In this review, we will be comparing Q7 Meta and Imagine X2T, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KEF and PSB.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Q7 Meta and PSB Imagine X2T first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Q7 Meta | PSB Imagine X2T |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | PSB
Canada · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.75" Hard dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 4" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Aluminum | 2 x 6.2" Clay/Ceramic/Poly |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-20k Hz | 30-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 200 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.45kg / 40.6lbs | 23.60kg / 51.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 39.4" x 12.5" x 12.4"
1001 x 317 x 315 mm | 40-1/8" x 9" x 16-3/4"
1020.0 x 229.0 x 426.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF Q7 Meta and PSB Imagine X2T 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 Q7 Meta |
PSB Imagine X2T |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 Q7 Meta and Imagine X2T are 3-way speakers.
KEF Q7 MetaPSB Imagine X2T
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 Q7 Meta |
PSB Imagine X2T |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.75-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.2-inch
|
Q7 Meta features a 0.75" vented aluminum dome with MAT absorber Hard dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 440 Hz, 2.3 kHz. On the other hand, the Imagine X2T features a 1" titanium with neodymium magnets Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.2" Clay/Ceramic/Poly Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 500Hz and 2200Hz.
Frequency Response
Q7 Meta has a frequency range of 46-20k Hz whereas Imagine X2T has a frequency range of 30-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Imagine X2T can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Q7 Meta's min frequency of 46Hz.
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
Q7 Meta is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Imagine X2T which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Q7 Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Q7 Meta sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Imagine X2T's is rated at 90 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the PSB Imagine X2T a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Q7 Meta, 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 200 watts RMS, though Q7 Meta is rated Up to 200 watts and Imagine X2T 20-200 watts.
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
Imagine X2T features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Q7 Meta has a Binding Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
PSB Imagine X2T's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Q7 Meta has a rear firing port whereas Imagine X2T has a front firing ports. PSB Imagine X2T's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to KEF Q7 Meta with its rear-firing port.
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 Q7 Meta's and PSB Imagine X2T's external dimensions. KEF Q7 Meta has external dimensions of 1001 x 317 x 315 mm (39.4 x 12.5 x 12.4 in.) whereas PSB Imagine X2T has external dimensions of 1020.0 x 229.0 x 426.0mm (40-1/8 x 9 x 16-3/4inch).
KEF Q7 Meta is 19mm shorter and 111mm less deeper than PSB Imagine X2T but it is also 88mm wider.
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 Q7 Meta is approximately 998.6cm2 / 154.8inch2 and base area of the PSB Imagine X2T is approximately 975.5cm2 / 151.2inch2. The Q7 Meta requires 2% more surface area than the Imagine X2T 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 Q7 Meta weighs 18.45kg / 40.6lbs and the PSB Imagine X2T weighs 23.60kg / 51.9lbs. This makes the Imagine X2T 28% heavier than the Q7 Meta.
Here is a comparison of how Q7 Meta and Imagine X2T'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 Q7 Meta?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Q7 Meta:
- Q7 Meta
- Magnetic grilles
- Plinth and rubber feet
- Port bungs
- User manual and warranty information
What's in the Box of PSB Imagine X2T?
Here are the items that come with the Imagine X2T:
- Floor-standing speaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spiked Feet
- Wrench
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty Card
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6.2 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
1001mm
vs
1020mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
23k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Base Surface Area |
975cm2
vs
998cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
1800USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF Q7 Meta |
PSB Imagine X2T |
| Brand |
KEF |
PSB |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
Up to 200 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
46-20k Hz |
30-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.2" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Clay/Ceramic/Poly |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
0.75" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
440 Hz, 2.3 kHz |
500Hz and 2200Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1001.0mm (39.4") |
1020.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
317.0mm (12.5") |
229.0mm (9") |
| Depth |
315.0mm (12.4") |
426.0mm (16.8") |
| Weight |
18.45kg (40.6lbs) |
23.60kg (51.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain |
| Available Colors |
Satin Black,Satin White,Walnut |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: KEF Q7 Meta is the newer design, against a 2013 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | PSB Imagine X2T digs deeper - 30Hz against 46Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | PSB Imagine X2T is more sensitive (90dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | PSB Imagine X2T is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | PSB Imagine X2T: bi-amping. KEF Q7 Meta sits in a wider range (8 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | PSB Imagine X2T is cheaper - $1,500 against $1,800, about 17% less. |
A KEF Q7 Meta B PSB Imagine X2T
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?
PSB Imagine X2T is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take KEF Q7 Meta if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 46Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate KEF Q7 Meta the better fit for a very large room, and PSB Imagine X2T for a mid-size 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.