In this review, we will be comparing Q150 and M126Be, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from KEF and Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Q150 and Revel M126Be first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Q150 | Revel M126Be |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | Revel
United States · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 11th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Aluminum | 6.5" DCC Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 51-28k Hz | 54-44k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 10-100 watts | 50-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.60kg / 12.3lbs | 10.00kg / 22lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.9" x 7.0" x 10.9"
303.0 x 180.0 x 278.0mm | 15-1/4" x 8-5/16" x 10-5/16"
388.0 x 212.0 x 262.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF Q150 and Revel M126Be 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 Q150 |
Revel M126Be |
| Near-field |
Average |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
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
Both Q150 and M126Be are 2-way speakers.
KEF Q150Revel M126Be
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
KEF Q150 |
Revel M126Be |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Q150 features a 1" vented aluminum Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, the M126Be features a 1" beryllium Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" DCC Aluminum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Q150 has a frequency range of 51-28k Hz whereas M126Be has a frequency range of 54-44k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 51Hz, the Q150 can go slightly deeper then the M126Be's min frequency of 54Hz.
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
Q150 and M126Be have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 86 dB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
M126Be can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas Q150 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the M126Be.
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
Q150 features Binding post type posts and M126Be has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF Q150's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Q150 and M126Be 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 KEF Q150's and Revel M126Be's external dimensions. KEF Q150 has external dimensions of 303.0 x 180.0 x 278.0mm (11.9 x 7.0 x 10.9inch) whereas Revel M126Be has external dimensions of 388.0 x 212.0 x 262.0mm (15-1/4 x 8-5/16 x 10-5/16inch).
KEF Q150 is 32mm narrower and 85mm shorter than Revel M126Be but it is also 16mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF Q150 and Revel M126Be in scale.
Comparison image of KEF Q150 and Revel M126Be 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 Q150 is approximately 500.4cm2 / 77.6inch2 and base area of the Revel M126Be is approximately 555.4cm2 / 86.1inch2. The Q150 requires 10% less surface area than the M126Be which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is 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 Q150 and Revel M126Be on a Media Console
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 Q150 weighs 5.60kg / 12.3lbs and the Revel M126Be weighs 10.00kg / 22lbs. This makes the M126Be 79% heavier than the Q150.
Here is a comparison of how Q150 and M126Be'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 Q150?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Q150:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Foam port plugs
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owner's Manual
- Warranty Registration Card
What's in the Box of Revel M126Be?
Here are the items that come with the M126Be:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille
- Foam port plug
- Owners Manual
 Low Frequency Response |
51 Hz
vs
54 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
303mm
vs
388mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
500cm2
vs
555cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
600USD
vs
4400USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
|
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
44k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
KEF Q150 |
Revel PerformaBe M126Be |
| Brand |
KEF |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
10-100 watts |
50-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.7 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
51-28k Hz |
54-44k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
DCC Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
303.0mm (11.9") |
388.0mm (15.3") |
| Width |
180.0mm (7.1") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
278.0mm (10.9") |
262.0mm (10.3") |
| Weight |
5.60kg (12.3lbs) |
10.00kg (22lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl-wrapped |
Wood/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black, Walnut, White |
Walnut,Black,White,Silver |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
18-24" |
22-26" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Revel M126Be costs roughly 7.3x what KEF Q150 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 | A | KEF Q150 digs deeper - 51Hz against 54Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (86dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | B | Revel M126Be takes more power (150W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | KEF Q150 is easier to place; Revel M126Be is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| 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 | A | KEF Q150 is cheaper - $600 against $4,400, about 86% less; arguably a different class. |
A KEF Q150 B Revel M126Be
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. Match it to your room: we rate KEF Q150 the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and Revel M126Be for a mid-size room and a large room. In a large or open-plan room, Revel M126Be has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, KEF Q150 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.