KEF’s setup guide recommends a minimum of six feet between speakers, and a bare minimum of nine inches of distance from a wall behind them. If you’ve got banana plugs, however, you’ll need to remove the color-coded plastic caps sitting the binding posts - which can be a bit of a trick - before inserting the plugs. Newly designed for 2017, the array has been reset at the center of the cabinet for better clarity, while the back of the tweeter has been dampened inside the bass-reflex cabinet to cut down on sound leakage and ensure better accuracy.Īt the back is a centrally mounted bass port, set above easy-spin gold binding posts, which make the speakers a snap to set up with exposed speaker wire. Present on all Q-series speakers, the Uni-Q array is designed to deliver perfectly timed frequencies for better accuracy and a more three-dimensional soundstage. The Q150’s driver set includes a 5.25-inch driver and a 1-inch tweeter. The black model we received have a touch of Stealth bomber in their blood. If you’re into the post-Beatles John Lennon look, you can also get them in satin white with black accents. The black models we received have a touch of B-2 Stealth Bomber in their blood, right down to the rubbery, midnight-black KEF logo on the front. Features and designīearing the mark of their Uni-Q forefathers, the latest version of KEF’s Q-series is visually mesmerizing, and we think most buyers will want to display as they come (though we’re still a little surprised that grills don’t come standard). Buyers who prefer a more demure aesthetic can still find cover for their naked speakers online at an extra $15 per speaker. Unlike most bookshelves, though, you won’t find any speaker grills. Searching through the box you’ll find a helpful set of universal instructions, as well as foam port plugs to mellow the bass. The gleaming tweeters are cut by jet-plane fins at the center and encircled by rubbery woofers with dimpled edges, instantly recalling the LS50, though the Q150’s flat front face is much more traditional than the convex design of their pricier siblings. There’s no mistaking that Uni-Q array when you pull the Q150s from their wrapping. At just under 12 inches high and 11 inches long, they have a slimmer profile than many bookshelves in their class, able to blend into the background with ease. That’s not to say the Q150 are suspiciously light as they feel robustly designed, right down to the vinyl exterior, which is thicker and much more rugged than the UB5’s. At just over 12 pounds each, the speakers are lighter than expected, especially when compared to the bookshelves mentioned above - the ELAC UB5 weigh 16 pounds each, while the powered KEF LS50 are an anvil-like 22 pounds. The Q150 arrive in a spacious cardboard box, suspended inside by thick corners of foam. So, how do KEF’s two-way beauties match up against ELAC’s mystical 3-way speakers that stole our hearts and ears? You’re about to find out. That relatively modest sum lands you impressive trickle-down technology from KEF’s otherworldly Blade speakers, specifically the brand’s two-way, concentrically mounted tweeter/woofer combo aimed at linear frequency perfection, the Uni-Q driver array. The KEF Q150 are excellent, and like the Elac UB5, they’re also a steal of a deal at just $550. Those British blokes aren’t kidding around. So, when KEF tempted us with a KEF Q150 review, the smallest and most affordable speakers in its revamped Q series, we took the bait. Not long afterward, our ears were once again enthralled by the nearly perfect KEF LS50 wireless bookshelves, which cost a pretty penny more, but offer some of the most transparent and organic sound this side of a live performance. Just a few months ago our ears were all but blown away by one the most incredible pairs of bookshelves you can buy for under $1,000, the ELAC Uni-fi UB5. This product was featured in our Holiday Gift Guide! Check it out to find gift inspiration for everyone in your life.īookshelf speakers are enjoying one hell of a resurgence. Image used with permission by copyright holder
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