In this review, we will be comparing Q950 and R-820F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KEF and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Q950 and Klipsch R-820F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
KEF Q950 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 11th Generation Uni-Q Driver
- 1.5" Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 8.0" Aluminum Woofer
- 44-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:15-200watts
- Weight:20.68kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1117.0" x 14-1/4" x 12-3/8"( 1117.0 x 362.0 x 315.0mm )
Klipsch R-820F Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 2 x 8" Copper-spun IMG Woofer
- 35-21k Hz Frequency Response
- 97 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 150watts
- Weight:24.55kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1096.0" x 10-7/8" x 16-3/4"( 1096.0 x 277.0 x 426.0mm )
What size room are the KEF Q950 and Klipsch R-820F 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 |
Klipsch R-820F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the KEF Q950 and Klipsch R-820F compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Q950 and R-820F are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
KEF Q950 |
Klipsch R-820F |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.5-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8.0-inch
|
2 x 8-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 R-820F features a 1" Tweeter and 2 x 8" Copper-spun IMG Woofer .
Frequency Response
Q950 has a frequency range of 44-28k Hz whereas R-820F has a frequency range of 35-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the R-820F can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Q950's min frequency of 44Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Q950 and R-820F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Q950 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the R-820F's is at 97 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-820F a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Q950, 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. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Q950 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas R-820F has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Q950.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Q950 features Post type posts and R-820F has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 Klipsch R-820F'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 Klipsch R-820F has external dimensions of 1096.0 x 277.0 x 426.0mm ( 43-1/8 x 10-7/8 x 16-3/4inch) .
Klipsch R-820F is 85mm narrower and 21mm shorter than KEF Q950 but it is also 111mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF Q950 and Klipsch R-820F in scale.
Comparison image of KEF Q950 and Klipsch R-820F 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 Q950 is approximately 1140.3cm2 / 176.7inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-820F is approximately 1180.0cm2 / 182.9inch2. The Q950 requires 3% less surface area than the R-820F which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.