In this review, we will be comparing Q150 and D310, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from KEF and Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Q150 and Wharfedale D310 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Q150 | Wharfedale D310 |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 11th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Aluminum | 4" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 51-28k Hz | 65-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 10-100 watts | 20-60 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.60kg / 12.3lbs | 4.00kg / 8.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.9" x 7.0" x 10.9"
303.0 x 180.0 x 278.0mm | 10-7/16" x 6-1/8" x 8-13/16"
266.0 x 156.0 x 224.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF Q150 and Wharfedale D310 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 |
Wharfedale D310 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
No way |
(* 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 D310 are 2-way speakers.
KEF Q150Wharfedale D310
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 |
Wharfedale D310 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 4-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 D310 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4" Woven Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
Q150 has a frequency range of 51-28k Hz whereas D310 has a frequency range of 65-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 51Hz, the Q150 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the D310's min frequency of 65Hz.
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 D310 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.
Q150 can handle a max power of 100 watts RMS, whereas D310 has a max power handling value of 60 watts RMS, 40 watts less than the Q150.
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 Post type posts and D310 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF Q150's Post terminals
Wharfedale D310's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Q150 has a rear firing port whereas D310 has a bottom firing ports. Wharfedale D310's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to KEF Q150 with its rear-firing port.
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 Wharfedale D310'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 Wharfedale D310 has external dimensions of 266.0 x 156.0 x 224.0mm (10-7/16 x 6-1/8 x 8-13/16inch).
KEF Q150 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 24mm wider, 37mm taller and 54mm deeper than Wharfedale D310.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF Q150 and Wharfedale D310 in scale.
Comparison image of KEF Q150 and Wharfedale D310 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 Wharfedale D310 is approximately 349.4cm2 / 54.2inch2. The Q150 requires 43% more surface area than the D310 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Wharfedale D310 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 Wharfedale D310 weighs 4.00kg / 8.8lbs. This makes the Q150 40% heavier than the D310.
Here is a comparison of how Q150 and D310'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 Wharfedale D310?
Here are the items that come with the D310:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Tweeter grilles (pre-installed)
- 2 Woofer grilles (pre-installed)
- User-feets Manual
- Installation Guide
 Max Input Power |
100 watts
vs
60 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.7 ohms
vs
3.6 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
5.25 inches
vs
4 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
51 Hz
vs
65 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
266mm
vs
303mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
349cm2
vs
500cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
199USD
vs
600USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF Q150 |
Wharfedale D310 |
| Brand |
KEF |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Compact bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
10-100 watts |
20-60 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.7 ohms |
3.6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
51-28k Hz |
65-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
4" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Foamed Polyether |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
303.0mm (11.9") |
266.0mm (10.5") |
| Width |
180.0mm (7.1") |
156.0mm (6.1") |
| Depth |
278.0mm (10.9") |
224.0mm (8.8") |
| Weight |
5.60kg (12.3lbs) |
4.00kg (8.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl-wrapped |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black, Walnut, White |
Rosewood, Black, White, Walnut |
| 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 - KEF Q150 costs roughly 3x what Wharfedale D310 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 65Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (86dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | KEF Q150 takes more power (100W vs 60W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Wharfedale D310 is easier to place; KEF Q150 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 | B | Wharfedale D310 is cheaper - $199 against $600, about 67% less; arguably a different class. |
A KEF Q150 B Wharfedale D310
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?
The usual trade-off: KEF Q150 measures better, Wharfedale D310 costs about about 3x the price% 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 65Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Wharfedale D310 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Wharfedale D310 the better fit for near-field listening; 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.