In this review, we will be comparing Reference 2 Meta and Q650c, two Passive Center Channel speakers by KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Reference 2 Meta and KEF Q650c first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Reference 2 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" aluminium dome with MAT | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" aluminium cone | 2 x 6.5" aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 80-35k Hz | 64-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-300 watts | 15-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.80kg / 50.2lbs | 13.64kg / 30lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8.1" x 24.8" x 13.2"
205 x 630 x 335 mm | 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 Reference 2 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 Reference 2 Meta |
KEF Q650c |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Bad |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Reference 2 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 Reference 2 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 Reference 2 Meta |
KEF Q650c |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Reference 2 Meta features a 1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" aluminium cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 2100Hz. 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
Reference 2 Meta has a frequency range of 80-35k Hz whereas Q650c has a frequency range of 64-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 64Hz, the Q650c can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Reference 2 Meta's min frequency of 80Hz.
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
Reference 2 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 Reference 2 Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Reference 2 Meta sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Q650c's is rated at 87 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the KEF Q650c a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Reference 2 Meta, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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.
Reference 2 Meta can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Q650c has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the Reference 2 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
Reference 2 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 Reference 2 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 Reference 2 Meta's and KEF Q650c's external dimensions. KEF Reference 2 Meta has external dimensions of 205 x 630 x 335 mm (8.1 x 24.8 x 13.2 in) 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 Reference 2 Meta is 1mm narrower and 7mm shorter than KEF Q650c but it is also 31mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF Reference 2 Meta and KEF Q650c in scale.
Comparison image of KEF Reference 2 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 Reference 2 Meta is approximately 2110.5cm2 / 327.1inch2 and base area of the KEF Q650c is approximately 1918.2cm2 / 297.3inch2. The Reference 2 Meta requires 10% more surface area than the Q650c 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 Reference 2 Meta weighs 22.80kg / 50.2lbs and the KEF Q650c weighs 13.64kg / 30lbs. This makes the Reference 2 Meta 67% heavier than the Q650c.
Here is a comparison of how Reference 2 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 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 |
300 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 |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
205mm
vs
212mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 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 |
 Low Frequency Response |
64 Hz
vs
80 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
|
Passive Radiator |
one 6.5-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Base Surface Area |
1918cm2
vs
2110cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
750USD
vs
6000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF Reference 2 Meta |
KEF Q650c |
| Brand |
KEF |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
50-300 watts |
15-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
4.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
80-35k Hz |
64-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
aluminium cone |
aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
aluminium dome with MAT |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
450Hz and 2100Hz |
2500Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
205.0mm (8.1") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Width |
630.0mm (24.8") |
631.0mm (24.8") |
| Depth |
335.0mm (13.2") |
304.0mm (12") |
| Weight |
22.80kg (50.2lbs) |
13.64kg (30lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Sealed |
Passive Radiator |
| Available Colors |
High-Gloss White/Blue, High-Gloss White/Champagne, High-Gloss Black/ Grey, High-Gloss Black/Copper, Satin Walnut/Silver |
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 Reference 2 Meta costs roughly 8x 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 80Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (86dB 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 Reference 2 Meta takes more power (300W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| 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 Reference 2 Meta: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | KEF Q650c is cheaper - $750 against $6,000, about 88% less; arguably a different class. |
A KEF Reference 2 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. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 80Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate KEF Reference 2 Meta the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and KEF Q650c for a small room and 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.