GoldenEar Aon 2 vs KEF Q150 Comparison

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GoldenEar Aon 2

Passive Bookshelf | 42-35k Hz

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KEF Q150

Passive Bookshelf | 51-28k Hz

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GoldenEar Aon 2

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KEF Q150

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GoldenEar Aon 2

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KEF Q150

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GoldenEar Aon 2 vs KEF Q150 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Aon 2 and Q150, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from GoldenEar and KEF.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of GoldenEar Aon 2 and KEF Q150 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	GoldenEar Aon 2	KEF Q150
Design	2-way	2-way
Uni-Q driver	—	11th Generation Uni-Q
Tweeter	Folded Ribbon	1" Dome
Woofer	6" Polypropylene	5.25" Aluminum
Frequency response	42-35k Hz	51-28k Hz
Sensitivity	89 dB	86 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Power range	10-200 watts	10-100 watts
Weight	5.45kg / 12lbs	5.60kg / 12.3lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)	12" x 8" x 10-1/8" 305.0 x 204.0 x 258.0mm	11.9" x 7.0" x 10.9" 303.0 x 180.0 x 278.0mm

What size room are the GoldenEar Aon 2 and KEF Q150 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*	GoldenEar Aon 2	KEF Q150
Near-field	Poor	Average
Small Room	Average	Good
Mid-size Room	Good	Average
Large Room	Average	Poor
Very Large Room	Poor	Bad

(* 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.

**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Drivers

Both Aon 2 and Q150 are 2-way speakers.

GoldenEar Aon 2

KEF Q150

TweeterWoofer

Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.

Driver	GoldenEar Aon 2	KEF Q150
Driver Setup	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	-inch	1-inch
Midrange	-	-
Woofer	1 x 6-inch	1 x 5.25-inch

Aon 2 features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 1 x 6" Polypropylene Woofer. On the other hand, the Q150 features a 1" vented aluminum Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.

Frequency Response

Aon 2 has a frequency range of 42-35k Hz whereas Q150 has a frequency range of 51-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the Aon 2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Q150's min frequency of 51Hz.

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

Aon 2

Q150

Min

Average

Median

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

Aon 2 and Q150 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Aon 2 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Q150's is at 86 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the GoldenEar Aon 2 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Q150, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

Aon 2

Q150

Min

Average

Median

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.

Aon 2 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Q150 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Aon 2.

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.

Amplifier — change this

Distance

Playing as

GoldenEar Aon 2

KEF Q150

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

Aon 2 features Post type posts and Q150 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

GoldenEar Aon 2's 5-way post terminals

KEF Q150's Post terminals

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both Aon 2 and Q150 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.

KEF Q150 Port

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 GoldenEar Aon 2's and KEF Q150's external dimensions. GoldenEar Aon 2 has external dimensions of 305.0 x 204.0 x 258.0mm (12 x 8 x 10-1/8inch) whereas KEF Q150 has external dimensions of 303.0 x 180.0 x 278.0mm (11.9 x 7.0 x 10.9inch).

KEF Q150 is 24mm narrower and 2mm shorter than GoldenEar Aon 2 but it is also 20mm deeper.

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 GoldenEar Aon 2 is approximately 526.3cm² / 81.6inch² and base area of the KEF Q150 is approximately 500.4cm² / 77.6inch². The Aon 2 requires 5% more surface area than the Q150 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 GoldenEar Aon 2 weighs 5.45kg / 12lbs and the KEF Q150 weighs 5.60kg / 12.3lbs. This makes the Q150 3% heavier than the Aon 2.

Here is a comparison of how Aon 2 and Q150's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.

Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers

GoldenEar Aon 2

KEF Q150

Min

Average

Max

What's in the Box of GoldenEar Aon 2?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of Aon 2:

Bookshelf loudspeaker Key-hole hanger 2 Screws Owner's Manual

What's in the Box of KEF Q150?

Here are the items that come with the Q150:

2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
2 Foam port plugs
8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
Owner's Manual
Warranty Registration Card

Reasons to choose GoldenEar Aon 2 over KEF Q150

Max Input Power	200 watts vs 100 watts	Handle more power from your amplifier
Sensitivity	89 dB vs 86 dB	Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Woofer Size	6 inches vs 5.25 inches	Larger woofer
Low Frequency Response	42 Hz vs 51 Hz	Generates deeper bass
High Frequency Response	35k Hz vs 28k Hz	Generates higher frequency
Mounting Bracket	Yes vs No	Allows mounting on walls
Passive Radiator	two 6-1/2 vs None	Increases the bass performance

Reasons to choose KEF Q150 over GoldenEar Aon 2

Height	303mm vs 305mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area	500cm² vs 526cm²	Takes less floor space
Price per pair*	600USD vs 898USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

GoldenEar Aon 2 vs KEF Q150 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	GoldenEar Aon 2	KEF Q150
Brand	GoldenEar	KEF
Speaker Type	Bookshelf speakers	Bookshelf speakers
Power Range	10-200 watts	10-100 watts
Sensitivity	89 dB	86 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Impedance	n/a	3.7 ohms
Frequency Response	42-35k Hz	51-28k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	1	1
Woofer Size	6"	5.25"
Woofer Composition	Polypropylene	Aluminum
Woofer Surround Material	Rubber	Rubber
Tweeter Size	-	1"
Tweeter Type	Folded Ribbon	Dome
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	No	No
Crossover Frequency	n/a	2500Hz
Firing Direction	rear	rear
Physical Specs
Height	305.0mm (12")	303.0mm (11.9")
Width	204.0mm (8")	180.0mm (7.1")
Depth	258.0mm (10.2")	278.0mm (10.9")
Weight	5.45kg (12lbs)	5.60kg (12.3lbs)
Enclosure	Acoustic Suspension	Bass Reflex
Finish	MDF/Lacquer	MDF/Vinyl-wrapped
Available Colors	Black	Black, Walnut, White
Mounting Bracket	Yes	No
Recommended Stand Height	26-28"	18-24"
Grille	n/a	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	No	No
Other
Parts Warranty	5 Years	5 Years
Labor Warranty	5 Years	5 Years

Verdict

A generation apart: KEF Q150 is the newer design, against a 2012 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.

Area	Better	Why
Bass	A	GoldenEar Aon 2 digs deeper - 42Hz against 51Hz. A subwoofer would even that out.
Amplifier needs	A	GoldenEar Aon 2 is more sensitive (89dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier.
Headroom	A	GoldenEar Aon 2 takes more power (200W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room.
Size	depends	Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit.
Cabinet	depends	Sealed vs Ported. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it.
Expandability	depends	Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. KEF Q150 sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later.
Price	B	KEF Q150 is cheaper - $600 against $898, about 33% less.

A GoldenEar Aon 2 B KEF Q150
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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?

The usual trade-off: GoldenEar Aon 2 measures better, KEF Q150 costs about 33% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 51Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper KEF Q150 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate GoldenEar Aon 2 the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and KEF Q150 for near-field listening and a small 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.