In this review, we will be comparing Alteco C-1 and Q8 Meta, two Passive Surround speakers from DALI and KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Alteco C-1 and KEF Q8 Meta first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Alteco C-1 | KEF Q8 Meta |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | — | 12th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.83" Soft-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 4.5" Wood fibre | 5.25" |
|---|
| Frequency response | 74-26k Hz | 105-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 83 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-100 watts | — |
|---|
| Weight | — | 4.49kg / 9.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10.43" x 6.30" x 7.87"
265 x 160 x 200 mm | 6-15/16" x 7-1/8" x 10-1/4"
176.2 x 181.0 x 260.4mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Alteco C-1 and Q8 Meta are 2-way speakers.
DALI Alteco C-1KEF Q8 Meta
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
DALI Alteco C-1 |
KEF Q8 Meta |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.83-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 4.5-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
Alteco C-1 features a 0.83" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Wood fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2100Hz. On the other hand, the Q8 Meta features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Woofer.
Frequency Response
Alteco C-1 has a frequency range of 74-26k Hz whereas Q8 Meta has a frequency range of 105-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 74Hz, the Alteco C-1 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Q8 Meta's min frequency of 105Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Surround class in our database.
Low Frequency
Surround 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
Alteco C-1 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Q8 Meta which has a nominal impedance of 4 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 Q8 Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Alteco C-1 sensitivity is rated at 83 dB and the Q8 Meta's is rated at 86 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the KEF Q8 Meta a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Alteco C-1, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Surround Speakers
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
Alteco C-1 features Binding Post type posts and Q8 Meta has a Binding Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/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 DALI Alteco C-1's and KEF Q8 Meta's external dimensions. DALI Alteco C-1 has external dimensions of 265 x 160 x 200 mm () whereas KEF Q8 Meta has external dimensions of 176.2 x 181.0 x 260.4mm ().
DALI Alteco C-1 is 21mm narrower and 60.4mm less deeper than KEF Q8 Meta but it is also 88.8mm taller.
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.
KEF Q8 Meta needs about 47% more floor or shelf area. KEF Q8 Meta is 60mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. DALI Alteco C-1 is 89mm 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 DALI Alteco C-1 is approximately 320.0cm2 / 49.6inch2 and base area of the KEF Q8 Meta is approximately 471.3cm2 / 73.1inch2. The Alteco C-1 requires 32% less surface area than the Q8 Meta which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.