In this review, we will be comparing Kendall 2C and Q650c, two Passive Center Channel speakers from KLH and KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KLH Kendall 2C and KEF Q650c first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KLH Kendall 2C | KEF Q650c |
|---|
| Brand | KLH
United States · founded 1957 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | — | 11th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 3" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Aluminum | 2 x 6.5" aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-20k Hz | 64-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 250 watts | 15-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 10.91kg / 24lbs | 13.64kg / 30lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8-1/2" x 19-1/4" x 9-1/4"
216.0 x 489.0 x 235.0mm | 8-5/16" x 24-13/16" x 11-15/16"
212.0 x 631.0 x 304.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KLH Kendall 2C 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* |
KLH Kendall 2C |
KEF Q650c |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Kendall 2C 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.
KLH Kendall 2CKEF 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 |
KLH Kendall 2C |
KEF Q650c |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Kendall 2C features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 3" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 800-2500 HZ. 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
Kendall 2C has a frequency range of 50-20k Hz whereas Q650c has a frequency range of 64-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the Kendall 2C can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Q650c's min frequency of 64Hz.
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
Kendall 2C and Q650c have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 87 dB.
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.
Kendall 2C can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Q650c has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Kendall 2C.
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
Kendall 2C features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Q650c has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KLH Kendall 2C's 5-Way post 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 KLH Kendall 2C's and KEF Q650c's external dimensions. KLH Kendall 2C has external dimensions of 216.0 x 489.0 x 235.0mm (8-1/2inch x 19-1/4inch x 9-1/4inch) 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).
KLH Kendall 2C is 142mm narrower and 69mm less deeper than KEF Q650c but it is also 4mm taller.
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 Kendall 2C is approximately 1149.2cm2 / 178.1inch2 and base area of the KEF Q650c is approximately 1918.2cm2 / 297.3inch2. The Kendall 2C requires 40% less surface area than the Q650c 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 Kendall 2C weighs 10.91kg / 24lbs and the KEF Q650c weighs 13.64kg / 30lbs. This makes the Q650c 25% heavier than the Kendall 2C.
Here is a comparison of how Kendall 2C 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 KLH Kendall 2C?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Kendall 2C:
- 2C Loudspeaker and Grille
- Owners Manual
- Binding Post Wrench
- Rubber Adhesive Feet
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 |
250 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Low Frequency Response |
50 Hz
vs
64 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
1149cm2
vs
1918cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
one 6.5-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
212mm
vs
216mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
750USD
vs
999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KLH Kendall 2C |
KEF Q650c |
| Brand |
KLH |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
250 watts |
15-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
4.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
50-20k Hz |
64-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
800-2500 HZ |
2500Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
216.0mm (8.5") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Width |
489.0mm (19.3") |
631.0mm (24.8") |
| Depth |
235.0mm (9.3") |
304.0mm (12") |
| Weight |
10.91kg (24lbs) |
13.64kg (30lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black Oak,English Walnut |
Satin White, Satin Black, Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
optional |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
10 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
10 years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: KLH Kendall 2C is the newer design, against a 2017 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | KLH Kendall 2C digs deeper - 50Hz against 64Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 87dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | KLH Kendall 2C takes more power (250W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | KLH Kendall 2C is easier to place; KEF Q650c is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs Passive Radiator. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | depends | KLH Kendall 2C: bi-amping. KEF Q650c sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | KEF Q650c is cheaper - $750 against $999, about 25% less. |
A KLH Kendall 2C 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?
The usual trade-off: KLH Kendall 2C measures better, KEF Q650c costs about about 33% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 64Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper KEF Q650c much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate KLH Kendall 2C the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and KEF Q650c for a small 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.