In this review, we will be comparing Emit 20 and Q Concerto Meta, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Dynaudio and KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Dynaudio Emit 20 and KEF Q Concerto Meta first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Dynaudio Emit 20 | KEF Q Concerto Meta |
|---|
| Brand | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | — | 12th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 0.75" Hard dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 7" MSP | 6.5" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 53-25k Hz | 48-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 85 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | Up to 180 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 10.30kg / 22.7lbs | 9.50kg / 20.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14-9/16" x 8-1/16" x 12-5/16"
370.0 x 205.0 x 312.0mm | 16.3" x 8.3" x 12.4"
415 x 210 x 315 mm |
|---|
What size room are the Dynaudio Emit 20 and KEF Q Concerto Meta speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Dynaudio Emit 20 |
KEF Q Concerto Meta |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
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 Emit 20 is a 2-way design whereas the Q Concerto Meta 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.
Dynaudio Emit 20KEF Q Concerto Meta
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Dynaudio Emit 20 |
KEF Q Concerto Meta |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
0.75-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 7-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Emit 20 features a 1.1" Cerotar Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 7" MSP Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3800 Hz. On the other hand, the Q Concerto Meta features a 0.75" vented aluminum dome with MAT absorber Hard dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 430 Hz, 2.9 kHz.
Frequency Response
Emit 20 has a frequency range of 53-25k Hz whereas Q Concerto Meta has a frequency range of 48-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the Q Concerto Meta can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Emit 20's min frequency of 53Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Emit 20 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Q Concerto 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 Q Concerto Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Emit 20 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Q Concerto Meta's is rated at 85 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Dynaudio Emit 20 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Q Concerto Meta, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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
Emit 20 features Binding Post type posts and Q Concerto Meta has a Binding Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Emit 20 and Q Concerto Meta have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 Dynaudio Emit 20's and KEF Q Concerto Meta's external dimensions. Dynaudio Emit 20 has external dimensions of 370.0 x 205.0 x 312.0mm (14-9/16 x 8-1/16 x 12-5/16inch) whereas KEF Q Concerto Meta has external dimensions of 415 x 210 x 315 mm (16.3 x 8.3 x 12.4 in.).
KEF Q Concerto Meta is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 5mm wider, 45mm taller and 3mm deeper than Dynaudio Emit 20.
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.
Near-identical footprints. KEF Q Concerto Meta is 45mm 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 Dynaudio Emit 20 is approximately 639.6cm2 / 99.1inch2 and base area of the KEF Q Concerto Meta is approximately 661.5cm2 / 102.5inch2. The Emit 20 requires 3% less surface area than the Q Concerto Meta which gives it a small advantage 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 Dynaudio Emit 20 weighs 10.30kg / 22.7lbs and the KEF Q Concerto Meta weighs 9.50kg / 20.9lbs. This makes the Emit 20 8% heavier than the Q Concerto Meta.
Here is a comparison of how Emit 20 and Q Concerto Meta's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of KEF Q Concerto Meta?
Here are the items that come with the Q Concerto Meta:
- Q3 Concerto Meta (pair)
- Magnetic grilles (pair)
- Rubber feet
- Port bungs
- User manual and warranty information
 Sensitivity |
86 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
370mm
vs
415mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
639cm2
vs
661cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1049USD
vs
1300USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
180 watts
vs
160 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
|
Low Frequency Response |
48 Hz
vs
53 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Dynaudio Emit 20 |
KEF Q Concerto Meta |
| Brand |
Dynaudio |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
85 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
53-25k Hz |
48-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
MSP |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
0.75" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Hard dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4" |
| Crossover Frequency |
3800 Hz |
430 Hz, 2.9 kHz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
370.0mm (14.6") |
415.0mm (16.3") |
| Width |
205.0mm (8.1") |
210.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
312.0mm (12.3") |
315.0mm (12.4") |
| Weight |
10.30kg (22.7lbs) |
9.50kg (20.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Satin Black,Satin White,Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
|
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | KEF Q Concerto Meta digs deeper - 48Hz against 53Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (86dB vs 85dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | Dynaudio Emit 20 is the easier load at 6 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (160W vs 180W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | A | Dynaudio Emit 20 is cheaper - $1,049 against $1,300, about 19% less. |
A Dynaudio Emit 20 B KEF Q Concerto Meta
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 53Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Dynaudio Emit 20 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Dynaudio Emit 20 the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and KEF Q Concerto Meta for a mid-size room and a large room.
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.