The catch
KEF Coda W
There is no built-in Wi-Fi music streaming. Adding a separate network source alters the cost as well as the cable plan.
Side by side
KEF Coda W vs LSX II LT: Records plug straight into Coda, while LT shares music over Wi-Fi
Quick verdict
A moving-magnet turntable with no built-in preamp points to Coda W, particularly if another analog source needs to stay connected as well. For Wi-Fi music across the household and shallower furniture, go with LSX II LT, whose cabinets are 88 mm shallower each, though it has no analog input. Coda relies on Bluetooth instead of a built-in Wi-Fi streamer. Either way a cable has to run between the speakers, so the W in the name does not spare you that installation step.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
Which system is simplest depends on the source that needs help
Say records are already part of the evening and two people also share music from their phones. Coda takes a compatible MM turntable directly and leaves a separate line input free for another source. LT already supplies network streaming, but it can’t take that turntable through an ordinary phono box. So the extra equipment ends up on opposite sides of the decision. Pick Coda if the record-playing chain is the nuisance. Pick LT if network music is the daily habit and vinyl isn’t part of the setup.
Where this comes from
Built-in MM phono and a separate line input set against network streaming and no analog input. No price or performance is assigned to unspecified add-on devices.
The catch
KEF LSX II LT
It has no analog input, so an ordinary phono preamp by itself won’t connect a turntable to LT.
KEF Coda W
- Why pick it
- You'd like fewer separate boxes, and your moving-magnet turntable needs a phono stage.
- You want a record player and another RCA line source on separate inputs, and TV and USB are available as well.
- The catch
- There is no built-in Wi-Fi music streaming. Adding a separate network source alters the cost as well as the cable plan.
KEF LSX II LT
- Why pick it
- You care more about shared network music than about hooking up an analog record player.
- With shallow furniture, you can still allow clearance behind cabinets that are 180 mm deep.
- The catch
- It has no analog input, so an ordinary phono preamp by itself won’t connect a turntable to LT.
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What this page compares
Records, streaming for the family and shallow furniture: how Coda W and LSX II LT compare, which extra box each might require and why both are still linked by cable.
Either of these KEF powered pairs can serve the same TV and computer, though each puts its extra capability somewhere different. Coda deals with analog records, and LT provides the network music platform.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
An MM turntable with no preamp, plus another analog player
Coda offers separate phono and line inputs, and LT has no direct analog route.
- KEF Coda W
- Better fit
- KEF LSX II LT
- Not suitable
The family mostly uses shared network music services
LT provides the Wi-Fi music platform. For that job Coda needs an added source.
- KEF Coda W
- Good
- KEF LSX II LT
- Better fit
A shallow console, with hardly any depth to spare
Per cabinet, LT is 88 mm shallower, before installation clearance.
- KEF Coda W
- Caution
- KEF LSX II LT
- Better fit
There’s no safe route for a wire between the speakers
Each needs its interspeaker cable.
- KEF Coda W
- Not suitable
- KEF LSX II LT
- Not suitable
In practice
Differences you will notice
Which system is simplest depends on the source that needs help
Say records are already part of the evening and two people also share music from their phones. Coda takes a compatible MM turntable directly and leaves a separate line input free for another source. LT already supplies network streaming, but it can’t take that turntable through an ordinary phono box. So the extra equipment ends up on opposite sides of the decision. Pick Coda if the record-playing chain is the nuisance. Pick LT if network music is the daily habit and vinyl isn’t part of the setup.
How we worked this out
Built-in MM phono and a separate line input set against network streaming and no analog input. No price or performance is assigned to unspecified add-on devices.
A cabinet can be narrow enough and still hang over the furniture
Coda is wider than LT by just 13 mm, so the two can look equally compact next to a TV. Depth is where they really differ, by 88 mm or about 3.46 inches. On a shallow media unit, that measurement is the one most likely to rule out Coda before listening preferences come into it. LT’s smaller body still needs room for rear cables and sensible placement. Neither published body depth is a full shelf-clearance specification.
How we worked this out
168 minus 155 equals a 13 mm width difference. 268 minus 180 equals an 88 mm depth difference. Dividing 88 by 25.4 gives about 3.46 inches.
A playlist you share won’t make the link between speakers wireless
Where a walkway divides the living room, both pairs still need the C-Link run between the cabinets. LT’s network streaming and Coda’s Bluetooth tell you how music gets to the main speaker and nothing about how the two speakers link up. If avoiding cable routing is why you want a wireless system, neither one fixes that problem. When both cabinets sit on one console, though, the single mains connection keeps power distribution simple.
How we worked this out
The source protocols differ, but both use a wired link between the speakers that cannot be skipped. What this means for placement depends on the room layout.
Option A
KEF, Coda W
Coda W
You'd like fewer separate boxes, and your moving-magnet turntable needs a phono stage.
- Best for
- You'd like fewer separate boxes, and your moving-magnet turntable needs a phono stage.
Facts we checked
- Turntable chain: Built-in MM phono input
- Another analog source: Separate RCA line input
- Network music: Bluetooth, without built-in Wi-Fi streaming
- Cabinet depth: 268 mm
Option B
KEF, LSX II LT
LSX II LT
You care more about shared network music than about hooking up an analog record player.
- Best for
- You care more about shared network music than about hooking up an analog record player.
Facts we checked
- Turntable chain: No analog input
- Another analog source: No analog input
- Network music: Built-in network streaming
- Cabinet depth: 180 mm
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | KEF Coda W | KEF LSX II LT | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turntable chain | Built-in MM phono input | No analog input | With a compatible turntable, Coda lets you do without the separate phono box. |
| Another analog source | Separate RCA line input | No analog input | Coda can keep a record player and a line source plugged in without making them share an RCA socket. |
| Network music | Bluetooth, without built-in Wi-Fi streaming | Built-in network streaming | Settle whether the household shares music over the network or pairs a device to play from. |
| Cabinet depth | 268 mm | 180 mm | Coda’s body is 88 mm deeper, and that is before either one gets room for cables and placement. |
| Speaker link | Required wired C-Link | Required wired C-Link | Wireless music support alone doesn’t solve a cable run across the room for either one. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With KEF Coda W
- Which Bluetooth codecs you get depends on the phone. Don’t buy it assuming every phone sends aptX Lossless.
With KEF LSX II LT
- The 3 m C-Link in the box has to be long enough for the route. Longer compatible cabling costs extra.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
Playing vinyl directly spares you a box you would otherwise need
Go with KEF Coda W. The MM phono stage and a separate line input both come with Coda.
Network music on shallow furniture is the main use
Go with KEF LSX II LT. LT pairs built-in streaming with the smaller body.
Decision guide
Before you buy
A simple system that the household shares, for records and for music from a phone, is the aim. Each model eases a different part: one the turntable chain, the other network playback.
What this page can’t tell you
- Nothing here says the smaller cabinet sounds worse or that Bluetooth always sounds worse than Wi-Fi. Codec compatibility is not guaranteed.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the powered speakers we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| KEF Coda W |
|
| |
| KEF LSX II LT |
|
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
KEF Coda W
You'd like fewer separate boxes, and your moving-magnet turntable needs a phono stage.
You want a record player and another RCA line source on separate inputs, and TV and USB are available as well.
See price & reviews on AmazonKEF LSX II LT
You care more about shared network music than about hooking up an analog record player.
With shallow furniture, you can still allow clearance behind cabinets that are 180 mm deep.
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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