In this review, we will be comparing WATT/Puppy and Kendall, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Wilson Audio and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy and KLH Kendall first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 7" Midrange
- 2 x 8" Paper pulp Woofer
- 26-30k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:from 25watts
- Weight:72.57kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 41-5/16" x 12" x 18-11/16" ( 1050.0 x 305.0 x 474.0mm )
KLH Kendall Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer
- 5.25" Midrange
- 25-23k Hz Frequency Response
- 96 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 250watts
- Weight:22.14kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 40-3/16" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16" ( 1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm )
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy and KLH Kendall compare 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 WATT/Puppy and Kendall are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy |
KLH Kendall |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 7-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
WATT/Puppy features a 1" Doped silk fabric Dome Tweeter , a 7" Midrange and 2 x 8" Paper pulp Woofer . On the other hand, the Kendall features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer .
Frequency Response
WATT/Puppy has a frequency range of 26-30k Hz whereas Kendall has a frequency range of 25-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Kendall can go slightly deeper then the WATT/Puppy's min frequency of 26Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
WATT/Puppy is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Kendall which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the WATT/Puppy can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. WATT/Puppy sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Kendall's is rated at 96 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the KLH Kendall a more sensitive speaker compared to Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy, 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. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Kendall features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. WATT/Puppy has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KLH Kendall's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy's and KLH Kendall's external dimensions. Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy has external dimensions of 1050.0 x 305.0 x 474.0mm ( 41-5/16 x 12 x 18-11/16inch) whereas KLH Kendall has external dimensions of 1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm ( 40-3/16 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch) .
Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 93mm wider, 29mm taller and 94mm deeper than KLH Kendall.
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 Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy is approximately 1445.7cm2 / 224.1inch2 and base area of the KLH Kendall is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The WATT/Puppy requires 79% more surface area than the Kendall which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.