In this review, we will be comparing TSi100 and Q150, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Polk Audio and KEF. Let's have a brief look at the main features of Polk TSi100 and KEF Q150 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.
In the following sections, we will get into details in order to better understand how Polk TSi100 and KEF Q150 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both TSi100 and Q150 are 2-way speakers. TSi100 features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Organic Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, Q150 features a 1" vented aluminum Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
TSi100 has a frequency range of 61-24k Hz whereas Q150 has a frequency range of 51-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 51Hz, the Q150 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the TSi100's min frequency of 61Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers under Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Impedance and Sensitivity
TSi100 and Q150 has the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. TSi100 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and Q150's is at 86 dB. This 3 dB difference makes Polk TSi100 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Q150, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
TSi100 has a power range of 20-100 watts RMS whereas Q150 has a power range of 10-100 watts.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
TSi100 features Post type posts and Q150 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF Q150's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both TSi100 and Q150 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generlly need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
KEF Q150 Port
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, We are going to compare Polk TSi100's and KEF Q150's external dimensions. Polk TSi100 has external dimensions of 279.4 x 177.8 x 259.0mm ( 11.0 x 7.0 x 10.1inch) whereas KEF Q150 has external dimensions of 303.0 x 180.0 x 278.0mm ( 11.9 x 7.0 x 10.9inch) .
KEF Q150 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 2.2mm wider, 23.6mm taller and 19mm deeper than Polk TSi100.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk TSi100 and KEF Q150 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk TSi100 and KEF Q150 Size and External Dimensions
Here is an another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Polk TSi100 and KEF Q150 on a Media Console
