KEF Q150 Bookshelf Speaker, Passive, Satin Black

Product Information

When I was dipping my toes into Hifi, my very first demo was with the Denon N9 paired with Wharfedale 220 speakers, Q Acoustic Concept 20's and Dali Z1's /Z3's. I really enjoyed the N9 with the Concept 20's & 220's, Upstairs the dealer had a pair of KEF LS50's connected to a Rega Elex-r and Audiolab CD player. I was blown away by the detail. He also connected a pair of Dali Floorstanders to a Roksan amplifier and the Audiolab CD player.

The frequency response is similar in the two amps. Cambridge Audio CXA60 and CXA80 have a similar DAC, the 24-bit Wolfson WM8740. Music or any file from TV or any streaming device passes through it. Cambridge Audio CXA60 vs CXA80: Which one sounds better? The Wharfedale 12.2 is also a fantastic speaker. I'd avoid being tempted by the current Monitor Bronze range. I found them all very disappointing. The Silver 50s (with a subwoofer) or Silver 100s would be worth a listen though. The Dali Spektor 2 is an exciting speaker, but I did not find it particular easy to listen to for long periods of time. The Dali Oberon range is more refined, but still has what to me sounds like a forward, "get up and go" sound. They are impressive speakers, but not especially relaxing to listen to (at least to me), and a little difficult to drive from my recollection. The "nref" arrow is the center of the coaxial driver as you would look into it. We see that there is a strong sound source below it which has to be the port. Something coming out of that port is combing with the main driver and causing cancellation in the middle (to some extent). The frequency is 1.4 kHz. If we convert that to wavelength we get nearly 12 inches which happens to be the height of the cabinet. So it looks like it is a longitudinal mode of the internal cabinet coming out the port causing that partial cancellation.

PCI Support

The Q150s are renowned for their soundstage. It’s massive. Instrument separation and detail are impressive, and we like how the low-end – bass instruments and baritones – is clear and belies a speaker this size (11.92 x 7.08 x 10.94 inches). As are the trebles: KEF’s tweeter is one of the best at this price range. And that story continues with its latest entry-level 607 S3 speakers. The smallest and most affordable stereo speaker that B&W makes (even if that 'budget' price has increased in the last couple of years), the new 607 S3 replaces the previous Award-winning 607 S2 Anniversary Edition speakers and delivers a significantly improved performance. A 100W or 200W amplifier doesn’t make much of a difference. Just because the power is doubled, doesn’t mean the amp becomes twice as powerful. The 200W amp can play music 3dB louder than the 100W which is almost unnoticeable. Would it be better at filling the room at higher volume. I can't really have floor standers (wife). On paper the specs don't show much difference but the bigger and better quality cabinet and 3-way design should help? For the price, they’re one of the best budget bookshelf speakers out there – that they come from a reliable brand is just the cherry on top.

Since the Cambridge Audio amp support USB B type, you can easily connect a PC working with Microsoft Windows or Apple Both Q150 and Q350 have rear ports to enhance bass, as a result, you should not place it very close to the wall. Also, bookshelf speakers should be placed on stands for best audio dispersion. Or you can place them on open shelves and make sure the tweeter remains at your ear level. The enclosure of the driver should be such that it doesn’t vibrate at any frequency that might affect the audio quality. Both Q150 and Q350 are made of MDF which is considered good to avoid resonance. Driver materialWe think these new Mission 770 are right up there with the very best at this price, and one of the best ways to fill a large room with sound. Mission takes design inspiration from the original 770 speakers launched in the 1970s, but has improved and modernised every other element: from the cabinet design to the drivers and even new dedicated stands. If you look into Cambridge CXA60 specs, you will see there are more similarities than differences when compared to CXA80 . The advanced features in the CXA80 increase its cost. They support speakers with an impedance of 4 and 8 ohms. The tweeter houses a “Tangerine” waveguide that acts as a radial phase plug for the channel. The main purpose of this waveguide is to create microscopic compression. This leads to higher gain with lower power consumption. It’s a better way to preserve power while retaining the quality and serenity of the sound. In speakers, size matters. The larger the speaker, the more space the drivers get to move, and the better the sound. Q350 is slightly bigger than the Q150. Things on which speaker audio depends: Placement