In this review, we will be comparing Q650c and R2c, two Passive Center Channel speakers by KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Q650c and KEF R2c first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Q650c | KEF R2c |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 11th Generation Uni-Q | 12th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" aluminum | 2 x 5.25" Hybrid Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 64-28k Hz | 74-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-150 watts | 15-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 13.64kg / 30lbs | 16.90kg / 37.2lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 6-15/16" x 21-11/16" x 12-7/16"
177.0 x 551.0 x 316.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF Q650c and KEF R2c 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 |
KEF R2c |
| 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 R2c 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 Q650cKEF R2c
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 |
KEF R2c |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-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 R2c features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
Q650c has a frequency range of 64-28k Hz whereas R2c has a frequency range of 74-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 64Hz, the Q650c can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R2c's min frequency of 74Hz.
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 and R2c have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 87 dB.
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.
R2c can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Q650c has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the R2c.
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
R2c features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Q650c has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF Q650c's Binding post terminals
KEF R2c's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or 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 Q650c's and KEF R2c'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 KEF R2c has external dimensions of 177.0 x 551.0 x 316.0mm (6-15/16 x 21-11/16 x 12-7/16inch).
KEF R2c is 80mm narrower and 35mm shorter than KEF Q650c but it is also 12mm 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 KEF R2c is approximately 1741.2cm2 / 269.9inch2. The Q650c requires 10% more surface area than the R2c 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 KEF R2c weighs 16.90kg / 37.2lbs. This makes the R2c 24% heavier than the Q650c.
Here is a comparison of how Q650c and R2c'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 KEF R2c?
Here are the items that come with the R2c:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- User Manual
- Warranty Information
 Minimum Impedance |
4.2 ohms
vs
3.2 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
64 Hz
vs
74 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
|
Passive Radiator |
one 6.5-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Price per pair* |
750USD
vs
1300USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
|
Uni-Q Driver |
12th Generation
vs
11th Generation
|
Newer generation Driver |
 Height |
177mm
vs
212mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1741cm2
vs
1918cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
KEF Q650c |
KEF R2c |
| Brand |
KEF |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
15-150 watts |
15-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.2 ohms |
3.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
64-28k Hz |
74-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
aluminum |
Hybrid Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
400Hz and 2900Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
212.0mm (8.3") |
177.0mm (7") |
| Width |
631.0mm (24.8") |
551.0mm (21.7") |
| Depth |
304.0mm (12") |
316.0mm (12.4") |
| Weight |
13.64kg (30lbs) |
16.90kg (37.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Available Colors |
Satin White, Satin Black, Walnut |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut |
| Grille |
optional |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - KEF R2c costs roughly 1.7x what KEF Q650c 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 Q650c digs deeper - 64Hz against 74Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 87dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | B | KEF R2c takes more power (200W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | KEF R2c is easier to place; KEF Q650c is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Passive Radiator vs Sealed. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | B | KEF R2c: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | KEF Q650c is cheaper - $750 against $1,300, about 42% less; arguably a different class. |
A KEF Q650c B KEF R2c
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 R2c is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 73% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - KEF Q650c looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the KEF R2c appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 74Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $550 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.