In this review, we will be comparing CC5 and R2c, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Magnepan and KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Magnepan CC5 and KEF R2c first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Magnepan CC5 | KEF R2c |
|---|
| Design | — | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | — | 12th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | — | 2 x 5.25" Hybrid Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 200-20k Hz | 74-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 3 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 15-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | — | 16.90kg / 37.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10.5" x 36" x 5"
266.7 x 914.4 x 127.0mm | 6-15/16" x 21-11/16" x 12-7/16"
177.0 x 551.0 x 316.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Magnepan CC5 and KEF R2c 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* |
Magnepan CC5 |
KEF R2c |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that CC5 is a -way design whereas the R2c 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.
| Driver |
Magnepan CC5 |
KEF R2c |
|
Driver Setup
|
-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
CC5 features a " Tweeter and x " Woofer. On the other hand, the R2c 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
CC5 has a frequency range of 200-20k Hz whereas R2c has a frequency range of 74-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 74Hz, the R2c can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the CC5's min frequency of 200Hz.
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
CC5 is a 3 ohms speaker compared to the R2c which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. CC5 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the R2c's is rated at 87 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Magnepan CC5 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF R2c, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
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.
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 Magnepan CC5's and KEF R2c's external dimensions. Magnepan CC5 has external dimensions of 266.7 x 914.4 x 127.0mm (10.5 x 36 x 5inch) whereas KEF R2c has external dimensions of 177.0 x 551.0 x 316.0mm (6-15/16 x 21-11/16 x 12-7/16inch).
KEF R2c is 363.4mm narrower and 89.7mm shorter than Magnepan CC5 but it is also 189mm deeper.
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 Magnepan CC5 is approximately 1161.3cm2 / 180.0inch2 and base area of the KEF R2c is approximately 1741.2cm2 / 269.9inch2. The CC5 requires 33% less surface area than the R2c which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of KEF R2c?
Here are the items that come with the R2c:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- User Manual
- Warranty Information