In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers. KEF Q4 Meta is a Surround speaker whereas the Opticon LCR MK2 is a On-Wall speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Q4 Meta and DALI Opticon LCR II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Q4 Meta | DALI Opticon LCR II |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-dome | 17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Aluminum | 6.5" Wood Fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 65-20k Hz | 70-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 150 watts | 30-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.73kg / 12.6lbs | 8.00kg / 17.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 15.7" x 9.8" x 5.6"
400 x 250 x 142 mm | 19" x 11-1/4" x 5"
483.0 x 286.0 x 127.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF Q4 Meta and DALI Opticon LCR II 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 Q4 Meta |
DALI Opticon LCR II |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Q4 Meta is a 2-way design whereas the Opticon LCR MK2 is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
KEF Q4 MetaDALI Opticon LCR II
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 Q4 Meta |
DALI Opticon LCR II |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Q4 Meta features a 1" vented aluminum dome with MAT absorber Hard-dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1.8 kHz. On the other hand, the Opticon LCR MK2 features a 17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz and 14.000Hz.
Frequency Response
Q4 Meta has a frequency range of 65-20k Hz whereas Opticon LCR MK2 has a frequency range of 70-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 65Hz, the Q4 Meta can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Opticon LCR MK2's min frequency of 70Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Surround class in our database.
Low Frequency
Surround 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
Q4 Meta and Opticon LCR MK2 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Q4 Meta sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Opticon LCR MK2's is at 89 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the DALI Opticon LCR II a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Q4 Meta, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Q4 Meta and the Q4 Meta can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Surround 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 150 watts RMS, though Q4 Meta is rated Up to 150 watts and Opticon LCR MK2 30-150 watts.
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
Q4 Meta features Post type posts and Opticon LCR MK2 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF Q4 Meta's Binding Post terminals
DALI Opticon LCR II's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Q4 Meta has a side firing port whereas Opticon LCR MK2 has a rear firing ports.
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 Q4 Meta's and DALI Opticon LCR II's external dimensions. KEF Q4 Meta has external dimensions of 400 x 250 x 142 mm (15.7 x 9.8 x 5.6 in.) whereas DALI Opticon LCR II has external dimensions of 483.0 x 286.0 x 127.0mm (19 x 11-1/4 x 5inch).
KEF Q4 Meta is 36mm narrower and 83mm shorter than DALI Opticon LCR II but it is also 15mm deeper.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Near-identical footprints. KEF Q4 Meta is 15mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. DALI Opticon LCR II is 83mm taller.
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 Q4 Meta is approximately 355.0cm2 / 55.0inch2 and base area of the DALI Opticon LCR II is approximately 363.2cm2 / 56.3inch2. The Q4 Meta requires 2% less surface area than the Opticon LCR MK2 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of KEF Q4 Meta?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Q4 Meta:
- Q4 Meta
- Magnetic grilles (pair)
- Rubber feet
- Port bungs
- User manual and warranty information
What's in the Box of DALI Opticon LCR II?
Here are the items that come with the Opticon LCR MK2:
- LCR loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber bumpers
- Hex-key
- Quick Start Guide
- Congratulations Card