrangement, too.

The Technics pair offers auto-calibration to help you get set up quickly, but I actually found it made the speakers sound worse than going through the process manually. It’s manual all the way with the KEFs, but it’s pretty straightforward to add their positions.

Both pairs use a very similar-looking control app, but it's the KEF Connect app which feels slicker and less laggy – you need to take this into account as you could be interacting with it quite a bit.

I’m not completely down about the Technics, though. When I heard both pairs together, I was impressed with the quality and quantity of bass the Technics can produce. In my opinion, they sound more powerful and better defined when spitting out beats.

However, I also found they sounded a little rough around the edges and lacking dynamism, which takes the shine off what they do in other areas.

As we said in our Technics SC-CX700 review, “The combination of that troublesome coarseness, mixed with a lack of dynamic thrust and finesse means they don’t really encourage you to hang around and wait for the next track to play."

The KEFs, on the other hand, sound more refined, sophisticated, and they create a wonderfully expansive stereo image. In our KEF LS50 Wireless II review we said they sit among “the most thrilling speaker systems we’ve heard”.

High praise indeed, and with £700 off for Black Friday at Peter Tyson and Sevenoaks S&V,, I think anyone looking for a convenient, and ridiculously capable all-in-one hi-fi system should give the KEFs serious consideration.

MORE:

Technics SC-CX700 vs KEF LS50 Wireless II: which streaming system is better?

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Andy is Deputy Editor of What Hi-Fi? and a consumer electronics journalist with nearly 20 years of experience writing news, reviews and features. Over the years he's also contributed to a number of other outlets, including The Sunday Times, the BBC, Stuff, and BA High Life Magazine. Premium wireless earbuds are his passion but he's also keen on car tech and in-car audio systems and can often be found cruising the countryside testing the latest set-ups. In his spare time Andy is a keen golfer and gamer.

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