In this review, we will be comparing Aspen FR10 and Kendall, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from PS Audio and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of PS Audio Aspen FR10 and KLH Kendall first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | PS Audio Aspen FR10 | KLH Kendall |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 2.5" Planar Magnetic | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 8" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Composite sandwich | 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-20k Hz | 25-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86.5 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-200 watts | up to 250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 34.10kg / 75lbs | 22.14kg / 48.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41-1/2" x 11-3/4" x 16-1/4"
1054.0 x 298.0 x 413.0mm | 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.
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Drivers
Both Aspen FR10 and Kendall are 3-way speakers.
PS Audio Aspen FR10KLH 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 |
PS Audio Aspen FR10 |
KLH Kendall |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
2.5-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 8-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Aspen FR10 features a 2.5" Teonex planar magnetic Planar Magnetic Tweeter, a 8" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Composite sandwich Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 550 Hz, 1750 Hz - Linkwitz-Riley 4th order acoustic. 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
Aspen FR10 has a frequency range of 32-20k 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 Aspen FR10's min frequency of 32Hz.
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
Aspen FR10 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 Aspen FR10 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Aspen FR10 sensitivity is rated at 86.5 dB and the Kendall's is rated at 96 dB. This 9 dB difference makes the KLH Kendall a more sensitive speaker compared to PS Audio Aspen FR10, 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.
Aspen FR10 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Kendall has a max power handling value of watts RMS, 200 watts less than the Aspen FR10.
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
Kendall features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Aspen FR10 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/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 PS Audio Aspen FR10's and KLH Kendall's external dimensions. PS Audio Aspen FR10 has external dimensions of 1054.0 x 298.0 x 413.0mm (41-1/2 x 11-3/4 x 16-1/4inch) 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).
PS Audio Aspen FR10 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 86mm wider, 33mm taller and 33mm deeper than KLH Kendall.
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 PS Audio Aspen FR10 is approximately 1230.7cm2 / 190.8inch2 and base area of the KLH Kendall is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The Aspen FR10 requires 53% more surface area than the Kendall 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 PS Audio Aspen FR10 weighs 34.10kg / 75lbs and the KLH Kendall weighs 22.14kg / 48.7lbs. This makes the Aspen FR10 54% heavier than the Kendall.
Here is a comparison of how Aspen FR10 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
 Passive Radiator |
three 6x9" oval rear-firing
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
23k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1021mm
vs
1054mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2
vs
1230cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
9999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
PS Audio Aspen FR10 |
KLH Kendall |
| Brand |
PS Audio |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-200 watts |
up to 250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86.5 dB |
96 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-20k Hz |
25-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Composite sandwich |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
2.5" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Planar Magnetic |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
8" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
550 Hz, 1750 Hz - Linkwitz-Riley 4th order acoustic |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1054.0mm (41.5") |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
298.0mm (11.7") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
413.0mm (16.3") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
34.10kg (75lbs) |
22.14kg (48.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
10 Years |
These sit in different price classes - PS Audio Aspen FR10 costs roughly 6.7x what KLH Kendall does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
B |
KLH Kendall digs deeper - 25Hz against 32Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
KLH Kendall is more sensitive (96dB vs 87dB), 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. |
| Size |
depends |
KLH Kendall is easier to place; PS Audio Aspen FR10 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet |
depends |
Passive Radiator vs Ported. |
| Expandability |
depends |
KLH Kendall: bi-amping. PS Audio Aspen FR10 sits in a wider range (4 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price |
B |
KLH Kendall is cheaper - $1,500 against $9,999, about 85% less; arguably a different class. |
A PS Audio Aspen FR10
B KLH Kendall
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?
KLH Kendall is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take PS Audio Aspen FR10 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 32Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, PS Audio Aspen FR10 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, KLH Kendall 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.