In this review, we will be comparing Q550 and BP-9020, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KEF and Definitive Technology.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Q550 and Definitive BP-9020 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Q550 | Definitive BP-9020 |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | Definitive Technology
United States · founded 1990 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 11th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 3 x 3.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Aluminum | 8" Polypropelene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 58-28k Hz | 28-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-130 watts | 50-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.55kg / 32lbs | 13.64kg / 30lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 35-3/16" x 11-5/8" x 12-5/16"
894.0 x 296.0 x 313.0mm | 35-9/16" x 11-1/16" x 13-13/16"
904.0 x 281.0 x 351.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF Q550 and Definitive BP-9020 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 Q550 |
Definitive BP-9020 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Q550 is a 2-way design whereas the BP-9020 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 Q550Definitive BP-9020
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 Q550 |
Definitive BP-9020 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
3 x 3.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
Q550 features a 1" vented aluminum Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, the BP-9020 features a 1" annealed aluminum dome Tweeter, a 3.5" Midrange and 1 x 8" Polypropelene Woofer.
Frequency Response
Q550 has a frequency range of 58-28k Hz whereas BP-9020 has a frequency range of 28-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the BP-9020 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Q550's min frequency of 58Hz.
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
Q550 and BP-9020 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Q550 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the BP-9020's is at 92 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Definitive BP-9020 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Q550, 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.
BP-9020 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Q550 has a max power handling value of 130 watts RMS, 70 watts less than the BP-9020.
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
Q550 features 5-Way post, RCA type posts and BP-9020 has a 5-Way post, RCA type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 Q550's and Definitive BP-9020's external dimensions. KEF Q550 has external dimensions of 894.0 x 296.0 x 313.0mm (35-3/16 x 11-5/8 x 12-5/16inch) whereas Definitive BP-9020 has external dimensions of 904.0 x 281.0 x 351.0mm (35-9/16 x 11-1/16 x 13-13/16inch).
KEF Q550 is 10mm shorter and 38mm less deeper than Definitive BP-9020 but it is also 15mm wider.
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. Definitive BP-9020 is 38mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall.
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 Q550 is approximately 926.5cm2 / 143.6inch2 and base area of the Definitive BP-9020 is approximately 986.3cm2 / 152.9inch2. The Q550 requires 6% less surface area than the BP-9020 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 Q550 weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs and the Definitive BP-9020 weighs 13.64kg / 30lbs. This makes the Q550 7% heavier than the BP-9020.
Here is a comparison of how Q550 and BP-9020'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 Q550?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Q550:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 2 Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes
- 6 Screws
- 6 Washers
- 4 Rubber inserts
- Hex-key
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Information
What's in the Box of Definitive BP-9020?
Here are the items that come with the BP-9020:
- Tower loudspeaker
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- Top-plate (installed)
- Stabilizer base
- 4 Floor guides
- 4 Carpet spikes
- 4 Screws
- 4 Nuts
- Owners Manual
- What Obsession Sounds Like card
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Passive Radiator |
2 x 5.25-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
894mm
vs
904mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
926cm2
vs
986cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1400USD
vs
1498USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
130 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
58 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
KEF Q550 |
Definitive Technology BP-9020 |
| Brand |
KEF |
Definitive Technology |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-130 watts |
50-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.5 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
58-28k Hz |
28-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Polypropelene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
3.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
894.0mm (35.2") |
904.0mm (35.6") |
| Width |
296.0mm (11.7") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
313.0mm (12.3") |
351.0mm (13.8") |
| Weight |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
13.64kg (30lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Aluminum/Cloth |
| Available Colors |
Walnut |
Black |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
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 | Definitive BP-9020 digs deeper - 28Hz against 58Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Definitive BP-9020 is more sensitive (92dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Definitive BP-9020 takes more power (200W vs 130W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Cabinet | depends | Passive Radiator vs Ported. |
| Expandability | depends | KEF Q550: Atmos drivers; Definitive BP-9020: Atmos drivers. KEF Q550 sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,400 vs $1,498 a pair). |
A KEF Q550 B Definitive BP-9020
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?
Definitive BP-9020 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 58Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate KEF Q550 the better fit for a mid-size room, and Definitive BP-9020 for a very large room.
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.