What's So Great About KEF Q150 Loudspeakers? My Unboxing and Review.

This is my first loudspeaker review video. KEF Q150 bookshelf speakers.
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My speaker testing tracks below. Not all mentioned in the video:
Takuya Kuruda- "Everybody Loves the Sunshine"
Massive Attack- "Angel"
Bjork- "Hunter"
Dave’s True Story- "Like a Rock"
James Brown- "Give it Up or Turnit Loose"
Charlie XCX- "February 2017"
Isaac Hayes- "The Look of Love"
Patty Larkin- "When"
The Pineapple Thief- "No Man’s Land"

[@EA-58]

still love mine after 4 years

[@silkhead44]

I've had mine for a week and my wife is jealous how much time I'm spending with them

[@MegaMarkoni]

Same here 😂😂😂

[@MODAC]

They are a tremendous value...especially at $300 on sale.

[@jimmydelux]

So I'd like to say I think we'd get along really well. Your choice in vintage gear and your take on Bjork mirrors my tastes perfectly. Good review. I've been a British speaker fan for decades. KEF speakers are amazing and always impress me. I had similar experience with these. More power is key. Love the details in the soundstage. I listened to that same Bjork track (Hunter) on vinyl through my Marantz 1060 on a Thorens TD 160. It was wonderful. Good review. I'm subscribing.

[@paulk9534]

Ive just purchased Q750, Q150, T301 and T101 for my home cinema setup… the 750 will be my front sound stage…. Can’t wait to get it all set up 🎉

[@vivynrekha5680]

how are they ?

[@paulk9534]

@@vivynrekha5680they’re awesome, thanks for asking, the front pair run directly from my Naim amp…. What more can I say 🤔… Don’t believe any of the ‘too cheap’ reviews of the Q750 they’re very similar to the R7 and that was confirmed to me directly by KEF; the 301 sound great as base layer surround and the T101 on the ceiling work very well indeed and I was able to tilt them toward the mlp….. no regrets 👍💪

[@paulk9534]

@@vivynrekha5680they’re awesome, don’t believe any of the negative reviews that say the Q750 is too cheap. I spoke to KEF directly and they confirmed they are very similar to the R7… I have the front stage running from my Naim amp and the sound is wonderful. The 301 base layer surround is great and the T101 on the ceiling work fantastically…. Especially since I angled them to the mlp. Running Auro3D brings so much more than Dolby atmos, so my verdict is the source material is often the weak link in the system and the equipment set up is fantastic

[@paulk9534]

I replied twice to your message, not sure why it is not shown. The speakers are great and all work very well together; Q750 are excellent working through my Naim amp and spec virtually the same speaker as the R7…. Confirmed to me directly by KEF tech support 👍 The 101 are fab on the ceiling directed toward the mlp and of course the 301 are ideal as base layer surrounds.

[@vivynrekha5680]

@paulk9534 specs wise fine but in terms of the audio quality and imaging and nuances I'm sure the R7 would be better no. And nice to hear the kefs are integrating well with the rest of the system

[@canadianwildlifeservice8883]

You did a marvelous job with this review. I have a pair of these Q150 on the way and cant wait to try them out in my bedroom in a nearfield setup. I was worried about the upper midrange being too recessed according to some reviews, but will give them a chance.

[@MODAC]

Let me know what you think. Thanks.

[@RanTausi]

Thanks for the review. Well done 👍

[@joergwittenberg2178]

Thanks for the review. Very interesting, sir. Nice speakers

[@gage4375]

Great review 💯

[@bdhaliwal24]

Great selection using Massive Attack for testing bass

[@stephens3845]

I recently picked up a pair of the Q150 on sale, and they image very well. Great bass for the size and tilt a little to the warm side in presentation. I put 20-30 hours on them after an initial first listen and they do open up a bit after breaking in.

[@billsmith5166]

Strange. I've never seen a review that used Angel and Hunter as test tracks. I use them too. Great choices. Thanks for the review!

[@FluxCondenser]

Nicely done.

[@MODAC]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@scottlowell493]

Nakamichi licensed stasis 1 tech from Nelson Pass. It's actually a thermally unstable topology. I had a Threshold s/500 stasis II (1988) and it was still subject to oscillation with any specialized cables. The old nak pa5 and pA-7 amps had this issue.

[@sandyshoremann7524]

Nice review from (what I can tell is) a guy who has been around audio and enjoys it. I like Some of the old gear too. I recall Nakamichi made some of the best sounding 90's era Japanese equipment. I think I had a Receiver 2 or 3 in my system for a while before I went back to separates. When good interconnects cost as much as the equipment, it was nice having a 1 box solution. My great old Kef 103.2 have given up the ghost, but I'm not sure if teh New KEF engineering direction is to my taste . I missed getting some Wharfedale Diamond 10.2 or 10.1 when they were on closeout and I'm kicking myself for that. Happy Listening! -Sandy

[@cmallport]

I agree that the Q150 is excellent as a near field monitor. I'm driving them directly with a vintage Marantz 2270. My DAC is the Universal Audio Apollo with Antelope Audio OCXHD Master Clock. Opens up everything on the recordings I am making. Enjoyed your video. Thank you!

[@MODAC]

Yes, really good. Never tried them with my 2270. Hmmm. Thanks, Dave

[@adaboy4z]

In my 11x11 room the bass is excellent for a small speaker powered by a Denon receiver. I did purchase a kef kube 12b sub. Great combo.

[@scottlowell493]

FWIW: the Q350 were on sale for a while at $499/pr. Just a killer deal!

[@vinylexplorer9817]

Great review! I'm considering getting one of those, but not 100% sure yet... Thx a lot!

[@MODAC]

Listening to them as I type. Really best in a small room. I put them up on hollow metal stands full of cat litter, and added an 8-inch powered sub. A lot of people get speakers that are too big for their room. Smaller is better in many cases. Thanks. Please subscribe. Dave

[@vinylexplorer9817]

@@MODAC Thx for the additional info. I'll probably get one when it's on sale... As off now, it's kinda pricey. Cheers!

[@Justwantahover]

I design and build speakers, coaxials and single driver speakers. I need some reference speakers and ordered these cos they are coaxials. Going by the reviews I made the right choice. And I have plenty of MOSFET watts to drive them.

[@anthonynicholson5523]

I’m thinking about putting these on top of my klipsch forte II sideways and back as helper speakers. Don’t tell me about comb filtering and phase issues. I’m rarely sitting in the sweet spot anyways. So there! Lol thank you for this review! I’m getting the walnut ones

[@MODAC]

No harm in trying them like that. Thanks.

[@MrSouzy]

I have been using a pair of ls50s since they came out. You could call me a big of an experienced listener. I am still amazed at the sound which comes out of these. I know it is a bit cliche but if you didn't see the speakers and were blindfolded you would swear that the sound is coming from bigger speakers. Concerning the amplification I don't totally subscribe to the more watts is better school of thought. Quality is where it is at. Oddly enough I have a NAD C326bee which matches really well to these. That only has 50 watts but NAD did choose to give it a substantial power supply so maybe that helps. Ps I listened to that track "Everybody loves the sunshine" ... great track ! :)

[@MODAC]

I'm a fan of NAD and Adcom. Look out for my next video...I will be featuring them.

[@michaelmathes1991]

Just bought the Nad C326bee and love it.

[@01Keltics]

I had a similar thought and bought a pair of Q150's in January. I tried them with a few different receivers/amps and think they are probably best as near field monitors. I think they are kind of weak and lacking dynamics and bass to use in a standard music listening arrangement for even a small room. So I then I bought a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 225's for that role. I have the Wharfedales hooked up to a 6 watt chifi amp and they sound great. In fact, I listen to them more often than my Adcom/ Klipsch Forte ii or my all ADS set-up. I'm using the KEF's as the FL & FR for my AV system primarily.

[@MODAC]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

[@MODAC]

PS. The Q150s really come to life with high current amp.

[@SweatLaserXP]

Same exact thing here- I messed around with the Q150s for a bit, but ended up returning them and then tried the Wharfdale 225's which were much more agreeable. They don't image or soundstage like the KEFs, but they are much more pleasant to listen to in a small room. I'd love to try the KEFs again in a larger space.

[@MikeC-mf7dv]

@My Own Devices Might the Denon X series receivers be ok?

[@silkhead44]

I've owned a pair for about three months...I got them on black friday for $300USD....great bang for the buck

[@gillian_seed8358]

They are on sale for 400 right now until august 1 I’m thinking of getting them but will they be noticeably better than my current Elac Debut 2.0 b6.2 is what I’m trying to find out. My amp is Marantz pm6006.

[@silkhead44]

I just paired a 50w per channel Sabaj A10A amp to them over my Marantz AV 1510 receiver via the preouts....wow, noticeable difference

[@remcoweerdde1975]

Ik like all your video's keep it up , do you think that theese kefs kan replays q 50 Floor standing speakers from 25 years old. Gr

[@rolandrohde]

Have you tried to put the port plugs in? Should tighten the bass and offer overall better and more controlled sound. Also, did you check the actual power draw on the Nakamichi and the other Amp? To see how much actual power is being delivered to the KEFs?

[@atomxeon5415]

The specialist who said that high frequencies travel through the air faster than low frequencies, is not a specialist.

[@schoooo]

A really good review! A quick question, since you seem like an expert! Would S.M.S.L AD18 work for KEF Q150? If so, anything that I should be cautious of?

[@MODAC]

Not familiar with this brand or model, but generally I would beware of inexpensive Class D amps. Class D is better implemented in a model like a $700 PS Audio Sprout100 if a small footprint is needed. Thanks, Dave

[@VeniVizzleVici]

@@MODAC This is a bad answer. Cheap price does not equate to bad amplification.

[@MODAC]

@@VeniVizzleVici Sometimes true, but frequently better quality comes with a higher price.

[@rolandrohde]

The SMSL Class D amps (at least some of them, especially the Tripath I think) are pretty decent for any Speaker. Most of the time, you don't need more than 2-3 Watts to drive a Speaker and any amp can deliver that. The important question is, how far away from the Speaker you are and how much in-room Volume you want to produce. The rating on these is 1W for 86db at 1m which is already extremely loud. If you sit 3m away, then you wil need quite a bit more than 1W per Channel though...there is a formula to work out what you need, but I don't have it handy right now. At the end of the day, just order a pair and try it out. If it sounds good to you, then all is fine, if not then you might need a better amp or more efficient Speakers.

[@vanderhoff66fu]

I just picked these up for $349 a pair I'm going to use them as my front height speakers they will be 3 ft from the wall and one foot from the ceiling on top of my entertainment center

[@Rene_Christensen]

Sound speed in air is generally independent of frequency.

[@jamiesmith6838]

Thanks! I enjoyed your video on the KEFs. I've always liked the KEF ideology. Single (point) source driver. Coaxle as they were originally called. I have owned two pair of KEFs of many speakers over the years. From their Reference 103/4 with Kube 100. To their Reference 105/3 (which i still own) Even over B&W 802 Series 3 Matrix that copied KEF 105 design! The differences between the 802 and the 105/3 were like you've mentioned here with Nakamichi versus Acura. With every upgrade in electronics, from Classe integrated to their separates. The 105/3 shined at each step up. The Reference 207 was my goal. KEF seemed to have downsized from then? The Blade is just plan ugly. No WAF there! But, their little nearfield speakers are always talked about and praised!

[@MODAC]

I have three pairs of British speakers: KEF Q150, Meridian DSP 5000, and my best, ProAc Response 2.5. Thanks for your comments, Please subscribe.

[@TysonHook-22-]

I think the blades have a very modernized artsy look to them that women generally would like in a living room environment, compared to say a giant plain jane rectangular box floor stander... what holds the Kef blades/blade twos back from being more popular is there price tag of $30-40,000 that surely woundnt have a vary high WAF and highly limits there marketability since vary few can afford to spend 30-40 grand on the luxury of speakers.

[@cunningtim]

I have a pair of KEF C55s (1st generation Uni-Q) and they are very sensitive to placement--height, toe-in, and distance apart. They seem to work best at two points of an equilateral triangle, toed in to my listening position. I was thinking about springing for a pair of these at this price too.

[@MODAC]

Act quickly. Not seeing that price as often now. Also look at the larger Q350s.

[@terrybeavan4264]

I also have a pair of C55's, bought new in 1989, still use 'em and love 'em but they do have a weakness, the first generation tweeters are ferrofluid cooled but that stuff can dry out or leak and these tweeters are somewhat easily damaged, so these days I tend not to push them too hard! Funny thing the parallels here, I also live in Jax, FL and am very familiar with House of Stereo, though I bought the KEFs at another local dealer that has long since gone to installations only, no showroom or retail sales; I also have a Marantz 2270 and drive the KEFs either with it or a Cambridge Audio 550A integrated amp. I love the tight but deep bass from the C55's from the 8" woofer and passive radiator, and to me the imaging is great and more forgiving than from your experience--maybe it's the room they're located in, who knows! I find it hard to even think of replacing them, wondering if it's possible I can find anything I'd like better than them at a price I could afford!

[@cunningtim]

@@terrybeavan4264 Thanks for your advice! I also think the bass is terrific, and the high frequencies are good, but where I feel they are lacking a bit is in the midrange; female vocals, for instance, sound a bit thin. I do have a small room. I have heard that the ferrofluid can be replaced; do you know how?

[@cunningtim]

@@MODAC And...I'm already too late (4/29/20); the price is back up to $599. I was on the fence, so by the next time they go on sale maybe I will be on one side or the other!

[@terrybeavan4264]

@@cunningtim I don't know if that can be done--might be worth researching as it might well lengthen the lives of these now irreplaceable parts. I've also read of people replacing the tweeter with a newer one but the fit wasn't perfect, I think it took some washers or something to get the spacing correct, but the guy who did it said it sounded fine, but different. Geez that was so long ago the model he used for replacement might also be long gone, but it might address your desire for more midrange. I did replace one of the dead tweeters myself with an original OEM replacement, with some direction from the guy at the local dealer where I bought them--they had what he called maybe the "last one in captivity" of that type of tweeter so I really got lucky! Removing and installing a tweeter in this line of KEFs isn't difficult but you need to be aware of a few details--you have to remove the woofer (couple hex nuts hold it in and it takes some prying to get it out), unsolder the tweeter connections from the crossover board on the back and then take out one hefty screw and pull the tweeter out the front--if I remember right it just drops out--you can do if by just holding the wires, turning the woofer upside down and lowering the tweeter out by the wires until you can grab it and pull it the rest of the way. When putting in the new one you have to be VERY careful with the wiring, there's a hex cross-section post on the back of the tweeter and you hold the wires on one "flat" of the hexagonal post as you carefully push / pull and feed the wires through the woofer so that they don't get pinched and shorted out. then just bolt in the tweeter and solder the connections, put the woofer back in, easy!

[@mcgoniglellc2374]

Just purchased... hoping to get best bang for my buck. Curious how long is the break in period and is that normal with most speakers?

[@MODAC]

Hard to say. Some people say a couple of hours, others assert it’s hundreds. Others say break in is a myth. No real rule of thumb.

[@rolandrohde]

From experience it will probably be about an hour max for initial break-in. Beyond that I would not expect much change.

[@Barleyleg]

I’ve been looking for this type of review. I’m in the market for the first time in 30 years. Looking at a Sony es1100, and keep telling myself I’ll jump in when these speakers hit $300 again. Looking to start with a 5.1 - (4) q150’s and a q250. What are everyone’s thoughts /opinions/advice on this? Listening area is less than 150 sq ft. Thanks, friends!

[@pioneer7777777]

I have that speaker setup. Got it recently as my first home theater/media room arrangement. So far so good!

[@ricardocastrodelgado3588]

Hi. I am considering change my q300 for the q150, but I'm quite reluctant. I don't intend to use a sub, so these have enough bass to play in a small room? Or the bass on these is shy? I'm not a basshead but I like to feel the bass in some tracks.

[@MODAC]

Not bass shy at all.

[@AromaFrank]

Will these work great with Denon pma-600ne amp? Can they be placed close to wall or on a open shelf? How would u compare them with Elac debut b6.2 and Sony ss-cs5 ? Thanks so much for ur help!

[@MODAC]

They are rear ported, so they need some room behind. On paper, the Denon should be ok, but only your ears will be able to answer that. They like a strong amplifier. Have not compared them head to with those Elacs. The Sony’s are ultra low-budget models. I am confident the Q150s are superior. Thanks and please subscribe. Dave

[@AromaFrank]

@@MODAC The only problem is the rear bass? If I use a sub will it they be good? The Denon 600 has only 45w p/c. Thanks so much for your help.

[@MODAC]

@@AromaFrank as a general rule, rear ported speakers should be pulled out from the wall a bit. They produce very good bass response for their size. You may want to add a sub, but they may be ok. Depends on your room and setup.

[@rolandrohde]

From what I understand, the KEF come with port plugs. If you place them close to a wall (less than 50cm) then just plug the port and your bass will be just fine. If they don't come with a plug, just take a clean sock, wrap it in clingfoil and stuff that in the port. Same effect. This works wonders on pretty much all rear-ported Speakers

[@boysusf951]

What speaker stand you ended up with? You have mentioned that you were using an existing stand due the height was working for you but you were not so happy with them. I have ordered a pair and now, on a quest to find a perfect stand. Any advice?

[@MODAC]

Look at the Monoprice Monolith stands. Fill them with sand.

[@itsdannyftw]

@@MODAC Hey man, what height did you go with for the Monolith's? KEF manual suggests 18" to 24", that seems so short and would put it at below ear level for sure. Monolith has 24", 28" and 32". Advice would be great man thank you

[@21stcenturyentertainment14]

Q150 bass better when kept close to wall or apart from wall?

[@ShareHobby]

Nice review! They will most likely get even better after a few weeks burn in. $299!!! Is definitely a no brainer.👍

[@MODAC]

Thanks! Do speakers burn in?

[@CraftyGhost90]

@@MODAC www.shop.us.kef.com/blog/some-facts-about-breaking-in-your-new-speakers/

[@jeremymerry7967]

will the Denon AVR-S670H power then well?

[@MrStingraybernard]

Just like me I’d be tracking and looking out the window

[@joshuacruzgarza64]

What stands are you using for the speakers

[@MODAC]

As I briefly showed in the video, they are currently sitting on top of some Klipsch KG 3.5s. Reason: They are the perfect height for my set up. I have some tall metal stands, but I'm not that happy with them.

[@jayjacobs1504]

Bought q55 in 2000. Have no need or want to change them. The rest of my stuff is klipsch .

[@viktorsarosi5632]

recessed midrange.

[@JohnSmith-zl8rz]

Good for my Marantz PM6007?

[@MODAC]

No idea. Try it and see.

[@gillian_seed8358]

I have a pm6006 and thats what i want to know. Right now i got elac debut 2.0 b6.2 those are 6.5 but they are actually smaller than that and i bet these kef cone size is actually close to the size of these elacs.

[@OccamsRzzr]

Would these be good for desktop?

[@MODAC]

From my experience, great for near field listening. I would put them on stands pointing towards your ears rather than on your desk. Thanks

[@carlproctor9101]

I paid 349 for mine

[@pluggedev8464]

Polk is the way to go

[@MODAC]

Nothing wrong with a nice pair of Polks. I’ve owned a few pairs.

[@TysonHook-22-]

Once you go coaxial you never go back. :P

[@coldfinger459sub0]

It’s funny In live performance the singer is standing up with the voice come in roughly 5 feet up in the air in height. I guitar might be 3 feet off the ground. But yet they try to make a speaker where everything comes from one Center point.

[@TysonHook-22-]

Yes but have you ever meant anyone with two mouths? one on the chin and one on there forehead... one for producing Hi's and one for Lo's like a separated woofer and tweeter... our voices come from a single reference point being our mouths and that's the general idea behind coaxial drivers, rather then separated sources that then have to interact and blend together within the listening environment. when it comes to the KEF LS50s they're literally considered monitor production/reference level speakers meaning they are as revealing and precise as the speakers that sound engineers use in studios to mix and master tracks like the vary famous KRK rokits and Sony NS10s that have been staples in sound engineering for decades... essentially meaning KEF LS50s will give you the most true and accurate representation of what the engineers intended for you to hear when they mixed the track. Not to mention what your referencing when it comes to instruments and vocals being on different plains is represented through playback by speaker imagining and is literally a claim to fame of KEFs/ one of there greatest and most praised features is there amazing sound stage imagining. Definition: Imaging refers to the aspect of sound reproduction involving the perceived spatial locations of the sound source(s), both laterally and in depth. ... Imaging allows your brain to place exactly where the sound is coming from spatially to create a more immersive and convincing "like-being-there" home audio experience. whether were talking Q series KEFs or the Muon you'll be hard pressed to find anyone complaining about the imagining of KEFs... most often reviewers will be taken back and flat out amazed by how great the imagining is from the cheapest of KEFs to the most expensive, amazing sound stage imagining is kinda there thing.

[@jonathandbeard]

These speakers are great, but the Emotiva’s are better and cheaper.

[@MODAC]

Better or different?

[@jonathandbeard]

@@MODAC different for sure. Don’t get me wrong KEFs are really good. But in my opinion, they B1+ are overall better. Especially when you factor in price. $229 for the B1+ vs KEF which retail $600, but you can get them for $300. That ribbon tweeter on the Emotiva’s is just superior in my opinion. Side by side the KEFs sound almost muted. The highs just aren’t there in the same way on the KEFs. Bass and Mids are good on both, but highs go to B1+. This is on a Mac 1700, BlueSound DAC, and Tidal. I own both KEF and Emotiva’s.

[@sodapopinski690]

You look kind of like the drummer for Cheap Trick.

[@MODAC]

Nasty.

[@inspectahdeck2642]

Why are they so expensive? Jbl 530 goes for 240 very often and is better in every way.

[@jamesmurray7809]

Crap speakers clipping garbage No Imaging I believe route speakers let me know what you think clipping what can I say

[@scottmichaels1764]

doing an unboxing of speakers is a waste of time. My time.

[@danielacosta1998]

Love the outcome , but sadly I have no budget for a new high power receiver🥲