In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by KEF. KEF Q950 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Q250c is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Q950 and KEF Q250c first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Q950 | KEF Q250c |
|---|
| 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 | 1.5" Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8.0" Aluminum | 5.25" aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44-28k Hz | 68-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-200 watts | 10-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 20.68kg / 45.5lbs | 7.50kg / 16.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43-15/16" x 14-1/4" x 12-3/8"
1117.0 x 362.0 x 315.0mm | 7-1/8" x 20-11/16" x 8-1/2"
181.0 x 526.0 x 216.0mm |
|---|
Q950 and Q250c are members of KEF's Q series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the KEF Q950 and KEF Q250c 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 Q950 |
KEF Q250c |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Average |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* 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 Q950 and Q250c are 2-way speakers.
KEF Q950KEF Q250c
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 Q950 |
KEF Q250c |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.5-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8.0-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
Q950 features a 1.5" vented aluminum Dome Tweeter and 2 x 8.0" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz. On the other hand, the Q250c features a 1" vented aluminum Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Q950 has a frequency range of 44-28k Hz whereas Q250c has a frequency range of 68-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the Q950 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Q250c's min frequency of 68Hz.
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
Q950 and Q250c have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Q950 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Q250c's is at 87 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the KEF Q950 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Q250c, 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.
Q950 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Q250c has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Q950.
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
Q950 features Binding post type posts and Q250c has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/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 Q950's and KEF Q250c's external dimensions. KEF Q950 has external dimensions of 1117.0 x 362.0 x 315.0mm (43-15/16 x 14-1/4 x 12-3/8inch) whereas KEF Q250c has external dimensions of 181.0 x 526.0 x 216.0mm (7-1/8 x 20-11/16 x 8-1/2inch).
KEF Q250c is 936mm shorter and 99mm less deeper than KEF Q950 but it is also 164mm 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 Q950 is approximately 1140.3cm2 / 176.7inch2 and base area of the KEF Q250c is approximately 1136.2cm2 / 176.1inch2. The Q950 requires 0% more surface area than the Q250c which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of KEF Q950?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Q950:
- 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 Q250c?
Here are the items that come with the Q250c:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Information