In this review, we will be comparing Reference 5 Meta and Kendall, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KEF and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Reference 5 Meta and KLH Kendall first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Reference 5 Meta | KLH Kendall |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" aluminium dome with MAT | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 6.5" aluminium cone | 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-35k Hz | 25-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-400 watts | up to 250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 60.20kg / 132.4lbs | 22.14kg / 48.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 55.2" x 12.7" x 18.4"
1402 x 323 x 467 mm | 40-3/16" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Reference 5 Meta and Kendall are 3-way speakers.
KEF Reference 5 MetaKLH Kendall
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 5 Meta |
KLH Kendall |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Reference 5 Meta features a 1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" aluminium cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 2100Hz. On the other hand, the Kendall features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
Reference 5 Meta has a frequency range of 40-35k Hz whereas Kendall has a frequency range of 25-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Kendall can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Reference 5 Meta's min frequency of 40Hz.
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
Reference 5 Meta is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Kendall 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 5 Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Reference 5 Meta sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Kendall's is rated at 96 dB. This 8 dB difference makes the KLH Kendall a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Reference 5 Meta, 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.
Reference 5 Meta can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas Kendall has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the Reference 5 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
Both Reference 5 Meta and Kendall features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KEF Reference 5 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
KLH Kendall's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or 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 Reference 5 Meta's and KLH Kendall's external dimensions. KEF Reference 5 Meta has external dimensions of 1402 x 323 x 467 mm (55.2 x 12.7 x 18.4 in.) whereas KLH Kendall has external dimensions of 1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/16 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch).
KEF Reference 5 Meta is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 111mm wider, 381mm taller and 87mm deeper than KLH Kendall.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF Reference 5 Meta and KLH Kendall in scale.
Comparison image of KEF Reference 5 Meta and KLH Kendall 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 5 Meta is approximately 1508.4cm2 / 233.8inch2 and base area of the KLH Kendall is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The Reference 5 Meta requires 87% more surface area than the Kendall 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 5 Meta weighs 60.20kg / 132.4lbs and the KLH Kendall weighs 22.14kg / 48.7lbs. This makes the Reference 5 Meta 172% heavier than the Kendall.
Here is a comparison of how Reference 5 Meta and Kendall's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of KLH Kendall?
Here are the items that come with the Kendall:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Foam port
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet (with nuts)
- 4 Protective discs
- Manual
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1021mm
vs
1402mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2
vs
1508cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
22000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF Reference 5 Meta |
KLH Kendall |
| Brand |
KEF |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-400 watts |
up to 250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
96 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
40-35k Hz |
25-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
4 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
aluminium cone |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
aluminium dome with MAT |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
450Hz and 2100Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1402.0mm (55.2") |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
323.0mm (12.7") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
467.0mm (18.4") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
60.20kg (132.4lbs) |
22.14kg (48.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
High-Gloss White/Blue, High-Gloss White/Champagne, High-Gloss Black/Grey, High-Gloss Black/Copper, Satin Walnut/Silver |
Black |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
10 Years |
These sit in different price classes - KEF Reference 5 Meta costs roughly 14.7x what KLH Kendall 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 | KLH Kendall digs deeper - 25Hz against 40Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | KLH Kendall is more sensitive (96dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | KLH Kendall is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | KEF Reference 5 Meta takes more power (400W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | KLH Kendall is easier to place; KEF Reference 5 Meta is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | KEF Reference 5 Meta: bi-amping; KLH Kendall: bi-amping. KEF Reference 5 Meta sits in a wider range (5 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | KLH Kendall is cheaper - $1,500 against $22,000, about 93% less; arguably a different class. |
A KEF Reference 5 Meta B KLH Kendall
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?
KLH Kendall is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take KEF Reference 5 Meta if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 40Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, KEF Reference 5 Meta has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, KLH Kendall is the easier speaker to get right.
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.