In this review, we will be comparing Concord and R5, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KLH and KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KLH Concord and KEF R5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KLH Concord | KEF R5 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | — | 12th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Kevlar | 2 x 5.25" Hybrid Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 28-23k Hz | 58-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 94 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 225 watts | 15-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 20.45kg / 45lbs | 27.30kg / 60.1lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 42-3/8" x 10-3/4" x 13-13/16"
1077.0 x 274.0 x 351.0mm |
|---|
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 Concord is a 2-way design whereas the R5 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 ConcordKEF R5
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 |
KEF R5 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Concord features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer. On the other hand, the 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.
Frequency Response
Concord has a frequency range of 28-23k Hz whereas R5 has a frequency range of 58-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Concord can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R5's min frequency of 58Hz.
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 R5 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Concord sensitivity is rated at 94 dB and the R5's is at 87 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the KLH Concord 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
R5 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Concord has a max power handling value of watts RMS, 200 watts less than the R5.
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
R5 features Binding 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
KEF R5's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
KEF R5 Port
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 KEF R5'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 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).
KLH Concord is 62mm narrower and 51mm shorter than KEF R5 but it is also 29mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KLH Concord and KEF R5 in scale.
Comparison image of KLH Concord and KEF R5 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 KEF R5 is approximately 961.7cm2 / 149.1inch2. The Concord requires 16% less surface area than the R5 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 KEF R5 weighs 27.30kg / 60.1lbs. This makes the R5 33% heavier than the Concord.
Here is a comparison of how Concord and R5'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 KEF R5?
Here are the items that come with the R5:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Foam port plugs
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- Wrench
- Hex-key
- User Manual
- Warranty Information
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
58 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1026mm
vs
1077mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2
vs
961cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1000USD
vs
3300USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
| General |
KLH Concord |
KEF R5 |
| Brand |
KLH |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 225 watts |
15-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
94 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
28-23k Hz |
58-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Kevlar |
Hybrid Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
400Hz and 2900Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1026.0mm (40.4") |
1077.0mm (42.4") |
| Width |
212.0mm (8.3") |
274.0mm (10.8") |
| Depth |
380.0mm (15") |
351.0mm (13.8") |
| Weight |
20.45kg (45lbs) |
27.30kg (60.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut |
| 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 - KEF R5 costs roughly 3.3x 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 58Hz. |
| Amplifier needs |
A |
KLH Concord is more sensitive (94dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Size |
depends |
KLH Concord is easier to place; KEF R5 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
B |
KEF R5: bi-amping. |
| Price |
A |
KLH Concord is cheaper - $1,000 against $3,300, about 70% less; arguably a different class. |
A KLH Concord
B KEF R5
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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 Concord has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 58Hz 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.