In this review, we will be comparing Imagine X2T and Q550, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from PSB and KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of PSB Imagine X2T and KEF Q550 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | PSB Imagine X2T | KEF Q550 |
|---|
| Brand | PSB
Canada · founded 1972 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | — | 11th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.2" Clay/Ceramic/Poly | 2 x 5.25" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-23k Hz | 58-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | 15-130 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 23.60kg / 51.9lbs | 14.55kg / 32lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-1/8" x 9" x 16-3/4"
1020.0 x 229.0 x 426.0mm | 35-3/16" x 11-5/8" x 12-5/16"
894.0 x 296.0 x 313.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the PSB Imagine X2T and KEF Q550 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* |
PSB Imagine X2T |
KEF Q550 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Imagine X2T is a 3-way design whereas the Q550 is a 2-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 X2TKEF Q550
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 X2T |
KEF Q550 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.2-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Imagine X2T features a 1" titanium with neodymium magnets Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.2" Clay/Ceramic/Poly Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 500Hz and 2200Hz. On the other hand, the Q550 features a 1" vented aluminum Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Imagine X2T has a frequency range of 30-23k Hz whereas Q550 has a frequency range of 58-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Imagine X2T can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Q550's min frequency of 58Hz.
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 X2T and Q550 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Imagine X2T sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Q550's is at 87 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the PSB Imagine X2T a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Q550, 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.
Imagine X2T can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Q550 has a max power handling value of 130 watts RMS, 70 watts less than the Imagine X2T.
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
Imagine X2T features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Q550 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
PSB Imagine X2T's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Imagine X2T and Q550 have front firing ports. front ported speakers offers more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls&surfaces compared to rear ported speakers.
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 X2T's and KEF Q550's external dimensions. PSB Imagine X2T has external dimensions of 1020.0 x 229.0 x 426.0mm (40-1/8 x 9 x 16-3/4inch) whereas KEF Q550 has external dimensions of 894.0 x 296.0 x 313.0mm (35-3/16 x 11-5/8 x 12-5/16inch).
KEF Q550 is 126mm shorter and 113mm less deeper than PSB Imagine X2T but it is also 67mm wider.
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.
Near-identical footprints. PSB Imagine X2T is 113mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. PSB Imagine X2T is 126mm 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 PSB Imagine X2T is approximately 975.5cm2 / 151.2inch2 and base area of the KEF Q550 is approximately 926.5cm2 / 143.6inch2. The Imagine X2T requires 5% more surface area than the Q550 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 PSB Imagine X2T weighs 23.60kg / 51.9lbs and the KEF Q550 weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs. This makes the Imagine X2T 62% heavier than the Q550.
Here is a comparison of how Imagine X2T and Q550'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 X2T?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Imagine X2T:
- Floor-standing speaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spiked Feet
- Wrench
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty Card
What's in the Box of KEF Q550?
Here are the items that come with the Q550:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 2 Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes
- 6 Screws
- 6 Washers
- 4 Rubber inserts
- Hex-key
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
130 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.2 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
58 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
2 x 5.25-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
894mm
vs
1020mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
926cm2
vs
975cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1400USD
vs
1500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
PSB Imagine X2T |
KEF Q550 |
| Brand |
PSB |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-200 watts |
15-130 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-23k Hz |
58-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.2" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Clay/Ceramic/Poly |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
500Hz and 2200Hz |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1020.0mm (40.2") |
894.0mm (35.2") |
| Width |
229.0mm (9") |
296.0mm (11.7") |
| Depth |
426.0mm (16.8") |
313.0mm (12.3") |
| Weight |
23.60kg (51.9lbs) |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: KEF Q550 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 | A | PSB Imagine X2T digs deeper - 30Hz against 58Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | PSB Imagine X2T is more sensitive (90dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | PSB Imagine X2T takes more power (200W vs 130W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Cabinet | depends | Ported vs Passive Radiator. |
| Expandability | depends | PSB Imagine X2T: bi-amping; KEF Q550: Atmos drivers. KEF Q550 sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,500 vs $1,400 a pair). |
A PSB Imagine X2T B KEF Q550
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?
PSB Imagine X2T 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 58Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, PSB Imagine X2T 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.