In this review, we will be comparing F1-10S and Kendall, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Fyne Audio and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fyne Audio F1-10S and KLH Kendall first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fyne Audio F1-10S | KLH Kendall |
|---|
| Brand | Fyne Audio
United Kingdom · founded 2017 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 10" | 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 26-26k Hz | 25-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 94 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20 - 280 W watts | up to 250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 57.70kg / 126.9lbs | 22.14kg / 48.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 46.9" x 15.9" x 22.9"
1191.3 x 403.9 x 581.7mm | 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 F1-10S 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.
Fyne Audio F1-10SKLH 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 |
Fyne Audio F1-10S |
KLH Kendall |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
x 10-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
F1-10S features a " Tweeter and x 10" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 750 Hz. 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
F1-10S has a frequency range of 26-26k 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 F1-10S'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
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
F1-10S and Kendall have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. F1-10S sensitivity is rated at 94 dB and the Kendall's is at 96 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the KLH Kendall a more sensitive speaker compared to Fyne Audio F1-10S, 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.
F1-10S can handle a max power of 280 watts RMS, whereas Kendall has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the F1-10S.
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. F1-10S 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 Fyne Audio F1-10S's and KLH Kendall's external dimensions. Fyne Audio F1-10S has external dimensions of 1191.3 x 403.9 x 581.7mm (46.9 x 15.9 x 22.9inch) 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).
Fyne Audio F1-10S is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 191.9mm wider, 170.3mm taller and 201.7mm deeper than KLH Kendall.
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.
Fyne Audio F1-10S needs about 192% more floor or shelf area. Fyne Audio F1-10S is 202mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Fyne Audio F1-10S is 170mm 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 Fyne Audio F1-10S is approximately 2349.5cm2 / 364.2inch2 and base area of the KLH Kendall is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The F1-10S requires 192% 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 Fyne Audio F1-10S weighs 57.70kg / 126.9lbs and the KLH Kendall weighs 22.14kg / 48.7lbs. This makes the F1-10S 161% heavier than the Kendall.
Here is a comparison of how F1-10S 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 |
280 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
26k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
94 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
26 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1021mm
vs
1191mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2
vs
2349cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
38499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Fyne Audio F1-10S |
KLH Kendall |
| Brand |
Fyne Audio |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20 - 280 W watts |
up to 250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
94 dB |
96 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
26-26k Hz |
25-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
2 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
750 Hz |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1191.3mm (46.9") |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
403.9mm (15.9") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
581.7mm (22.9") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
57.70kg (126.9lbs) |
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 - Fyne Audio F1-10S costs roughly 25.7x 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 94dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (280W vs 250W). |
| Size | depends | KLH Kendall is easier to place; Fyne Audio F1-10S 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 $38,499, about 96% less; arguably a different class. |
A Fyne Audio F1-10S 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 Fyne Audio F1-10S if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. In a large or open-plan room, Fyne Audio F1-10S 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.