In this review, we will be comparing Q650c and Silver C250 7G, two Passive Center Channel speakers from KEF and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Q650c and Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Q650c | Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 11th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" gold dome C-CAM |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 3" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" aluminum | 2 x 5.25" C-CAM with Rigid Surface Technology (RST) |
|---|
| Frequency response | 64-28k Hz | 65-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 88.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-150 watts | 80-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 13.64kg / 30lbs | 10.63kg / 23.4lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 8-1/16" x 18-15/16" x 10-3/4"
205.0 x 482.0 x 274.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF Q650c and Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G 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 |
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G |
| 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 Q650c is a 2-way design whereas the Silver C250 7G 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 Q650cMonitor Audio Silver C250 7G
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 |
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 3-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 Silver C250 7G features a 1" gold dome C-CAM Tweeter, a 3" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" C-CAM with Rigid Surface Technology (RST) Woofer.
Frequency Response
Q650c has a frequency range of 64-28k Hz whereas Silver C250 7G has a frequency range of 65-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 64Hz, the Q650c can go slightly deeper then the Silver C250 7G's min frequency of 65Hz.
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 Silver C250 7G have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Q650c sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Silver C250 7G's is at 88.5 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Q650c, 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.
Silver C250 7G 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 Silver C250 7G.
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.
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Q650c features Binding post type posts and Silver C250 7G has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF Q650c's Binding post terminals
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G'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 Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G'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 Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G has external dimensions of 205.0 x 482.0 x 274.0mm (8-1/16 x 18-15/16 x 10-3/4inch).
KEF Q650c is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 149mm wider, 7mm taller and 30mm deeper than Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF Q650c and Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G in scale.
Comparison image of KEF Q650c and Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G Size and External Dimensions
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 Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G is approximately 1320.7cm2 / 204.7inch2. The Q650c requires 45% more surface area than the Silver C250 7G 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 Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G weighs 10.63kg / 23.4lbs. This makes the Q650c 28% heavier than the Silver C250 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Q650c and Silver C250 7G's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G
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 Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G?
Here are the items that come with the Silver C250 7G:
- Center-channel loudspeakers
- Grille
- 2 Jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet
- Hex-key
- Owners Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
64 Hz
vs
65 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Passive Radiator |
one 6.5-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Price per pair* |
750USD
vs
1100USD
|
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 |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
205mm
vs
212mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1320cm2
vs
1918cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
KEF Q650c |
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G |
| Brand |
KEF |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
15-150 watts |
80-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
64-28k Hz |
65-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
aluminum |
C-CAM with Rigid Surface Technology (RST) |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
gold dome C-CAM |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
3" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
212.0mm (8.3") |
205.0mm (8.1") |
| Width |
631.0mm (24.8") |
482.0mm (19") |
| Depth |
304.0mm (12") |
274.0mm (10.8") |
| Weight |
13.64kg (30lbs) |
10.63kg (23.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Available Colors |
Satin White, Satin Black, Walnut |
White |
| Grille |
optional |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G is the newer design, against a 2017 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (64Hz vs 65Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G is more sensitive (89dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G takes more power (200W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G 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. |
| Price | A | KEF Q650c is cheaper - $750 against $1,100, about 32% less. |
A KEF Q650c B Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G
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?
The usual trade-off: Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G measures better, KEF Q650c costs about about 47% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. In a large or open-plan room, KEF Q650c has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G 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.