In this review, we will be comparing Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) and Kendall, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Aperion and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Aperion Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) and KLH Kendall first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Aperion Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) | KLH Kendall |
|---|
| Brand | Aperion
United States · founded 1998 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | — | 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 26-42k Hz | 25-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-400 Watts watts | up to 250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 84.19kg / 185.2lbs | 22.14kg / 48.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 83.5" x 13.2" x 13.8"
2120.9 x 335.3 x 350.5mm | 40-3/16" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) is a 2-way design whereas the Kendall is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Aperion Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE)KLH Kendall
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Aperion Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) |
KLH Kendall |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) features a 1.1" Tweeter and x " Woofer. On the other hand, the Kendall features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) has a frequency range of 26-42k Hz whereas Kendall has a frequency range of 25-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Kendall can go slightly deeper then the Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE)'s min frequency of 26Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE)
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Kendall which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Kendall's is rated at 96 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the KLH Kendall a more sensitive speaker compared to Aperion Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE), hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE)
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) can handle a max power of 800 watts RMS, whereas Kendall has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 550 watts less than the Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE).
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Aperion Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE)
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Kendall features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KLH Kendall's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Aperion Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE)'s and KLH Kendall's external dimensions. Aperion Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) has external dimensions of 2120.9 x 335.3 x 350.5mm (83.5 x 13.2 x 13.8inch) whereas KLH Kendall has external dimensions of 1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/16 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch).
KLH Kendall is 123.3mm narrower and 1099.9mm shorter than Aperion Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) but it is also 29.5mm deeper.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Aperion Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) needs about 46% more floor or shelf area. KLH Kendall is 30mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Aperion Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) is 1100mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Aperion Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) is approximately 1175.2cm2 / 182.2inch2 and base area of the KLH Kendall is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) requires 46% more surface area than the Kendall which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Aperion Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) weighs 84.19kg / 185.2lbs and the KLH Kendall weighs 22.14kg / 48.7lbs. This makes the Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) 280% heavier than the Kendall.
Here is a comparison of how Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) and Kendall's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Aperion Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE)
What's in the Box of KLH Kendall?
Here are the items that come with the Kendall:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Foam port
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet (with nuts)
- 4 Protective discs
- Manual
 Max Input Power |
800 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
42k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
91 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
26 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1021mm
vs
2120mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2
vs
1175cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
27998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Aperion Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) |
KLH Kendall |
| Brand |
Aperion |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-400 Watts watts |
up to 250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
96 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
26-42k Hz |
25-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
2 |
| Woofer Size |
" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5.25" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
2120.9mm (83.5") |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
335.3mm (13.2") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
350.5mm (13.8") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
84.19kg (185.2lbs) |
22.14kg (48.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
10 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Aperion Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) costs roughly 18.7x what KLH Kendall does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (26Hz vs 25Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | KLH Kendall is more sensitive (96dB vs 91dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | KLH Kendall is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Aperion Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) takes more power (800W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | KLH Kendall is easier to place; Aperion Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | KLH Kendall: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | KLH Kendall is cheaper - $1,500 against $27,998, about 95% less; arguably a different class. |
A Aperion Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) B KLH Kendall
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
KLH Kendall is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Aperion Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. In a large or open-plan room, Aperion Grandis GR8F Quad 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Flagship Floor Standing Speaker (SINGLE) has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, KLH Kendall is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, KLH Kendall is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.