In this review, we will be comparing QX-3 MKII and Concord, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Mission and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Mission QX-3 MKII and KLH Concord first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Mission QX-3 MKII | KLH Concord |
|---|
| Brand | Mission
United Kingdom · founded 1977 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.5" Ring Dome | 1" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" Composite fibre | 2 x 6.5" Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-24k Hz | 28-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 94 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | up to 225 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 20.00kg / 44lbs | 20.45kg / 45lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 38-3/16" x 7-11/16" x 12-3/16"
970.0 x 195.0 x 310.0mm | 40-3/8" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1026.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both QX-3 MKII and Concord are 2-way speakers.
Mission QX-3 MKIIKLH Concord
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Mission QX-3 MKII |
KLH Concord |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.5-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
QX-3 MKII features a 1.5" Textile Ring Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Composite fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2.0kHz. On the other hand, the Concord features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
QX-3 MKII has a frequency range of 42-24k Hz whereas Concord has a frequency range of 28-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Concord can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the QX-3 MKII's min frequency of 42Hz.
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
QX-3 MKII is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Concord which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the QX-3 MKII can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. QX-3 MKII sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Concord's is rated at 94 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the KLH Concord a more sensitive speaker compared to Mission QX-3 MKII, 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.
Concord can handle a max power of 225 watts RMS, whereas QX-3 MKII has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 105 watts less than the Concord.
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
QX-3 MKII 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
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 Mission QX-3 MKII's and KLH Concord's external dimensions. Mission QX-3 MKII has external dimensions of 970.0 x 195.0 x 310.0mm (38-3/16 x 7-11/16 x 12-3/16inch) whereas 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).
KLH Concord is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 17mm wider, 56mm taller and 70mm deeper than Mission QX-3 MKII.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
KLH Concord needs about 33% more floor or shelf area. KLH Concord is 70mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. KLH Concord is 56mm 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 Mission QX-3 MKII is approximately 604.5cm2 / 93.7inch2 and base area of the KLH Concord is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The QX-3 MKII requires 25% less surface area than the Concord 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 Mission QX-3 MKII weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs and the KLH Concord weighs 20.45kg / 45lbs. This makes the Concord 2% heavier than the QX-3 MKII.
Here is a comparison of how QX-3 MKII and Concord'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 come with the Concord:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet (w/ locking nut attached)
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Rubber feet
- Port plug
- Manual
- ATTENTION! note
 High Frequency Response |
24k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
970mm
vs
1026mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
604cm2
vs
805cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
225 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
1000USD
vs
1099USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Mission QX-3 MKII |
KLH Concord |
| Brand |
Mission |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
up to 225 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
94 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.8 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
42-24k Hz |
28-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Composite fibre |
Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.5" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Ring Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2.0kHz |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
970.0mm (38.2") |
1026.0mm (40.4") |
| Width |
195.0mm (7.7") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
310.0mm (12.2") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
20.45kg (45lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
10 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | KLH Concord digs deeper - 28Hz against 42Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | KLH Concord is more sensitive (94dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | KLH Concord is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | KLH Concord takes more power (225W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Mission QX-3 MKII is easier to place; KLH Concord is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Mission QX-3 MKII: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,099 vs $1,000 a pair). |
A Mission QX-3 MKII B KLH Concord
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?
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 42Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, KLH Concord has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Mission QX-3 MKII is the easier speaker to get right.
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.