In this review, we will be comparing Cornwall IV and R7, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Klipsch and KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch Cornwall IV and KEF R7 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Klipsch Cornwall IV Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" horn-loaded Tweeter
- 1.75" Midrange
- 15" Fiber composite Woofer
- 34-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 102 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 100watts
- Weight:44.55kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 966.0" x 25-5/16" x 15-1/2"( 966.0 x 643.0 x 394.0mm )
KEF R7 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 2 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer
- 5" Midrange
- 48-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:15-250watts
- Weight:31.40kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1113.0" x 8" x 15-5/16"( 1113.0 x 200.0 x 389.0mm )
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Klipsch Cornwall IV and KEF R7 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both Cornwall IV and R7 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Klipsch Cornwall IV |
KEF R7 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 1.75-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 15-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Cornwall IV features a 1" titanium-diaphragm compression horn-loaded Tweeter , a 1.75" Midrange and 1 x 15" Fiber composite Woofer . On the other hand, the R7 features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
Cornwall IV has a frequency range of 34-20k Hz whereas R7 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, the Cornwall IV can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R7's min frequency of 48Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Cornwall IV and R7 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Cornwall IV sensitivity is rated at 102 dB and the R7's is at 88 dB. This 14 dB difference makes the Klipsch Cornwall IV a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF R7, 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. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Cornwall IV can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Cornwall IV has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS , 150 watts less than the R7.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Cornwall IV and R7 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KEF R7's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Klipsch Cornwall IV's and KEF R7's external dimensions. Klipsch Cornwall IV has external dimensions of 966.0 x 643.0 x 394.0mm ( 38 x 25-5/16 x 15-1/2inch) whereas KEF R7 has external dimensions of 1113.0 x 200.0 x 389.0mm ( 43-13/16 x 8 x 15-5/16inch) .
KEF R7 is 443mm narrower and 5mm less deeper than Klipsch Cornwall IV but it is also 147mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch Cornwall IV and KEF R7 in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch Cornwall IV and KEF R7 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 Klipsch Cornwall IV is approximately 2533.4cm2 / 392.7inch2 and base area of the KEF R7 is approximately 778.0cm2 / 120.6inch2. The Cornwall IV requires 226% more surface area than the R7 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.