In this review, we will be comparing Concord and Demand D17, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KLH and Definitive Technology.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KLH Concord and Definitive Demand D17 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KLH Concord | Definitive Demand D17 |
|---|
| Brand | KLH
United States · founded 1957 | Definitive Technology
United States · founded 1990 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Kevlar | 2 x 6.5" Carbon-fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 28-23k Hz | 42-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 94 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 225 watts | 40-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 20.45kg / 45lbs | 29.10kg / 64lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-3/8" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1026.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm | 42-3/4" x 10-1/4" x 14-3/4"
1086.0 x 261.0 x 375.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Concord is a 2-way design whereas the Demand D17 is a 3-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.
KLH ConcordDefinitive Demand D17
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
KLH Concord |
Definitive Demand D17 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Concord features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer. On the other hand, the Demand D17 features a 1" aluminum dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Carbon-fiber Woofer.
Frequency Response
Concord has a frequency range of 28-23k Hz whereas Demand D17 has a frequency range of 42-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Concord can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Demand D17's min frequency of 42Hz.
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
Concord and Demand D17 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Concord sensitivity is rated at 94 dB and the Demand D17's is at 87 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the KLH Concord a more sensitive speaker compared to Definitive Demand D17, 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.
Demand D17 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Concord has a max power handling value of 225 watts RMS, 75 watts less than the Demand D17.
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
Demand D17 features 5-Way Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Concord has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KLH Concord's 5-Way post terminals
Definitive Demand D17's 5-Way 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 KLH Concord's and Definitive Demand D17's external dimensions. KLH Concord has external dimensions of 1026.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/8 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch) whereas Definitive Demand D17 has external dimensions of 1086.0 x 261.0 x 375.0mm (42-3/4 x 10-1/4 x 14-3/4inch).
KLH Concord is 49mm narrower and 60mm shorter than Definitive Demand D17 but it is also 5mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KLH Concord and Definitive Demand D17 in scale.
Comparison image of KLH Concord and Definitive Demand D17 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 KLH Concord is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2 and base area of the Definitive Demand D17 is approximately 978.8cm2 / 151.7inch2. The Concord requires 18% less surface area than the Demand D17 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 KLH Concord weighs 20.45kg / 45lbs and the Definitive Demand D17 weighs 29.10kg / 64lbs. This makes the Demand D17 42% heavier than the Concord.
Here is a comparison of how Concord and Demand D17'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 Concord?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Concord:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet (w/ locking nut attached)
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Rubber feet
- Port plug
- Manual
- ATTENTION! note
What's in the Box of Definitive Demand D17?
Here are the items that come with the Demand D17:
- Left floorstanindg loudspeaker
- Right floorstading loudspeaker
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- 2 Bases
- 8 Spike feet
- 8 Floor-glides
- 8 Lock-rings
- 8 Screws
- Cleaning cloth
- Owners Manual
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
23k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1026mm
vs
1086mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2
vs
978cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1000USD
vs
2798USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
225 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
| General |
KLH Concord |
Definitive Technology Demand D17 |
| Brand |
KLH |
Definitive Technology |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 225 watts |
40-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
94 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
28-23k Hz |
42-22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Kevlar |
Carbon-fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6.5" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1026.0mm (40.4") |
1086.0mm (42.8") |
| Width |
212.0mm (8.3") |
261.0mm (10.3") |
| Depth |
380.0mm (15") |
375.0mm (14.8") |
| Weight |
20.45kg (45lbs) |
29.10kg (64lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Aluminum |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
10 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
10 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Definitive Demand D17 costs roughly 2.8x what KLH Concord 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 | A | KLH Concord digs deeper - 28Hz against 42Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | KLH Concord is more sensitive (94dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Definitive Demand D17 takes more power (300W vs 225W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | KLH Concord is easier to place; Definitive Demand D17 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Ported vs Passive Radiator. |
| Expandability | B | Definitive Demand D17: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | KLH Concord is cheaper - $1,000 against $2,798, about 64% less; arguably a different class. |
A KLH Concord B Definitive Demand D17
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 42Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, KLH Concord 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.