In this review, we will be comparing Imagine X1T and Kendall, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from PSB and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of PSB Imagine X1T and KLH Kendall first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | PSB Imagine X1T | KLH Kendall |
|---|
| Brand | PSB
Canada · founded 1972 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Clay/Ceramic/Poly | 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-23k Hz | 25-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | up to 250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 17.30kg / 38.1lbs | 22.14kg / 48.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 34-1/2" x 8-1/4" x 14-7/8"
877.0 x 210.0 x 378.0mm | 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 Imagine X1T 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.
PSB Imagine X1TKLH 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 |
PSB Imagine X1T |
KLH Kendall |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Imagine X1T features a 1" titanium with neodymium magnets Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Clay/Ceramic/Poly Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1800Hz. 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
Imagine X1T has a frequency range of 35-23k 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 Imagine X1T's min frequency of 35Hz.
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
Imagine X1T and Kendall have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Imagine X1T sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Kendall's is at 96 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the KLH Kendall a more sensitive speaker compared to PSB Imagine X1T, 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 Imagine X1T has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 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 Imagine X1T and Kendall features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
PSB Imagine X1T's 5-Way post terminals allows 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 PSB Imagine X1T's and KLH Kendall's external dimensions. PSB Imagine X1T has external dimensions of 877.0 x 210.0 x 378.0mm (34-1/2 x 8-1/4 x 14-7/8inch) 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 2mm wider, 144mm taller and 2mm deeper than PSB Imagine X1T.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of PSB Imagine X1T and KLH Kendall in scale.
Comparison image of PSB Imagine X1T and KLH Kendall 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 PSB Imagine X1T is approximately 793.8cm2 / 123.0inch2 and base area of the KLH Kendall is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The Imagine X1T requires 1% 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 PSB Imagine X1T weighs 17.30kg / 38.1lbs and the KLH Kendall weighs 22.14kg / 48.7lbs. This makes the Kendall 28% heavier than the Imagine X1T.
Here is a comparison of how Imagine X1T 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 PSB Imagine X1T?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Imagine X1T:
- Floor-standing speaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spiked Feet
- Wrench
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty Card
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
 Height |
877mm
vs
1021mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
793cm2
vs
805cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1200USD
vs
1500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
PSB Imagine X1T |
KLH Kendall |
| Brand |
PSB |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-200 watts |
up to 250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
96 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
35-23k Hz |
25-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Clay/Ceramic/Poly |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
1800Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
877.0mm (34.5") |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
210.0mm (8.3") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
378.0mm (14.9") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
17.30kg (38.1lbs) |
22.14kg (48.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
A generation apart: KLH Kendall is the newer design, against a 2013 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | KLH Kendall digs deeper - 25Hz against 35Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | KLH Kendall is more sensitive (96dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | KLH Kendall takes more power (250W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | PSB Imagine X1T: bi-amping; KLH Kendall: bi-amping. PSB Imagine X1T sits in a wider range (4 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | PSB Imagine X1T is cheaper - $1,200 against $1,500, about 20% less. |
A PSB Imagine X1T 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?
KLH Kendall leads across most of the measured areas for a fairly modest premium, which makes it the easier pick if the budget stretches. PSB Imagine X1T is the one to take if it does not. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 35Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper PSB Imagine X1T much easier to justify. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, KLH Kendall is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.