In this review, we will be comparing Concept 500 and Concord, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Q Acoustics and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Q Acoustics Concept 500 and KLH Concord first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Q Acoustics Concept 500 | KLH Concord |
|---|
| Brand | Q Acoustics
United Kingdom · founded 2006 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Dome | 1" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Paper composite | 2 x 6.5" Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 41-30k Hz | 28-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 94 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-200 watts | up to 225 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 42.00kg / 92.4lbs | 20.45kg / 45lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 46-1/4" x 15-3/4" x 14-3/4"
1175.0 x 400.0 x 375.0mm | 40-3/8" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1026.0 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
Both Concept 500 and Concord are 2-way speakers.
Q Acoustics Concept 500KLH Concord
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Q Acoustics Concept 500 |
KLH Concord |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Concept 500 features a 1.1" Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Paper composite Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, the Concord features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
Concept 500 has a frequency range of 41-30k Hz whereas Concord has a frequency range of 28-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Concord can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Concept 500's min frequency of 41Hz.
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
Concept 500 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Concord which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Concept 500 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Concord's is rated at 94 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the KLH Concord a more sensitive speaker compared to Q Acoustics Concept 500, 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.
Concord can handle a max power of 225 watts RMS, whereas Concept 500 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the Concord.
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
Concept 500 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Concord has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KLH Concord's 5-Way post terminals
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 Q Acoustics Concept 500's and KLH Concord's external dimensions. Q Acoustics Concept 500 has external dimensions of 1175.0 x 400.0 x 375.0mm (46-1/4 x 15-3/4 x 14-3/4inch) whereas KLH Concord has external dimensions of 1026.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/8 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch).
KLH Concord is 188mm narrower and 149mm shorter than Q Acoustics Concept 500 but it is also 5mm deeper.
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.
Q Acoustics Concept 500 needs about 86% more floor or shelf area. Q Acoustics Concept 500 is 149mm 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 Q Acoustics Concept 500 is approximately 1500.0cm2 / 232.5inch2 and base area of the KLH Concord is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The Concept 500 requires 86% more surface area than the Concord 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 Q Acoustics Concept 500 weighs 42.00kg / 92.4lbs and the KLH Concord weighs 20.45kg / 45lbs. This makes the Concept 500 105% heavier than the Concord.
Here is a comparison of how Concept 500 and Concord'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 Concord?
Here are the items that come with the Concord:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet (w/ locking nut attached)
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Rubber feet
- Port plug
- Manual
- ATTENTION! note
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Max Input Power |
225 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
41 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1026mm
vs
1175mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2
vs
1500cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1000USD
vs
4599USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Q Acoustics Concept 500 |
KLH Concord |
| Brand |
Q Acoustics |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-200 watts |
up to 225 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
94 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.7 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
41-30k Hz |
28-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper composite |
Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1175.0mm (46.3") |
1026.0mm (40.4") |
| Width |
400.0mm (15.7") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
375.0mm (14.8") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
42.00kg (92.4lbs) |
20.45kg (45lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Q Acoustics Concept 500 costs roughly 4.6x what KLH Concord 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 Concord digs deeper - 28Hz against 41Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | KLH Concord is more sensitive (94dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | KLH Concord is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 225W). |
| Size | depends | KLH Concord is easier to place; Q Acoustics Concept 500 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Q Acoustics Concept 500: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | KLH Concord is cheaper - $1,000 against $4,599, about 78% less; arguably a different class. |
A Q Acoustics Concept 500 B KLH Concord
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 Concord is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Q Acoustics Concept 500 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 41Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Q Acoustics Concept 500 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, KLH Concord 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.