In this review, we will be comparing Walmer 2 and Kendall, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Castle and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Castle Walmer 2 and KLH Kendall first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Castle Walmer 2 | KLH Kendall |
|---|
| Brand | Castle | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.47x1.77" True Ribbon | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 4.5" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Woven Carbon Fibre | 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 38-20k Hz | 25-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | up to 250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 31.00kg / 68.2lbs | 22.14kg / 48.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 46-1/16" x 9-13/16" x 14-9/16"
1170.0 x 250.0 x 370.0mm | 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
Both Walmer 2 and Kendall are 3-way speakers.
Castle Walmer 2KLH 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 |
Castle Walmer 2 |
KLH Kendall |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.47x1.77-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4.5-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Walmer 2 features a 0.47x1.77" Ribbon True Ribbon Tweeter, a 4.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Woven Carbon Fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350 Hz / 3.5 kHz. 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
Walmer 2 has a frequency range of 38-20k Hz whereas Kendall has a frequency range of 25-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Kendall can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Walmer 2's min frequency of 38Hz.
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
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
Walmer 2 and Kendall have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Walmer 2 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Kendall's is at 96 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the KLH Kendall a more sensitive speaker compared to Castle Walmer 2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
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.
Kendall can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Walmer 2 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Kendall.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Kendall features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Walmer 2 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 Castle Walmer 2's and KLH Kendall's external dimensions. Castle Walmer 2 has external dimensions of 1170.0 x 250.0 x 370.0mm (46-1/16 x 9-13/16 x 14-9/16inch) 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 38mm narrower and 149mm shorter than Castle Walmer 2 but it is also 10mm 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.
Castle Walmer 2 needs about 15% more floor or shelf area. Castle Walmer 2 is 149mm 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 Castle Walmer 2 is approximately 925.0cm2 / 143.4inch2 and base area of the KLH Kendall is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The Walmer 2 requires 15% 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 Castle Walmer 2 weighs 31.00kg / 68.2lbs and the KLH Kendall weighs 22.14kg / 48.7lbs. This makes the Walmer 2 40% heavier than the Kendall.
Here is a comparison of how Walmer 2 and Kendall's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
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 |
250 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
23k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1021mm
vs
1170mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2
vs
925cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
7499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Castle Walmer 2 |
KLH Kendall |
| Brand |
Castle |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-150 watts |
up to 250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
96 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
38-20k Hz |
25-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Carbon Fibre |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
0.47x1.77" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
True Ribbon |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4.5" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
350 Hz / 3.5 kHz |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1170.0mm (46.1") |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
250.0mm (9.8") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
370.0mm (14.6") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
31.00kg (68.2lbs) |
22.14kg (48.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Walnut veneer, Black Oak veneer |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black |
| Grille |
n/a |
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 - Castle Walmer 2 costs roughly 5x 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 | B | KLH Kendall digs deeper - 25Hz against 38Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | KLH Kendall is more sensitive (96dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | KLH Kendall takes more power (250W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | KLH Kendall is easier to place; Castle Walmer 2 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 $7,499, about 80% less; arguably a different class. |
A Castle Walmer 2 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 Castle Walmer 2 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 38Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. 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.