In this review, we will be comparing Kendall 2F and Imagine X2T, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KLH and PSB.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KLH Kendall 2F and PSB Imagine X2T first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KLH Kendall 2F | PSB Imagine X2T |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Aluminum | 2 x 6.2" Clay/Ceramic/Poly |
|---|
| Frequency response | 36-20k Hz | 30-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 250 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 26.82kg / 59lbs | 23.60kg / 51.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41" x 12-3/4" x 19"
1042.0 x 324.0 x 483.0mm | 40-1/8" x 9" x 16-3/4"
1020.0 x 229.0 x 426.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KLH Kendall 2F and PSB Imagine X2T 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 2F |
PSB Imagine X2T |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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.
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Drivers
Both Kendall 2F and Imagine X2T are 3-way speakers.
KLH Kendall 2FPSB Imagine X2T
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 2F |
PSB Imagine X2T |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.2-inch
|
Kendall 2F features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 800-2500 HZ. On the other hand, the Imagine X2T features a 1" titanium with neodymium magnets Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.2" Clay/Ceramic/Poly Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 500Hz and 2200Hz.
Frequency Response
Kendall 2F has a frequency range of 36-20k Hz whereas Imagine X2T has a frequency range of 30-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Imagine X2T can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Kendall 2F's min frequency of 36Hz.
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
Kendall 2F and Imagine X2T have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Kendall 2F sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Imagine X2T's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the PSB Imagine X2T a more sensitive speaker compared to KLH Kendall 2F, 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.
Kendall 2F can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Imagine X2T has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Kendall 2F.
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 Kendall 2F and Imagine X2T features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KLH Kendall 2F's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
PSB Imagine X2T's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Kendall 2F has a rear firing port whereas Imagine X2T has a front firing ports. PSB Imagine X2T's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to KLH Kendall 2F with its rear-firing port.
New
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 2F's and PSB Imagine X2T's external dimensions. KLH Kendall 2F has external dimensions of 1042.0 x 324.0 x 483.0mm (41inch x 12-3/4inch x 19inch) whereas PSB Imagine X2T has external dimensions of 1020.0 x 229.0 x 426.0mm (40-1/8 x 9 x 16-3/4inch).
KLH Kendall 2F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 95mm wider, 22mm taller and 57mm deeper than PSB Imagine X2T.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KLH Kendall 2F and PSB Imagine X2T in scale.
Comparison image of KLH Kendall 2F and PSB Imagine X2T 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 Kendall 2F is approximately 1564.9cm2 / 242.6inch2 and base area of the PSB Imagine X2T is approximately 975.5cm2 / 151.2inch2. The Kendall 2F requires 60% more surface area than the Imagine X2T 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 KLH Kendall 2F weighs 26.82kg / 59lbs and the PSB Imagine X2T weighs 23.60kg / 51.9lbs. This makes the Kendall 2F 14% heavier than the Imagine X2T.
Here is a comparison of how Kendall 2F and Imagine X2T'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 2F?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Kendall 2F:
- 2F Loudspeaker and Grille
- Owners Manual
- Binding Post Wrench
- Outrigg Feet and Hardware Including Metal Spikes and Rubber Feet
What's in the Box of PSB Imagine X2T?
Here are the items that come with the Imagine X2T:
- Floor-standing speaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spiked Feet
- Wrench
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty Card
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6.2 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
36 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
23k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Height |
1020mm
vs
1042mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
975cm2
vs
1564cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
1999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KLH Kendall 2F |
PSB Imagine X2T |
| Brand |
KLH |
PSB |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
250 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
36-20k Hz |
30-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.2" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Clay/Ceramic/Poly |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
800-2500 HZ |
500Hz and 2200Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1042.0mm (41") |
1020.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
324.0mm (12.8") |
229.0mm (9") |
| Depth |
483.0mm (19") |
426.0mm (16.8") |
| Weight |
26.82kg (59lbs) |
23.60kg (51.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Wood-grain |
| Available Colors |
Black Oak,English Walnut |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
10 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
10 years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: KLH Kendall 2F is the newer design, against a 2013 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
B |
PSB Imagine X2T digs deeper - 30Hz against 36Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
PSB Imagine X2T is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom |
A |
KLH Kendall 2F takes more power (250W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
PSB Imagine X2T is easier to place; KLH Kendall 2F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
depends |
KLH Kendall 2F: bi-amping; PSB Imagine X2T: bi-amping. |
| Price |
B |
PSB Imagine X2T is cheaper - $1,500 against $1,999, about 25% less. |
A KLH Kendall 2F
B PSB Imagine X2T
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?
PSB Imagine X2T 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 36Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate KLH Kendall 2F the better fit for a very large room, and PSB Imagine X2T for 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.