In this review, we will be comparing QX-3 MKII and Kendall, 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 Kendall first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Mission QX-3 MKII | KLH Kendall |
|---|
| Brand | Mission
United Kingdom · founded 1977 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.5" Ring Dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" Composite fibre | 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-24k Hz | 25-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | up to 250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 20.00kg / 44lbs | 22.14kg / 48.7lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 40-3/16" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1021.0 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that QX-3 MKII is a 2-way design whereas the Kendall 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.
Mission QX-3 MKIIKLH Kendall
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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 Kendall |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.5-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
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 Kendall features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
QX-3 MKII has a frequency range of 42-24k Hz whereas Kendall has a frequency range of 25-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Kendall 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 Kendall 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 Kendall's is rated at 96 dB. This 8 dB difference makes the KLH Kendall 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.
Kendall can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas QX-3 MKII has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 130 watts less than the Kendall.
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 QX-3 MKII and Kendall features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KLH Kendall's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 Kendall'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 Kendall has external dimensions of 1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/16 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch).
KLH Kendall is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 17mm wider, 51mm 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 Kendall needs about 33% more floor or shelf area. KLH Kendall is 70mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. KLH Kendall is 51mm 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 Kendall is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The QX-3 MKII requires 25% less surface area than the Kendall 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 Kendall weighs 22.14kg / 48.7lbs. This makes the Kendall 11% heavier than the QX-3 MKII.
Here is a comparison of how QX-3 MKII and Kendall'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?
Here are the items that come with the Kendall:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Foam port
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet (with nuts)
- 4 Protective discs
- Manual
 High Frequency Response |
24k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
970mm
vs
1021mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
604cm2
vs
805cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1099USD
vs
1500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
96 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 |
25 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Mission QX-3 MKII |
KLH Kendall |
| Brand |
Mission |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
up to 250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
96 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.8 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
42-24k Hz |
25-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Composite fibre |
Woven 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 |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2.0kHz |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
970.0mm (38.2") |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
195.0mm (7.7") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
310.0mm (12.2") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
22.14kg (48.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
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 Kendall digs deeper - 25Hz against 42Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | KLH Kendall is more sensitive (96dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | KLH Kendall is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | KLH Kendall takes more power (250W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Mission QX-3 MKII is easier to place; KLH Kendall is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Mission QX-3 MKII: bi-amping; KLH Kendall: bi-amping. Mission QX-3 MKII sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Mission QX-3 MKII is cheaper - $1,099 against $1,500, about 27% less. |
A Mission QX-3 MKII B KLH Kendall
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 measures better, Mission QX-3 MKII costs about about 36% 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 42Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Mission QX-3 MKII much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, KLH Kendall 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.