In this review, we will be comparing R2 Meta and Q650c, two Passive Center Channel speakers by KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF R2 Meta and KEF Q650c first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF R2 Meta | KEF Q650c |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | 11th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Hybrid Aluminum | 2 x 6.5" aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 67-28k Hz | 64-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-200 watts | 15-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 15.45kg / 34lbs | 13.64kg / 30lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 6-15/16" x 21-3/4" x 12-1/4"
177.0 x 553.0 x 312.0mm | 8-5/16" x 24-13/16" x 11-15/16"
212.0 x 631.0 x 304.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF R2 Meta and KEF Q650c 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 R2 Meta |
KEF Q650c |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| 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.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that R2 Meta is a 3-way design whereas the Q650c is a 2-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 R2 MetaKEF Q650c
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 R2 Meta |
KEF Q650c |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
R2 Meta features a 1" Aluminum with MAT absorber Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 560Hz and 2500Hz. On the other hand, the Q650c features a 1" vented aluminum Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
R2 Meta has a frequency range of 67-28k Hz whereas Q650c has a frequency range of 64-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 64Hz, the Q650c can go slightly deeper then the R2 Meta's min frequency of 67Hz.
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
R2 Meta is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Q650c 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 R2 Meta can provide this impedance level.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 87 dBdB.
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.
R2 Meta 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 R2 Meta.
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
R2 Meta features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Q650c has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF R2 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
KEF Q650c'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 R2 Meta's and KEF Q650c's external dimensions. KEF R2 Meta has external dimensions of 177.0 x 553.0 x 312.0mm (6-15/16-inch x 21-3/4-inch x 12-1/4-inch) whereas 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).
KEF R2 Meta is 78mm narrower and 35mm shorter than KEF Q650c but it is also 8mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF R2 Meta and KEF Q650c in scale.
Comparison image of KEF R2 Meta and KEF Q650c 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 R2 Meta is approximately 1725.4cm2 / 267.4inch2 and base area of the KEF Q650c is approximately 1918.2cm2 / 297.3inch2. The R2 Meta requires 10% less surface area than the Q650c which gives it a small advantage 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 R2 Meta weighs 15.45kg / 34lbs and the KEF Q650c weighs 13.64kg / 30lbs. This makes the R2 Meta 13% heavier than the Q650c.
Here is a comparison of how R2 Meta and Q650c'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 R2 Meta?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R2 Meta:
- 1 R2 Meta
- 1 microfiber grille
- Rubber feet
- User manual and warranty information
What's in the Box of KEF Q650c?
Here are the items that come with the Q650c:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Information
 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 |
1725cm2
vs
1918cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 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
67 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
|
Passive Radiator |
one 6.5-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Price per pair* |
750USD
vs
1399USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF R2 Meta |
KEF Q650c |
| Brand |
KEF |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
15-200 watts |
15-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
4.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
67-28k Hz |
64-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Hybrid Aluminum |
aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
560Hz and 2500Hz |
2500Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
177.0mm (7") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Width |
553.0mm (21.8") |
631.0mm (24.8") |
| Depth |
312.0mm (12.3") |
304.0mm (12") |
| Weight |
15.45kg (34lbs) |
13.64kg (30lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Sealed |
Passive Radiator |
| Available Colors |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut |
Satin White, Satin Black, Walnut |
| Grille |
n/a |
optional |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - KEF R2 Meta costs roughly 1.9x 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 | B | KEF Q650c digs deeper - 64Hz against 67Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 87dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | KEF Q650c is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | KEF R2 Meta takes more power (200W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | KEF R2 Meta is easier to place; KEF Q650c is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs Passive Radiator. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | A | KEF R2 Meta: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | KEF Q650c is cheaper - $750 against $1,399, about 46% less; arguably a different class. |
A KEF R2 Meta B KEF Q650c
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. Match it to your room: we rate KEF R2 Meta the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and KEF Q650c for a small room. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, KEF Q650c 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.