In this review, we will be comparing R5 and Q950, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by KEF
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF R5 and KEF Q950 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
KEF R5 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 2 x 5.25" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer
- 58-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:15-200watts
- Weight:27.30kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1077.0" x 10-3/4" x 13-13/16"( 1077.0 x 274.0 x 351.0mm )
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 )
What size room are the KEF R5 and KEF Q950 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 R5 |
KEF Q950 |
| 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 R5 and KEF Q950 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that R5 is a 3-way design whereas the Q950 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.
| Driver |
KEF R5 |
KEF Q950 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.5-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 8.0-inch
|
R5 features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2900Hz. On the other hand, the Q950 features a 1.5" vented aluminum Dome Tweeter and 2 x 8.0" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz.
Frequency Response
R5 has a frequency range of 58-28k Hz whereas Q950 has a frequency range of 44-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the Q950 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R5's min frequency of 58Hz.
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
R5 and Q950 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R5 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Q950's is at 91 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the KEF Q950 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF R5, 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.
R5 and Q950 has the same power range of 15-200 watts.
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
R5 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Q950 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF R5's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
R5 has a rear firing port whereas Q950 has a front firing ports. KEF Q950's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to KEF R5 with its rear-firing port.
KEF R5 Port
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 R5's and KEF Q950's external dimensions. KEF R5 has external dimensions of 1077.0 x 274.0 x 351.0mm ( 42-3/8 x 10-3/4 x 13-13/16inch) whereas 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) .
KEF R5 is 88mm narrower and 40mm shorter than KEF Q950 but it is also 36mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF R5 and KEF Q950 in scale.
Comparison image of KEF R5 and KEF Q950 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 R5 is approximately 961.7cm2 / 149.1inch2 and base area of the KEF Q950 is approximately 1140.3cm2 / 176.7inch2. The R5 requires 16% less surface area than the Q950 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.