In this review, we will be comparing Q650c and Uni-Fi Reference UCR52, two Passive Center Channel speakers from KEF and ELAC.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Q650c and ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Q650c | ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 11th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" soft dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" aluminum | 2 x 5.25" aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 64-28k Hz | 47-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 85 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-150 watts | up to 140 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 13.64kg / 30lbs | 13.20kg / 29lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8-5/16" x 24-13/16" x 11-15/16"
212.0 x 631.0 x 304.0mm | 7-3/8" x 20-7/8" x 13-1/16"
188.0 x 531.0 x 332.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF Q650c and ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 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 Q650c |
ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 |
| 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.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Q650c is a 2-way design whereas the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 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 Q650cELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52
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 Q650c |
ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Q650c features a 1" vented aluminum Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 features a 1" soft dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" aluminum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Q650c has a frequency range of 64-28k Hz whereas Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 has a frequency range of 47-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 47Hz, the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 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 Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
Q650c is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Q650c sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52's is rated at 85 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the KEF Q650c a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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 Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 has a max power handling value of 140 watts RMS, 10 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
Q650c features Binding post type posts and Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF Q650c's Binding post terminals
ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52'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 Q650c's and ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52's external dimensions. 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) whereas ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 has external dimensions of 188.0 x 531.0 x 332.0mm (7-3/8 x 20-7/8 x 13-1/16inch).
ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 is 100mm narrower and 24mm shorter than KEF Q650c but it is also 28mm deeper.
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 Q650c is approximately 1918.2cm2 / 297.3inch2 and base area of the ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 is approximately 1762.9cm2 / 273.2inch2. The Q650c requires 9% more surface area than the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Q650c weighs 13.64kg / 30lbs and the ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 weighs 13.20kg / 29lbs. This makes the Q650c 3% heavier than the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52.
Here is a comparison of how Q650c and Uni-Fi Reference UCR52's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of KEF Q650c?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Q650c:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Information
What's in the Box of ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52?
Here are the items that come with the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)
- Operating Instructions
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
140 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Passive Radiator |
one 6.5-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
|
Low Frequency Response |
47 Hz
vs
64 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
188mm
vs
212mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1762cm2
vs
1918cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
700USD
vs
750USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF Q650c |
ELAC Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 |
| Brand |
KEF |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
15-150 watts |
up to 140 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
85 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
64-28k Hz |
47-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
aluminum |
aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
soft dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
212.0mm (8.3") |
188.0mm (7.4") |
| Width |
631.0mm (24.8") |
531.0mm (20.9") |
| Depth |
304.0mm (12") |
332.0mm (13.1") |
| Weight |
13.64kg (30lbs) |
13.20kg (29lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Satin White, Satin Black, Walnut |
Satin Black with Walnut Sides, Satin White with Oak Sides |
| Grille |
optional |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
3 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 | ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 digs deeper - 47Hz against 64Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | KEF Q650c is more sensitive (87dB vs 85dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | KEF Q650c is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (150W vs 140W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Cabinet | depends | Passive Radiator vs Ported. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. KEF Q650c sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($750 vs $700 a pair). |
A KEF Q650c B ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52
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?
KEF Q650c 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 64Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, KEF Q650c is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.