SpeakerDecision
  • SPEAKERS
    • By Type
      Passive Bookshelf Speakers Passive Floor-standing Speakers Passive Center Channel Speakers Passive In-wall Speakers All Passive Speakers Powered Subwoofers Powered Stereo Speakers
      By Feature
      HDMI Input Room Correction Subwoofer Output Front Firing Port Handheld Remote Roon Ready
      By Brand
      Acoustic Energy Aperion ATC Audio-Technica Audioengine Bluesound Bowers Wilkins Buchardt Cambridge Audio Canton DALI Definitive Technology Dynaudio ELAC Emotiva Fluance Focal Fyne Audio Genelec GoldenEar Harbeth Jamo JBL Kanto KEF KLH Klipsch Leak Mackie Magnepan MartinLogan McIntosh Mission MoFi Monitor Audio Nuvo Onkyo OSD Paradigm Perlisten Polk Audio PS Audio PSB Q Acoustics REL Revel Russound Sennheiser Sonos Sonus faber Sony Spendor SVS Tannoy Technics Triangle Velodyne Victrola Wharfedale Wilson Audio Yamaha
  • AMPLIFIERS
    • By Type
      All Amplifiers Integrated Amplifiers Stereo Receivers Streaming Amplifiers Power Amplifiers Compact Amplifiers
      Home Theater
      All Home Theater Receivers AnthemARCAMDenonIntegraJBLMarantzMcIntoshNADOnkyoSonyYamaha
      By Power
      Up to 60 watts 61 to 90 watts 91 to 120 watts 121 to 180 watts Over 180 watts
      By Feature
      HDMI Input Room Correction Subwoofer Output Handheld Remote Roon Ready
      By Brand
      Accuphase Advance Paris Anthem Arcam Audio Research AudioControl Audioengine Audiolab Bluesound Bose Buchardt Cambridge Audio Denon Devialet ELAC Emotiva Eversolo FiiO Fosi Audio Hegel HiFi Rose Integra JBL LEAK Luxman Marantz Mark Levinson McIntosh Michi MISSION MOON Musical Fidelity NAD Naim Onkyo OSD Parasound Pass Labs Peachtree PrimaLuna Primare PS Audio Rega Rogue Audio Roksan Rotel Schiit Audio Sonos Sony SVS T+A TEAC Technics Vincent WiiM Yamaha
  • SMART FIND
  • TOOLS
  • BLOG
  1. Home
  2. Powered Stereo Speakers
  3. Q Acoustics Q Active 200 vs KEF LSX

Q Acoustics Q Active 200 vs KEF LSX Comparison

x
Speaker to replace
Change

Q Acoustics Q Active 200

Powered Bookshelf | 46-20k Hz

Q Acoustics Q Active 200 System
Check price atAmazon›
Change
    
KEF LSX

Powered Bookshelf | 59-28k Hz

KEF LSX
Check price atAmazon›
Q Acoustics Q Active 200 Q Acoustics Q Active...
Check price atAmazon›
KEF LSX KEF LSX
Check price atAmazon›
Q Acoustics Q Active...
See at AMAZON
KEF LSX
See at AMAZON

Q Acoustics Q Active 200 vs KEF LSX Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Active 200 and LSX, 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 LSX first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key SpecsQ Acoustics Q Active 200KEF LSX
BrandQ Acoustics
United Kingdom · founded 2006
KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961
Design2-way2-way
Built-in amplifier100-watt RMS (280-watt peak)200-watt RMS
Uni-Q driver—11th Generation Uni-Q
Tweeter—0.75" Hard-Dome
Midrange2 x 2-1/4"—
Woofer4.5"4.5" Magnesium/Aluminium alloy
Frequency response46-20k Hz59-28k Hz
Max depth / sample rate24-bit / 96 kHz24-bit / 96 kHz
BluetoothBuilt-in 4.1Built-in 4.2
App controlYesYes
Weight7.50kg / 16.5lbs3.50kg / 7.7lbs
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
9.4375" x 6.125" x 7.1"
239.7 x 155.6 x 180mm

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 LSX are 2-way speakers.

Woofer - 4.5 inch
Q Acoustics Q Active 200
Tweeter - 0.75 inchWoofer - 4.5 inch
KEF LSX

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 LSX
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter -inch 0.75-inch
Midrange 2 x 2-1/4-inch -
Woofer 1 x 4.5-inch 1 x 4.5-inch

Active 200 features a " Tweeter, a 2-1/4" Midrange and 1 x 4.5" Woofer. On the other hand, the LSX features a 0.75" Aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Magnesium/Aluminium alloy Woofer.

Frequency Response

Active 200 has a frequency range of 46-20k Hz whereas LSX has a frequency range of 59-28k 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 LSX's min frequency of 59Hz.

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

Active 200
LSX
Min
Average
Median

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 LSX 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 LSX'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 LSX has external dimensions of 239.7 x 155.6 x 180mm (9.4375 x 6.125 x 7.1inch).

Q Acoustics Q Active 200 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 16.4mm wider, 45.3mm taller and 111mm deeper than KEF LSX.

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 LSX is approximately 280.1cm2 / 43.4inch2. The Active 200 requires 79% more surface area than the LSX 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 Q Active 200 weighs 7.50kg / 16.5lbs and the KEF LSX weighs 3.50kg / 7.7lbs. This makes the Active 200 114% heavier than the LSX.

Here is a comparison of how Active 200 and LSX's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Bookshelf class.

Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Q Acoustics Q Active 200
KEF LSX
Min
Average
Max

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 LSX?

Here are the items that come with the LSX:
  • 2 Powered wireless audio speaker
  • Two 6.5-feet AC power cords
  • 10-feet Ethernet cable
  • Remote control (CR2032 3V battery pre-installed)
  • Maintenance Guide
  • Specifications
  • Warranty Information
  • Important Safety Information


Reasons to choose Q Acoustics Q Active 200 System over KEF LSX

Low Frequency Response 46 Hz vs 59 Hz Generates deeper bass
Phono Input Yes vs No Connect your turntable directly
HDMI Input ARC vs No Connect HDMI sources directly

Reasons to choose KEF LSX over Q Acoustics Q Active 200 System

High Frequency Response 28k Hz vs 20k Hz Generates higher frequency
Height 239mm vs 285mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area 280cm2 vs 500cm2 Takes less floor space
Price per pair* 1250USD vs 2098USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
3.5mm Connection Yes vs No Connection via 3.5mm AUX input

Q Acoustics Q Active 200 vs KEF LSX Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications
General Q Acoustics Q Active 200 System KEF LSX
Brand Q Acoustics KEF
Speaker Type Powered stereo speakers Powered Stereo Speakers
Frequency Response 46-20k Hz 59-28k Hz
Amplifier
Watts RMS (Continuous) 100-watt RMS 200-watt RMS
Watts Peak (Max) 280-watt RMS n/a
Max Bit Depth 24-bit 24-bit
Max Sample Rate 96 kHz 96 kHz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity 1 1
Woofer Size 4.5" 4.5"
Woofer Composition Magnesium/Aluminium alloy
Woofer Surround Material n/a Rubber
Tweeter Size - 0.75"
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") 239.7mm (9.4")
Width 172.0mm (6.8") 155.6mm (6.1")
Depth 291.0mm (11.5") 180.0mm (7.1")
Weight 7.50kg (16.5lbs) 3.50kg (7.7lbs)
Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
Available Colors Black, White Black, Olive Green, Gloss White
Mounting Bracket No No
Moisture Resistancy No No
Connections
Aux Inputs No 3.5mm
USB Port Update only Charge only
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

Verdict

These sit in different price classes - Q Acoustics Q Active 200 costs roughly 1.7x what KEF LSX does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.

AreaBetterWhy
BassAQ Acoustics Q Active 200 digs deeper - 46Hz against 59Hz.
Built-in powerBKEF LSX has the bigger amplifier (200W vs 100W RMS).
ConnectionsAQ Acoustics Q Active 200 adds HDMI and phono.
SizedependsKEF LSX is easier to place; Q Acoustics Q Active 200 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
ExpandabilitydependsQ Acoustics Q Active 200: a sub output; KEF LSX: a sub output.
PriceBKEF LSX is cheaper - $1,250 against $2,098, about 40% less; arguably a different class.

A Q Acoustics Q Active 200  B KEF LSX
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 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 68% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - KEF LSX looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Q Acoustics Q Active 200 appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 59Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper KEF LSX much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Q Acoustics Q Active 200 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, KEF LSX 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.


Most Popular Speakers
Klipsch Reference R-51M
Klipsch R-51M
2-way | 93 dB | 8 ohms
ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
2-way | 87 dB | 6 ohms
Wharfedale Elysian 2
Wharfedale Elysian 2
3-way | 89 dB | 4 ohms
KEF Q150
KEF Q150
2-way | 86 dB | 8 ohms
Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary Edition
B&W 606 S2
2-way | 88 dB | 8 ohms
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-500M
Klipsch RP-500M
2-way | 93 dB | 8 ohms
Wharfedale EVO5.1
Wharfedale EVO5.1
2-way | 87 dB | 4 ohms
Wharfedale EVO4.1
Wharfedale EVO4.1
2-way | 87 dB | 8 ohms
This site contains affiliate links. We may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through one of them. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Copyright © 2026 by SpeakerDecision
About Privacy Contact US Camera Decision

Report a Correction