In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by KEF. KEF Q550 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Q650c is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Q550 and KEF Q650c first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Q550 | KEF Q650c |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 11th Generation Uni-Q | 11th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Aluminum | 2 x 6.5" aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 58-28k Hz | 64-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-130 watts | 15-150 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 | 8-5/16" x 24-13/16" x 11-15/16"
212.0 x 631.0 x 304.0mm |
|---|
Q550 and Q650c are members of KEF's Q series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the KEF Q550 and KEF Q650c 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 |
KEF Q650c |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
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
Both Q550 and Q650c are 2-way speakers.
KEF Q550KEF Q650c
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 Q550 |
KEF Q650c |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 6.5-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 Q650c features a 1" vented aluminum Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Q550 has a frequency range of 58-28k Hz whereas Q650c has a frequency range of 64-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 58Hz, the Q550 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Q650c's min frequency of 64Hz.
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 Q650c have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 87 dB.
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.
Q650c can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas Q550 has a max power handling value of 130 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Q650c.
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 Binding post type posts and Q650c has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF Q650c's Binding post terminals
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 KEF Q650c'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 KEF Q650c has external dimensions of 212.0 x 631.0 x 304.0mm (8-5/16 x 24-13/16 x 11-15/16inch).
KEF Q650c is 682mm shorter and 9mm less deeper than KEF Q550 but it is also 335mm 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.
KEF Q650c needs about 107% more floor or shelf area. KEF Q550 is 682mm 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 Q550 is approximately 926.5cm2 / 143.6inch2 and base area of the KEF Q650c is approximately 1918.2cm2 / 297.3inch2. The Q550 requires 52% less surface area than the Q650c which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
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 KEF Q650c?
Here are the items that come with the Q650c:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Information