In this review, we will be comparing LS50 Wireless II and Q350, two Bookshelf speakers by KEF The main difference between these two speakers is that the KEF LS50 Wireless II is a Powered speaker which means that it has a built-in amplifier inside the speaker body so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp whereas the KEF Q350 is a Passive speaker so has to be matched with an amplifier to get any sound from it.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF LS50 Wireless II and KEF Q350 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
KEF LS50 Wireless II Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 380-watt RMS( 760-watt Peak) Integrated Amplifier
- 12th Generation Uni-Q Driver
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Aluminum Woofer
- 45-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 32-bit Max Depth / 384 kHz Max Sample Rate
- Built-in 4.2 Bluetooth
- App Control Feature
- Weight:10.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 277.8" x 7.875" x 12.6875"( 277.8 x 200.0 x 322.3mm )
KEF Q350 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 11th Generation Uni-Q Driver
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Aluminum Woofer
- 63-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:10-120watts
- Weight:7.60kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 358.0" x 8.2" x 12.0"( 358.0 x 210.0 x 306.0mm )
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the KEF LS50 Wireless II and KEF Q350 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both LS50 Wireless II and Q350 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
KEF LS50 Wireless II |
KEF Q350 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
LS50 Wireless II features a 1" Aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer . On the other hand, the Q350 features a 1" vented aluminum Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
LS50 Wireless II has a frequency range of 45-28k Hz whereas Q350 has a frequency range of 63-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the LS50 Wireless II can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Q350's min frequency of 63Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both LS50 Wireless II and Q350 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
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare KEF LS50 Wireless II's and KEF Q350's external dimensions. KEF LS50 Wireless II has external dimensions of 277.8 x 200.0 x 322.3mm ( 10.9375 x 7.875 x 12.6875inch) whereas KEF Q350 has external dimensions of 358.0 x 210.0 x 306.0mm ( 14.0 x 8.2 x 12.0inch) .
KEF LS50 Wireless II is 10mm narrower and 80.2mm shorter than KEF Q350 but it is also 16.3mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF LS50 Wireless II and KEF Q350 in scale.
Comparison image of KEF LS50 Wireless II and KEF Q350 Size and External Dimensions
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 KEF LS50 Wireless II is approximately 644.6cm2 / 99.9inch2 and base area of the KEF Q350 is approximately 642.6cm2 / 99.6inch2. The LS50 Wireless II requires 0% more surface area than the Q350 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is an another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of KEF LS50 Wireless II and KEF Q350 on a Media Console
What's in the Box of KEF LS50 Wireless II?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of LS50 Wireless II:
2 Wireless powered speakersTwo 6.5-feet AC power cords10-feet Cat-6 interconnect speaker cableRemote control2 AAA batteries Quick Start Guide Important Safety Information Warranty Information
What's in the Box of KEF Q350?
Here are the items that come with the Q350:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers 2 Foam port plugs 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet Owner's Manual Warranty Registration Card