In this review, we will be comparing Q11 Meta and R700, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KEF and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Q11 Meta and Polk R700 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Q11 Meta | Polk R700 |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.75" Hard dome | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Midrange | 4" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 6.5" Aluminum | 2 x 8" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44-20k Hz | 38-38k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 225 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.55kg / 49.6lbs | 35.90kg / 79lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43.8" x 12.5" x 15"
1112 x 317 x 380 mm | 45" x 12.6" x 16.9"
1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF Q11 Meta and Polk R700 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* |
KEF Q11 Meta |
Polk R700 |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
Average |
(* 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
Both Q11 Meta and R700 are 3-way speakers.
KEF Q11 MetaPolk R700
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
KEF Q11 Meta |
Polk R700 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.75-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Q11 Meta features a 0.75" vented aluminum dome with MAT absorber Hard dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 480 Hz, 2.7 kHz. On the other hand, the R700 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
Q11 Meta has a frequency range of 44-20k Hz whereas R700 has a frequency range of 38-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the R700 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Q11 Meta's min frequency of 44Hz.
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
Q11 Meta is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the R700 which has a nominal impedance of 8 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 Q11 Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Q11 Meta sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the R700's is rated at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the KEF Q11 Meta a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R700, 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.
R700 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Q11 Meta has a max power handling value of 225 watts RMS, 75 watts less than the R700.
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
R700 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Q11 Meta has a Binding Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R700's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Q11 Meta has a rear firing port whereas R700 has a bottom firing ports. Polk R700's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to KEF Q11 Meta with its rear-firing port.
Polk R700 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 KEF Q11 Meta's and Polk R700's external dimensions. KEF Q11 Meta has external dimensions of 1112 x 317 x 380 mm (43.8 x 12.5 x 15.0 in.) whereas Polk R700 has external dimensions of 1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm (45 x 12.6 x 16.9inch).
Polk R700 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 3.7mm wider, 31.8mm taller and 48.3mm deeper than KEF Q11 Meta.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF Q11 Meta and Polk R700 in scale.
Comparison image of KEF Q11 Meta and Polk R700 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 Q11 Meta is approximately 1204.6cm2 / 186.7inch2 and base area of the Polk R700 is approximately 1373.6cm2 / 212.9inch2. The Q11 Meta requires 12% less surface area than the R700 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 KEF Q11 Meta weighs 22.55kg / 49.6lbs and the Polk R700 weighs 35.90kg / 79lbs. This makes the R700 59% heavier than the Q11 Meta.
Here is a comparison of how Q11 Meta and R700'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 KEF Q11 Meta?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Q11 Meta:
- Q11 Meta
- Magnetic grilles
- Plinth and rubber feet
- Port bungs
- User manual and warranty information
What's in the Box of Polk R700?
Here are the items that come with the R700:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 4 Outrigger feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet (pre-installed)
- Grille
- Hex-key
- Owner's Manual
- Online Registration
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 Height |
1112mm
vs
1143mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1204cm2
vs
1373cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
225 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.6 ohms
vs
3.2 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
|
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
38 Hz
vs
44 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
2198USD
vs
2200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF Q11 Meta |
Polk Audio Reserve R700 |
| Brand |
KEF |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
Up to 225 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
3.6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
44-20k Hz |
38-38k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
0.75" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard dome |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
480 Hz, 2.7 kHz |
350Hz and 2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1112.0mm (43.8") |
1143.8mm (45") |
| Width |
317.0mm (12.5") |
320.7mm (12.6") |
| Depth |
380.0mm (15") |
428.3mm (16.9") |
| Weight |
22.55kg (49.6lbs) |
35.90kg (79lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Satin Black,Satin White,Walnut |
Black, Walnut, White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
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 | Polk R700 digs deeper - 38Hz against 44Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Polk R700 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | Polk R700 takes more power (300W vs 225W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | Polk R700: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($2,200 vs $2,198 a pair). |
A KEF Q11 Meta B Polk R700
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?
Polk R700 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 44Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate KEF Q11 Meta the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
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.