In this review, we will be comparing Active 200 and LS50 Wireless, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Q Acoustics and KEF. Being Powered speakers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Q Acoustics Q Active 200 and KEF LS50 Wireless first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Q Acoustics Q Active 200 | KEF LS50 Wireless |
|---|
| Brand | Q Acoustics
United Kingdom · founded 2006 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 100-watt RMS (280-watt peak) | 230-watt RMS |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | — | 11th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 2 x 2-1/4" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 4.5" | 5.25" Magnesium/aluminum alloy |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-20k Hz | 79-28k Hz |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 24-bit / 96 kHz | 24-bit / 192 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 4.1 | Built-in 4.0 |
|---|
| App control | Yes | Yes |
|---|
| Weight | 7.50kg / 16.5lbs | 10.00kg / 22lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11-3/16" x 6-3/4" x 11-7/16"
285.0 x 172.0 x 291.0mm | 11.875" x 7.875" x 13.25"
301.6 x 200.0 x 336.5mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Active 200 and LS50 Wireless are 2-way speakers.
Q Acoustics Q Active 200KEF LS50 Wireless
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 Q Active 200 |
KEF LS50 Wireless |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 2-1/4-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 4.5-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
Active 200 features a " Tweeter, a 2-1/4" Midrange and 1 x 4.5" Woofer. On the other hand, the LS50 Wireless features a 1" Aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Magnesium/aluminum alloy Woofer.
Frequency Response
Active 200 has a frequency range of 46-20k Hz whereas LS50 Wireless has a frequency range of 79-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 46Hz, the Active 200 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the LS50 Wireless's min frequency of 79Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Active 200 and LS50 Wireless have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 Q Active 200's and KEF LS50 Wireless's external dimensions. Q Acoustics Q Active 200 has external dimensions of 285.0 x 172.0 x 291.0mm (11-3/16 x 6-3/4 x 11-7/16inch) whereas KEF LS50 Wireless has external dimensions of 301.6 x 200.0 x 336.5mm (11.875 x 7.875 x 13.25inch).
KEF LS50 Wireless is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 28mm wider, 16.6mm taller and 45.5mm deeper than Q Acoustics Q Active 200.
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.
KEF LS50 Wireless needs about 34% more floor or shelf area. KEF LS50 Wireless is 46mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. KEF LS50 Wireless is 17mm 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 Q Active 200 is approximately 500.5cm2 / 77.6inch2 and base area of the KEF LS50 Wireless is approximately 673.0cm2 / 104.3inch2. The Active 200 requires 26% less surface area than the LS50 Wireless 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 Q Acoustics Q Active 200 weighs 7.50kg / 16.5lbs and the KEF LS50 Wireless weighs 10.00kg / 22lbs. This makes the LS50 Wireless 33% heavier than the Active 200.
Here is a comparison of how Active 200 and LS50 Wireless's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Q Acoustics Q Active 200?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Active 200:
- 2 Powered speakers
- Two 6-feet AC power cords
- 2 Foam port plugs
- Important Safety Informtion and Warnings Wireless hub
- USB/AC power adapter with US connector
- EU/UK/AU AC adapter plugs
- 40-inch USB-C to USB-A cable
- 5-inch HDMI cable
- Remote control
- 2 AAA batteries
- Quick Start Guide
What's in the Box of KEF LS50 Wireless?
Here are the items that come with the LS50 Wireless:
- Wireless powered speaker (Right)
- Wireless powered speaker (Left)
- Two 6.5-feet AC power cords
- 10-feet Cat-6 interconnect speaker cable
- 6.5-feet USB-B to USB-A cable
- 42
 Low Frequency Response |
46 Hz
vs
79 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
285mm
vs
301mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
500cm2
vs
673cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2098USD
vs
2200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Phono Input |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connect your turntable directly |
 HDMI Input |
ARC
vs
No
|
Connect HDMI sources directly |
|
Woofer Size |
5.25 inches
vs
4.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
| General |
Q Acoustics Q Active 200 System |
KEF LS50 Wireless |
| Brand |
Q Acoustics |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Powered stereo speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
46-20k Hz |
79-28k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
100-watt RMS |
230-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
280-watt RMS |
n/a |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
96 kHz |
192 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
4.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Magnesium/aluminum alloy |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
2-1/4" |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
285.0mm (11.2") |
301.6mm (11.9") |
| Width |
172.0mm (6.8") |
200.0mm (7.9") |
| Depth |
291.0mm (11.5") |
336.5mm (13.2") |
| Weight |
7.50kg (16.5lbs) |
10.00kg (22lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Black, White |
n/a |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
No |
RCA |
| USB Port |
Update only |
USB-B |
| Phone Input |
Yes |
No |
| Subwoofer Output |
mono-RCA |
Wired |
| Digital Input |
Optical |
Optical |
| HDMI Input |
ARC |
No |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Years |
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Years |
1 Year |
A generation apart: Q Acoustics Q Active 200 is the newer design, against a 2016 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 | Q Acoustics Q Active 200 digs deeper - 46Hz against 79Hz. |
| Built-in power | B | KEF LS50 Wireless has the bigger amplifier (230W vs 100W RMS). |
| Connections | A | Q Acoustics Q Active 200 adds HDMI and phono. |
| Size | depends | Q Acoustics Q Active 200 is easier to place; KEF LS50 Wireless is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Q Acoustics Q Active 200: a sub output; KEF LS50 Wireless: a sub output. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($2,098 vs $2,200 a pair). |
A Q Acoustics Q Active 200 B KEF LS50 Wireless
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?
Q Acoustics Q Active 200 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 79Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, KEF LS50 Wireless has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Q Acoustics Q Active 200 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.